Episode description: In this episode, Susie Chou shares her transformative experience of taking a year-long sabbatical with her husband, traveling to all seven continents. Susie reflects on the personal growth and relationship building that occurred during their travels, as well as the challenges of transitioning back to work after such a significant break. She also offers valuable tips for anyone considering a sabbatical, emphasising the importance of understanding one's intentions and slowing down to fully appreciate the experience. Together, we explore:
- The decision-making process, the planning involved, and the financial considerations that make a career break or sabbatical possible.
- How returning back to the corporate world can be hard.
- How her break gave her the confidence to break away from the standard American blueprint of life and do something different.
- Why travel throughout her break contributed to her changing career and starting her own travel agency.
- Entrepreneurial life, the twists and turns, the challenges but why she would never go back.
Timestamps
00:00 Introduction and Acknowledgment
01:31 Suzy Chow's Sabbatical Journey
10:05 Planning the Sabbatical
19:07 Experiences Across Seven Continents
23:54 Transitioning Back to Work
28:02 Starting a New Venture
33:09 Top Tips for Taking a Sabbatical
Guest bio: Susie Chau is a former IT Management Consultant who took a transformative year-long career break with her husband, traveling across all seven continents. Inspired by her journey, she returned to the corporate world but soon felt the pull to help others experience the power of travel. In 2016, she launched her travel agency as a side hustle, and by 2018, she took the leap into full-time entrepreneurship. Since then, she has helped hundreds of people explore the world. In 2023, Susie expanded her mission beyond vacations—she now helps professionals live abroad for a month or more, shifting their focus from work mode to life mode.
Learn more about Susie by visiting herwebsite or connecting with her onLinkedIn
Episode transcript:
Other episodes you may enjoy:
- How to Master the Art of Sabbaticals and Career Breaks with Katrina McGhee
- How a Career Break helped Steve Duke Pivot Professionally and Rediscover Fun
Get in touch: If you are interested in sharing your sabbatical story, we would love to hear from you. Buzz us a DM on Instagram -@Sabbaticalstoriespodcast or reach out onLinkedIn, I’m Bex Thomas.
Career transition, sabbatical and career break coaching:
I’m a coach who supports individuals through pivotal moments of transition in both their personal and professional lives. I support those who are facing a crossroads to discover clarity. Working with you I empower you to invest in a future version of yourself that will make you proud. Through personalised coaching sessions and my signature career transition and sabbatical programs I aim to provide a supportive and nurturing environment for you to explore your values, strengths and goals. More importantly I coach you to intentionally design your next chapter by redefining what success looks like to you and then implementing it.
Feel Good Getaways - https://feelgood-getaways.com/
With special thanks to:
Aunty B at the Flaxen, our amazing, talented and patient producer whose expertise helps make this podcast shine.
Joanna Cooke, whose soulful blend of smooth vocals we are lucky enough to use throughout the show. Listen and connect with Joanna via your favourite medium:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/7EyKy53TsVFLJFZFyYzBZQ?si=HaCSIRCETS2uYB3LBLcrWA
Website -https://joannacooke.co.uk
YouTube -https://www.youtube.com/c/joannacooke
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