When I told people I was leaving my engineering leadership job, the most common reaction was that it sounded a lot like 'that overlanding thing' I do. At first, the connection wasn't obvious, but the more I thought about it, the more it clicked. Overlanding is about self-sufficient travel where the journey is the destination (complete with the risks and gear to survive it). My career transition is no different—it is an expedition driven by curiosity, guided by values, and sustained by preparation.

I’m not going to lie, I’ve had doubts recently (not about leaving corporate, but about the path I’ve chosen). After a nudge from my coach, I reached out to six businesses, but instead of feeling energized, I felt nothing. I’m realizing that while 'boring businesses' are the darling of the ETA world, they don’t always align with the leadership leverage I’m actually seeking. Here is how that realization led to a major pivot for my partnership and a potential cliffhanger for what comes next.