What happens when the job you thought you'd stay in forever — the identity you've carried since age 17 — stops feeling right?
In this episode, Shayla and Kate sit down with David (Dave) French, former infantry officer turned leadership coach, who spent 21 years in the Australian Army, followed by a second act in corporate consulting, and now has started his own business to follow his purpose. Dave describes a deeply personal reckoning with identity, values, and purpose - and a brave decision to walk away from stability and seniority to start over.
This is not your classic “pivot” story. It’s about responsibility, guilt, family, and the hard emotional work of letting go — and what happens when you realise you don’t want to keep climbing the ladder.
Together, they talk about:
- The identity shock of leaving a long-term career
- Why walking away from command roles was harder than it looked
- The pressure men feel to be providers — and how that shapes career choices
- How networks and connection can be two very different things
- What happens when your kid’s playdate leads to your next job
- The tough, transformative work Dave is now doing with incarcerated veterans
This is a story about honour, courage, and values — not in war, but in everyday life. And it’s about knowing when to stay loyal… and when to let go.
In this episode:
– Dave’s story of turning down the job he thought he wanted – Why success stopped meaning rank and started meaning alignment – How military belonging compares to the identity of lawyers – Leaving consulting after confronting a values clash — and what happened next – The power of purpose, and how it guided every step that followed
Resources & Links📚Book - Man's Search for Meaning: Viktor E Frankel
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🎙️ Hosted by Shayla Strapps and Kate Offer 🎧 Produced by Shayla Strapps 🏠 Hosted on Podbean
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