May 18, 2025 • 29 mins
This week I'm chatting with Paige Mariah about her transformative career journey. Paige shares her experience moving from Chicago to London for grad school, building a successful career as a full-time content creator abroad, and her recent transition back to corporate America working for Kellogg. She discusses overcoming imposter syndrome, embracing change despite fear, and finding work-life balance after experiencing the freedom of self-employment. This conversation explores the reality behind social media's highlight reel, the importance of patience during major life transitions, and the empowering message that it's okay to pivot your career at any age. Paige's authentic perspective offers valuable insights on finding your path and honoring what's best for you at different stages of life.
Paige's YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@PaigeMariah
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction and Background
01:19 Transitioning to Another Country
04:41 Returning to the United States
06:13 Dealing with Social Perception
09:07 The Importance of Patience
13:30 Self-Work and Personal Growth
19:00 Transitioning to Corporate
19:56 Transitioning to a Corporate Job
22:05 Dealing with Imposter Syndrome
23:22 The Value of Working with a Team
25:18 Balancing Work and Life
28:53 Talking About Money with Friends
32:31 Returning to a 9-to-5 Job After Being Self-Employed
33:24 Pivoting and Changing in Your Career
Takeaways
Paige's YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@PaigeMariah
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction and Background
01:19 Transitioning to Another Country
04:41 Returning to the United States
06:13 Dealing with Social Perception
09:07 The Importance of Patience
13:30 Self-Work and Personal Growth
19:00 Transitioning to Corporate
19:56 Transitioning to a Corporate Job
22:05 Dealing with Imposter Syndrome
23:22 The Value of Working with a Team
25:18 Balancing Work and Life
28:53 Talking About Money with Friends
32:31 Returning to a 9-to-5 Job After Being Self-Employed
33:24 Pivoting and Changing in Your Career
Takeaways
- Embracing change can lead to personal growth and new opportunities.
- It's important to block out the noise of others' opinions and focus on your own goals and desires.
- Comparing yourself to others online can be detrimental to your own journey.
- Patience is crucial when navigating transitions and building a stable foundation.
- Self-work, such as therapy and journaling, can help in personal growth and adapting to change.
- Humans are adaptable by nature and can find new solutions and paths in life.
- Transitioning from a non-traditional career to corporate can be challenging, but with time and adjustment, it can lead to stability and growth. Transitioning to a new job, especially in a different industry, can be challenging and overwhelming, but it's important to remind yourself of your value and the unique perspective you bring.
- Imposter syndrome is common, but it's crucial to remember that you were chosen for your role for a reason. Show yourself grace and trust in your abilities.
- Working with a team and having a manager can provide mentorship, support, and opportunities for growth that may not be available when working for yourself.
- Finding a balance between work and life is essential. Speak up for yourself and set boundaries to prioritize your well-being.
- Having open conversations about money with friends can provide valuable insights and help you advocate for fair compensation.
- Returning to a 9-to-5 job after being self-employed is a valid choice. It's important to do what's best for you at any given moment and not be influenced by societal expectations.
- It's okay to pivot and change in your career, regardless of your age. Your needs and desires may evolve over time, and it's important to prioritize your own growth and happiness.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
This is amazing media production.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Hello, good people.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
Ayana Angel back with another episode of you for the
Switch Pivotal Quit Podcast. This is a podcast where we
discussed career choices through a personal and a professional lens.
And as most of you know, I've made my own
switch Pivotal Quit transitions and I love mixing things up,
and so I love speaking to people who have done
a little bit of the same, hearing their journeys and
(00:30):
their stories. And today we're going to be speaking to
Paige Mariah. And it's funny because some of you may
be familiar with Paige because she had a viral weight
loss video. And I think that's how I know, right,
I think that's how so many people came across.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Your journey and your story.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
But what became more interesting to me was this transition
that you made from this life that you had in
Chicago to going to grad school and London and of
all places, right, most a lot of people do grad school,
but like not in another country and completely flipping your life,
taking yourself outside of your comfort zone. And so today
(01:09):
I want all of you to hear from Page not
just her journey of transitioning to another country, but also
now transitioning back to the States, and also transitioning careers
in a way, like you know, going from a full
time content creator to packing corporate America.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Now.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
So welcome Paige, and we're going to get into all
of that.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
Thank you. I'm so excited to be here.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
Yay.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
I think one of the first questions that I would
love to know about you at this point in your
journey is what do you know to be true about yourself?
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Oh, my goodness, that's a great question. Something that I
know to be true about myself. I think as much
as I like to proclaim that I hate change, I.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Think I do really well with it.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
And every time that I've allowed myself to embrace change,
like it's just elevated my life in so many ways.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
So yeah, Like as much as I try to say, oh.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
Change is scary, change is overwhelming, Like, I think I
thrive with change.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
Talk to us a little bit more about pushing yourself
into leaning into change, because it's a fearful space to
be in for a lot of people, and it stops
a lot of us from going after the things that
we think we actually want.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
Oh my goodness. For some reason, I think I've always
been the type of person that likes to, I guess,
protect myself by remaining comfortable or in one place. I've
done it several times in my life where I'm like,
this is nice, I know what is expected of me here,
this feels okay, like I'll just stay here for a while.
But then I start to realize like I'm starting to
(02:46):
feel a bit stagnant or I'm not growing, you know,
in the way that I would want to, and it's like, Okay,
it's time to change, it's time to pivot, it's time
to do something different, And that moment I'm always so afraid.
But I've seen time and time again that it's been
beneficial for me to allow that to happen, to embrace
the change. So I think it might just be one
(03:06):
of those cycles that I go through forever, and hopefully
it gets easier, you know, each time, because I know
there will be even more changes that arise in my life,
you know, in the future. But it's just something I
think I'm working on being better.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
At what you're saying.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
Makes me feel like for a lot of us, that
evolution and change and accepting it and embracing it's going
to be a constant jobs and for sure there's some
people and some personalities where they run to it, they
welcome it, And then I think there's those of us
who are like on the outside, it seems like we
run to it and welcome it, but really we run
(03:41):
in the fear.
Speaker 3 (03:42):
We're taking screaming the entire time exactly. But agree, it's
a new announcement about you know something.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
Yes, yes, speaking of I guess the social perception. How
has that been showing up in your world lately as
you've gone through a lot of these changes.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Hey recently returned back to the United States after living
abroad in London for four and a half years. While
I was there, I was a full time digital content creator,
basically vlogging about my life abroad on YouTube. It was
the best experience of my life. But it got to
the point where I knew that I was ready for
a change and ready to do something different, which was scary.
(04:24):
Being a full time content creator was my dream for
a while and I had that and I experienced that,
but then something in me was saying it's time to
do something different. And I would say maybe it was
like after I turned thirty, I was starting to create
more stability and just a lot of different, you know,
factors played into it. But I decided that I was
ready to return back to the States and be closer
to family and start a more stable career path.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
Honestly, so I returned back. Didn't know how it was
going to go.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
I just moved back into my parents' house, and I
was like, I'm going to just apply and hope for
the best. At least I know I have somewhere to
lay in my head. They're not gonna, you know, just
leave me out to dry. So I started applying for jobs,
and honestly, after hearing so much from from the outside, like, oh,
it's a terrible job market right now, I don't know
why you want to go back. You know it's corporate,
(05:11):
I just blocked out the noise and I knew I
had to focus on the goal. And I started applying
and received a job offer within like one month of
me starting to apply. So it happened very fast. I
still don't feel like I fully like processed all of
the changes that have happened so quickly because I returned home,
started applying, started a job, and like, yeah, here we are, here,
(05:32):
we are. It's just it's been a whirlwind for sure.
Speaker 1 (05:34):
Did you have any trepidation about sharing the change part
of your journey online and the judgment, Like you said,
you are already having to deal with the judgment of
people I'm sure closer in your family knowing what's happening
with you or your circle and saying, oh, it's not
a good job market, so you had to block that out.
How did you approach what you were going to face
(05:56):
with public perception of your choices.
Speaker 3 (05:59):
I was very transparent or as it transparent as I
wanted to be online about you know, me moving back home,
and I you know, received opinions right then and there
like why would you want to go back to the
United States? You know, like just you know, even things
like that right off the back. And then, you know,
when I returned back, I started uploading a little bit
less because I kind of it was even second guessing myself.
(06:20):
I'm like, are people still interested in my life?
Speaker 2 (06:22):
Here?
Speaker 3 (06:23):
Me transitioning into corporate I'm like, is that content that
people would want to see from me? It was definitely
a lot of second guessing. And then I did receive
some you know, feedback online from people. You know, someone
left a comment on my video saying, you know, Paige,
I really was just here for your life abroad and
I'm not really interested anymore, so I'm gonna unsubscribe now.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
And I'm like, Okay, I.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
Don't know if that was a necessary comment, but like
I will receive some things like that here and there
with people just saying like it's not the same, they
just aren't really interested, and that's fine. I mean, I
definitely understand that because I think, you know, not everybody's
niche or content is for everyone, you know what I mean.
In my content has evolved, like you said, at the beginning,
I was doing weight loss and fitness content, and then
(07:04):
it evolved into life abroad, so I didn't take everybody
with me who was there when I first started my
channel to the next phase. And I won't be able
to take everyone to the next but hopefully I'll bring
in new you know, people who will be really engaged
and excited about my content.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
So yeah, I try to kind of.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
Block out the noise as much as I can, because
I know online you can't please everyone and your content
won't be for everyone always, So I'm going to compete
to evolve. I can't stop or be stagging it just
to keep you know, that audience. So yeah, you can't
please everyone. And like I said, sometimes it's just like
real relationships in real life, right. You know, some people
(07:40):
are in your life for a season, and some people
got what they needed from your weight loss content. Some
people got what they needed from your living a broad content,
and then there's going to be a new crop of
people who will get what they need from this next
season of your life.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
So exactly, that's what That's all I can hope for.
Speaker 3 (07:56):
You know, whoever is supposed to receive my content at
that time, whoever needs to my constant at the time,
we'll find it.
Speaker 1 (08:02):
Absolutely And you just keep saying true to yourself. So
you mentioned that patience is a crucial thing in the
midst of all these transitions that you've been making. I
watched you talk about that on TikTok. Can you talk
to us a little bit more about what you've learned
about being patient in the midst of all this transition.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
It's really difficult to be patient, That's what difficult. Line.
Speaker 1 (08:26):
Yes, jeez, I hate to break up a good conversation
with an ad break, but that's what we gotta do.
A girl's gotta pay the bills, right, so hold tight
for me and we'll be right back before you know it.
Speaker 3 (08:45):
I know that I'm on the path to like having
the things that I desire, you know, But I am
having to be patient in this time because you know,
I'm kind of starting from scratch and I have to
show myself grace. So, like I said, I returned home,
I moved into my childhood bedroom, and I'm kind of.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
Just like, okay, what am I doing.
Speaker 3 (09:04):
I received, you know, a really great job offer which
is allowing me to save up money. So right now,
my patience is coming from like, Okay, you can't just
move out right away. We need to build the savings
because living in London was expensive. Being a full time
content creator had its ups and down. So I think
right now, current page, like present page, needs to focus
(09:25):
on saving and building a foundation so that I never
have to return back home to my parents tells if
I don't, you know, I want to make sure that
I am always just you know, in a good place,
and that's just what I have to focus on right now.
And of course, from outside, it's like I have friends
buying homes, friends who are you know, doing different things,
and I'm just like, ugh, I just want to decorate
(09:47):
my own place too. But I'm just looking at inspiration
on TikTok and trying to stay motivated because I know
that this is going to pay off in the long run.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
Having patients feels like there's a lot of smoking me
and then we feel the need to like live up
to the smoke and mirrors that we see from other people.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
But we don't know what's.
Speaker 3 (10:07):
Real and what's not real these we don't know what
people's situations are. We don't know how they were able
to pull things off or how many sleepless nights they
had to like make things happen for themselves. So I think, yeah,
that's definitely something that people should definitely keep in mind
because I know when I first moved abroad, people would
message me in They're just like.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
Oh, I wish my life was like yours. I wish
I was as happy.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
As you, and like my first year in London was
super challenging, Like people had no idea because I was
blogging every week like hey guys, like I'm having so
much fun and I was really having a hard time.
So it's like I was authentic as possible. But it's
like I am obviously going to show the best parts
of my life. So comparing yourself to others, you don't
know what it looks like when the camera's off or
(10:49):
you know behind the Instagram photos.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
What was the hardest thing? I guess you were dealing
with your first year in London.
Speaker 3 (10:56):
The most important thing I learned during my first year
was that you were wherever you go, your problems are
going to go with you, and wherever you go, you're
going to bring you with you. And I think I
kind of had this perception because before I left Chicago,
I was really unhappy with my job. The place that
I was working. I was making the same exact salary
all four years. I worked at a non for profit
(11:17):
and I felt like I wasn't progressing. I was living
at home at the time as well, and I was
just like, I don't know where I go from here.
I feel stuck. I feel complacent. So I think I
thought by taking the leap and moving abroad and doing
something really drastic with my life, it was just going
to be like this one eighty and now I'm just like, so,
you know, on the moon, and I was the first
few months I was there, the honeymoon phase, and I quickly,
(11:40):
you know, got back to reality and I'm like, Okay,
actually I might be here because I need to work
on some things within myself, you know what I mean,
and start to figure out how I can find happiness
wherever I am. Yeah, that was that was definitely the
biggest thing. And I did so much self work while
I was there because living abroad and Alan is actually
(12:00):
very isolating at times, and I spent a lot of
time alone and I had nothing else to do but
to kind of like work on myself.
Speaker 2 (12:09):
So yes, that was what the first year was dedicated to.
Speaker 1 (12:13):
What does that self work look like for you?
Speaker 3 (12:16):
There's a few things that I do, but I think
the first and most important thing is to just really
allow yourself to sit in it. I think I would
try to like run away from my problems, like I said,
moving abroad or always going out and being with friends
and all of those things are nice, but like I
really needed to sit with myself because I learned, like,
why would anyone else enjoy being around you if you
(12:37):
don't even like, you know, being with yourself, you know
what I mean, Like, if you can't spend time with yourself,
why would anybody else want to be there, so I
had to really figure that out, and I did a
lot of just oh my goodness, I listened to self
help videos on YouTube podcast episodes. Oh my gosh, I
actually wanted to say to you. Before I decided to
move abroad, I listened to some of your podcasts episodes.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
I did, I did?
Speaker 2 (13:05):
I know.
Speaker 3 (13:06):
I was so excited that we connected because I actually
was just trying to figure out what I should do next,
and I ended up deciding to move to London. But
I think this is obviously like a phase or a
situation whe people will run into multiple times should they
switch you know what I mean, like multiple times in
(13:26):
your career, throughout your life, like that question will arise,
like what do I do next? So yeah, listening to
podcasts therapy is amazing. I recently just started with a
new therapist two weeks ago. I just think it's so
beneficial to be able to I don't know, just talk
to a non bias party or you know, somebody who
was just there to listen.
Speaker 2 (13:47):
And yeah, there's so many different things.
Speaker 3 (13:49):
Journaling as well has been great for me, and I
love looking back and saying like how far I've come
or how a situation that was really worried.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
About turned out all right.
Speaker 3 (13:58):
I was definitely journaling when I was trying and decide
if I should leave London, if that was the right
thing to do. I was, you know, very much second
guessing myself.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
And now I'm here and I'm like, look how.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
Far you've come.
Speaker 3 (14:09):
Like it worked out. So yeah, those are a few
things I would suggest.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
Absolutely, it always works out. And it's that sounds so
cliche and that's easy to say it always works out,
but the reality is that life moves forward.
Speaker 3 (14:25):
And something I like to always remind myself is that
humans were made to adapt, Like it's how evolution work,
you know, all of those things. It's like we were
made to be able to, you know, accept changes, and
if something isn't working anymore, we're able to change and
pivot in and find a new solution, you know, for survival.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
So we do that, you know, in.
Speaker 3 (14:44):
Other aspects of our lives as well, Like if something
isn't working anymore, you very much can do something different,
you know.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
I love that you pointed out that we adapt no
matter what we take what we're giving. Sometimes it takes
us a minute to digest it, and our minds around it,
and sometimes we fight, you know, whatever is being given
to us, what we adapt.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
Most of the times we have no choice right.
Speaker 3 (15:08):
Exactly, and the time's going to pass anyway, you know,
So you could do it. You can accept the change
and accept the pivot with open arms, or you can
fight it along the way.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
It's your decision, you know, exactly.
Speaker 3 (15:21):
And I've definitely tried to work on that myself because
transition into corporate also hasn't been super easy for me,
especially you know, coming from being a full time digital
content creator and making my own schedule, deciding what my
own day looks like to more of my life now
evolving around my job, you know, having less free time
as well. So I think that's something that I'm still
(15:43):
you know, adapting to and it will take time, but
I know I'll get there, and another six months from now,
I'll feel even more you know, comfortable and adjusted. So
I'm just allowing it to, you know, happen in due course.
Speaker 1 (15:56):
Talk to us a little bit more about this sort
of like change into corporate, Like I know the feeling, like,
so I come from corporate, and even though you were
a nonprofit, it was more corporate. It was business environment, right,
So you come from it, you do your own thing
for a while, and like you said, you experienced this
freedom like you've never known. You think that that's exactly
(16:19):
what you want and you work for. But then as
you start to go along a little bit, you realize some.
Speaker 2 (16:25):
Of the comforts.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
That the stability of that paycheck bedes. Right, And I'm
saying all of this because I'm in the exact same situation.
I am working a nine to five now, where I
haven't worked a nine to five in a long time.
And that transition, even the acronyms that they are, and
(16:50):
I'm like, oh my god, what are we talking about?
Speaker 2 (16:55):
Although, where's my glossary? Oh my gosh, I'm gonna say,
but what was that like for you? Oh my gosh.
Speaker 3 (17:02):
I'm still dealing with it right now. Like I feel
like I'm learning a new acronym every single day. Honestly,
it's been a major transition because, like you said, I
wasn't a non for profit and I would say, compared
to what I'm doing now, it's night and day. So
I work for a major corporation. Now it's a big business,
a big business.
Speaker 2 (17:21):
And a storied brand.
Speaker 3 (17:22):
Oh my gosh, yes, so many different teams I'm learning.
And I actually studied for my master's while I was
broad in London. I studied marketing. But it's nothing like
actually applying it, you know what I mean, Like they
didn't teach me all these acronyms when I was in school.
It's been it's been difficult. And I have also always
been a person that kind of like struggled with imposter syndrome.
(17:44):
And it's like, I know that I earned this spot.
I know I was chosen for this role for a reason,
and my manager has told me that, you know, to
my face. But there's still like times where I'm like,
oh my gosh, am I not getting it fast enough?
Are they tired of explaining things to me? Like and
I know that it's not true, like and I have
to just keep reminding myself that because it's like, you
wouldn't be here if they didn't want to teach you.
(18:06):
Because I've been completely transparent about my journey, about my
career history. And I was brought onto this team because
I had a different perspective and they said, we could
have chosen someone else who had this, you know, big
corporate background, but we want you because we think you
can humanize our brands and our social in a way
that we haven't been able to do before. So I'm like, Okay,
(18:27):
you know your value, Page, you know what you bring,
and just keep reminding yourself that. I even had like
a teammates say to me, Page, we know you don't
know all the corporate stuff, and we're just gonna teach you, like,
don't even worry about it.
Speaker 2 (18:38):
Don't even worry, but doctinate you.
Speaker 1 (18:40):
You know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (18:41):
That's so like that's a small thing, like compared to
like the value that you're gonna be able to bring us.
So like, don't even worry about it. But it has
been hard because obviously you want to be able to
catch on really quickly, and I feel like there's still
some task that takes me longer than it would another
person who has more experience, just because I haven't done
it before and it's brand new for me. So I'm
(19:01):
just trying to continue to remind myself to show myself
grace' that's something that I sometimes forget. I'm like, show
yourself grace. It hasn't been that long. I've had, you know,
friends reach out to me and they're like it might
even take you a year, Like, just be kind to yourself,
even if it takes longer than that, be kind to
yourself because you're learning and it's gonna come over time.
Speaker 1 (19:21):
So, yes, it's.
Speaker 2 (19:23):
Been a transition though. Everything you said, I said, Oh
my goodness.
Speaker 1 (19:26):
Yes, yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. My coworkers they have
said to me, it's gonna.
Speaker 2 (19:32):
Take you nine months.
Speaker 1 (19:34):
It's gonna take you nine months to feel acclimated with
not only the business but all the different elements, the
cross functional teams, everything. But I think the thing that
is beautiful and the thing that I leaned into was
that this is another way for me to stretch myself
(19:55):
and push myself past what I thought was possible. And
sometimes when we work for ourselves, we can be in
this silo so much that you don't really realize what
it looks like to have a counterpart or a teammate
who may be a little smarter than you and bring
something else to the table, yes, and pull something out
(20:16):
of you.
Speaker 3 (20:17):
Right, Oh my goodness, that's so true. I think I
actually missed working with the team and missed having a manager.
Like it's something about that, like when you especially you
have a really good manager, Like they're almost like a
mentor as well, you know. And I feel like I've
learned so much already over these last few months from
people just being open and willing to teach me. They
(20:38):
know that this is new for me, and I'm just like, yes,
just give me all the knowledge, give me all the knowledge.
Speaker 2 (20:43):
And I agree.
Speaker 3 (20:45):
Like when I was working for myself as a content creator,
like I was finding you know, things online. You know,
there's people who are teaching things about social media and
stuff on TikTok and YouTube, but it's like it's nothing
like working with the team and having someone to like
bounce ideas off of and to challenge you. Like, oh my,
the way I have been pushed and challenged in this
role so far, I'm just like, oh my gosh, can
(21:05):
you just let it, Just let let me go, let
me go go with it. But no, they want to
make sure that you are putting your best into it.
Is this the best work that you can produce. And
obviously when I was working for myself, I tried to
always do my best work.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
But if I was tired or if that's all I
wanted to do, like that's just nobody was going to
fire me, you know what I mean, Like, there is another.
Speaker 3 (21:24):
Level of just like growth, I definitely see happening because
I'm being pushed and challenged in a way that I
hadn't been in a while. And I think I needed this, honestly,
growth to the next level.
Speaker 2 (21:38):
Same thing.
Speaker 1 (21:38):
I have the same sentiment like I felt like it
was something that I needed even though I didn't know
that I needed it. Yes, ooh, this is the stuff
I like to hear on the switch Pivot or quick podcast.
But we will be right back after this quick break.
(21:58):
But I think that one of the things that people
in our positions who have worked for themselves can lean
into is.
Speaker 2 (22:07):
The ability to structure.
Speaker 1 (22:08):
Things the way that makes sense for you. Because I
still have my own business, and because my employer knows
about the work that I was doing before, which was
a part of the reason why they hired me, right,
they don't frown upon the work that I still do
in conjunction to the work that I do and deliver
for them, And so I think that's a beautiful thing.
Speaker 2 (22:30):
What are your thoughts about.
Speaker 3 (22:31):
Oh, my goodness, no, that's such a great point. I
actually included my YouTube channel on my Instagram on my resume.
My manager watched some of my videos, you know what
I mean, so they are one hundred percent aware of
what I do. Like, we actually did a team cooking
class and the chef ended up being a subscriber, and
in front of all of my coworkers, my manager said, Paige,
(22:52):
I love you so much.
Speaker 2 (22:53):
I watch all your videos and people were like, oh, she.
Speaker 3 (22:55):
Actually did do this, Okay, she really was online. So yeah,
I think they really do embrace it because they've seen
one of my things. When people say, like, what are
some qualities about yourself, or like what words would you
use to describe yourself? I always say that I am
a storyteller and a community builder, and I think I
was able to show that through what I did online,
(23:17):
you know, building my YouTube community, building my online community,
and that's something that I want to be able to bring,
you know, into my role here by building a community
for their brands and humanizing the brands and making them
feel more warm and not so sterile on social media.
Speaker 2 (23:30):
You know.
Speaker 3 (23:31):
Another point that I wanted to say, I think being
self employed that was like the best experience that I
could have had because it also allowed me to really
experience having that freedom, right and having that balance that
I didn't feel like I had before. So now I
feel like in my role, I'm able to speak up
for myself and push back when I need to and
say I'm at capacity.
Speaker 2 (23:51):
Right now, you know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (23:52):
And I don't know if I would have had I
don't know the guts I guess to say that before
experiencing working for myself, and I'm just like, I know
what life is like when I'm not feeling like super
you know stretched you know what I mean, And I'm like,
I don't want to completely let go of that, so
I'm going to speak up for myself and say like, Okay,
I'm willing to do as much work as I need to,
(24:12):
but like this is as far as like we can
take it for this week, or I need more support
when it comes to this project or things like that.
I feel like it gave me the confidence to speak
up for myself because I know that life is also
as important as work to me now, yes, and I
was able to experience that, so I'm like, I'm I'm
never letting that go. Work and work, life balance and
(24:34):
my joy are still going to be priorities in my life.
Speaker 2 (24:38):
With a job, good for you. Good for you.
Speaker 1 (24:41):
I love that for you, sis, I love that we
have to lean into these things and recognize what feeds
our spirit and what feeds our energy, because you can't.
You can't walk around and be depleted and think that
you're going to achieve things and get things done, not
going to work.
Speaker 3 (24:56):
I want to give my best self so and I
know exactly like what I need to get my best,
So you have to be able to take that.
Speaker 1 (25:02):
Do you and your friends talk about money?
Speaker 2 (25:06):
Oh, my goodness.
Speaker 3 (25:07):
With some of my friends, we actually do, and we
have more now, especially since I went into corporate. I
think it's important to write and a lot of people,
like I remember, like years ago, be a bit more taboo,
like oh, nobody needs to know how much money I'm
making and things like that, but especially with friends who
are in the same industry, like, let's have these conversations
so I know what I should be asking for, you
(25:29):
know what I mean. When I first started this process
again of applying for jobs, I had no idea what
I should be asking because when I worked in my
non for profit job, I was barely making anything. I'm like,
anything more than that would be nice, you know, Like
I know that's not gonna work for me anymore. But
I was still very like, H, like, I don't know
how much I should be asking for I haven't been
(25:50):
in this type of role and so long, and I
was having these conversations with my friends and they're like,
you don't ask for anything less than this or you know,
like they were very much like open with me, and
I appreciate that so much. That's just because I didn't
really know. Yeah, there's like a TikTok that I even
follow that talks about like salary transparency and they go
up to people on the street and ask them how
much they make. I love that we're doing that now.
We're having these conversations because it's like it's going to
(26:13):
force these employers to pay us, you know what I mean?
You know what I'm saying, like if I see someone
in my same industry is making you know a lot
more than me in the same type of role, Like
why is that? While you know, why is that so? No?
I think it's great to have those those conversations I
definitely do with my friends and wecourage each other to
ask for more.
Speaker 1 (26:33):
As we wrap up, Is there anything that you are
finding yourself extremely opinionated about these days.
Speaker 3 (26:42):
Honestly, it might be just kind of going back to
what I was discussing on TikTok, like it's okay to
return to a nine to five job after being self employed.
And I think the reason I really wanted to make
that video is because I feel like a lot of
people weren't talking about it. It's always the opposite, like
how to leave your nine to five and become self employed,
(27:02):
And it's like, let's talk about the opposite, you know,
when it's when you feel like it's time to go back,
and how there's nothing wrong with that, And you know,
sometimes you need different things in your life at different times,
Like who knows if this will be a forever, you
know thing for me or if life will look different,
you know, five years from now. I'm doing what's best
(27:23):
for me at this very moment. And what's best for
me is being at a corporate job with the consistent
paycheck and you know, learning as much as I can.
So yeah, I think that's something that I wish people
would talk about more, that it's okay to pivot in
your thirties, your forties, you know, Like I think a
lot of people.
Speaker 2 (27:41):
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (27:42):
They think you should have it all figured out by
a certain age, and I'm here to say like, I'm
not even close. I'm still figuring it out, and I
probably always will be figuring it out, honestly, because things
change all the time, and the things you want for
yourself are allowed to change as well. And I think
my experience in London it was amazing for me. I
moved there twenty six and I stayed there until thirty one,
(28:04):
and it's like it fulfilled what I needed at that time.
And now this next chapter of my life is giving
me what I need right now.
Speaker 2 (28:11):
Yes, I love that page.
Speaker 1 (28:13):
On that note, we can close it out there, because
that's a good thing to scream from the rooftops.
Speaker 2 (28:19):
It does not matter. It's all about you and what
you feel on the inside.
Speaker 1 (28:22):
Thank you so much for joining us today, Thank you
for sharing your story. Much appreciation for you being so
transparent on your journey and just speaking up for the
things that you feel are right for yourself, and by
way of doing that, you're impacting others.
Speaker 2 (28:38):
So we appreciate you. Thank you so much. I really
appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (28:42):
And as always, you all, if you enjoy this episode,
make sure you share it with somebody else, a friend,
somebody who needs it. It could even be a stranger
as you just started talking to. It doesn't matter, but
share it and be well. Take care. This podcast is
produced by Mazie Media. Maze Media as a women led
podcast production company that works with small businesses and corporations.
(29:05):
Visit mazimedia dot com for more details on how you
and your organization can go from ideation to podcasting.
This is amazing media production.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Hello, good people.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
Ayana Angel back with another episode of you for the
Switch Pivotal Quit Podcast. This is a podcast where we
discussed career choices through a personal and a professional lens.
And as most of you know, I've made my own
switch Pivotal Quit transitions and I love mixing things up,
and so I love speaking to people who have done
a little bit of the same, hearing their journeys and
(00:30):
their stories. And today we're going to be speaking to
Paige Mariah. And it's funny because some of you may
be familiar with Paige because she had a viral weight
loss video. And I think that's how I know, right,
I think that's how so many people came across.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Your journey and your story.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
But what became more interesting to me was this transition
that you made from this life that you had in
Chicago to going to grad school and London and of
all places, right, most a lot of people do grad school,
but like not in another country and completely flipping your life,
taking yourself outside of your comfort zone. And so today
(01:09):
I want all of you to hear from Page not
just her journey of transitioning to another country, but also
now transitioning back to the States, and also transitioning careers
in a way, like you know, going from a full
time content creator to packing corporate America.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Now.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
So welcome Paige, and we're going to get into all
of that.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
Thank you. I'm so excited to be here.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
Yay.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
I think one of the first questions that I would
love to know about you at this point in your
journey is what do you know to be true about yourself?
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Oh, my goodness, that's a great question. Something that I
know to be true about myself. I think as much
as I like to proclaim that I hate change, I.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Think I do really well with it.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
And every time that I've allowed myself to embrace change,
like it's just elevated my life in so many ways.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
So yeah, Like as much as I try to say, oh.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
Change is scary, change is overwhelming, Like, I think I
thrive with change.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
Talk to us a little bit more about pushing yourself
into leaning into change, because it's a fearful space to
be in for a lot of people, and it stops
a lot of us from going after the things that
we think we actually want.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
Oh my goodness. For some reason, I think I've always
been the type of person that likes to, I guess,
protect myself by remaining comfortable or in one place. I've
done it several times in my life where I'm like,
this is nice, I know what is expected of me here,
this feels okay, like I'll just stay here for a while.
But then I start to realize like I'm starting to
(02:46):
feel a bit stagnant or I'm not growing, you know,
in the way that I would want to, and it's like, Okay,
it's time to change, it's time to pivot, it's time
to do something different, And that moment I'm always so afraid.
But I've seen time and time again that it's been
beneficial for me to allow that to happen, to embrace
the change. So I think it might just be one
(03:06):
of those cycles that I go through forever, and hopefully
it gets easier, you know, each time, because I know
there will be even more changes that arise in my life,
you know, in the future. But it's just something I
think I'm working on being better.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
At what you're saying.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
Makes me feel like for a lot of us, that
evolution and change and accepting it and embracing it's going
to be a constant jobs and for sure there's some
people and some personalities where they run to it, they
welcome it, And then I think there's those of us
who are like on the outside, it seems like we
run to it and welcome it, but really we run
(03:41):
in the fear.
Speaker 3 (03:42):
We're taking screaming the entire time exactly. But agree, it's
a new announcement about you know something.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
Yes, yes, speaking of I guess the social perception. How
has that been showing up in your world lately as
you've gone through a lot of these changes.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Hey recently returned back to the United States after living
abroad in London for four and a half years. While
I was there, I was a full time digital content creator,
basically vlogging about my life abroad on YouTube. It was
the best experience of my life. But it got to
the point where I knew that I was ready for
a change and ready to do something different, which was scary.
(04:24):
Being a full time content creator was my dream for
a while and I had that and I experienced that,
but then something in me was saying it's time to
do something different. And I would say maybe it was
like after I turned thirty, I was starting to create
more stability and just a lot of different, you know,
factors played into it. But I decided that I was
ready to return back to the States and be closer
to family and start a more stable career path.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
Honestly, so I returned back. Didn't know how it was
going to go.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
I just moved back into my parents' house, and I
was like, I'm going to just apply and hope for
the best. At least I know I have somewhere to
lay in my head. They're not gonna, you know, just
leave me out to dry. So I started applying for jobs,
and honestly, after hearing so much from from the outside, like, oh,
it's a terrible job market right now, I don't know
why you want to go back. You know it's corporate,
(05:11):
I just blocked out the noise and I knew I
had to focus on the goal. And I started applying
and received a job offer within like one month of
me starting to apply. So it happened very fast. I
still don't feel like I fully like processed all of
the changes that have happened so quickly because I returned home,
started applying, started a job, and like, yeah, here we are, here,
(05:32):
we are. It's just it's been a whirlwind for sure.
Speaker 1 (05:34):
Did you have any trepidation about sharing the change part
of your journey online and the judgment, Like you said,
you are already having to deal with the judgment of
people I'm sure closer in your family knowing what's happening
with you or your circle and saying, oh, it's not
a good job market, so you had to block that out.
How did you approach what you were going to face
(05:56):
with public perception of your choices.
Speaker 3 (05:59):
I was very transparent or as it transparent as I
wanted to be online about you know, me moving back home,
and I you know, received opinions right then and there
like why would you want to go back to the
United States? You know, like just you know, even things
like that right off the back. And then, you know,
when I returned back, I started uploading a little bit
less because I kind of it was even second guessing myself.
(06:20):
I'm like, are people still interested in my life?
Speaker 2 (06:22):
Here?
Speaker 3 (06:23):
Me transitioning into corporate I'm like, is that content that
people would want to see from me? It was definitely
a lot of second guessing. And then I did receive
some you know, feedback online from people. You know, someone
left a comment on my video saying, you know, Paige,
I really was just here for your life abroad and
I'm not really interested anymore, so I'm gonna unsubscribe now.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
And I'm like, Okay, I.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
Don't know if that was a necessary comment, but like
I will receive some things like that here and there
with people just saying like it's not the same, they
just aren't really interested, and that's fine. I mean, I
definitely understand that because I think, you know, not everybody's
niche or content is for everyone, you know what I mean.
In my content has evolved, like you said, at the beginning,
I was doing weight loss and fitness content, and then
(07:04):
it evolved into life abroad, so I didn't take everybody
with me who was there when I first started my
channel to the next phase. And I won't be able
to take everyone to the next but hopefully I'll bring
in new you know, people who will be really engaged
and excited about my content.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
So yeah, I try to kind of.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
Block out the noise as much as I can, because
I know online you can't please everyone and your content
won't be for everyone always, So I'm going to compete
to evolve. I can't stop or be stagging it just
to keep you know, that audience. So yeah, you can't
please everyone. And like I said, sometimes it's just like
real relationships in real life, right. You know, some people
(07:40):
are in your life for a season, and some people
got what they needed from your weight loss content. Some
people got what they needed from your living a broad content,
and then there's going to be a new crop of
people who will get what they need from this next
season of your life.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
So exactly, that's what That's all I can hope for.
Speaker 3 (07:56):
You know, whoever is supposed to receive my content at
that time, whoever needs to my constant at the time,
we'll find it.
Speaker 1 (08:02):
Absolutely And you just keep saying true to yourself. So
you mentioned that patience is a crucial thing in the
midst of all these transitions that you've been making. I
watched you talk about that on TikTok. Can you talk
to us a little bit more about what you've learned
about being patient in the midst of all this transition.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
It's really difficult to be patient, That's what difficult. Line.
Speaker 1 (08:26):
Yes, jeez, I hate to break up a good conversation
with an ad break, but that's what we gotta do.
A girl's gotta pay the bills, right, so hold tight
for me and we'll be right back before you know it.
Speaker 3 (08:45):
I know that I'm on the path to like having
the things that I desire, you know, But I am
having to be patient in this time because you know,
I'm kind of starting from scratch and I have to
show myself grace. So, like I said, I returned home,
I moved into my childhood bedroom, and I'm kind of.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
Just like, okay, what am I doing.
Speaker 3 (09:04):
I received, you know, a really great job offer which
is allowing me to save up money. So right now,
my patience is coming from like, Okay, you can't just
move out right away. We need to build the savings
because living in London was expensive. Being a full time
content creator had its ups and down. So I think
right now, current page, like present page, needs to focus
(09:25):
on saving and building a foundation so that I never
have to return back home to my parents tells if
I don't, you know, I want to make sure that
I am always just you know, in a good place,
and that's just what I have to focus on right now.
And of course, from outside, it's like I have friends
buying homes, friends who are you know, doing different things,
and I'm just like, ugh, I just want to decorate
(09:47):
my own place too. But I'm just looking at inspiration
on TikTok and trying to stay motivated because I know
that this is going to pay off in the long run.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
Having patients feels like there's a lot of smoking me
and then we feel the need to like live up
to the smoke and mirrors that we see from other people.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
But we don't know what's.
Speaker 3 (10:07):
Real and what's not real these we don't know what
people's situations are. We don't know how they were able
to pull things off or how many sleepless nights they
had to like make things happen for themselves. So I think, yeah,
that's definitely something that people should definitely keep in mind
because I know when I first moved abroad, people would
message me in They're just like.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
Oh, I wish my life was like yours. I wish
I was as happy.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
As you, and like my first year in London was
super challenging, Like people had no idea because I was
blogging every week like hey guys, like I'm having so
much fun and I was really having a hard time.
So it's like I was authentic as possible. But it's
like I am obviously going to show the best parts
of my life. So comparing yourself to others, you don't
know what it looks like when the camera's off or
(10:49):
you know behind the Instagram photos.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
What was the hardest thing? I guess you were dealing
with your first year in London.
Speaker 3 (10:56):
The most important thing I learned during my first year
was that you were wherever you go, your problems are
going to go with you, and wherever you go, you're
going to bring you with you. And I think I
kind of had this perception because before I left Chicago,
I was really unhappy with my job. The place that
I was working. I was making the same exact salary
all four years. I worked at a non for profit
(11:17):
and I felt like I wasn't progressing. I was living
at home at the time as well, and I was
just like, I don't know where I go from here.
I feel stuck. I feel complacent. So I think I
thought by taking the leap and moving abroad and doing
something really drastic with my life, it was just going
to be like this one eighty and now I'm just like, so,
you know, on the moon, and I was the first
few months I was there, the honeymoon phase, and I quickly,
(11:40):
you know, got back to reality and I'm like, Okay,
actually I might be here because I need to work
on some things within myself, you know what I mean,
and start to figure out how I can find happiness
wherever I am. Yeah, that was that was definitely the
biggest thing. And I did so much self work while
I was there because living abroad and Alan is actually
(12:00):
very isolating at times, and I spent a lot of
time alone and I had nothing else to do but
to kind of like work on myself.
Speaker 2 (12:09):
So yes, that was what the first year was dedicated to.
Speaker 1 (12:13):
What does that self work look like for you?
Speaker 3 (12:16):
There's a few things that I do, but I think
the first and most important thing is to just really
allow yourself to sit in it. I think I would
try to like run away from my problems, like I said,
moving abroad or always going out and being with friends
and all of those things are nice, but like I
really needed to sit with myself because I learned, like,
why would anyone else enjoy being around you if you
(12:37):
don't even like, you know, being with yourself, you know
what I mean, Like, if you can't spend time with yourself,
why would anybody else want to be there, so I
had to really figure that out, and I did a
lot of just oh my goodness, I listened to self
help videos on YouTube podcast episodes. Oh my gosh, I
actually wanted to say to you. Before I decided to
move abroad, I listened to some of your podcasts episodes.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
I did, I did?
Speaker 2 (13:05):
I know.
Speaker 3 (13:06):
I was so excited that we connected because I actually
was just trying to figure out what I should do next,
and I ended up deciding to move to London. But
I think this is obviously like a phase or a
situation whe people will run into multiple times should they
switch you know what I mean, like multiple times in
(13:26):
your career, throughout your life, like that question will arise,
like what do I do next? So yeah, listening to
podcasts therapy is amazing. I recently just started with a
new therapist two weeks ago. I just think it's so
beneficial to be able to I don't know, just talk
to a non bias party or you know, somebody who
was just there to listen.
Speaker 2 (13:47):
And yeah, there's so many different things.
Speaker 3 (13:49):
Journaling as well has been great for me, and I
love looking back and saying like how far I've come
or how a situation that was really worried.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
About turned out all right.
Speaker 3 (13:58):
I was definitely journaling when I was trying and decide
if I should leave London, if that was the right
thing to do. I was, you know, very much second
guessing myself.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
And now I'm here and I'm like, look how.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
Far you've come.
Speaker 3 (14:09):
Like it worked out. So yeah, those are a few
things I would suggest.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
Absolutely, it always works out. And it's that sounds so
cliche and that's easy to say it always works out,
but the reality is that life moves forward.
Speaker 3 (14:25):
And something I like to always remind myself is that
humans were made to adapt, Like it's how evolution work,
you know, all of those things. It's like we were
made to be able to, you know, accept changes, and
if something isn't working anymore, we're able to change and
pivot in and find a new solution, you know, for survival.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
So we do that, you know, in.
Speaker 3 (14:44):
Other aspects of our lives as well, Like if something
isn't working anymore, you very much can do something different,
you know.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
I love that you pointed out that we adapt no
matter what we take what we're giving. Sometimes it takes
us a minute to digest it, and our minds around it,
and sometimes we fight, you know, whatever is being given
to us, what we adapt.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
Most of the times we have no choice right.
Speaker 3 (15:08):
Exactly, and the time's going to pass anyway, you know,
So you could do it. You can accept the change
and accept the pivot with open arms, or you can
fight it along the way.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
It's your decision, you know, exactly.
Speaker 3 (15:21):
And I've definitely tried to work on that myself because
transition into corporate also hasn't been super easy for me,
especially you know, coming from being a full time digital
content creator and making my own schedule, deciding what my
own day looks like to more of my life now
evolving around my job, you know, having less free time
as well. So I think that's something that I'm still
(15:43):
you know, adapting to and it will take time, but
I know I'll get there, and another six months from now,
I'll feel even more you know, comfortable and adjusted. So
I'm just allowing it to, you know, happen in due course.
Speaker 1 (15:56):
Talk to us a little bit more about this sort
of like change into corporate, Like I know the feeling, like,
so I come from corporate, and even though you were
a nonprofit, it was more corporate. It was business environment, right,
So you come from it, you do your own thing
for a while, and like you said, you experienced this
freedom like you've never known. You think that that's exactly
(16:19):
what you want and you work for. But then as
you start to go along a little bit, you realize some.
Speaker 2 (16:25):
Of the comforts.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
That the stability of that paycheck bedes. Right, And I'm
saying all of this because I'm in the exact same situation.
I am working a nine to five now, where I
haven't worked a nine to five in a long time.
And that transition, even the acronyms that they are, and
(16:50):
I'm like, oh my god, what are we talking about?
Speaker 2 (16:55):
Although, where's my glossary? Oh my gosh, I'm gonna say,
but what was that like for you? Oh my gosh.
Speaker 3 (17:02):
I'm still dealing with it right now. Like I feel
like I'm learning a new acronym every single day. Honestly,
it's been a major transition because, like you said, I
wasn't a non for profit and I would say, compared
to what I'm doing now, it's night and day. So
I work for a major corporation. Now it's a big business,
a big business.
Speaker 2 (17:21):
And a storied brand.
Speaker 3 (17:22):
Oh my gosh, yes, so many different teams I'm learning.
And I actually studied for my master's while I was
broad in London. I studied marketing. But it's nothing like
actually applying it, you know what I mean, Like they
didn't teach me all these acronyms when I was in school.
It's been it's been difficult. And I have also always
been a person that kind of like struggled with imposter syndrome.
(17:44):
And it's like, I know that I earned this spot.
I know I was chosen for this role for a reason,
and my manager has told me that, you know, to
my face. But there's still like times where I'm like,
oh my gosh, am I not getting it fast enough?
Are they tired of explaining things to me? Like and
I know that it's not true, like and I have
to just keep reminding myself that because it's like, you
wouldn't be here if they didn't want to teach you.
(18:06):
Because I've been completely transparent about my journey, about my
career history. And I was brought onto this team because
I had a different perspective and they said, we could
have chosen someone else who had this, you know, big
corporate background, but we want you because we think you
can humanize our brands and our social in a way
that we haven't been able to do before. So I'm like, Okay,
(18:27):
you know your value, Page, you know what you bring,
and just keep reminding yourself that. I even had like
a teammates say to me, Page, we know you don't
know all the corporate stuff, and we're just gonna teach you, like,
don't even worry about it.
Speaker 2 (18:38):
Don't even worry, but doctinate you.
Speaker 1 (18:40):
You know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (18:41):
That's so like that's a small thing, like compared to
like the value that you're gonna be able to bring us.
So like, don't even worry about it. But it has
been hard because obviously you want to be able to
catch on really quickly, and I feel like there's still
some task that takes me longer than it would another
person who has more experience, just because I haven't done
it before and it's brand new for me. So I'm
(19:01):
just trying to continue to remind myself to show myself
grace' that's something that I sometimes forget. I'm like, show
yourself grace. It hasn't been that long. I've had, you know,
friends reach out to me and they're like it might
even take you a year, Like, just be kind to yourself,
even if it takes longer than that, be kind to
yourself because you're learning and it's gonna come over time.
Speaker 1 (19:21):
So, yes, it's.
Speaker 2 (19:23):
Been a transition though. Everything you said, I said, Oh
my goodness.
Speaker 1 (19:26):
Yes, yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. My coworkers they have
said to me, it's gonna.
Speaker 2 (19:32):
Take you nine months.
Speaker 1 (19:34):
It's gonna take you nine months to feel acclimated with
not only the business but all the different elements, the
cross functional teams, everything. But I think the thing that
is beautiful and the thing that I leaned into was
that this is another way for me to stretch myself
(19:55):
and push myself past what I thought was possible. And
sometimes when we work for ourselves, we can be in
this silo so much that you don't really realize what
it looks like to have a counterpart or a teammate
who may be a little smarter than you and bring
something else to the table, yes, and pull something out
(20:16):
of you.
Speaker 3 (20:17):
Right, Oh my goodness, that's so true. I think I
actually missed working with the team and missed having a manager.
Like it's something about that, like when you especially you
have a really good manager, Like they're almost like a
mentor as well, you know. And I feel like I've
learned so much already over these last few months from
people just being open and willing to teach me. They
(20:38):
know that this is new for me, and I'm just like, yes,
just give me all the knowledge, give me all the knowledge.
Speaker 2 (20:43):
And I agree.
Speaker 3 (20:45):
Like when I was working for myself as a content creator,
like I was finding you know, things online. You know,
there's people who are teaching things about social media and
stuff on TikTok and YouTube, but it's like it's nothing
like working with the team and having someone to like
bounce ideas off of and to challenge you. Like, oh my,
the way I have been pushed and challenged in this
role so far, I'm just like, oh my gosh, can
(21:05):
you just let it, Just let let me go, let
me go go with it. But no, they want to
make sure that you are putting your best into it.
Is this the best work that you can produce. And
obviously when I was working for myself, I tried to
always do my best work.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
But if I was tired or if that's all I
wanted to do, like that's just nobody was going to
fire me, you know what I mean, Like, there is another.
Speaker 3 (21:24):
Level of just like growth, I definitely see happening because
I'm being pushed and challenged in a way that I
hadn't been in a while. And I think I needed this, honestly,
growth to the next level.
Speaker 2 (21:38):
Same thing.
Speaker 1 (21:38):
I have the same sentiment like I felt like it
was something that I needed even though I didn't know
that I needed it. Yes, ooh, this is the stuff
I like to hear on the switch Pivot or quick podcast.
But we will be right back after this quick break.
(21:58):
But I think that one of the things that people
in our positions who have worked for themselves can lean
into is.
Speaker 2 (22:07):
The ability to structure.
Speaker 1 (22:08):
Things the way that makes sense for you. Because I
still have my own business, and because my employer knows
about the work that I was doing before, which was
a part of the reason why they hired me, right,
they don't frown upon the work that I still do
in conjunction to the work that I do and deliver
for them, And so I think that's a beautiful thing.
Speaker 2 (22:30):
What are your thoughts about.
Speaker 3 (22:31):
Oh, my goodness, no, that's such a great point. I
actually included my YouTube channel on my Instagram on my resume.
My manager watched some of my videos, you know what
I mean, so they are one hundred percent aware of
what I do. Like, we actually did a team cooking
class and the chef ended up being a subscriber, and
in front of all of my coworkers, my manager said, Paige,
(22:52):
I love you so much.
Speaker 2 (22:53):
I watch all your videos and people were like, oh, she.
Speaker 3 (22:55):
Actually did do this, Okay, she really was online. So yeah,
I think they really do embrace it because they've seen
one of my things. When people say, like, what are
some qualities about yourself, or like what words would you
use to describe yourself? I always say that I am
a storyteller and a community builder, and I think I
was able to show that through what I did online,
(23:17):
you know, building my YouTube community, building my online community,
and that's something that I want to be able to bring,
you know, into my role here by building a community
for their brands and humanizing the brands and making them
feel more warm and not so sterile on social media.
Speaker 2 (23:30):
You know.
Speaker 3 (23:31):
Another point that I wanted to say, I think being
self employed that was like the best experience that I
could have had because it also allowed me to really
experience having that freedom, right and having that balance that
I didn't feel like I had before. So now I
feel like in my role, I'm able to speak up
for myself and push back when I need to and
say I'm at capacity.
Speaker 2 (23:51):
Right now, you know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (23:52):
And I don't know if I would have had I
don't know the guts I guess to say that before
experiencing working for myself, and I'm just like, I know
what life is like when I'm not feeling like super
you know stretched you know what I mean, And I'm like,
I don't want to completely let go of that, so
I'm going to speak up for myself and say like, Okay,
I'm willing to do as much work as I need to,
(24:12):
but like this is as far as like we can
take it for this week, or I need more support
when it comes to this project or things like that.
I feel like it gave me the confidence to speak
up for myself because I know that life is also
as important as work to me now, yes, and I
was able to experience that, so I'm like, I'm I'm
never letting that go. Work and work, life balance and
(24:34):
my joy are still going to be priorities in my life.
Speaker 2 (24:38):
With a job, good for you. Good for you.
Speaker 1 (24:41):
I love that for you, sis, I love that we
have to lean into these things and recognize what feeds
our spirit and what feeds our energy, because you can't.
You can't walk around and be depleted and think that
you're going to achieve things and get things done, not
going to work.
Speaker 3 (24:56):
I want to give my best self so and I
know exactly like what I need to get my best,
So you have to be able to take that.
Speaker 1 (25:02):
Do you and your friends talk about money?
Speaker 2 (25:06):
Oh, my goodness.
Speaker 3 (25:07):
With some of my friends, we actually do, and we
have more now, especially since I went into corporate. I
think it's important to write and a lot of people,
like I remember, like years ago, be a bit more taboo,
like oh, nobody needs to know how much money I'm
making and things like that, but especially with friends who
are in the same industry, like, let's have these conversations
so I know what I should be asking for, you
(25:29):
know what I mean. When I first started this process
again of applying for jobs, I had no idea what
I should be asking because when I worked in my
non for profit job, I was barely making anything. I'm like,
anything more than that would be nice, you know, Like
I know that's not gonna work for me anymore. But
I was still very like, H, like, I don't know
how much I should be asking for I haven't been
(25:50):
in this type of role and so long, and I
was having these conversations with my friends and they're like,
you don't ask for anything less than this or you know,
like they were very much like open with me, and
I appreciate that so much. That's just because I didn't
really know. Yeah, there's like a TikTok that I even
follow that talks about like salary transparency and they go
up to people on the street and ask them how
much they make. I love that we're doing that now.
We're having these conversations because it's like it's going to
(26:13):
force these employers to pay us, you know what I mean?
You know what I'm saying, like if I see someone
in my same industry is making you know a lot
more than me in the same type of role, Like
why is that? While you know, why is that so? No?
I think it's great to have those those conversations I
definitely do with my friends and wecourage each other to
ask for more.
Speaker 1 (26:33):
As we wrap up, Is there anything that you are
finding yourself extremely opinionated about these days.
Speaker 3 (26:42):
Honestly, it might be just kind of going back to
what I was discussing on TikTok, like it's okay to
return to a nine to five job after being self employed.
And I think the reason I really wanted to make
that video is because I feel like a lot of
people weren't talking about it. It's always the opposite, like
how to leave your nine to five and become self employed,
(27:02):
And it's like, let's talk about the opposite, you know,
when it's when you feel like it's time to go back,
and how there's nothing wrong with that, And you know,
sometimes you need different things in your life at different times,
Like who knows if this will be a forever, you
know thing for me or if life will look different,
you know, five years from now. I'm doing what's best
(27:23):
for me at this very moment. And what's best for
me is being at a corporate job with the consistent
paycheck and you know, learning as much as I can.
So yeah, I think that's something that I wish people
would talk about more, that it's okay to pivot in
your thirties, your forties, you know, Like I think a
lot of people.
Speaker 2 (27:41):
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (27:42):
They think you should have it all figured out by
a certain age, and I'm here to say like, I'm
not even close. I'm still figuring it out, and I
probably always will be figuring it out, honestly, because things
change all the time, and the things you want for
yourself are allowed to change as well. And I think
my experience in London it was amazing for me. I
moved there twenty six and I stayed there until thirty one,
(28:04):
and it's like it fulfilled what I needed at that time.
And now this next chapter of my life is giving
me what I need right now.
Speaker 2 (28:11):
Yes, I love that page.
Speaker 1 (28:13):
On that note, we can close it out there, because
that's a good thing to scream from the rooftops.
Speaker 2 (28:19):
It does not matter. It's all about you and what
you feel on the inside.
Speaker 1 (28:22):
Thank you so much for joining us today, Thank you
for sharing your story. Much appreciation for you being so
transparent on your journey and just speaking up for the
things that you feel are right for yourself, and by
way of doing that, you're impacting others.
Speaker 2 (28:38):
So we appreciate you. Thank you so much. I really
appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (28:42):
And as always, you all, if you enjoy this episode,
make sure you share it with somebody else, a friend,
somebody who needs it. It could even be a stranger
as you just started talking to. It doesn't matter, but
share it and be well. Take care. This podcast is
produced by Mazie Media. Maze Media as a women led
podcast production company that works with small businesses and corporations.
(29:05):
Visit mazimedia dot com for more details on how you
and your organization can go from ideation to podcasting.
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