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At Brave Starts, we love sharing real stories of people who’ve taken brave steps to reshape their working lives. Taissia’s journey is a perfect example of what can happen when you pause, reflect, and take action to realign your career with your values.
🎥 Watch the full story on YouTube: How Taissia Transformed Her Career as a Senior Conference Producer
Feeling Stuck After 15 Years in the Same Industry
After more than 15 years as a Senior Conference Producer, Taissia had achieved a great deal in her field — but something was missing. “I started to feel less engaged,” she explains. “The work didn’t bring me the same sense of fulfilment it once had. I realised something needed to change.”
That growing frustration led her to question what she truly wanted from work at this stage of life. “I felt like my values had shifted,” she recalls. “I’d grown as a person, and I needed my work to reflect that.”
Finding Brave Starts — and Finding Clarity
When Taissia began searching online for career advice for experienced professionals, she came across Brave Starts and immediately felt it was what she needed: “I wanted someone to help me navigate this stage — to understand what was happening and guide me towards a change that would feel meaningful.”
She joined Brave Starts last spring and began attending workshops designed specifically for midlife professionals.
“The first one I joined was Age is Your Asset, and it was fantastic,” she says. “The presentation was insightful, but what really stood out was the interactive part — meeting other people my age going through similar transitions. It gave me so much confidence to know I wasn’t alone.”
Connecting Work With Values
Through the discussions, a common theme emerged — many members wanted work that aligned more closely with their personal values. For Taissia, that meant moving into sustainability and climate change, an area she had touched on through previous conference projects.
“It really resonated,” she says. “I realised that’s where my passion lies — working on something that contributes positively to the world.”
Practical Steps and Expert Guidance
Next, Taissia joined a workshop on sustainability careers, led by Simon Glenn of Zero Ideas. “It was so informative — I learned about the types of roles in sustainability, the language used in the field, and even discovered excellent free courses on climate change through the United Nations website.”
During conversations with the Brave Starts team, she realised she could reposition her existing skills for this new area. “We talked about how I could reshape my CV to highlight relevant experience and target sustainability conferences,” she explains. “That practical advice made a huge difference.”
Landing Her Dream Project
Not long after making those changes, an opportunity came her way. “A conference agency contacted me about producing a senior-level climate change conference in Africa,” she recalls. “It was exactly what I wanted.”
The event took place in Johannesburg and was a great success. Later that year, she was invited to produce a seminar on climate change at COP 29 in Baku — one of the largest global events in sustainability.
“It was an incredible experience,” she says. “To contribute to such an important event was so fulfilling. I’m now focusing on finding more projects in this space.”
A Journey of Realignment and Growth
Taissia’s story is one of courage, curiosity, and purposeful change. With the support of Brave Starts’ workshops and community, she was able to turn uncertainty into clarity and action — reshaping her career around what truly matters to her.
About Brave Starts
At Brave Starts, we’re a non-profit membership organisation helping midlife professionals make meaningful changes in their careers. Through our structured coaching workshops, masterclasses, and mix of online and face-to-face events, we help members find clarity, take control, and build powerful professional networks.
If you’re ready to explore your next chapter, visit www.bravestarts.com to learn more.
