How To Pull Off A Career U-Turn

At just 24 years old, Tory Archbold launched a PR agency that soon became a global success, representing big-name clients like Seafolly and David Jones, working with Drew Barrymore and being chosen to launch Zara into Australia. So, why did she decide to close her thriving business after two decades of wins – and how did she manage to pull off a mega-successful relaunch with her next business, Powerful Steps?

Scroll on as Tory shares the process she went through in closing one career chapter and opening a new – bigger, better and more truly aligned – one with aplomb.

Listen to the nudges of your soul

My gut instinct gave me signs for three years prior to making the decision to take a career U-turn. The first nudge I received was to clear out what was no longer serving my higher purpose – which included people, and materialistic items that would better serve someone else. My nudges to level-up also included my bid for freedom through winning full custody of my daughter, and a restraining order against her father in the family law court – on my own. Following this milestone, I stepped into my power and became the warrior princess who broke through the shackles to find freedom in her heart and power up to the next level of life.

Once I became aware that something was going to shift, every day through my morning shower ritual I asked how I could better serve others, and what that pathway may look like. Finally, in 2019, the pathway was clear and the timing felt right. I translated my skill set from TORSTAR into Powerful Steps and came into alignment with my destiny.

Release your fear of judgement  

At first, I felt stuck because I knew I wanted to shake up my career direction, but I felt worried about what others might think about my decision. Would the people around me judge me for closing a successful business? I had just landed Drew Barrymore as a client, and successfully launched her brand into Australia – surely everyone would think I was nuts calling it quits now?

I could have let this fear consume me and stayed paralysed with indecision – but soon, the calling to evolve became too loud to ignore. You see, about six years before I made the monumental decision to close Torstar and start again with Powerful Steps, I had had a near-death experience[INSERT LINK to this blog post]. Among other things, what nearly dying taught me was that I had, if I was lucky, one life to live.

I had survived emergency surgery and lay in a hospital bed fighting life-threatening septicaemia, and from that time on, I have vowed to myself that I would live this precious life I had been gifted on my own terms.

Prior to my near-death experience, I had been the ultimate people pleaser, always putting others’ needs before my own. Now, I had finally accepted that my life was my life to live, not theirs, and I was committed to making it a wonderful one!

Believe you can and you will 

What I would tell anyone who approached me and asked me what she needed to know to pull off a career U-turn is this: self-belief is absolutely everything. Once you truly believe, deep down in your bones, that you can and will attract success, it’s only a matter of time (and plenty of hard work on your part) until it finds its way to you.

Seek out a mentor

I would advise other women who are ready to make a career U-turn, whether that’s closing a successful business like I did, leaving a corporate role or to starting that business you’ve been dreaming about, to seek out a mentor. You could do this by approach a current contact whom you admire, or set up coffee dates with people who already work in the industry or business you want to be a part of.

Trust me, people love helping, and it’s rare that people turn down the offer of a coffee date. I find that through the power of conversation, life reveals what you are meant to be doing, because you will lean into the power of positive energy.

Make sure you truly love your career 2.0

When you are investing your time and energy into something that sets your heart on fire, anything is possible. Why wake up with a negative mindset, when you can make a career U-turn that allows you to wake up knowing what you do is what you are 100% passionate about?

Plus, that awesome energy you invest into your career happiness will radiate and allow others to see their own possibilities and runway for life. I live by the pay-it-forward mentality, and I believe that if you’re doing what you love, success is inevitable for not only you, but those around you, as your cup will be full enough to spill over and give to others.

These days, I am forever grateful that I took the leap and believed in myself enough to make my career U-turn. I wake up every day feeling happy, alive and fulfilled – and I wish that for each and every one of you, too.

Want to strengthen your network before making your own career U-turn? Join the Powerful Steps community by signing up to the #coffeechallenge today!