Ep.80 SWITCHTRACK: Kate Campbell Swaps Solo Creativity For Team Innovation

What happens when the path to freedom looks like the opposite of what everyone tells you it should be? Kate Campbell's journey flips the script on conventional career wisdom in this eye-opening episode of Switchtrack.

A creative entrepreneur who had run her own business for over 20 years, Kate faced the hard reality that her passion project—Wonderlust, a creative thinking business with workshops and a membership community—wasn't growing as she'd hoped. Despite her deep belief in the transformative power of curiosity and creativity, convincing others to invest in something "fun" proved an uphill battle.

The most remarkable part of Kate's story isn't just her decision to seek employment after decades of self-employment, but how quickly the universe responded. On the very first day of casually browsing job listings, she discovered a role that seemed made for her: Innovation Strategist at a brand agency. The position leveraged everything she loved about her own business—creative thinking, ideation, workshops—but within a team structure that provided what she didn't realise she'd been missing.

Kate's candid reflections on what surprised her most reveal a powerful paradox: despite working longer hours away from home, she now has more energy than before. "I think that's because I've fulfilled something that maybe wasn't being fulfilled before," she explains. For those contemplating their own pivot, her advice refreshingly avoids the typical "take the leap" clichés. Instead, she suggests simply dipping your toe in to see what else might be possible—the exact approach that led to her finding fulfillment in the most unexpected place.

Connect with Kate here

Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome to Switch Track Series
• 1:18 Kate's Journey With Wanderlust
• 4:15 Finding a Perfect Job Match
• 9:15 The Surprising Benefits of Change
• 12:39 Advice on Taking First Steps
• 15:29 Conclusion and Future Prospects

Transcript

Zoe Greenhalf: 0:00

Welcome to Switch Track, a summer mini-series brought to you by the Mischief Movement podcast. These are the real-life stories of rebels who changed direction by choice or by force, and found freedom on the other side, Because sometimes life plays a tune that doesn't quite fit and the most powerful thing you can do is flip the track entirely. I'm your host, Zoe Greenhalgh, disruptive coach, mindset mentor and mischievous guide for quiet rebels and unconventional humans who are done settling and ready to redesign a life that actually fits. In this series we're catching up with past guests who've dared to pivot, disrupt and create something more aligned to who they really are Short, snappy and full of insight. Each episode is a reminder that you're allowed to change, to evolve and to burn the old script if it doesn't serve you anymore. So, whether you're standing at a crossroads, itching for more or quietly plotting your next move, this series is for you.

Zoe Greenhalf: 1:15

Let's jump into today's SwitchTrack story. This week, I am back with Kate Campbell Campbell and we spoke on episode 44. So there's been a few since and I think quite a lot has happened since we last spoke. So I'm really happy to have you back and find out what's been going on since we last spoke you alright, Kate?

Kate Campbell: 1:39

How are you? I'm very well. It is lovely to be back as always chatting to you, zoe. Oh, thank you.

Zoe Greenhalf: 1:47

So where were you in life the last time that we spoke?

Kate Campbell: 1:52

If I remember correctly, I was running my own business and about to change the name, I think, to Wunderlust, um, so it was a business all about creative thinking. It had a lovely little membership called Wunder Club. Yeah, just injecting wonder, curiosity and creativity into people's lives, because I thought and still feel that, um, it's so vital for everybody, regardless of whether you believe you're creative or not. So, yeah, I think at that point in time there was a lot of chat about creativity, creative thinking and my new name for my business at the time. So, yeah, it seems a long time ago though.

Zoe Greenhalf: 2:43

Yeah, but there's already the hint there of of change. So what did change and what made you take that leap?

Kate Campbell: 2:51

so I think probably a maybe a year after the podcast, because that was March 2024, so March this year um, well, probably since the beginning of the year, I felt that it wasn't moving as fast as I kind of hoped or developing. You know, it was a lovely group, it was a lovely, the membership this is. It was a lovely, really lovely group of people. We got to about 36 people, I think, at its height.

Kate Campbell: 3:19

But I found it really hard to promote and I think it's one of those things, um, that people see it as not an essential. It's kind of a nice to have, yeah, um, and almost that not persuading people that it's essential but getting people to realize that actually it could make a difference to their lives and their business, um, is a really tricky thing to do when it's something that's so fun and so enjoyable, and so it was quite a hard slog, to be honest. I started doing workshops as well with businesses, creative thinking workshops, which was a lot of fun, but again it was just really slow and I think I also used to do styling work and that had dried up as well. So it was all a bit. Everything was kind of going on a downward spiral instead of an upward spiral.

Zoe Greenhalf: 4:13

It must have been really hard.

Kate Campbell: 4:15

Yeah, and I don't think I realized. I think it was a very long drawn. There wasn't a curveball as such. You know, to the change, I think it was a long drawn out process. You know, to the to the change, I think it was a long drawn out process. And then me kind of thinking, okay, what's actually happening here, or what's not happening that I would like to happen, and is there another possible direction that I might be happier going down, um, and being open to that possibility? Yeah, took a while. I think, um, because I've been, I've worked for my, I worked for myself for like over 20 years really, so it to, because I'm actually now, I've now employed, and that's a massive, massive yeah to be honest, and I guess you must have been in a place of do I continue with this or do I stop it, but I'm still really passionate about it.

Zoe Greenhalf: 5:10

So perhaps there's a side that's like I don't want to let go, but something has to change, and and so so what happened?

Kate Campbell: 5:19

so, yeah, it was definitely that kind of thing. I really I still feel passionately about it, um, and, and desperately wanted it to work out. Um, and that's why I thought I could do some styling work and I could do Wanderlust. But the styling work photography in the world at the moment is is it's hard for anybody to get work in that area. So it was literally just one day.

Kate Campbell: 5:41

I just thought, well, I'm just going to have a look at what jobs are out there. I never expected to really find anything. It was more of a task of like, well, I need to look, to know that there isn't anything for me, almost Because skills and qualifications don't necessarily align into one strict I know you're nodding, zoe, we've had this conversation they don't really align into one. You know, typical role that's generally advertised as a job. But yeah, just one day I thought, well, I may as well have a look, I may as well put the feelers out there and just see what's out there, try, you know, searching for various different terms, all kinds of things. But actually on the first day that I did that, the job that I now have came up. Wow, yeah, on the first day. So it feels a bit like fate in that you know it was meant to be, yeah, like fate in that you know it was meant to be yeah, um, and it was an unusual advert which is perfect for me, and it was perfect for me.

Kate Campbell: 6:48

It kind of I was reading it thinking, yeah, that's me, that's me, yeah yeah oh okay, yeah, that's me as well um, and literally ticked the majority of the boxes. So that day, actually, I didn't tell anybody that I'd seen the advert because it was full-time job, uh, out of the house, not working from home, um, and for me that's, um, obviously a massive change for me, but not just for me, for that, for my whole family as well, not to have me around every day and the dog, um. So I didn't tell anybody for a couple of days, mulling it over in my head, you know, is it right? And I definitely swung from I should just go for it to. Oh, my God, no, it's too scary. But then I mentioned it to my family and my husband and, yeah, they were all very much in favour of me just going for it and seeing what happened. I suppose you know. Just, you never know. And what was the job title? What's the job? So, yeah, sorry, it was for innovation strategist or a trainee, I suppose a lower level.

Kate Campbell: 7:57

Yeah, so it was an introductory post, I suppose, to being an innovation strategist for a brand agency who work with food and drink brands. So it was basically the advert. They wanted someone with ideas who was curious. Creative thinking, you know, and they do workshops like I'd done. They think of concepts, think of ideas oh, this is right in your street, um, they think of concepts think of ideas. Um, I know, yeah, it really was. I was like oh my.

Kate Campbell: 8:28

God, how come, I did not know, this job existed before now, what were the scariest parts of pirating?

Zoe Greenhalf: 8:35

You talked a little bit about giving up that sort of sense of freedom, of being able to work at home.

Kate Campbell: 8:39

Yeah, yeah, I think I was it. It was scary, not, like I said before, not just for me, but but for my family, and big change it is for the, for my daughters. I mean, they're, you know, they're in their teens, so it's not like I really had to think about child care. Um, they are old enough to come home from school by themselves and look after themselves in that respect, but they were. They've just been so used to having me there when they come home from school. Yeah, um, so it was a big change for them, for me not to come be getting home till half past six at night. It's just, you know, unheard of, really. Yeah, so it that was the scariest thing, the, the kind of change to our daily routines I really, I really craved as well. I think I craved working in a team with other people, um, and to have a common goal. Yeah, so I wasn't necessarily scared by the job itself. I was more excited, to be honest, but just the change of lifestyle yeah was the scariest thing.

Zoe Greenhalf: 9:48

I understand that, and what do you think has surprised you the most about life on the other side of this change, whether it's something positive or something negative?

Kate Campbell: 9:59

um, I was being surprised that I actually quite enjoy being out of the house more I didn't expect to. To be honest, I mean it's nice to have the odd day working from home. You know, it is. It is nice, but I feel like I can really focus on what I'm doing more when I'm in the office with other people. It's nice to be with other people.

Zoe Greenhalf: 10:25

Yeah, working from home sounds ideal, but every day, every week can be a lot.

Kate Campbell: 10:33

Exactly.

Zoe Greenhalf: 10:33

Especially if you're the kind of person who can get distracted. I'm talking about myself, not you. It's hard, it's hard sometimes.

Kate Campbell: 10:42

There's always other stuff to be thinking about, to be doing, and the kids get home at three o'clock, which comes around so quickly you know, yeah, um.

Kate Campbell: 10:50

So yeah, I've actually really appreciated the fact that I'm out of the house more than I'm in the house. I do appreciate the odd day when I work from home as well, you know. Um. So, yeah, also, I think I have more energy, which is really surprising, but I think that's because I've I've sort of fulfilled something that maybe wasn't being fulfilled before. That makes sense, yeah, so I think that I'm. I mean, obviously there's still nights when I come home and I'm knackered, yeah, but but actually overall, when I get home at half past six, I've got more energy than I probably did have at half past six when I was working from home that's the thing, isn't it?

Zoe Greenhalf: 11:33

that's the thing, and that's often what we end up sort of weighing up as well. It's. It's, um, you could be in a, in a part-time job that's not fulfilling you and it feels like such a drag, but you're only working half as much. Or you could be in a full-time job where you're completely engaged and energized by what you're doing. Yeah, and yes, you arrive home tired, but it's a different kind of thing.

Zoe Greenhalf: 11:56

It's yeah yeah, that is, yeah, I get that and I guess, finally, what would you say to someone who knows deep down that they need to change something, but feel stuck or scared and that what comes, what comes to mind, is that sense of sometimes you need to know when to quit something.

Zoe Greenhalf: 12:14

You know we get sort of taught what's that saying, uh, quitters never win and winners never quit, or something. But actually you've got to know sometimes when you're back in the wrong horse or when it's not going the way you want to. Yeah, yeah, actually, and maybe that's necessary and maybe that's against the grain of want to.

Kate Campbell: 12:31

That actually a change is necessary, and maybe that's against the grain of what everyone else is doing. I really feel because it can be both ways. I think there's a lot of people who are leaving work to be self-employed.

Zoe Greenhalf: 12:42

Yes.

Kate Campbell: 12:43

And I've done it the other way, which I think is probably more unusual. But either way, I've got to be different, haven't I? Um, either way, I think you know you could say just go for it, but I think that that's not. It's easy to say and not easy to do. So I, my advice would probably be just to dip your toe in and see what's out there, like I did on that day when I just thought I'm just gonna look. I, I never envisaged that within and it was within maybe three weeks of that day when I found the job, I was actually starting the job, it was really really quick, um, but I never thought that would happen. Yeah, but it just took that little okay, well, I'll see what's out there. You know, just just do that first step, I suppose, isn't it to seeing what else it could be, what, how it could look, and then you might need, like I did, two days to get my head around that idea, yeah, before you kind of voice it to the world.

Kate Campbell: 13:44

I love that you're right, because sometimes we're just told to go for it and do the thing, and it's all very gung-ho, but we're not all built that way and no, no, and it's such, and it's such a huge it can be such a huge change that it requires a bit more thought.

Zoe Greenhalf: 14:01

Yes, yeah, I think that's probably what I would say kate, thank you so much for coming back and sharing this update. It does feel like destiny it does.

Kate Campbell: 14:13

That's very cool. Might need another update in another three months.

Zoe Greenhalf: 14:15

Well, that's fine, we can do that no, but it's you know it's really nice to hear, like you said, something that does go against the grain, because so many people are making that move into um self-employment, yeah, and going the other way feels very unusual and yeah yeah that's what makes your story particularly interesting.

Zoe Greenhalf: 14:38

Yeah, at the end of the day, you've got to just do what feels right for you, haven't you? Yeah, at that moment as well, it might not be the thing forever, just as self-employment might not be the thing forever, or it might be just right for you in that particular moment yeah, exactly, exactly yeah, and I think you know you want to be able to tick every single box, and sometimes some boxes are more important than others.

Kate Campbell: 15:04

Um, and as long as you've got those important ones ticked, you know you can cope with not having the others.

Zoe Greenhalf: 15:10

Yeah, awesome, kate, listen. I wish you all the best. And, by the way, you didn't talk about this, but I know for a fact that you just got promoted, so congratulations.

Kate Campbell: 15:21

Oh, thank you.

Zoe Greenhalf: 15:23

Let's catch up again and find out where your career goes next, because it's really fun.

Zoe Greenhalf: 15:29

Always good to chat to you, Zoe Bye definitely always good to chat to you, zoe bye. Thank you for listening to this summer mini series. If you're already feeling that itch to pivot, or even just to pause and rethink, this is your reminder that you don't have to do it alone. Whether you're craving clarity, courage or just someone to say you're not crazy for wanting more, I'm here for that. You can book a free call with me using the link in the show notes. No pressure, no expectation, just space to explore what's next for you. So stay rebellious, keep making mischief and meet me back here next week for another episode of Switch Track, because changing course might just be the most powerful move you make. Thank you.