The Wobbly Middle: Women's Careers In Midlife

Executive MBA, going back to study as a mature student, and finding your tribe in midlife with Urmi Dutta-Roy (CFO, The Folio Society) and Louise Welch (ex-PlayStation, now working fractionally) are executive MBA alumnae and good friends.In this conversation they talk about the difficulty women have creating space to investing in themselves; about stepping away from the nine-to-five, and how "the 100 year life" changes our attitudes towards learning and the shape of our careers. They are honest about the trade-offs (financial, practical, emotional) and the rewards too of going back to study: community, confidence, a lens on the world that a job title alone will never give you.If you are feeling a career plateau, wondering whether it's too late to go back to study, or simply looking for your tribe in the wobbly middle, listen listen listen.Thank You to Our Sponsor — AJ Bell Money MattersThank you to AJ Bell Money Matters for supporting this episode. The AJ Bell Money Matters podcast is created for women by women, featuring news, information and inspiring interviews to help build your knowledge and confidence around finances. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.Please click here to show your support and find out more about AJ Bell: https://www.ajbell.co.uk/investment/women-and-investing?utm_source=moneymatters&utm_medium=partnership&utm_campaign=wobblymiddleKey TopicsExecutive MBA for women — why Urmi and Louise did theirs, the financial and time trade-offs, and why women in their cohorts had to work harder to justify the spacePermission to succeed — the internal and external negotiation women do before investing in themselves, and why men in the same room didn't seem to need toGoing back to study as a mature student — the joy of learning for its own sake when you are no longer 19 and chasing a gradeFractional working — what it looks like, why society struggles to classify it, and why "what do you do?" is a rubbish question we should start relishingIdentity beyond job title — Louise on the first day of her MBA cohort, watching everyone introduce themselves by job title, and realising she didn't want toWomen in male-dominated industries— Louise on gaming in the early 2000s, and the message younger women absorbed that to succeed you had to "be like a man"Asking for help — Louise on unlearning the baby-boomer "keep your head down" mentality, and discovering that most people want to helpLinks- The Wobbly Middle on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-wobbly-middle/id1767850643- The Wobbly Middle on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4YhwsBch8Q9vAOUBBfusIv- Subscribe to the newsletter: https://thewobblymiddle.substack.com?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=ep29-urmi-louise- Find out more about The Wobbly Middle: https://thewobblymiddle.substack.com/about?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=ep29-urmi-louiseIf You Enjoyed This EpisodeYou might also love Season 3 Episode 8 Shefaly Yogendra, another conversation about non-linear careers, portfolio working and the gatekeepers women meet in midlife. If this episode made you think about what your next chapter might look like beyond a traditional job title, Shefaly's boardroom journey is the natural next listen. Help Us GrowIf this episode resonated with you, here are two ways you can make a real difference:Leave a review here — it only takes a moment, and it's one of the best ways to help new listeners find the show. Every review counts.Share this episode with a friend— if you know a woman thinking about an executive MBA, returning to study, or wondering whether to step off the nine-to-five, send her this one.Thank you for listening and for supporting independent podcasts.

From behind the scenes at the world's biggest fashion shows to the science behind the gut microbiome - Catherine Hurley Arbibe shows us a new road to gut health.Catherine read medicine at Oxford, modelled internationally gracing the covers of Vogue, Marie Claire and Cosmo, and is now the founder of NEWROAD30, a gut health supplement developed with scientists from Oxford, INRAE Paris and Queen's University Belfast. Catherine talks candidly about the reality of life as an international model, what motherhood changed, and how she found her way back to science.Together with guest co-host and investigative wellness journalist Rebecca Newman, Catherine helps us cut through the noise on gut health supplements, the emerging research on microplastics and three clean living changes that actually make a difference - including the sunscreen question we all need answered.This is an episode about returning to ours roots, career changes in our 40s, plant diversity, our beautiful brains and finding our way back to something that energises us.Thank you to our sponsor AJ BELL MONEY MATTERSThank you to AJ Bell Money Matters for supporting this episode. The AJ Bell Money Matters podcast is created for women by women featuring news, information and inspiring interviews to help build your knowledge and confidence around finances. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.Please click here to show support of our podcast and to find out more about AJ Bell:https://www.ajbell.co.uk/investment/women-and-investing?utm_source=moneymatters&utm_medium=partnership&utm_campaign=wobblymiddle📺 Also on YouTubeWant to see as well as hear? An extended version of this conversation is available on The Wobbly Middle YouTube channel — including extra material that didn't make the podcast edit. Watch it here: https://youtu.be/vvifAdOQ2os?si=XnVjDhJhWDndrkYYGuest Co-Host: Rebecca NewmanRebecca Newman is an investigative wellness journalist who has written for the Financial Times, The Guardian and GQ. She has a particular interest in the science of the gut microbiome, women's health and evidence-based wellness. She joined Patsy for The Wobbly Middle's vision board episode and is back this week to dig into the science with Catherine.Key TopicsCareer pivot in midlife — from medicine to modelling to founding a science-backed gut health supplementThe gut microbiome — why it matters more than we realised and how to support itThe American Gut Project — the research behind eating 30 different plants a weekGut health supplements — what to look for, what to avoid, and why food state mattersMicroplastics — the emerging research and what fibre has to do with itThe backstage reality — what life at the top of the modelling world was really likeClean living edits — three practical changes Catherine has made at homeWomen's health in midlife — plant diversity for a healthy gutLinksNEWROAD30: https://newroad.life/?srsltid=AfmBOoo5nHDwZ8p4mpgOQDPPP_osOT6LynaaMgrt7pC48nSCMGHKu00YSubscribe to the newsletter: https://thewobblymiddle.substack.com/Find out more about The Wobbly Middle: https://thewobblymiddle.substack.com/The Wobbly Middle on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-wobbly-middle/id1767850643The Wobbly Middle on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4YhwsBch8Q9vAOUBBfusIvTime to make your action board🎯 Time To Make Your Action BoardBefore you leave — if this episode has you thinking about what you want your next chapter to look like, we have just the episode for you.Do action boards actually work, or are they just arts and crafts with ambition? In our vision board episode, Rebecca Newman draws on the research of neuroscientist Dr Tara Swart, author of The Source, to explain what's really going on in our brains when we make an action board — and why it might be exactly the tool you need in your wobbly middle. Then theory meets practice as Patsy and Rebecca head to the craft room, where scissors and glue meet cork board, to make their own.It turns out an action board isn't about magical thinking. It's a daily point of orientation — keeping you facing forward.👉 Listen to the vision board episode here:Help Us GrowIf this episode resonated with you, there are two simple ways you can make a real difference:Leave a review here — it only takes a moment, and it's one of the best ways to help new listeners find the show. Every review counts.Share this episode with a friend — if you know someone who might be in their own wobbly middle, send them this one. Sometimes knowing you're not alone is all it takes.Thank you for listening and for supporting independent podcasters.

Comedy as a midlife career move — and why humour is one of the most powerful tools for change.What if the thing that makes you funny is the same thing that makes you powerful? Journalist, author and activist, Lynn Harris, has spent three decades using comedy to drive cultural change. From co-creating the cult 1990s superhero Breakup Girl, Lynn has now founded Gold Comedy, an online comedy school where women in their 40s and 50s are bringing the most fire.In this conversation, Lynn and Patsy talk about the gender gap in comedy; who gets to talk and who has to listen; why "exposure" doesn't pay the bills, and how your transferable skills are the Candyland board that will take you places.Lynn's message: if you're curious about developing your sense of humor, you don't have to change who you are in order to be funny… Don't wait for yourself to turn into someone else, which you won't. You already have everything it takes.SummaryLynn Harris is a comedian, journalist, author, and activist who has spent her career proving that humour is a serious force for change. From co-creating the cult superhero Breakup Girl in the 1990s to founding Gold Comedy — a fully online comedy school and professional network for women and non-binary creators — Lynn has built a patchwork career that she describes as a "Candyland board": different-coloured squares, all on the same path. In this episode, she and Patsy explore why comedy is such a powerful vehicle for midlife reinvention, why women deserve to get paid properly for creative work, and why the gender gap in comedy has never been about talent.About Lynn HarrisLynn Harris is a comedian, journalist, author, activist, and founder of Gold Comedy, an online comedy school, professional network, and content studio for women and non-binary creators. She co-created the cult character Breakup Girl with illustrator Chris Kalb, which first appeared in her 1996 book He Loved Me, He Loves Me Not and became one of the first multiplatform internet success stories. Lynn has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, Glamour, and Salon, and served as VP of Communications at Breakthrough, a global human rights organisation using pop culture and media to address gender-based violence. She is based in New York — and Gold Comedy is fully online, so her community spans continents.Thank you to our sponsor AJ BELL MONEY MATTERSThank you to AJ Bell Money Matters for supporting this episode. The AJ Bell Money Matters podcast is created for women by women featuring news, information and inspiring interviews to help build your knowledge and confidence around finances. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.Please click here to show support of our podcast and to find out more about AJ Bell:https://www.ajbell.co.uk/investment/women-and-investing?utm_source=moneymatters&utm_medium=partnership&utm_campaign=wobblymiddleKey TopicsComedy as a vehicle for cultural change — humour as a "delivery system" for shifting norms and assumptionsThe Candyland board career — transferring skills across a patchwork freelance life, where writing, comedy, activism, and campaigning are all different-coloured squares on the same pathThe gender gap in comedy — not about talent, but about who gets the stage, the mic, the writers' room, and the power to decide what's funnyWomen getting paid for creative work — the Cindy Gallop advice: "Say the largest amount you can without actually bursting into laughter"Gold Comedy's Build and Pitch programme — taught by Ryan Cunningham, where women in their 40s and 50s consistently bring the biggest fire"You don't have to change who you are to succeed" — or to be funny. Your unique perspective is all the raw material you need.LinksGold Comedy: https://goldcomedy.comBreakup Girl: https://www.breakupgirl.netLynn Harris: https://www.lynnharris.netThe Wobbly Middle on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-wobbly-middle/id1767850643The Wobbly Middle on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4YhwsBch8Q9vAOUBBfusIvSubscribe to the newsletter: https://thewobblymiddle.substack.com?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=ep25-lynn-harrisFind out more about The Wobbly Middle: https://thewobblymiddle.substack.com/about?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=ep25-lynn-harrisWhere to Follow LynnInstagram: @goldcomedyTwitter/X: @GOLDcomedyLynn on Instagram: @lynnharrisLynn on Twitter/X: @harrislynnLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lynnharris1---If You Enjoyed This EpisodeYou might also love Episode 24: From Teacher's Desk to Therapist's Couch with Carri Simmons. Where Lynn describes the "Candyland board" of a patchwork career — transferring skills in unexpected directions — Carri tells the deeply personal story of leaving teaching and retraining as a psychologist in midlife.---Help Us GrowIf this episode resonated with you, here are two ways you can make a real difference:Leave a review here — it only takes a moment, and it's one of the best ways to help new listeners find the show. Every review counts.Share this episode with a friend — if you know someone who might be in their own wobbly middle, send them this one. Sometimes knowing you're not alone is all it takes.Want more from Patsy between episodes? Subscribe to the newsletter — it's where the conversation continues: https://thewobblymiddle.substack.com?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=ep25-lynn-harrisNew to The Wobbly Middle? Find out what we're all about: https://thewobblymiddle.substack.com/about?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=ep25-lynn-harrisThank you for listening and for supporting independent podcasts.---

Returning to work after a career break — the psychology of luck, neuroplasticity, and starting again in midlife.Julianne Miles knows what it takes to return to work because she's done it herself. After stepping away from marketing when her children were small, she spent over a year asking herself "can I really start again?" — a question many of us will recognise. The answer was yes: she retrained as a psychologist and went on to co-found Career Returners, a social enterprise that has changed how employers and policymakers think about career breaks.In this episode, Julianne shares the science behind why it's never too late, including the encouraging research on neuroplasticity, work-family enrichment, and the psychology of luck. Her advice? Stop overthinking and start doing.SummaryJulianne Miles MBE spent a year going in circles — "shall I, shan't I?" — before signing up for an evening psychology course that changed everything. That small step led to a conversion course, a career as an occupational psychologist, and eventually the founding of Career Returners, one of the world's largest return-to-work platforms. In this conversation, she shares the research that underpins her book Return Journey, including neuroplasticity (your brain never stops making new connections), work-family enrichment (the idea that work and family can be allies, not competitors), and the psychology of luck — Richard Wiseman's finding that "lucky" people simply see the world differently. It's a masterclass in why confidence comes from action, not the other way around.About JulianneJulianne Miles MBE is an occupational psychologist and co-founder of Career Returners, a social impact enterprise and community dedicated to making career breaks a valued part of a lifetime career. A former marketer who retrained as a psychologist after her own career break, she has shaped how employers and policymakers think about return-to-work practices. She brought the concept of "returnships" — pioneered by Goldman Sachs — to the UK, and is the author of Return Journey: How to Get Back to Work and Thrive After a Career Break. She was awarded an MBE for services to career returners.Key TopicsThe "shall I, shan't I" phase — and how to break the cycle of indecisionWhy confidence comes from action, not from having the perfect planNeuroplasticity: your brain makes new connections at any age — the science says it's never too lateWork-family enrichment: why going back to work can give you more energy, not lessThe psychology of luck — Richard Wiseman's research on why "lucky" people create their own opportunitiesHow Career Returners grew from kitchen table workshops to a national platformNavigating recruitment bias against career gaps — and what actually worksBuilding your return-to-work support team and the power of communityWhy "every no gets me closer to a yes"LinksJulianne's book Return Journey: https://careerreturners.com/return-journey-book/Career Returners Professional Community (free or pay-if-you-can): https://community.careerreturners.com/The Wobbly Middle on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-wobbly-middle/id1767850643The Wobbly Middle on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4YhwsBch8Q9vAOUBBfusIvSubscribe to the newsletter: https://thewobblymiddle.substack.com?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=ep23-julianne-milesFind out more about The Wobbly Middle: https://thewobblymiddle.substack.com/about?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=ep23-julianne-miles---If You Enjoyed This EpisodeYou might also love our Season 3 Episode with Carri Simmons From Teacher's Desk to Psychologist's Sofa with Carri Simmons. Where Julianne shares the science behind career returns, Carri tells the deeply personal story of walking away from teaching, going back to university as a mother of three, and retraining as a psychologist. Together, they're two sides of the same coin: the evidence that it works, and the courage to try.---Help Us GrowIf this episode resonated with you, there are two simple ways you can make a real difference:Leave a review here — it only takes a moment, and it's one of the best ways to help new listeners find the show. Every review counts.Share this episode with a friend — if you know someone who might be in their own wobbly middle, send them this one. Sometimes knowing you're not alone is all it takes.Want more from Patsy between episodes? Subscribe to the newsletter — it's where the conversation continues: https://thewobblymiddle.substack.com?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=ep23-julianne-milesNew to The Wobbly Middle? Find out what we're all about: https://thewobblymiddle.substack.com/about?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=ep23-julianne-milesThank you for listening and for supporting independent podcasters.---

A career pivot story about rebuilding after redundancy — from risk consultant to magistrate and PhD researcher.When a long-term relationship ended in her twenties, Pip Symington chose adventure. She landed a job in Asia and spent twenty years working across Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore, and Japan as a risk consultant and loving every minute of it. She said yes to everything, until one day it was gone.Made redundant and reeling Pip turned to friends and a bit of therapy before redesigning the shape of her working life. She no longer wanted one all-consuming thing. Today, it's family, study, and service that brings fulfilment.SummaryPip Symington spent two decades as a risk consultant across Asia before being made redundant — a pain she describes as like "being dumped for the first time." In her wobbly middle, she rebuilt through therapy, a happiness bowl exercise, and the support of friends who helped her see redundancy as an opportunity. Now back in Oxford, Pip has built a portfolio career that balances her PHD research, teaching music, and volunteering as a magistrate. Her story is proof that a career crossroads can lead to more adventures.Key Topics- The emotional toll of redundancy and losing your professional identity- Using therapy and a "happiness bowl" to rediscover what brings you joy- Building a portfolio career after a career break — balancing study, service, and family- What it's like to volunteer as a magistrate in the UK justice system- Why it's never too late to go back to study — and why midlife is the ideal timeLinks- Interested in volunteering as a magistrate? Find out more: https://magistrates.judiciary.uk/how-to-volunteer/- The Wobbly Middle on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-wobbly-middle/id1767850643- The Wobbly Middle on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4YhwsBch8Q9vAOUBBfusIv- Subscribe to the newsletter: https://thewobblymiddle.substack.com?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=ep21-pip-symington- Find out more about The Wobbly Middle: https://thewobblymiddle.substack.com/about?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=ep21-pip-symington---If You Enjoyed This EpisodeYou might also our Season 1 episode From Lab to Lifeline with Dr Emily Connally. Like Pip, Emily is an Oxford-based woman who channelled her skills into community service — founding a food bank at the school gate that's now reshaping how local networks respond to food waste. Both episodes show how the wobbly middle can lead to something that serves not just you, but the world around you.---Help Us GrowIf this episode resonated with you, there are two simple things that make a real difference:- Leave a review on Apple Podcasts — it only takes a moment, and it's one of the best ways to help new listeners find the show. Every review counts.- Share this episode with a friend — if you know someone who might be in their own wobbly middle, send them this one. Sometimes knowing you're not alone is all it takes.Want more from Patsy between episodes? Subscribe to the newsletter — it's where the conversation continues: https://thewobblymiddle.substack.com?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=ep21-pip-symingtonNew to The Wobbly Middle? Find out what we're all about: https://thewobblymiddle.substack.com/about?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=ep21-pip-symingtonThank you for listening and for supporting independent podcasters.

Actress, writer, podcaster, and mother of three, Salima Saxton joins The Wobbly Middle Season 2 finale to talk about reclaiming yourself. From centre stage to the school gate and back again, Salima shares what it took to reawaken her creative life after years on mute.In this warm, frank conversation, she reflects on the disconnection so many women feel after stepping back from their careers - and how she wrote her way back into her multi-hyphenate roles. Together with hosts Susannah de Jager and Patsy Day, Salima dives into the messy middle of rediscovery, thrills at the power of women’s anger, and throws the idea of “balance” straight overboard.If you’ve ever felt like you left parts of yourself behind, this one’s for you.(00:00) - Welcome to The Wobbly Middle (00:46) - Reflections on Fitting In and Being True to Yourself (02:33) - Introducing Salima Saxton (03:47) - Salima's Early Career and Family Life (07:49) - The Challenges of Motherhood (13:29) - Rediscovering Identity Through Writing (16:25) - The Reality of Success and Failure (20:27) - The Inception of 'Women are Mad' Podcast (27:58) - Estrangement and Family Reflections (31:45) - Final Thoughts THE WOBBLY MIDDLE is a podcast about women reinventing their careers in midlife.JOIN THE CONVERSATION: NEW EPISODES drop every second Wednesday. Follow now so you never miss an episode.SHARE YOUR STORY: Made a left turn in your career? We’d love to hear about it. Write to us at stories@thewobblymiddle.com—your pivot might just be the nudge someone else needs.SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER: thewobblymiddle.substack.comLEARN MORE ON SUBSTACK: thewobblymiddle.substack.comFOLLOW US on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook @thewobblymiddleABOUT THE HOSTS:Susannah de Jager has just relocated to Abu Dhabi, where she’s podcasting, consulting with start-ups, and occasionally advising on scale-up capital. After leaving her role as CEO of a boutique asset manager, she asked the all-important question: what next? Five years later, she’s following her curiosity —The Wobbly Middle is for her and every woman doing the same.Patsy Day is a lawyer on a break. As an intellectual property specialist, she has worked on everything from anti-counterfeiting to publishing and from London to Ho Chi Minh City and back again. Patsy lives in Oxford and is currently immersed in podcasts producing SafeHouse Amsterdam (out 2025) and co-hosting, The Wobbly Middle, a podcast about women reinventing their careers in midlife.

...and how to build a brand.Liberating and taboo-busting, Rachael Newton (former hedge fund lawyer turned entrepreneur) is part of a new wave of founders, thinkers, and advocates throwing open the bathroom door and reshaping the policies, products, and possibilities of period care. In this episode, Rachael tells us how she designed Nixit, the revolutionary, reusable menstrual disc after she realised her tampon waste took so long to break down it would likely survive the apocalypse alongside the cockroach. Rachael assessed the alternatives in the market and found them wanting. (Hell, there are more gadgets to poach an egg than there are period products). So she started from scratch designing a new type of reusable menstrual disc that could be worn for 12 hours. In doing so, Rachael has not only changed how people manage their periods but also how they relate to their bodies.She also tells us about the moment she put down her law books to become a femtech founder, about the risks and the loneliness along with the pinch-me moment of the pinging of sales. If you’re curious about starting something new, building a brand with purpose, or simply rethinking your period, Rachael’s story is a smart, grounded reminder: you don’t have to go with the flow. Not in your career. And definitely not with your period.To find out more about Nixit: https://nixit.com/pages/menstrual-disc(00:00) - Welcome to The Wobbly Middle (00:17) - Personal Updates and Reflections (00:39) - Discussing Period Stigma (01:54) - Introducing Rachel Newton (03:38) - Rachel's Career Journey (05:14) - Challenges in the Legal Profession (07:55) - Relocating and Career Shift (10:00) - The Birth of Nixit (15:11) - Developing the Product (26:09) - Branding and Marketing (30:51) - Entrepreneurial Insights (33:39) - Final Thoughts and Farewell THE WOBBLY MIDDLE is a podcast about women reinventing their careers in midlife.JOIN THE CONVERSATION: NEW EPISODES drop every second Wednesday. Follow now so you never miss an episode.SHARE YOUR STORY: Made a left turn in your career? We’d love to hear about it. Write to us at stories@thewobblymiddle.com—your pivot might just be the nudge someone else needs.SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER: thewobblymiddle.substack.comLEARN MORE ON SUBSTACK: thewobblymiddle.substack.comFOLLOW US on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook @thewobblymiddleABOUT THE HOSTS:Susannah de Jager has just relocated to Abu Dhabi, where she’s podcasting, consulting with start-ups, and occasionally advising on scale-up capital. After leaving her role as CEO of a boutique asset manager, she asked the all-important question: what next? Five years later, she’s following her curiosity —The Wobbly Middle is for her and every woman doing the same.Patsy Day is a lawyer on a break. As an intellectual property specialist, she has worked on everything from anti-counterfeiting to publishing and from London to Ho Chi Minh City and back again. Patsy lives in Oxford and is currently immersed in podcasts producing SafeHouse Amsterdam (out 2025) and co-hosting, The Wobbly Middle, a podcast about women reinventing their careers in midlife.

Sophia Champion de Crespigny loved physics. She studied civil engineering for 8 years, fascinated by structure and design. In the workplace, however, she found herself wading through actual sewage in the field - and the more metaphorical kind in the office. Engineering may have been the plan but it turns out it wasn’t the fit. When Sophie finally quit, she left without a grand plan, just with the instinct that there was something else out there for her.(00:00) - Setting Her Own Stones: Building a Life-Shaped Business (00:22) - Balancing Life's Demands (01:01) - Transferable Skills for Lawyers (01:43) - Introducing Sophie Champion de Crespigny (02:49) - Sophie's Journey from Engineering to Jewelry (04:23) - Challenges in a Male-Dominated Industry (08:00) - Leaving Engineering Behind (09:29) - Starting a Kombucha Business (11:53) - Motherhood and Business (18:55) - Launching Sorsa Jewelry (27:23) - Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs (28:24) - The Importance of Authenticity In this episode, Sophie talks about how she began again - first fermenting a kombucha business in her London flat, and then forging Sorsa, a jewellery brand built around sustainability, beauty, and family life.It is a celebration of women’s businesses of every shape, scale, and intention and the importance of their place and space be it round the kitchen table or the boardroom. THE WOBBLY MIDDLE is a podcast about women reinventing their careers in midlife. JOIN THE CONVERSATION: NEW EPISODES drop every second Wednesday. Follow now so you never miss an episode. SHARE YOUR STORY: whether you're in the wobbly middle or have made it through to the other side, we’d love to hear from you — we’re building a library of midlife plot twists! Email us at stories@thewobblymiddle.comSIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER: thewobblymiddle.substack.com LEARN MORE ON SUBSTACK: thewobblymiddle.substack.comFOLLOW US on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook @thewobblymiddleABOUT THE HOSTSSusannah de Jager has just relocated to Abu Dhabi, where she’s podcasting, consulting with start-ups, and occasionally advising on scale-up capital. After leaving her role as CEO of a boutique asset manager, she asked the all-important question: what next? Five years later, she’s following her curiosity —The Wobbly Middle is for her and every woman doing the same.Patsy Day is a lawyer on a break—and a podcast producer. She’s worked everywhere from London to Ho Chi Minh City, but these days she lives in Oxford. Patsy is knee-deep into podcast production for SafeHouse Amsterdam (launching 2025) and co-hosting The Wobbly Middle.

When Hannah McCracken returned to advertising after a career break raising her children, she anticipated going back at the same level, with some flexibility. She was met with a “no” — neatly packaged as professional advice: expect less.Less responsibility. Less pay. Less relevance. But for Hannah, time out never meant value lost. She had built her career at some of the world’s top ad agencies. She knew her worth—and wasn’t about to apologise for the years spent mothering. She rejected the tired narrative that stepping away from work somehow erases your talent, ambition or potential.Instead, she came back clearer, sharper, stronger.This is a story about pushing back against other people’s limits. About holding onto your belief when the world tries to shake it loose. And a reminder for women that they have every right to want what they’ve already earned.(00:00) - Break. Return. Rise (01:40) - The Eisenhower Matrix: A Tool for Prioritisation (02:21) - Hannah McCracken's Journey (03:31) - Hannah's Career Beginnings and Advertising Insights (08:08) - Balancing Family and Career (09:01) - The Decision to Step Away from Work (13:11) - Reentering the Workforce: Challenges and Strategies (15:50) - The Importance of Self-Belief and Support Systems (21:14) - Recognising and Valuing Non-Traditional Skills (24:30) - The Role of Flexibility in Career Growth (27:41) - Final Thoughts and Reflections JOIN THE CONVERSATION: NEW EPISODES drop every second Wednesday. Follow now so you never miss an episode. SHARE YOUR STORY: whether you're in the wobbly middle or have made it through to the other side, we’d love to hear from you — we’re building a library of midlife plot twists! Email us at stories@thewobblymiddle.comSIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER: thewobblymiddle.substack.com LEARN MORE ON SUBSTACK: thewobblymiddle.substack.comFOLLOW US on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook @thewobblymiddleAbout the Hosts:Susannah de Jager has just relocated to Abu Dhabi, where she’s podcasting, consulting with start-ups, and occasionally advising on scale-up capital. After leaving her role as CEO of a boutique asset manager, she asked the all-important question: what next? Five years later, she’s following her curiosity —The Wobbly Middle is for her and every woman doing the same.Patsy Day is a lawyer on a break—and a podcast producer. She’s worked everywhere from London to Ho Chi Minh City, but these days she lives in Oxford. Patsy is knee-deep into podcast production for SafeHouse Amsterdam (launching 2025) and co-hosting The Wobbly Middle.

Newsrooms collapsing. Journalism jobs vanishing. Three-time Emmy winner and TV reporter Aundrea Cline-Thomas saw the signs flashing like a breaking news ticker: the industry she loved was falling apart live on air.Stepping behind the camera, Aundrea launched her own production company, Mountain Court Media, as well as the community initiative The Rewrite to help other journalists navigate their own pivots.With the poise of a prime-time pro and the candour of a hot mic, she shares the behind-the-scenes on walking away from a career in front of the camera to build a new career — and how others can identify their hidden strengths and skills to do the same.(00:00) - Lights, Camera... Pivot! (03:38) - Aundrea's Journey into Journalism (05:48) - Challenges and Triumphs in Journalism (10:31) - The Impact of Empathy and Upbringing (11:43) - The Decline of Traditional Media (13:27) - Transitioning from Journalism (17:10) - Empower Framework for Career Transitions (20:37) - Building Confidence and Facing Discomfort (26:33) - The Importance of Community and Networking You can find out more about The Rewrite here. To hear more from Aundrea, listen to her excellent podcast The NEXT Best Thing. Have you navigated your own midlife career wobble?We want to hear EVERYTHING. The disasters, the triumphs, the moments you thought "I've made a terrible mistake" before realising it was actually GENIUS. Email us at stories@thewobblymiddle.com. Seriously. Tell us EVERYTHING. We want to hear your story—whether it’s messy, magnificent, or still mid-wobble. Email us at stories@thewobblymiddle.com and join the conversation.About the Hosts:Susannah de Jager has just relocated to Abu Dhabi, where she’s podcasting, consulting with start-ups, and occasionally advising on scale-up capital. After leaving her role as CEO of a boutique asset manager, she asked the all-important question: what next? Five years later, she’s following her curiosity —The Wobbly Middle is for her and every woman doing the same.Patsy Day is a lawyer on a break—and a podcast producer. She’s worked everywhere from London to Ho Chi Minh City, but these days she lives in Oxford. Patsy is knee-deep into podcast production for SafeHouse Amsterdam (launching 2025) and co-hosting The Wobbly Middle.

Donna was in her 40s when she picked up a camera. A stay-at-home mum in a new country, she poured her passion for food into a blog to fill the long school days. Good photos were essential, so—like every resourceful mother—she taught herself. The result? Drool-worthy, award-winning images that launched a stellar career.Now in her 50s, professional food photographer Donna Crous has cancer. With the same creativity, determination, and heart that shaped her career, she’s using her Diary of a Booby Queen to educate women about secondary breast cancer and to give them the courage to advocate for themselves.(00:00) - Introduction (00:16) - Susannah's Week of Perspective (01:20) - Patsy's Small Steps Approach (02:11) - Introducing Donna Crous (04:57) - Donna's Journey: From Banking to Baking (09:47) - The Leap into Food Photography (22:12) - Facing Cancer: Donna's Story (25:46) - Advocacy and Final Thoughts This is the final episode of Season One. Thank you for your support and encouragement. That the response has so far exceeded our expectations shows that The Wobbly Middle is striking a chord. Women are recognizing themselves in these stories of career reinvention, and they’re feeling seen, heard, and inspired to reimagine the shape of their own careers. We’re committed to continuing this conversation and energizing women to seek purpose, passion, and fulfillment in their midlife chapters.Season 2 is coming soon. In the meantime, you can stay up to date by signing up for our newsletter on Substack. You can also find us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook @thewobblymiddle.About the hosts:Susannah de Jager has just moved to Abu Dhabi. She is podcasting, consulting to start-ups, and occasionally advising on scale-up capital, having left her role as CEO of a boutique asset manager and asked, "What next?" In the last five years, she has forged a new path following her passions and interests. This podcast is for her and for all those like her.Patsy Day is a lawyer on a break. As an intellectual property specialist, she has worked on everything from anti-counterfeiting to publishing and from London to Ho Chi Minh City and back again. Patsy lives in Oxford and is currently immersed in podcasts, producing SafeHouse Amsterdam (out 2025), and co-hosting The Wobbly Middle.

Born in the New Mexico deserts where running water was a luxury, Dr. Emily Connally was an unlikely contender for the ivory towers of Harvard and Oxford — but with grit, brilliance, and a touch of rebellion, she soared. Yet her greatest achievements may not be in the lab...When the pandemic struck, Emily applied the same expertise she used to map the brain’s complex pathways to chart a thriving grassroots network. Starting with a schoolgate foodbank, she built Cherwell Collective which is transforming how local networks tackle food waste and sustainability.From elite academia to community hero, listen to Emily’s warm, uplifting tale of courage, ingenuity, and the power of pivoting when it matters most.(00:00) - (01:37) - Introducing Dr. Emily Connally (02:53) - Emily's Early Life and Education (05:33) - Challenges and Triumphs in Academia (11:37) - Activism and Union Leadership at Arizona (19:30) - The Birth of Cherwell Collective (24:34) - Cherwell Collective's Impact and Future Plans New episodes of The Wobble Middle released fortnightly. For additional insights, read The Wobbly Middle on Substack. You can also find us on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook @thewobblymiddle.If you are in the wobbly middle of your career, please share your story with us via our socials or email us at thewobblymiddle@gmail.com. We'd love to hear what’s on your mind - and if you're out the other side, please let us know how you got there!To learn more about Cherwell Collective, visit https://www.cherwellcollective.com/About the hosts:Susannah de Jager has just moved to Abu Dhabi. She is podcasting, consulting to start-ups and occasionally advising on scale-up capital having left her role as CEO of a boutique asset manager and asked "what next?”. In the last five years she has forged a new path following her passions and interests. This podcast is for her and for all those like her.Patsy Day is a lawyer on a break. As an intellectual property specialist, she has worked on everything from anti-counterfeiting to publishing and from London to Ho Chi Minh City and back again. Patsy lives in Oxford and is currently immersed in podcasts producing SafeHouse Amsterdam (out 2025) and co-hosting, The Wobbly Middle.

Midwife Nina Van Schaick felt a deep calling to support mothers through the transformative experience of childbirth. But as she witnessed the trauma caused by failures in maternal care, she knew change was urgently needed. With less than 2% of pharmaceutical R&D dedicated to maternal health, Nina decided to take action herself.Join the warm, funny, and bold FemTech innovator as she shares how she moved from the delivery suite to the boardroom to create meaningful change for women’s health.(00:00) - Introduction to The Wobbly Middle (03:08) - Nina's Journey into Midwifery (05:39) - The Emotional Spectrum of Midwifery (08:04) - Challenges and Changes in Midwifery (12:11) - Innovating with PeriPear (20:00) - Empowering Women in Midlife New episodes of The Wobble Middle are released fortnightly. For additional insights, read The Wobbly Middle on Substack. You can also find us on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook @thewobblymiddle.If you are in the wobbly middle of your career, please share your story with us via our socials or email us at thewobblymiddle@gmail.com. We'd love to hear what’s on your mind - and if you're out the other side, please let us know how you got there!About the hosts:Susannah de Jager has just moved to Abu Dhabi. She is podcasting, consulting to start-ups and occasionally advising on scale-up capital having left her role as CEO of a boutique asset manager and asked "what next?”. In the last five years she has forged a new path following her passions and interests. This podcast is for her and for all those like her.Patsy Day is a lawyer on a break. As an intellectual property specialist, she has worked on everything from anti-counterfeiting to publishing and from London to Ho Chi Minh City and back again. Patsy lives in Oxford and is currently immersed in podcasts producing SafeHouse Amsterdam (out 2025) and co-hosting, The Wobbly Middle.