Your Career Journey Podcast
Career paths are rarely linear.
There are changes in direction, unexpected opportunities, difficult decisions, setbacks and moments when we're not quite sure what comes next.
That's what Your Career Journey is about.
I'm Emma Graham, a career coach with a background in recruitment, and in each episode I sit down with leaders, marketers, creatives and experienced professionals to talk about the reality behind their careers.
Not just where they've ended up, but how they got there.
We talk about the decisions they've made, the opportunities they've taken, the things that haven't worked out and what they've learnt along the way.
You'll hear honest conversations about career change, leadership, confidence, adaptability, navigating uncertainty and staying relevant as the world of work changes.
I don't believe there's one right way to build a successful career, but I do think there's a lot we can learn from understanding how other people have approached theirs.
My hope is that each conversation gives you something useful to take away and apply to your own career, whether you're thinking about your next move, looking to grow where you are, or simply wanting to be more intentional about what comes next.
Welcome to Your Career Journey. You can listen to and watch the episodes below ⬇️ ⬇️ ⬇️
Or find them on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube.
New episodes are released fortnightly.
Can A Marketing Career Lead To CEO?
Can a career in marketing lead to becoming a CEO? And if that’s your ambition, what skills do you need to develop beyond marketing?
In this episode, I’m joined by Natalie Mactier, whose own route to CEO started with an unexpected detour. After struggling to land the FMCG marketing roles she wanted, she spent a decade in sales, an experience that ultimately gave her a much stronger understanding of commercial outcomes, customers and how marketing and sales need to work together.
We talk about her move from SEEK into the startup world at Kidspot, how working in smaller businesses helped her become a better problem-solver, and the transition from marketing into her first CEO role.
Natalie also shares what being a CEO actually looks like behind the title: making decisions when you don’t have all the answers, constantly learning, and leading people through uncertainty and change.
And, inevitably, we talk about AI. Natalie shares how her organisation, VIVVI, is approaching AI across the business, what she’s learning about successful adoption, and why she believes AI has the potential to positively disrupt education.
If you’re building a marketing career, considering your path into senior leadership, or thinking about the skills you’ll need to stay relevant as the world of work changes, there’s plenty in Natalie’s career journey to learn from.
To connect with Natalie:
linkedin.com/in/nataliemactier
Who Are You Without Your Job Title? Redundancy, Identity & Redefining Success
What happens when the career you’ve spent decades building suddenly ends, and you realise just how much of your identity was tied to it?
Geoff Curtis spent nearly 30 years building a successful career in communications, including reaching Chief Communications Officer level. But when an acquisition led to redundancy, he didn’t just lose his job. He lost the title, structure and sense of relevance that had shaped much of his adult life.
In our conversation, Geoff talks openly about what came next: the emotional impact of redundancy, his tendency to use busyness as a way of avoiding difficult emotions, and the challenge of figuring out who you are when the professional identity you’ve relied on is no longer there.
We talk about navigating career transition after decades of professional success, the fear of becoming irrelevant, starting again without having a perfectly formed plan, and Geoff’s experience of writing vulnerably about the patterns he began to recognise in his own life.
We also explore how his definition of success is changing, from achievement, status and professional recognition towards values, joy and being more present.
If you’ve experienced redundancy, reached a career crossroads, or simply found yourself questioning how much of your identity and self-worth is wrapped up in what you do, this is a thoughtful and refreshingly honest conversation about what happens when the old measures of career success no longer quite work.
To connect with Geoff:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/geoffreycurtis/
How to Create Career Opportunities Instead of Waiting for Them
Isabel Thomson-Officer didn't follow a carefully mapped-out career plan. She built her career by creating opportunities that didn't exist, asking for chances others wouldn't, and backing herself long before she felt completely ready.
What stands out throughout this conversation isn't just the career moves, it's the mindset behind them. Isabel talks honestly about persistence, taking calculated risks, hearing "no" more times than she'd like, and why some of the biggest opportunities in her career only happened because she was willing to ask.
We talk about
Creating opportunities instead of waiting for the perfect role
How Isabel built her first PR role while still studying
Taking the leap to New York and what hustle culture really teaches you
Building a career in marketing and communications across multiple industries
Why persistence matters more than having the perfect plan
Networking in Melbourne and building genuine professional relationships
Practical advice for reaching out to people and creating your own opportunities
Mentoring, giving back and growing your professional network
Why vulnerability has become one of Isabel's greatest leadership strengths
The importance of backing yourself before you feel completely ready
Whether you're just starting out, considering a career move, or looking for a fresh perspective on leadership and career growth, Isabel's story is a reminder that careers are rarely linear and that some of the biggest opportunities begin with simply asking.
To connect with Isabel:
From Barbie to AI: Andrea Roberts on Building a Marketing Career That Evolves
Surviving A Toxic Workplace: An HR Leader’s Framework for Self-Awareness, Self-Care & Empowerment
How to Build Resilience at Work: Leadership, Change & Thriving in Uncertain Times
How to Pitch Your Way Into Your Dream Job | Career Confidence, Visibility & Taking Initiative
Career Detours, Reinvention and the Courage to Build Something New
Initiative, Responsibility, and Owning Your Career: Leadership Lessons From A Veteran CEO
Navigating Burnout: The Journey from Corporate Overload to Reinvention
Marketing Me: Personal Branding, Visibility, and Authenticity with Nina Christian
Why Sales & Marketing Still Aren’t Aligned (And How to Fix It) with Michelle Michaux
From Overwhelmed to Organised: Reducing the Mental Load & Creating Systems That Actually Work
Migrating to Australia in Your 30s: Career Change, Loneliness & Job Market Truths with Ana Asanovic
How To Build an International Marketing Career with Adam Lavrentiadis
How to Become a Fractional CMO (Career Path, Skills & Lessons) with Laura Zahariou
Building a life you love - not just a career - with Briony Cullin
Rethinking Success Through Career and Life Transitions with Caroline Patrick
All previous episodes from 2025 & 2024 are available here:
Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube