Career Transition Story - Bridget Johns
Bridget is the founder of Be Simply Free, a declutter coaching and life organisation business that empowers women to go from being time poor to time rich by decluttering their homes, phones, calendars and minds. Bridget is the declutter coach for you if you want to move stress to less and live a life of more!
Tell me, what did you want to do at the very early stages of your career? What was your big career goals then?
When I was growing up I wanted to design and organise the front display windows of department stores like Myers, David Jones and John Martins. I didn’t think I was creative enough to become a visual merchandiser so I followed what I was good at which was science and studied Food Science and Management at the University of Adelaide. I have always enjoyed organising but I NEVER thought it was a career option.
Can you tell me how you started your career and what you could see was your career trajectory?
I began my career as a Food Industry Development Officer in 2004 when I moved from Adelaide to the Yorke Peninsula of South Australia. I thought I would do a 2-3 year stint in the country, supporting small food producers to value add to their products, and then move to Melbourne, Sydney or London to follow my goal of being a Food Technologist.
Fate would have it that I met my now farmer husband three months after starting my job. We can’t move our farm so I was always conscious of wanting to progress my career while living in regional SA. I broadened my skill set by completing a Master of Business Administration (majoring in Association Management, Agribusiness Management and Local Government), a Diploma of Community Development, a Diploma of Positive Psychology and Wellbeing, a Cert IV in Career Development and a Cert IV in Training and Assessment.
While I was studying my MBA, an opportunity arose for me to step up to an Economic Development Officer role, which then led to working for the Education Department in various roles for eight years (between two maternity leave stints). It was while working in education that my interest grew in positive psychology and the link between your physical space and your mental wellbeing.
My last two years as a public servant were challenging due to “Machinery of Government” changes. This means that at any moment in time a State Government employee can be moved from one department to another to meet the needs of Government. I was moved from my strength and passion for workforce and skills development to supporting businesses with export and investment.
This was the push I needed to follow my own dreams and start Be Simply Free - Declutter Coaching and Life Organisation.
What are you doing now?
I launched Be Simply Free - Declutter Coaching and Life Organisation in March 2020 just as COVID-19 started and I left working for State Government in July 2020. I continue to have a three day per week employee role as I build Be Simply Free. Starting a business during a Global pandemic is scary and I wanted some security of income while still having the space to grow my business.
Was there a pivotal moment when you decided to change your career direction? Or what made you decide to change your career?
In May 2019 I asked myself “What is a big, bold and audacious dream that I want to make happen?” And I said “I want to be a professional organiser”. As a public servant of nine years that scared me. Who leaves working for Government to start their own business? I did and I haven’t looked back!
Did you know it was what you wanted to do or did you have to do some exploring to find your passion?
I have always enjoyed organising but I NEVER thought it was a career option. I am a life long learner so I trained as a Beautiful You Life Coach and now combine coaching with my love of organising and I’m a Declutter Coach. I love empowering women to create lives where their homes and minds are uncluttered so they can be simply free.
Was there any key steps you took to help navigate you towards your new direction?
Asking myself these questions that Kristina Karlsson writes in her book “Your Dream Life Starts Here” was the starting point:
• “What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?
• What would you do if you had all the money and time you needed?
• What would you do if you had all the skills and knowledge you needed?
• What would you do if you had all the courage you needed?
• What would you do if you had all the support you need?
• What dreams do you have already?
• What have you often wished for, but never put in writing?
• What have you dreamed about, but never shared with anyone?”
From there I took baby steps from May 2019 to July 2020 to bring my business baby to life!
What has changed for you since transitioning your career (feelings, well-being, life in general) - and what do you see yourself doing for the next 5 years / career goals now?
Everything! I wake up excited to help women declutter their lives! If anything, I have had to put stronger boundaries around my work so I don’t spend too long working. While work is important, I work so I have time to collect moments (not things) with my family and friends.
My career goals are to build Be Simply Free - Declutter Coaching and Life Organisation into a full time career for myself where I work online from our sheep and cereals cropping farm in regional SA. I want to offer a variety of online courses so I can support women all around the world reduce the physical and emotional stuff in their homes, phones, calendars and minds so they can move from stress to less & live a life of more!
What advice would you give someone who is deciding to move through a career transition?
Dream big! What is your big, bold and audacious dream career? It’s highly unlikely that you can jump from your current job to your dream career straight away so what baby steps can you take now to make it happen? Just start!
Anything else you would like to share or mentioned that I may have not asked you?
Having a decluttered home and mind helped me to have the space and time in my life to follow my dreams. Now I teach women how to reduce their mental load & find more time by decluttering their homes, phones, calendars & minds!
What an incredible story of how Bridget come to find her true passion, multiple study, experiences and opportunities but coming back to those important questions she noted.. for those of you wondering, Kristina Karlsson is the founder of Kikki K and I too love her stuff.
Thank you Bridget for sharing your story it is incredible
You can find Bridget at her website www.besimplyfree.com.au or over on insta HERE where she share some incredible tips (must follow) or on Facebook HERE
