What REALLY happens when you leave corporate stability for startup chaos?

This Shameless Careers episode is one of our most honest yet - unpacking what it really costs (and offers) when you make the leap.

Guest: Damien Kopp, who spent 11 years at Accenture before jumping to a startup that wasn’t what he expected - and eventually becoming an entrepreneur.

We unpack:

- What can prompt people to jump from a stable corporate role into startups

- Why Damien no longer thinks that corporate jobs are safe

- An absolutely critical startup due-diligence step - that most people skip

- The harsh truth about equity and taking big pay cuts when moving to a startup

- Why “startups = freedom” is only half the story

- And why, if you feel stuck, doing nothing can be the worst career move

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✅ Stay connected with me: https://www.linkedin.com/in/varia-pechurina/

✅ Stay connected with Damien: https://www.linkedin.com/in/damienkopp/

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#LeavingCorporate #StartupVsCorporate #CareerChange #CareerPivot #StartupReality #FinancialTradeOffs #StartupEquity #Entrepreneurship #CareerAdvice #FounderLife #FutureOfWork #WorkLifeFulfillment

⚠️Disclaimer: I do not accept any liability for any loss or damage incurred from you acting or not acting as a result of listening to any of my publications. You acknowledge that you use the information I provide at your own risk. Do your research.

Copyright Notice: This episode and my podcast channel contain dialogue, music, and images that are the property of Shameless Careers. You are authorised to share the episode link and channel and embed this episode in your website or others as long as a link back to my podcast channel is provided.

© Shameless Careers

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

So many people struggle to find what they really want because they believe they need a grand career plan. But the truth is - you don’t.

All you need is to follow the breadcrumbs: your intuition, that sense of the next step that feels right at the time - one small step at a time. In other words, you have to walk the path to understand the path.

This episode with Katerina Joannides is a powerful example of doing exactly that.

Katerina began her career at a world-class global architecture studio, working with clients like Google. She then took a bold leap to join a brand-new boutique practice founded by the former Architectural Director of Soho House (the studio didn’t even have a name when she joined). After a rollercoaster of intense learning - but also burnout - she made an even braver move: leaving London behind to move to Spain, reconnect with herself, freelance, and explore what she truly wanted to do.

Every breadcrumb eventually led her to launching her own creative agency - the next chapter of her career, and work she is genuinely excited about.

We also talked about:

✨ The comparison between corporate and startup life - the advantages and trade-offs of each path

✨ How to make the most of freelancing experience

✨ What it’s like - emotionally - to start your own business when no one knows you exist (spoiler alert: that anonymity is also a massive advantage)

Enjoy!

Did you know exactly what you wanted to do early on, or did you have to “follow the breadcrumbs”?

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✅ Stay connected with me: https://www.linkedin.com/in/varia-pechurina/

✅ Stay connected with Katerina: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katerina-joannides/

✅ Katerina's creative agency: https://fuente.studio

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#FindYourPurpose #CareerChange #FollowYourIntuition #CreativeCareers #BurnoutRecovery #FreelancingLife #CreativeEntrepreneur #ShamelessCareers

⚠️Disclaimer: I do not accept any liability for any loss or damage incurred from you acting or not acting as a result of listening to any of my publications. You acknowledge that you use the information I provide at your own risk. Do your research.

Copyright Notice: This episode and my podcast channel contain dialogue, music, and images that are the property of Shameless Careers. You are authorised to share the episode link and channel and embed this episode in your website or others as long as a link back to my podcast channel is provided.

© Shameless Careers

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Shameless Careers, we talk about something so many ambitious professionals struggle with: people pleasing. On the surface it looks helpful… but underneath, it’s one of the biggest career saboteurs.

To unpack this properly, I’m joined by Jelena Radonjic - award-winning career & leadership coach, Forbes Coaches Council member, and advisor to leaders at Amazon, HSBC, Goldman Sachs, Bain, PwC and more.

In this conversation we cover:

- What people pleasing actually is (it’s not always bad!)

- The hidden cost: burnout, resentment and stalled progression

- The paradox: people often respect you more when you set boundaries

- Two questions that instantly break the people-pleasing loop

- What leaders with people-pleasing tendencies need to watch out for

If you’re the “reliable one”, the “nice one”, the “always there” one — this episode will be a game-changer.

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✅ Stay connected with me: https://www.linkedin.com/in/varia-pechurina/

✅ Stay connected with Jelena: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jelena-radonjic-careerandleadership-coach/

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#PeoplePleasing #CareerAdvice #Boundaries #HighAchievers #Leadership #Burnout #ShamelessCareers

⚠️Disclaimer: I do not accept any liability for any loss or damage incurred from you acting or not acting as a result of listening to any of my publications. You acknowledge that you use the information I provide at your own risk. Do your research.

Copyright Notice: This episode and my podcast channel contain dialogue, music, and images that are the property of Shameless Careers. You are authorised to share the episode link and channel and embed this episode in your website or others as long as a link back to my podcast channel is provided.

© Shameless Careers

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tech is a hot space for careers, isn’t it?

Unsurprisingly, A LOT of people want to break into this space and are wondering: “how can I make it happen?”

This is exactly what we are discussing with my brilliant guest - Fabian Fuchs - in the latest Shameless Careers episode.

Fabian started his career in consulting at BCG, then joined a food delivery scale up in Germany only to see this space SKYROCKET during the pandemic.

Following a bunch of acquisitions the company became part of a scale up Just Eat where Fabian built a stellar career - progressing from Head of Operations in Germany to Chief of Staff to the COO, and then to Director roles in France and London.

In this episode we are talking about:

• How to choose the right tech company and build a successful career there
• The 3 traits hiring managers often look for when interviewing people for tech roles
• Why consultants often excel in tech - and how to compete if you’re not one
• And (my favourite) why being part of a tech company can feel like a Netflix series 🍿

If you want to break into tech - or know someone who does - this episode is for you (and for that friend of yours!)

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✅ Stay connected with me: https://www.linkedin.com/in/varia-pechurina/

✅ Stay connected with Fabian: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fabian-fuchs-789b085a/

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⚠️Disclaimer: I do not accept any liability for any loss or damage incurred from you acting or not acting as a result of listening to any of my publications. You acknowledge that you use the information I provide at your own risk. Do your research.

Copyright Notice: This episode and my podcast channel contain dialogue, music, and images that are the property of Shameless Careers. You are authorised to share the episode link and channel and embed this episode in your website or others as long as a link back to my podcast channel is provided.

© Shameless Careers

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Shameless Careers episode, haroon (LBS MBA, ex-startups) shares how two failed probations and years of shame finally made sense after a dual adult autism & ADHD diagnosis - opening the door to self-acceptance, self-awareness, and real career purpose.

In this candid, emotional episode, we talk about:

- What it’s like to keep hearing the feedback that you “have flashes of brilliance, but your behaviour is erratic and it's too much to have to manage you”

- The adult autism & ADHD diagnosis: the two-hour cry, relief, and self-compassion

- Neurodiversity at work: why some brains may thrive in chaos, but struggle with routine

- Discovering purpose: haroon’s pivot to a creative career - where his brain truly thrives

- Life post the creative pivot: financial realities, the long game and the power of seizing the day

This episode is a reminder that we’re all wired differently; that some careers may fit our brains better than others; that raising awareness of neurodivergence matters; and that the most important thing is to be kind - to others and to yourself.

I hope you like this episode. Share the link with someone who may need to hear this.

✅ Stay connected with me: https://www.linkedin.com/in/varia-pechurina/

✅ Stay connected with haroon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harooncreates/

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#Neurodiversity #AdultAutism #ADHD #CareerChange #MentalHealth

⚠️Disclaimer: I do not accept any liability for any loss or damage incurred from you acting or not acting as a result of listening to any of my publications. You acknowledge that you use the information I provide at your own risk. Do your research.

Copyright Notice: This episode and my podcast channel contain dialogue, music, and images that are the property of Shameless Careers. You are authorised to share the episode link and channel and embed this episode in your website or others as long as a link back to my podcast channel is provided.

© Shameless Careers

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feeling stuck on career autopilot - tired, unmotivated, and unsure what to do next?

In this Shameless Careers episode, career and life coach Hanan Baba shares a step-by-step framework to build a fulfilling, energising career without guesswork.

What you will learn:

- The #1 sign you’re on autopilot: persistently low energy

- How to “follow the scent” to find what gives you more energy & excitement

- The 3 pillars of your Inner Compass (strengths, values, interests)

- Job crafting: reshape your current role before you quit

- Personal brand + networking that clearly signal what you’re after - and help you land it

Enjoy!

✅ Stay connected with me: https://www.linkedin.com/in/varia-pechurina/

✅ Stay connected with Hanan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hananbaba/

✅ Hanan’s earlier episode on her pivot from consulting/tech to coaching:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RoJB2yjitI&t=2s

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#CareerAutopilot #CareerAlignment #EnergyAudit #InnerCompass #JobCrafting #PersonalBranding #NetworkingTips #CareerCoach #shamelesscareers

⚠️Disclaimer: I do not accept any liability for any loss or damage incurred from you acting or not acting as a result of listening to any of my publications. You acknowledge that you use the information I provide at your own risk. Do your research.

Copyright Notice: This episode and my podcast channel contain dialogue, music, and images that are the property of Shameless Careers. You are authorised to share the episode link and channel and embed this episode in your website or others as long as a link back to my podcast channel is provided.

© Shameless Careers

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when a stable, well regarded career suddenly feels empty?

In this episode of Shameless Careers, Anastasia Tolstova shares her deeply personal story of spiralling into depression, battling anxiety, panic attacks, and an eating disorder - and how that mental health crisis became the catalyst for an entirely new career path.

Anastasia walked away from nearly two decades in finance to retrain as a psychotherapist and build her own private practice. In the interview we talk about:

- Hitting rock bottom: depression, burnout, and mental health leave

- Reframing crisis as a gift and a chance for reinvention

- How helping others became more meaningful than her banking career

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⚠️Disclaimer: I do not accept any liability for any loss or damage incurred from you acting or not acting as a result of listening to any of my publications. You acknowledge that you use the information I provide at your own risk. Do your research.

Copyright Notice: This episode and my podcast channel contain dialogue, music, and images that are the property of Shameless Careers. You are authorised to share the episode link and channel and embed this episode in your website or others as long as a link back to my podcast channel is provided.

© Shameless Careers

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feeling “successful” but unfulfilled? Wondering how to build confidence, take smarter risks, and find true fulfilment in a high-performance career?

In this episode of Shameless Careers, I’m joined by Alina Addison - Executive Coach, former Head of Trading & Execution at Rothschild & Co, and author of The Audacity Spectrum. Together, we explore how high-achievers can break free from the trap of chasing external success and start living audaciously.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

✅ The 4 principles of living audaciously - acknowledge uncertainty, dare authentically, care intensely, trust your yes

✅ Why mindset - how you frame uncertainty, risk, and setbacks - is the ultimate differentiator in high-performance careers

✅ Why confidence doesn’t come first – it FOLLOWS courage (just 2% more courage a day can change everything!)

✅ Why making requests - for promotions, opportunities, and recognition - is one the perfect examples of such courage

✅ How the antidote to uncertainty isn’t certainty - but creativity and experimentation

If you’re a high-achiever in finance, consulting, law, or tech and you’ve ever felt stuck, risk-averse, or unsure of your next move, this conversation is for you.

#CareerChange #ExecutiveCoach #HighAchievers #FinanceCareers #CareerGrowth #LeadershipDevelopment #MindsetMatters #ConfidenceBuilding #RiskTaking #shamelesscareers

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⚠️Disclaimer: I do not accept any liability for any loss or damage incurred from you acting or not acting as a result of listening to any of my publications. You acknowledge that you use the information I provide at your own risk. Do your research.

Copyright Notice: This episode and my podcast channel contain dialogue, music, and images that are the property of Shameless Careers. You are authorised to share the episode link and channel and embed this episode in your website or others as long as a link back to my podcast channel is provided.

© Shameless Careers

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.