Starting Over without Starting from Scratch with Kelly Wuest

What happens when the career you thought you wanted starts costing too much of yourself?

In this episode, I’m joined by Kelly Wuest, founder of Kelly Wuest Consulting and one of my closest grad school friends, for a conversation about burnout, career pivots, transferable skills, and building work that actually fits your life.

Kelly shares how she moved from higher ed to nonprofit work, then from nonprofit leadership into entrepreneurship. We talk about the identity hit that comes with leaving a field you thought would be your forever home, why your skills transfer more than you think, and what it really takes to start over without starting from scratch.

We also get into why so many organizations treat training like a checkbox, what quality learning and development actually requires, and how running your own business changes your relationship with time, work, and balance.

If you’ve been wondering whether it’s time to make a move, this conversation will give you language, perspective, and a little proof that a big pivot doesn’t have to mean blowing up your whole life.

Resources:

• Kelly Wuest Consulting: https://www.kellywuestconsulting.com/
• Connect with Kelly on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jkellywuest

Need a little more balance and a lot more badass in your life? Check out my 1:1 coaching sessions designed to help you tackle your biggest challenges, manage stress, and create a personalized plan for success. Your first 30-minute session is free! Visit tarakermiet.com to get started. 

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Transcript

Tara: [00:00:00] All right, friends. Today is quite special for me because I'm talking to one of my closest grad school friends, Kelly, it's so exciting. Uh, she runs a training and learning design company now after spending years in higher ed. That's how we met. And then she moved on to the nonprofit sector. So. She's got a lot to talk about, just about pivots and all that kind of stuff.

But what I really do love about Kelly is that she's someone who has really figured out how to actually connect people to purpose. And ever since I've known her, that's kind of been her mission. And so it's really kind of cool to see that come to life in her business, which, you know, I think it's something that we all say we wanna do, but.

A few of us actually know how to pull that off, so hopefully we can get some nuggets from, from Kelly here. Um, so yeah. So a little bit of background on Kelly. Um, you started out training college students to be civic leaders. That was the [00:01:00] intent. Um, moved on to nonprofits where you were building volunteer programs and, and working with kind of that realm.

And then. You did the thing that most people only fantasize about. You left and started your own consulting business. So I'm looking forward to this conversation 'cause Kelly, you now work with everyone from entry level staff to executives. So anybody that's listening I'm sure can take something from today.

And I just wanna welcome you to the Balanced Badass Podcast friend.

Kelly Wuest: you I'm so excited to be here

Tara: Yes.

Kelly Wuest: to be This is just so cool and talk about watching people do cool things I mean can you imagine back when we were in grad school that either of us would be doing this 

Tara: No, no. Little, little grad school us had all these hopes and dreams for higher ed and here we [00:02:00] are.

I'm gonna start with my icebreaker question per uge.

And that is what is something that you're loving in your life right now, Kelly? 

Kelly Wuest: Ooh A true higher ed fashion Right Starting with an

Tara: Yeah.

Kelly Wuest: question

Tara: to can You can pry the icebreakers out of my cold dead hands.

Kelly Wuest: right That's fair That's fair gosh what am I loving in life right now I Because this is top of mind for me right now I am loving being able to take more what I call adventures So part of that is is being able to travel international That's something that my husband and I decided years ago we wanted to do once a year and Outside of a little break you know cause of a little thing called COVID

Tara: A little thing.

Kelly Wuest: do that and we're going to Ireland this year So

Tara: Yeah.

Kelly Wuest: we're doing that in a couple of months and so I'm excited about that But we also have really started to get better about embracing like the smaller [00:03:00] adventures right So

Tara: Hmm.

Kelly Wuest: local or going to comic cons or going to friend fairs nerdy things

Tara: Love it.

Kelly Wuest: Of course Right So so yeah just embracing adventures That's that's been my and doing new things Doing things that are a little scary and exciting Like I'm gonna be on my undergrad's alumni council

Tara: That's awesome.

Kelly Wuest: And I get to do that for the first time So embracing new things Embracing new adventures

Tara: Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Kelly Wuest: I'm loving

Tara: Well, I want to start by talking about your own career journey, because like I alluded to, like you've made two pretty significant pivots. You've kind of went from higher ed into nonprofit, which. I am sure there's obviously similarities and stuff too, but still quite a different pivot. And then the biggest of them all from nonprofit to building your own business and entrepreneurship.

So I wanna, I want you to walk me through kind [00:04:00] of that first pivot, like what was the moment that you realized that higher ed maybe wasn't gonna be your forever home?

Kelly Wuest: Yeah Gosh I certainly thought it was going to be right

Tara: Mm-hmm.

Kelly Wuest: I hit a point without going through the whole entire story cause you know people don't wanna hear all of that but without going through all of it um Talking about burnout man I I hit burnout and I hit it hard it wasn't just like oh I'm tired or oh this is exhausting or oh this is a lot Like I was crying at work I was crying at home I was so unhappy that I was unhappy at home Um and luckily I have a partner who finally looked at me one day and was like Something's gotta change Like you are not okay and you know as we tend to do I was just gonna power through Like it's gonna get better We're gonna hit a point where it's gonna get better it's [00:05:00] gonna let up it's gonna get whatever but now we also know that that's not always the case right So I had to do some pretty serious soul searching which is really the case for both of these pivots Ended up doing some deep soul searching realize was going on first right Like why Why do I feel this way Why am I why am I so miserable Because this is what I wanted to do I love my students I love my staff I love my team This is so great What I do is so important Like why do I not wanna do it anymore And then recognize okay Here's here's what's going on This is why this isn't working I also realized I didn't want to be president of student

Tara: Uh, preach.

Kelly Wuest: right I thought right Like I went to grad school thinking like okay I'll work for a while I'll go back look at my doctorate I'll come to vp It'll be great Like oh thank you Like honestly kudos to the people who [00:06:00] do it right It's needed it's necessary Absolutely Still believe in the work No thank you It is not my jam And so I started having to figure out like okay well if I don't do this then what Right And gosh it was so long ago now I can't really remember how I eventually made it to nonprofit but I was very fortunate to because There are a lot of transferable skills right And

Tara: Mm-hmm.

Kelly Wuest: something that we don't talk about enough in higher ed For any

Tara: Yes.

Kelly Wuest: who might be listening your skills do transfer to other things just gonna drop that in there Um but I did I had a lot of good transferable skills and so I was able to pivot from From higher education doing leadership development doing community service civic engagement right Coaching all of this stuff and translate that into my first nonprofit job which was volunteer [00:07:00] management and volunteer training and volunteer development which eventually led me to doing prevention work in the community and prevention education And took that and did that at another agency and then did that at another agency right And really builds upon that skillset And so Yeah that's why I left though honestly to begin with It was just I hit that I hit that burnout rock and I hit it hard and really had to figure out what was next

Tara: Yeah. I feel what you're saying about the transferable skills and I, I'm even seeing this like obviously we know from just our lens of higher ed and how it's almost like this is all or nothing kind of situation. Right? But I'm seeing this with folks that I talk to regularly, that it's like I've been on this career trajectory for so long.

That it's almost like this kind of sunk cost fallacy, right? Like I've put so much time, effort into this

Kelly Wuest: [00:08:00] Yeah

Tara: us, like degrees,

Kelly Wuest: Yep

Tara: um, 'cause I mean, I even started a fricking doctorate and then I was like, what the heck am I doing? I, I don't want to do this. So it was very much the same, like, no, thank you. Um, but I, I hear that where it's so hard.

To see outside of that bubble or outside of that lane. But it is very critical to be able to separate the skillset from the industry, no matter what industry you're in. And trying to look at it objectively a little bit more to see, okay, where can these skills fit into a different industry and apply in a different way, and all that kinda stuff.

And that's why like I talk about with folks like. The way I do analogies is like, okay, let's say you're in your lane, you're walking down the street, okay, this is like our, our little higher ed lane. Do, do, do, do, do. Well maybe we take those skills and we go [00:09:00] across the street. So it's more of an adjacent move, not necessarily a wild and crazy move, right?

Um, but then you can also expand on that and do a more kind of bold pivot where you go into a different neighborhood. So you didn't just cross the street, but you went to a different neighborhood, you know? And then if you're feeling really crazy, there's a wild card option where you just go to a different state

Kelly Wuest: Just

Tara: or country, whatever, depending on you just get the heck out.

So there's all kinds of options with the skillset that you have. So I'm glad that you brought that up. Um,

Kelly Wuest: Well and that was

Tara: 'cause I think a lot of us lose that.

Kelly Wuest: Yeah It was even true when I left nonprofit I I started even having done it once before I still fell back into that mindset right After doing nonprofit for so many years I was like well I can't I don't I I don't know how to do anything else I can't go do something else I can't blah Right You can you can and [00:10:00] sometimes you may be you know you need someone like you or other folks to kind of walk along with you to help you uncover that Um but but you can it it it yeah you can you can do it

Tara: Well, and I think a lot of it comes down to too, like when you're burnt out to that point, I mean one of the keystone markers of burnout is where you lose your sense of confidence and self-efficacy. So

Kelly Wuest: When you

Tara: it's even hard to see that.

Kelly Wuest: Yeah You

Tara: Yeah.

Kelly Wuest: of it And and that's why I say like I'm so fortunate that I had a partner right who looked at

Tara: Yes.

Kelly Wuest: something's not working because honestly if it hadn't been for that probably would've stuck a lot around a lot longer than I should have

Tara: Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Kelly Wuest: honestly I had done the same thing for him a few years

Tara: Yeah.

Kelly Wuest: So that also helped But it's always easier to see it in somebody else than it is to see it in

Tara: 100%.

Kelly Wuest: Yeah

Tara: Yeah. That's why I think, you know anyone listening that [00:11:00] if they're surrounded by somebody that's going through it, don't be afraid to call it out. 'cause sometimes that's the like switch.

Kelly Wuest: Yeah Yeah

Tara: well, talking about the shift now from nonprofit or you know, just like steady nine to five work to, you know, to going out on your own.

'cause a lot of people, we dream of this, we dream of leaving our jobs and just kind of starting our own thing, but. It's a scary move and very few actually do it. So what was the thing for you that like really finally pushed you from, maybe someday I'll do this to actually launching your business? Kelly Wuest Consulting.

Kelly Wuest: All right so totally gonna be honest This was never my dream

Tara: Oh.

Kelly Wuest: I'm just gonna I'm just gonna put that out there I honestly never thought this is what I was gonna do next [00:12:00] Um I even had people ask me when I started to job search when I realized I didn't wanna stay where I was when I realized it was time to kind of figure out what was next And I was talking to some friends and I talked to some coaches and I talked to some co you know know and ev I had a couple of people here even my therapist who was like Well why don't you just go go work for yourself And I'm like no I don't wanna do that I don't wanna do that That's too much work That's too much effort Right Which is true but also so but I was just like no I don't No no no I thought I when I decided I wanted to leave the nonprofit sector I got to a point again where I was like okay I'm done I don't know that I wanna do this anymore And I was like you know what I'm gonna go to the for-profit world and I'm just gonna make money and

Tara: And here you are on the opposite.

Kelly Wuest: am not doing that No So

Tara: Just [00:13:00] kidding.

Kelly Wuest: but I I that's what I thought I was like you know what I've I've done higher ed I've done nonprofit like I'm just gonna get a job That's a job Right like something that I don't have to get overly invested in something that doesn't have to be my whole identity my whole self because that's something else that I went through right is going through that struggle losing a job and while I was in the nonprofit sector and and having to struggle with who am I if I'm not my job which is a whole other conversation we could

Tara: Yes.

Kelly Wuest: um and so yeah I thought I was gonna go do corporate for-profit something and so I started looking at like higher ed tech some other things that Colleagues and friends of ours have have gone into talked to a lot of folks about that Got really excited about it But doing that I got directed to a resume writer and career coach who hired her just to help me again translate my skills right I was like okay help me How do I say everything that I've done in a way that's gonna speak to [00:14:00] profit right Because I know they want numbers and they want All this stuff that I don't know how to I don't know to talk about So hired her with her in that process even though I had started applying to jobs like right when I got my resume back dah dah dah dah probably job search for about six months Um but that going through that process with her this is why I say having somebody outside of yourself to help you recognize these things is so important

Tara: Yeah.

Kelly Wuest: That was my aha moment Like once I let go of this like no this is the next step this is the next plan this is the next thing And looked at what I've done over the last 20 plus years right In in my career I was like oh my gosh I have a skillset right Like I have I have something that I can use and that matters and that I can I can [00:15:00] use to still do good things Like I don't have to abandon this idea of wanting to still be connected to purpose I can just do it differently And so I talked to some friends like you like some other folks who have gone out and done this on their own and and got found a lot of encouragement right And found There's a lot of different ways Now I will say that's the other piece There's there's a lot of information out there and you can get on information overload and it's overwhelming and can seem insurmountable because you're like oh my gosh I don't even know where to start But once you fill out all the noise it's it's doable right And

Tara: Mm-hmm.

Kelly Wuest: I started kind of building little by little for a little while Um To say you know I was like okay do I do I wanna do this Do I think this is a good idea And just the further I got into building realized like how exciting this was And yes it's terrifying right it's a whole like you said I [00:16:00] mean I don't have that steady paycheck right I don't have that You know my husband and I use a budgeting app like we love to budget our money and to know when our money's coming in and where our money is going And now I don't have that steady income which is

Tara: It's harder to budget when you dunno what you got. 

Kelly Wuest: but the budgeting also does help with that So

Tara: Yes.

Kelly Wuest: again different story for a different day but going through all of that and then starting to build and then realizing how excited I was starting to get at the prospect of doing what I do now I finally ripped off the bandaid and said that's it I'm gonna do this Right

Tara: Mm-hmm.

Kelly Wuest: I loved what I was doing Actually my first client was the job that I left um because I wanted to help keep you know that momentum going that I had started helping to build there And I gave them probably like two months notice because I just didn't wanna leave them in a lurch because that's you know again who we

Tara: That's who you are.

Kelly Wuest: and what we do but Then I [00:17:00] did it you know and it it it really did take having people again outside of me And and the fun part of that story too is that my therapist looked at me and said when I told her this is what I'm gonna do now she goes hold on And she pulls out my file folder and she goes I have my receipts Here's where I told you a year ago

Tara: Yeah.

Kelly Wuest: idea and I'm And this is why I pay you as my therapist Thanks But I didn't think that's what I wanted to do Right I

Tara: Yeah.

Kelly Wuest: And and I'm so grateful now though that I this path um yeah it's it's I love it with

Tara: Yeah. Yeah, I, I know at least speaking from my own experience, like I too, I had always thought I had like a itch, if you will, to like, oh, maybe someday I could start something, but I didn't know what that something was gonna be. And you know, very [00:18:00] similarly talk to like tons of people, which I think there is a.

Threshold of where you talk to too many people and you get too many opinions and then you're very confused. And I did that. So I got very confused 'cause I had a ton of people telling me what they think I should do with my time. 'cause you know, to one aspect, it's like people see my strengths and they're like, Hey, you're really good at X, Y, Z.

Like you should do this. Like, I had a ton of people ' cause this was like right after I had planned our wedding. So I had a ton of people. Who were like, you were phenomenal at planning your wedding, which, not to toot my own horn, but damn Skippy, I was like,

Kelly Wuest: Because

Tara: was very well executed.

Kelly Wuest: and you

Tara: Well, yeah, 100%. I know how to put on an event.

So like, there we go. So everybody's like, go into event planning and I'm like, yeah, but like this was fun for me 'cause it was my wedding. I don't wanna do this for other people.

Kelly Wuest: [00:19:00] Yeah

Tara: And then it was like, oh, but you're like really organized, so maybe you can focus on like productivity or whatever. And that's kind of the route that I had started on.

And then like kind of similarly, like just kind of fell into this when I realized, okay, I experienced burnout several times. I had kind of my own method for getting out of it. I didn't have anyone aside from my therapist, who was not like a burnout specialist by any means, but like she helped me through it.

Um, but I didn't have anybody who could like, hold my hand through the process and I, I knew that that could be helpful. So that's kind of how I ended up doing it. But it's all about, I think, taking the messy action too. Like I still don't know what I'm doing most of the time.

Kelly Wuest: Yeah

Tara: You just figure it out as you go.

Kelly Wuest: I love that messy action That's it And as someone who [00:20:00] is a perfectionist right I want it to be right before I do it before I unleash it before I try it You can't you can't do it And I think that was probably the best piece of advice I got from anyone in

Tara: Mm-hmm.

Kelly Wuest: is they said don't don't go in You don't even need a business plan yet Just

Tara: Right.

Kelly Wuest: what you need to establish legally right Get your accounts get everything set up and then just start doing because you're going to muddle through and then figure out like what you did You're gonna eventually figure out what's what's the right place for you That was the best the best piece of advice I was ever given because yeah I was like oh no I have to do this first I have to do this first And again all that noise right I have to get all these things online and in order and I want it to be perfect and I want this really polished look and this brand and it's like nobody cares about any of that They care about you and the work that you do and the value that you bring So figure that part out first Yeah[00:21:00] 

Tara: Yeah. Yeah, I think, um, we were talking about this before we started recording, like I spent a lot of time focused on the website and then I was like, I don't even know what I'm saying on the website. Why am I spending so much time on the website? Like, let's figure out the messaging and the problem I'm solving first.

And that takes. Experimentation and really talking to people and working out your messaging and all that kinda stuff, which like is an ever evolving process,

Kelly Wuest: Yeah

Tara: but you've gotta start there before you can like come up with the collateral to support whatever you're doing.

Kelly Wuest: Right right Well

Tara: But it does, oh, go ahead.

Kelly Wuest: I'll say that's the other piece too is the ever evolving part right Like you're never

Tara: Yeah,

Kelly Wuest: done

Tara: no.

Kelly Wuest: It's never just okay this is my brand and I this is it Right This is what I offer this is how I do it and that's it Because if you are evolving [00:22:00] with your industry then you're yeah it might work for a while but it's not gonna work forever So owning that it's just gonna be it's gonna be different

Tara: Yeah.

Kelly Wuest: go

Tara: Well, we even talked about the other day when we were talking about. Like our pricing and how like figuring that out. We have some lessons learned from earlier on and like how we wanna do things a little differently and, and what worked and maybe what didn't work. And that's like all a part of the process.

And I think that's probably why folks like the two of us who are really dedicated to like learning and growing and evolving. Probably do thrive in this kind of environment because it does require that growth mindset.

Kelly Wuest: That's a good point I've never really thought of it that way but yeah it's it's yeah you have to be willing to just absorb and figure out what works for you and yeah consistently learn and grow and move and [00:23:00] change and I think that's what's so exciting about this

Tara: Mm-hmm.

Kelly Wuest: think Again we have that education I mean like that part's never gonna go away right Being an educator at heart and being a lifelong learner and all of those

Tara: Mm-hmm.

Kelly Wuest: and things but they're true You know you should learn something new every day and doing this you don't have a choice but to learn something

Tara: You have to. Mm-hmm.

Kelly Wuest: Yeah

Tara: you have to be okay with making the mistakes too. And I think coming back to that perfectionist mindset, that's where I have struggled as well. Like, oh crap. But now I'm much better at being like, okay, you know what? It's a mistake. We're gonna learn and move on. The nice thing is when you're a solopreneur, it, the mistake is usually only affecting you.

So that's helpful.

Kelly Wuest: Yeah Yep

Tara: Um, all right, well, let's, let's pivot a little bit. This has been so good so far, but I do wanna get into [00:24:00] like your actual work and what you do. So. You do training, uh, and education Now really primarily focused, kind of working with different agencies and organizations. Um, so you kind of see from an outside perspective, like you've done it from the inside perspective, but now you see from the outside kind of what these cultures look like and, and can feel like, and I'm curious.

What are the signs that you look for that tell you that an organization is actually like ready to invest in quality training for its people versus just kind of checking a box and moving on?

Kelly Wuest: Ooh that's a good question Uh cause yeah it is A lot of too many people see training as a checkbox right Like we

Tara: Hmm.

Kelly Wuest: whatever the problem is whether it's volunteer retention or it's staff in [00:25:00] development or it's community engage like whatever the problem is think okay we just if we just make a training And and put together a PowerPoint that's got some bullet points on it that that's what we want people to learn They're gonna learn it and we can fix it Spoiler alert that doesn't work That's where I come in Right Because it has to be about so much more than that And so what I have found working with with different organizations and even in my experience you know being inside of an organization there has to be A willingness to get introspective and to ask some really hard questions and to get back to purpose Like what is it what are you really trying to accomplish through this training or through this program or through this educational event right Like I'm helping with the conference right now Like what's [00:26:00] what's the purpose of this conference Like what do you really want people to walk away with Just cause you've done it every year doesn't necessarily make it good right Like that's another thing that has to evolve Training and education has to evolve with with your people with your constituents So helping people kind of walk through like okay what's the purpose And then how do we bring people into that purpose Like that's the piece that I have found that's been missing in a lot of places is It's not just about okay you wanna volunteer with us here's a skillset that you need to volunteer with us Go forth and do That's part of it but it also has to be why Why do you wanna volunteer with us As a volunteer here's what you contribute to this agency as a volunteer Here's what you're doing to make a difference in your community Here's how we appreciate you here's how we recognize you Here's how you're now part of this bigger vision Because that's what leads to retention [00:27:00] And it's the same thing with staff development If I'm just saying oh we need to be better at communication skills and we just do a day long training about communication skills and then that's it Okay Well that Nobody's everybody goes back to work and nobody's gonna apply what they've learned

Tara: Yeah. Yeah. Nothing's gonna change really.

Kelly Wuest: nothing I mean let's be honest

Tara: I.

Kelly Wuest: gonna change So it has to be we're gonna do a communication skills training because this is a value of ours and we want everybody to come along in that And then after the training this is how we're gonna live that in our work Right So there has to be these bigger pieces but the agency and the leadership have to be willing to that So you know if if a client or a potential client comes to me and just says like Hey can you just build a training I'm gonna ask them why right Like what is it that you wanna get out of it What's what's the goal What do you wanna what do you [00:28:00] want people to learn How does this matter Why does this matter And they they don't I'm willing to help them work through that But if they're not ready to go through that then This probably you know this may not be the best fit yet Yet I do believe everybody can get to that point but they may just not be ready yet Um because it's really about how do how does this fit into the mission the values the agency and how are you bringing people in to walk along in that with you And if you're not

Tara: Yeah.

Kelly Wuest: tackle that then We gotta get you to that point first

Tara: Yeah. You're gonna keep checking the boxes at that point. Yeah. I love what you said about bringing people into, because. You know, it builds that sense of ownership. Um, gives a little more sense of belonging to the bigger purpose [00:29:00] too. Right. And I think when I think of a perspective of burnout, which like, obviously my lens comes from kind of this corporate mindset, right, of burnout at work.

But you can apply it to volunteer. You know, experiences too, because you can certainly experience burnout in that way.

Kelly Wuest: Because here's a

Tara: And I think

Kelly Wuest: are unpaid employees

Tara: 100%. Yeah.

Kelly Wuest: That's another thing that people tend tend to misunderstand

Tara: don't like,

Kelly Wuest: Mm-hmm

Tara: yeah. Um, but you know, I think about this concept of bringing people in. 'cause a lot of times. Burnout stemming from this disconnect of feeling appreciated and recognized and having the adequate resources. I always bring this up. You're gonna probably laugh, but our good old trustee challenge and support theory.

For folks that aren't in higher ed, it's a student development [00:30:00] theory. It's very self-explanatory. Whenever you provide challenge, you need to provide enough support. Very basic right. Um, I feel like I just earned my master's degree again. However, um, it's a very basic concept that a lot of organizations are lacking at this point.

It's not just for students, it is for humans at, at all levels. And I think being able to bring them in to understand what are their needs, what are their like, like you said, like what are their motivations and those kind of things. 'cause that then gives you the scaffolding to provide the right kind of support for the challenge that you're kind of pushing them to do.

Kelly Wuest: Right Well and it you know I I joke with folks but I'm like you know I could always bring it back to adult learning theory right If we really wanna get we really wanna earn our master's degrees today Like we could really go there but it's it's But that's [00:31:00] really what it is Like if you think about any kind of adult learning theory and there are lots of arguments about whether or not that's still relevant I think it still is It's just how we apply It looks a little bit different nowadays um because it all comes back to pulling them into that purpose and building that trust Right Like that's that's another kind of piece to this is how do we build that trust with them so that they do understand why this matters why this is important why they should engage in it and what they're gonna get out of it Because that's the other thing too is we don't wanna get whether we admit it or not

Tara: We're humans.

Kelly Wuest: right Like we wanna get something out of it So what's the

Tara: Yeah.

Kelly Wuest: we're learning Why does this matter to me Why What am I gonna do with this after I Have this experience whatever that experience is So yeah there's could get on a whole soapbox about how to make training good That's not what we're here to talk about But yeah that's that's really what it is is it's it comes down to organizations and [00:32:00] leadership willing to embrace that and and dig into that deeper than they've probably ever dug into it before 

Tara: Yeah. Well, now you kind of alluded to this earlier when we were talking about your pivot, um, but I wanna dig into this a little bit more. So now that you are running your own business, how has your relationship with work changed? Like, do you feel like, are you more or less at risk of burning yourself out than when you had a boss and had the traditional kind of setting?

Kelly Wuest: To be determined No

Tara: I think fair. 

Kelly Wuest: Uh I mean less let's I mean we'll be honest less And and I think part of that's because kind of what you said right Like I I now have ownership over what works and what doesn't [00:33:00] right And if I make a mistake then my mistake And and that's okay And and there's going to be mistakes But I get to own those in a way that's different when I worked for other people Um which is same for for the success too right Like I I get to own that which is something that on a personal level I've always worked on right Like owning I did this and I did this well and being able to say that with confidence um and not just oh well it's just the work or oh well it was just what I had to do Or oh well I got lucky or you know

Tara: Yeah.

Kelly Wuest: now that's all gone Right Like it's just me and I have to own it

Tara: Mm-hmm.

Kelly Wuest: good or bad Like I have to own it And and being able to do both of those things I think has been Eye-opening for me um in in finding finding what my new relationship with [00:34:00] work looks like Because I think I remember my first my first job in higher ed I I heard from a colleague who I really respected still do Um and she had done this session about there's no such thing as work life balance There's just work-life integration Some

Tara: Oh Lord,

Kelly Wuest: and some days it's this and some you know some days it's more balanced one way or the other And of course at the time I'm like yeah because

Tara: yeah.

Kelly Wuest: that's what we did

Tara: Yep. We ate it up.

Kelly Wuest: We ended up and it did it became our identity Right And it became everything Like my whole friend group were the people that I worked with right Like we talked on Facebook we hung out we like I didn't have people outside of higher education and I learned a lot of lessons through that cause that was that was part of the burnout part right Is that I had no identity outside of that job While I made better boundaries in [00:35:00] nonprofit I still very much it became my identity of who I was Right And so I was and and I know I talked a little bit about this is when I lost a a job abruptly I had to really struggle with that and that was hard And and I really had to start to look at myself and say like okay I am not my job Right Like have a whole life and a whole existence outside of work and I need to learn how to embrace that Fast forward okay well now I am my job like in a lot of ways like literally I am my job but I also get to own what that looks like right And I get to figure out I get to structure that in a way that I never could before and I get to make the space and the time for other things and to have a life And know at the end of the day like I can shut my laptop and walk away and that's okay Or if I need to do a little bit of work on the [00:36:00] weekends which I never would've used to have done because that's a boundary and I can't do that And that's giving up free time No it's okay I took my laptop to a roller derby tournament a few weeks ago Because I just had some

Tara: That's called Balance. 

Kelly Wuest: that's called balance I had just I had some stuff that I needed to get done right and and that's okay And I didn't feel guilty about it I didn't feel weird about it I knew that this was gonna help me be more productive later and give me the balance that I needed later in my week to be able to still have time to go do what I needed to do outside of work right So I less hopefully I'm less at risk right Of burning

Tara: Yeah. Hopefully.

Kelly Wuest: That's that's that's the goal right Like that's the

Tara: Yeah.

Kelly Wuest: yeah

Tara: Well, I think part of it too is you've done the work leading up to that, right? Like you, you've recognized kind of the patterns with the help, obviously, of the partner and friends and all that. But you've done the [00:37:00] work now to kind of know, okay, what, what might be some of the red flags or even yellow flags that may be coming up that I need to be aware of?

Because I know, like for me. When I first started, it was very funny. I had like structured my calendar, like it was my eight to five. Like

Kelly Wuest: same

Tara: nothing had really changed, which was interesting 'cause I had nothing even to put on the calendar when I first started. So like, I don't know what the hell I was scheduling.

And now that I have been doing this for a while and actually have things on the calendar, I kind of do need that structure a little bit more. Mm-hmm. Um, so we're kind of going back to that, but it, it, it was funny how I just fell into that habit 'cause it was just what was comfortable. But then that also was what burnt me out in the first place.

Kelly Wuest: Yep I did the exact same thing I was like all right I can set up my laptop And I was like all right my seven 30 to four 30 like that's [00:38:00] gonna be my window Like I you know I'm not gonna work on the weekends Like that's not the point Okay That's silly

Tara: Yeah.

Kelly Wuest: means that you know I get to spend my morning doing this

Tara: Mm-hmm.

Kelly Wuest: get to talk to people who We didn't have the capacity or the time to do before and that's been one of the best parts of all of this is being able to network and to reconnect you know with people and and catch up with people and see what what's going on And not even in a here's what I'm doing kind of way but just to genuinely reconnect with people and to have the space to do that To go to coffee to go to lunch to get online whatever it is Um You know and then I I make the space to then get the work done and I get to get the work done in my time

Tara: Yeah.

Kelly Wuest: Right

Tara: Yeah.

Kelly Wuest: looking at the clock anymore I was in the beginning I was like no I have to

Tara: Old habits die hard.

Kelly Wuest: It they do And then it's like no I don't I don't have to [00:39:00] do that If the work's done it's done

Tara: Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Kelly Wuest: And if it's

Tara: Yeah. I talk,

Kelly Wuest: right Like it's yeah

Tara: I talked to someone the other day and she was talking about the guilt that she was feeling like she runs her own business and um. How she's like, I just like dread the mornings. Like I get up and I like feel guilty 'cause I can't get started with like my workday. But then like in the evening time, once her kids have settled and her, her partner is doing whatever, that's when she's like in her zone and she like can get like a good solid four hours of work and I had to challenge her on this.

I'm like, what? What makes you think that you have to do work in the morning? If that's not what's working for you now in this season of life,

Kelly Wuest: Right

Tara: then shift that guilt [00:40:00] like that. You don't need to be guilty for that.

Kelly Wuest: right

Tara: Like it's it, and I think it's just so ingrained because we get so used to that, like eight to five, nine to five whatever mindset that like,

Kelly Wuest: Well

Tara: that's the only time that you work.

Kelly Wuest: what we're supposed to do We were supposed to go to college we were supposed to get a job we're supposed to blah blah blah blah blah I like what you said about in this season of life that's the other piece that I've had to embrace too right Is I've always considered myself a morning person I was always the first one in the office I was always getting stuff done before anybody else even walked in and got their first cup of coffee right Like that was just who I was And in a lot of ways that is still who I am I do still like getting up and starting my day early but you know what I don't have to you know like I get up and I make my coffee and I get out my laptop and I start looking at emails and stuff but I'm not necessarily digging into the work then and there first thing in the morning Right Because if I [00:41:00] do which is what I did in the beginning I get exhausted by that And so

Tara: Yeah.

Kelly Wuest: season of life I don't have to be that person anymore

Tara: Mm-hmm.

Kelly Wuest: from now maybe I will go back to being that but who knows right But like I I like that you said that in this season of life right This it doesn't have to be that way

Tara: Yeah, I had to make that adjustment myself because, um, you know, I, too morning person and, and I was functioning well for the first little bit with my job or with my business kind of functioning that way. But then. I had some health issues, a little blood clot, you know, pulmonary embolism thing kind of knocked me out and then knee surgery and, you know, whatever.

But that like literally changed like the physiology in my body to the point where, uh, I couldn't function in the morning, so I had to shift. There. There are times where in whatever [00:42:00] season of life you're gonna have to make accommodations and shifting. And now that I'm out of that and kind of coming back to whatever this season of life holds, I'm getting back into more of my routine and those kind of things.

And it's being okay and giving yourself grace with that. And I think that that's important to recognize even if you are in that. Eight to five kind of setting, like how can you structure your day within those hours to be able to work a little bit better with your kind of natural energy patterns and, and all that jazz too.

So now while we're on this topic of work life balance, which that is an episode in and of itself, um, but I always end these episodes asking my guest. How do you define being a balanced badass in your own life? Since this is the Balanced Badass podcast?

Kelly Wuest: First of all I'm gonna [00:43:00] start saying I'm a balanced badass like all the

Tara: yeah.

Kelly Wuest: Like I

Tara: Do it.

Kelly Wuest: I love

Tara: I wanna make shirts,

Kelly Wuest: Yeah you should I would buy one Absolutely You need to trademark whatever it is that you know

Tara: whatever.

Kelly Wuest: We need to make that happen Um I want a water bottle that says it Um

Tara: We will work on merch.

Kelly Wuest: yeah Um I know a guy No So gosh being a balanced badass I think for me it means owning my time and how I choose to use it I I started this year I did this intention thing don't I don't do resolutions or you know anything like that Um but but I started 2026 really kind of doing some grounding right And some intention And and and [00:44:00] what I ended up deciding that this year was going to be for me was releasing that which does not serve me That's a hard thing to do

Tara: Yeah. Easier said than done. 

Kelly Wuest: easier said than done But for me that's part of it right Owning my time and how I choose to use it Part of that is figuring out where I want to spend my time but part of that is also figuring out where I don't want to spend my time and being okay with that

Tara: Yeah.

Kelly Wuest: right And and letting the things go that no longer serve me or that aren't Working for me in this season of life

Tara: Mm-hmm.

Kelly Wuest: it's okay And uh yeah I I think that's that's really what it is is is looking at what's what's the capacity that I have and how do I choose to use that Because you know I could just say oh well being balanced as I get to travel and I get to Do this that and the [00:45:00] third outside of work which is true Don't get me wrong that that is part of it right Like I do wanna be able to travel and I wanna be able to go do other things outside of the work day but It's really again you know I took my laptop to roller order Every tournament I chose to do that and I own that decision It was the right thing for me to do It helped me be balanced It helped me be a balanced badass I'm actually fun story just to kind of end this on a funny note I'm taking my work to my hair appointment this week

Tara: I love it.

Kelly Wuest: I messaged my friend who does my who is my hairdresser as well and I said Hey uh I have a meeting Can I just bring my laptop and work at the back of the salon when we're done because I won't have time to make it home And she's like yeah you can I'm like cool See see you Friday And that's okay right And like so so owning that owning how I want to do this work and how I want to use my time because We're we're only here for so [00:46:00] long Right And we can't keep waiting on the one day which is why we travel international once a year We don't wanna wait until the one day So for me that's what it is Being a balanced badass is is owning my time and how I use it

Tara: I love it. All right. Well we are at time, but this has been so great. Thank you so much, friend. Really appreciate you being here. Yeah.

Kelly Wuest: drop all the wisdom

Tara: We can, we could do this on a regular series. Um, Kelly, how can people connect with you if they wanna learn more about your work or just kind of follow along on your journey?

Kelly Wuest: Yeah so well as we said I do have a website but maybe not the best place to get to me Um but Kelly Wuest consulting.com Um just remember that Wuest is spelled W-U-E-S-T It's a little it looks fancy when it's not Um but LinkedIn really is a great place to to find me I I'm very active [00:47:00] there connected with a lot of folks through there Um Stay engaged with a lot of different people there So yeah just look up Kelly Wuest LinkedIn Pretty easy to find again with that unique last name Um but that's a great place to to find me

Tara: Awesome. And I'll be sure to link 'em in the show notes and everything. So once again, thank you so much. Um, yeah, this was great. And for folks listening, if you got any kind of value from this conversation, the best thing that you can do is. Share it. Send it to maybe someone who's thinking about a career change or someone who's trying to build better training at their organization, or really, honestly just someone who needs to hear that making any kind of big move is possible.

And until next time, make good choices, friend.