Episode Summary
Abi Potter Clough joins host Meg McKeen for a candid conversation on the topic of change. Abi has made lots of changes in her life and career and helps Meg to sort through her own mixed emotions as she navigates change, too. Together they redefine success and the expectations of others, and those they have of themselves.
In This Episode
00:00 - 02:09 | Welcome to Bound & Determined℠, Abi Potter Clough! Abi has been so generous with her support of Meg and is again supporting her in this conversation on the podcast. Change is a constant and conversations like this are an important part of the process.
02:10 - 07:35 | Abi recently relocated from New York to Tampa, Florida. She shares more about the winding path she took to get there, in both her personal and professional life, where she began her insurance career in claims. Fear and loss are a real part of making change and she shares more about how she experienced both.
07:36 - 11:23 | So many of us have change in common, but change can look different for each of us. Abi's work centers on managing change - and she shares more about the relationship between her own story and the work she does today. Meg shares more about the evolution of her business and how it looks today versus when she started four years ago. A mix of excitement and fear, change isn't without emotion. Abi reminds us that we are allowed to change course and the results can be better than we could've planned for.
11:24 - 15:30 | Leaving what is familiar is hard. There can be so much pressure we feel to get it right and to have it all figured out. Abi and Meg talk about expectations and Meg shares more about how she's navigating the expectations she feels from others. Abi reminds Meg that the people who care about us aren't always able to express that concern in the most healthy and productive ways.
15:31 - 18:30 | There is safety in what we know. It's easy to understand why people don't make changes in their lives and careers because it can feel so overwhelming. But, we really, truly do only get one chance at this life. Change is hard, important work, but Abi reminds us that not making change is painful, too.
18:31 - 20:31 | Abi long-identified as her location and her work and unraveling that identity has been a journey. She's learned that work doesn't have to define her and instead the things and activities - and people - she loves can shape who she is today.
20:32 - 24:49 | Meg has been grappling with the definition of success and unraveling what it looks like for her today. Abi has so much wisdom on this topic and has had her own journey to redefining it, too.
24:50 - 26:00 | Meg and Abi do not have their morning routine in common! Entrepreneurship is a risk, but also provides unexpected benefits like skipping setting an alarm in the early morning. A reminder that if you're not working, you're not getting paid - and planning and preparation are key.
26:01 - 28:29 | We talk about what it feels like to have the freedom to share your own message and to build your own brand. Alignment between work, values, and how we support ourselves is key.
28:30 - 35:19 | Abi shares more about the work she does as a freelance writer in the insurance industry. Through this work, she's able to highlight some interesting changes in the industry. She's writing her next book, Crazy Confident, sharing unique ways to build confidence, rooted in her public speaking journey. We share some of the "bad day" stories we've experienced as professional speakers - it's not glamorous!
35:20 - 37:52 | Abi, you are a gift! Thanks for sharing your wisdom with me on this episode.
In Abi's words: I am an author, keynote speaker, and freelance insurance writer, writing and speaking about insurance, risk, leadership, and change. I've authored the books Life After Leaping In and Top 10 Lists For Relocation.
To learn more about Abi Potter Clough and follow along on her journey, visit Life After Leaping In, follow her on Twitter @AbiLeads, or connect with her on LinkedIn.
To learn more about the work Meg McKeen does to support insurance professionals visit Adjunct Advisors.
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