On our final episode of season two we talk to Danielle Moylan, who has had a wide ranging career spanning the music industry, foreign service with Australia’s Foreign, humanitarian response in Afghanistan and Syria, and now as a cafe owner and cook in London at Grove Lane Deli, Camberwell.It’s a biggie, covering letting go of ambition, interrogating why we strive - do we truly want it or because we've been told to, being a quality not a control freak, and above all not waiting to know everything before jumping in. As usual, we hit Danielle up with the important Qs: Last meal:  fried chicken - the good stuffCurrently reading:  Recipe books in desperate search for new ideas - Australian Women’s Weekly Cake Book - a classic, and Andy Baraghani Currently watching:  The CrownListening to:  BBC news podcast, Beyoncé’s latest masterpieces Favourite unwind:  have a bath - hot water immersionWhat advice would Danielle give to someone who's wondering about the next step in their career?You're way more capable and better than what you think you are. And you don't need to know everything to try something. A lot of people feel like they need to fully understand everything. But you can, at any career point, jump into something and learn as you go. Don't wait until you feel like you know everything because you probably never will. And then you realize once you get into that field that nobody knows anything anyway. But most importantly, my advice, especially to young women I work with, is that they're so bright, they've got so much going for them. The world really is their oyster.I think that is something that's worth reminding ourselves every single step of our career.A little about your co-hosts:Anita Dullard is studying a MSc Climate and Energy Policy, taking time out from media advocacy; Avigail Shai is a diplomatic and policy adviser, and former diplomat – they met working in the international humanitarian sector, stayed for the chat and hilarity.And don't forget to join our 9 to 5 community on IG, FB and TW, and don't forget to subscribe and leave us a review!

Today on the podcast we talk to Lucy Earle, who is Director (interim), Human Settlements at the International Institute for Environment and Development. We talk taking risks, how treating new hires badly backfires and the unmitigated pleasure of travelling alone for work. Lucy’s work focuses on the intersections of urbanisation, urban poverty and humanitarian crises, in particular forced displacement in urban areas. Prior to joining IIED, Lucy was an urban advisor at the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) and was seconded to the International Rescue Committee (IRC) to support a programme on improving humanitarian response to urban crises. PhD in development studies from the LSE.As usual, we hit Lucy up with the important Qs: Last meal:  something Middle EasternCurrently reading: The Mirror and the Light by Hilary MantelCurrently watching: Industry on BBC, Call My Agent, Emily in ParisCurrently listening to:  a Mahler or Bruckner symphonies if the office is pumpingFavourite unwind:  Swimming and travelling alone for workWhat advice would Lucy give to someone who's wondering about the next step in their career?Get a coach. The questions made me think about work and the answers were really eye opening. It’s really helpful to get someone to ask you the difficult questions and give you homework to do things differently. So if you can afford it, or if you can get your work to pay, get a coach.A little about your co-hosts:Anita Dullard is studying a MSc Climate and Energy Policy, taking time out from media advocacy; Avigail Shai is a diplomatic and policy adviser, and former diplomat – they met working in the international humanitarian sector, stayed for the chat and hilarity.

Today on the podcast we talk to Ika Nurain Mudzar who is a communications specialist and fiction writer by night. She’s also a sculptor and we find out where in the day she manages that while also talking about the pros and cons of workplaces as ‘families’, taking leaps of faith and the surprising outcomes you can have when you trust your worth (or trust other people who keep telling you to trust yourself) Ika has 15 years experience as a communications expert working across many different sectors including the oil and gas industry, publishing sector, international humanitarian emergencies, and accountancy. Her fiction has been published internationally in several pro and semi-pro rated markets. As usual, we hit Ika up with the important Qs: Last meal: Her mum’s risolas  Currently reading: Joe Abercrombie fantasy novelistCurrently watching: BoJack HorsemanListening to: Low fi music, classical playlist, gaming soundtracks, and 9 to 5 with Avi and Anita! Check out the episode with Victoria Cavanagh which inspired Ika's negotiating success.Favourite unwind: the gym three or four times a week; writing if she’s in the mood or sculpting - create something with her hands: “I think it's such a good balance to work with your hands rather than staring at the computer screen all day.”What advice would Ika give to someone who's wondering about the next step in their career?Find a weekend or a time where you can be quiet with your thoughts and detach from the craziness of work, the craziness of your day-to-day, to just listen to your gut and see where that is going. Find that one voice in your head that keeps on repeating that particular thing that resonates with you.A little about your co-hosts:Anita Dullard is studying a MSc Climate and Energy Policy, taking time out from media advocacy; Avigail Shai is a diplomatic and policy adviser, and former diplomat – they met working in the international humanitarian sector, stayed for the chat and hilarity. And don't forget to join our 9 to 5 community on IG, FB and TW, and don't forget to subscribe and leave us a review!

Today on the podcast we talk to Helen Teede, a Zimbabwean artist. It’s a big episode on creative practice and its cyclical nature, the mysteries of paint, the imperative driving the vocation to be an artist and all the reasons why we shouldn’t and challenging the patriarchy. Helen has been dividing her time between Venice and Harare  for the past five years and has had solo and group shows internationally in spaces and arts fairs including the Paris Internationale, Zeitz Museum of Contemporary African Art, Cape Town, Qingdao Art Museum in Shanghai, and First Floor Gallery, Harare.  She was a finalist in the 2022: Norval Foundation Sovereign Art Prize in Cape Town and has also just been selected ​​to join the very first Tracey Emin artist residency in Margate this year.As usual, we hit Helen up with the important Qs: Last meal: Avocado on toastCurrently reading: In Gratitude by Jenny Diski; Lessico Famigliare (Family Sayings) by Natalia Ginzburg; and The Visible and the Invisible by Merleau-Ponty.Currently watching: music videos: florence and the machine ‘King’, meghan thee stallionListening to: Mokoomba Favourite unwind: Running What advice would Helen give to someone who's wondering about the next step in their career?There’s this whole thing: identify your dream or your truth and follow it. But it's so much easier said than done. It comes from such a position of privilege to assume that people can just follow their dreams. Nevertheless, listen to yourself and figure out what you really enjoy, and then carve out a bit of time for that. I think that’s necessary in order to not end up in an existential crisis. Especially with what's going on in the world.A little about your co-hosts:Anita Dullard is studying a MSc Climate and Energy Policy, taking time out from media advocacy; Avigail Shai is a diplomatic and policy adviser, and former diplomat – they met working in the international humanitarian sector, stayed for the chat and hilarity.And don't forget to join our 9 to 5 community on IG, FB and TW, and don't forget to subscribe and leave us a review!

Today on the podcast we talk to Carlie Jones, a secondary teacher in Australia and a disability and inclusion leader at the school where she teaches. She has been teaching for around 20 years, so has a lot of experience under her belt.We talk advocacy and supporting students with ADHD, autism and trauma, the impact of COVID-19 on kids’ education and the teaching environment, the importance of family and self care, and the intrinsic rewards that keep you going.As usual, we hit Carlie up with the important Qs: Last meal: Roast pork with all the trimmings, ie. quality crackle Currently reading: Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia OwensCurrently watching: YellowstoneListening to: 90s playlists - here's a banger to get you startedFavourite unwind: spending time with her little piglets (two of the most adorable girls going) and  family What advice would Carlie give to someone who's wondering about the next step in their career?Take it slow. There will be pressure to take on extra roles and you'll be excited and want to do things but just take it slow; work on work life balance and master your craft. A little about your co-hosts:Anita Dullard is studying a MSc Climate and Energy Policy, taking time out from media advocacy; Avigail Shai is a diplomatic and policy adviser, and former diplomat – they met working in the international humanitarian sector, stayed for the chat and hilarity. And don't forget to join our 9 to 5 community on IG, FB and TW, and don't forget to subscribe and leave us a review!

Today on the podcast we talk to Sarah Keenan and navigate her process of elimination to arrive at being a Reader in Law at Birkbeck University, London. Raised on Giabal and Jarowair land in Toowoomba, Australia, Sarah worked in Brisbane as a Judge’s Associate in the Supreme Court of Queensland and as a solicitor at Prisoners’ Legal Service before moving to the UK to take up a PhD studentship at Kent Law School.  It’s an episode rich in how we fit into and bust out of systems and find ourselves through the many wonderful people we met on our career journeys. It’s loaded and littered with recommendations and references As usual, we hit Keenan up with the important Qs: Last meal: Vegetarian LasagnaCurrently reading: My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh When Species Meet by Donna Harraway Mushroom at the End of the World by Anna Tsing Return of a Native by Vron WareCurrently watching: Killing Eve - last season a bit disappointing tbhListening to: Mitski Torres Sharon van Etten the Hidden Cameras the audiobook Valencia by Michelle Tea Favourite unwind: swimming and/or cycling What advice would Keenan give to someone who's wondering about the next step in their career?Ok so we somehow forgot to ask this extremely pertinent question, however if we mine Keenan’s lightning round there seems to be a strong recommendation to extend your friend network beyond your professional circle so that you can occasionally talk about something other than what you work on. We do not disagree, as such Anita has since quit her job so she could remain friends with Avi.A little about your co-hosts:Anita Dullard is studying a MSc Climate and Energy Policy, taking time out from media advocacy; Avigail Shai is a diplomatic and policy adviser, and former diplomat – they met working in the international humanitarian sector, stayed for the chat and hilarity. And don't forget to join our 9 to 5 community on IG, FB and TW, and don't forget to subscribe and leave us a review!

Today on the podcast we talk to Sunanda who is a Punjabi-Thai writer, comedian, radio host, and producer raised in Bangkok, matured in New York City and Los Angeles, and has since moved to Melbourne for love. This year, they were nominated for the highly coveted Best Newcomer award from the Melbourne International Comedy Festival for their solo show, "Sunanda Loves Britney." Sunanda is a core collaborator of the award-winning Melbourne queer clowning troupe, Po Po Mo Co, and in 2022 their children’s short film series “Once Upon a Drag Storytime” is the official selection at several worldwide film festivals with screenings. They have performed stand up in New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Honolulu, Manila, Hyderabad, Singapore, Bangkok and Melbourne among other cities. Sunanda also created, curated, and hosted the groundbreaking show, "Indian Wedding," a South Asian variety show that was called one of the fifteen best things to do in Los Angeles by LA Weekly. They produced Broad City's "I Heart NY" webisode, the feature film “How To Follow Strangers” (Prix D’or of L.E.S. Festival) and countless other shorts where they’ve worked with Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation), Ilana Glazer (Broad City), Lucia Aniello (Emmy-award winning director and writer of Hacks, Broad City), Reggie Watts, Horatio Sanz (Saturday Night Live), Michael Che (Saturday Night Live), Ego Nowdim (Saturday Night Live), Jena Friedman (The Daily Show), and Chioke Nassor (High Fidelity) among others. I’m sorry, but please, these collabs. Needless to say, this conversation was funny, frank and you’re going to love it. As usual, we hit Sunanda up with the important Qs: Last meal: Gai Pad KrapowCurrently reading: Instagram captionsCurrently watching: We are lady partsListening to: Spotify playlist - ‘Back at Mine’; plus Dua Lipa x Elton John collab Cold HeartFavourite unwind:  Alternative weird comedy, smoke some pot and then dancing at a queer barWhat advice would Sunanda give to someone who's wondering about the next step in their career?If you can, just go after it. As long as it’s fun, try to waste as little time as possible anxious about if you’ve made the right move. The less time you wait, the more time you have to improve on the thing you just did.A little about your co-hosts:Anita Dullard is studying a MSc Climate and Energy Policy, taking time out from media advocacy; Avigail Shai is a diplomatic and policy adviser, and former diplomat – they met working in the international humanitarian sector, stayed for the chat and hilarity.And don't forget to join our 9 to 5 community on IG, FB and TW, and don't forget to subscribe and leave us a review!

Today we talk to Zoë Flood who is an independent journalist and filmmaker. Based out of Kenya for much of the past decade, Zoë has reported for a wide range of international media, including the BBC, the Guardian, Al Jazeera and the Washington Post. She runs a production company based in Nairobi that provides production support across the African continent.Zoë also produces long-form investigations, such as 'Gamblers Like Me', which she shot and directed for BBC Africa Eye and which was shortlisted for best documentary in the 2020 British Sports Journalism Awards. In 2021, she was both Edit Producer and Archive Producer on ‘9/11: Inside the President’s War Room’, the landmark BBC/AppleTV+ feature documentary to mark the 20th anniversary of the attacks. The film has won multiple awards, including the Bafta for Editing, and was also nominated in the Best Documentary category, as well as the Editing category at the Emmys.  Zoë is also Executive Producer and Co-Producer of the ground-breaking Zimbabwean feature film 'Cook Off', streaming on Netflix since 2020. Check out more of Zoë's work at www.zoeflood.com.So as you can imagine it is a huge episode where we get into Gratitude ImbalanceTM, what it means to be independent and not taking shit. Let us know what you think. As usual, we hit Zoë up with the important Qs: Last meal: A wood-fired margherita pizzaCurrently reading: Chick lit! Currently watching: Bling EmpireListening to: ‘The rest is politics’ podcast, ‘how to fail’ podcast Favourite unwind: long walks, reading, swimming and seeing friends What advice would Zoë give to someone who's wondering about the next step in their career?Think very hard about what your needs are and what your desires are, not what society's expectations are, your colleagues, your friends and family’s expectations are. We all live with many contending pressures…but taking the time and space to try and work out what it is that you want, what you need, what your values are, is a really valuable step. A little about your co-hosts:Anita Dullard is studying a MSc Climate and Energy Policy, taking time out from media advocacy; Avigail Shai is a diplomatic and policy adviser, and former diplomat – they met working in the international humanitarian sector, stayed for the chat and hilarity.And don't forget to join our 9 to 5 community on IG, FB and TW, and don't forget to subscribe and leave us a review!

In episode one of season two, we talk to Laura Federico who is a psychotherapist, sex therapist, and consultant specializing in delivering creative, innovative virtual therapy - at  laurafedericotherapy.com. Laura has lived and worked in the United States, Turkey, and Switzerland, and has a background in crisis work and psychological first aid. Laura applies a holistic approach to mental well-being and has a specific focus on sexual health, self-worth, the mind-body connection, and relationships.We spoke about the lenses that we've been brought up with, innovating business models and backing yourself in the face of scepticism. And honestly, the vindication!You can find out more about Laura's cycle tracking book Bodied at mybodied.com.As usual, we hit Laura up with the important Qs: Last meal: NachosCurrently reading: Jia Tolentino’s review of Angela Garbes’ Essential Labour: mothering as social changeCurrently watching: Couples TherapyListening to: Big Thief Favourite unwind: Seeing friends, being with peopleWhat advice would Laura give to someone who's wondering about the next step in their career?Connect with what feels meaningful for you and embody that in making a choice. It’s easy to get connected to the external validators of what is the right versus the wrong choices. Something I try to do for myself, and when I talk to the people I work with, is to remove the labels of right and wrong, and take a step back from all those external lists of what is considered successful. And then spend some time in that internal space working out what feels good. A little about your co-hostsAnita Dullard is studying a MSc Climate and Energy Policy, taking time out from media advocacy; Avigail Shai is a diplomatic and policy adviser, and former diplomat – they met working in the international humanitarian sector, stayed for the chat and hilarity.And don't forget to join our 9 to 5 community on IG, FB and TW, and don't forget to subscribe and leave us a review!

Welcome to season two of 9 to 5 with Avi and Anita - a podcast where we talk with excellent women in the middle of their career journey about how they got where they are and where they're going. We had such great time last season speaking to women from around the world, and such a huge response from our listeners that we decided to do season 2. We have a great line up in store - from women working in comedy, sex therapy, teaching, journalism, hospitality, the arts, and more.Expect career conversations covering the big questions - how to find balance, negotiate what matters, and find meaning in your work. If that sounds like your kind fo thing, join us for season two -  launching Thursday 15 December.A little about your co-hosts:Anita Dullard is studying a MSc Climate and Energy Policy, taking time out from media advocacy; Avigail Shai is a diplomatic and policy adviser, and former diplomat – they met working in the international humanitarian sector, stayed for the chat and hilarity.And don't forget to join our 9 to 5 community on IG, FB and TW, and don't forget to subscribe and leave us a review!

This isn't one of our regular episodes – because we've finished season one ! But we wanted to take a moment to reflect on all the wonderful conversations we've had and to thank you, our audience, for tuning in. It's been really fun. It’s hard to pick a single item that has stood out for each of us. We’ve had so many women and they had such similar and yet diverse experiences, but the recurrent themes that came up through the season:Networking: hit up everyone you know, including your friends and a broader network than you might think about in relation to your career. People love you and want you to do well and will help you out. The importance of having boundaries, and how it gets easier to set those boundaries once you back yourself. Set a boundary and people will respect it, but you also have to respect it first, if it’s going to last.Kids and careers are massive. Everything is temporary, you can lean in or lean out at different stages – it won’t be forever. We are all the difficult woman.  The consequences of asserting yourself and asking for what you want and how people can respond to that positively or negatively – honestly tho, do we care?We’re so pleased that the podcast has resonated, thank you again to our listeners for tuning in. engaging. And we're excited to come back to you in a couple of months with more exciting conversations. We will talk to more fabulous, fascinating women working in arts, hospitality, media, comedy, education, academia, medicine. You name it, we got it. So stay tuned. What career advice would we give to someone looking to make the next step in their career?Listen to the podcast, share the podcast with your pals A little about your co-hostsAnita Dullard is a media and advocacy strategist; Avigail Shai is a diplomatic and policy adviser, and former diplomat – both currently work in the international humanitarian sector.Read and listen to more at ninetofivepodcast.com and don't forget to subscribe and leave us a review!And don't forget to join our 9 to 5 community on IG, FB and TW.

Lára Jónasdóttir joins us for our last episode of the season from Reykjavík. She’s a Senior Project Manager at Reykjavik University, managing the largest EU grant that the university has ever been granted into sleep research. Before this role, Lára worked in the humanitarian sector Médecins Sans Frontière (MSF) in Liberia, Burundi, Afghanistan, South Sudan, Lebanon, Greece, Nigeria, and Australia.We spoke about making big career transitions – pros and the cons of starting fresh in a new industry that offers a different lifestyle in a familiar place; how to give and receive feedback constructively; being a difficult Vs likeable woman; AND IMPORTANTLY some sound advice on sleep. Key facts about LáraLast meal: My mom's Christmas lambCurrently reading: Eleanor Oliphant is completely fineCurrently watching: Selling SunsetListening to: music from the Middle EastFavourite unwind: Sauna. It is fantastic. Sauna and the ocean.What advice would you give to someone who's wondering about the next step in their career?Everyone worries about not getting a job and money is an issue. But if you possibly can take yourself out of the situation, you're in and take a break, do. If you're thinking about your boss every night before you go to sleep, you're not in a good place and you need to step out of it. It's not a place to take decisions. Don't overthink it. A little about your co-hostsAnita Dullard is a media and advocacy strategist; Avigail Shai is a diplomatic and policy adviser, and former diplomat – both currently work in the international humanitarian sector.Read and listen to more at ninetofivepodcast.com and don't forget to subscribe and leave us a review! And don't forget to join our 9 to 5 community on IG, FB and TW.

Sophie Uddin joins us from London where she is the Operations Director at Spiritland, a venue fusing an immaculate music listening experience with great food and booze. Sophie has managed some of the finest restaurants in London (imho) including Providores and Tapas Room, Grangers, 10 Greek Street and Vinoteca. We talk about making it up as you go along, the drama and gossip at every restaurant, which makes sense as hospitality is theatre in essence; negotiating money in a sector and the shifts in workplace culture and asking for what you want. Key facts about SophieLast meal: An Indian curryCurrently reading: Luster by Raven LeilaniCurrently watching: Schitt’s Creek every day, on repeat, obsessed. And The Sopranos for the first time.Listening to: Laura Marling’s last album; the new Floating Points album. And The Paper Kites. Favourite unwind: watch movies constantlyWhat advice would you give to someone thinking through the next step in their career?Three things:Think a little bit more about money. Just a little bit, and just negotiate. Because actually, you're not going to get anything if you don't ask and there's no harm in asking. If someone says no, they say no, but no one's just going to offer something to you, you have to ask. Always do whatever you're gonna do with people that you really, really want to do it with. With my current partner, I really want to work with him, it's an absolute joy every day. And that's so important, and you need to be aligned. If you have different skill sets, what you want to do ultimately needs to be aligned, because you don't want to be in a constant battle. And just don't be a dick on the way. Particularly in hospitality. It's a really small industry. And everybody knows everybody. And you just need to be kind.A little about your co-hostsAnita Dullard is a media and advocacy strategist; Avigail Shai is a diplomatic and policy adviser, and former diplomat – both currently work in the international humanitarian sector.Read and listen to more at ninetofivepodcast.com and don't forget to subscribe and leave us a review!And don't forget to join our 9 to 5 community on IG, FB and TW.

Victoria Cavanagh joins us from Berlin, Germany where she is the director of international sales and marketing at a large farming and food company.  Before that, Victoria worked in international development and communications at the UN and other public and private organizations in southern Africa, Europe and Australia. In this episode, we get into pushing beyond your comfort zone and backing yourself to ask for what you’re worth, the importance of considering the lifestyle you want when making decisions and negotiating; and that everything ultimately rests on brunch.Key facts about VictoriaLast meal: HummusCurrently reading: German children's book to learn the languageCurrently watching: Schitt’s Creek and Operation Varsity BluesListening to: Spotify 2015 Most played playlistFavourite unwind: scouring a flea marketsWhat advice would you give to someone thinking through the next step in their career?Work out what’s important to you. Talk to as many people as possible and be very open-minded. Try to see what's out there, read a lot of job descriptions online, and see what excites you, what you like the sound of, what industries you're interested in, try to visualize what another job entails. Then make a matrix, weigh the answers and see where you land. Keep in contact with people. I've got almost every job I've ever gotten through someone that I met at a random place at a random moment in time, completely unrelated to the job. But we somehow kept in contact. That is how I got this job in Germany. I met someone at a brunch years earlier, and kept in contact and when an opportunity came up in that company, she reached out.  Stay positive, you'll find something, you'll figure it out and a great opportunity will come. A little about your co-hostsAnita Dullard is a media and advocacy strategist; Avigail Shai is a diplomatic and policy adviser, and former diplomat – both currently work in the international humanitarian sector.Read and listen to more at ninetofivepodcast.com and don't forget to subscribe and leave us a review!

Rachaporn Choochuey joins us from Bangkok, Thailand, where she is balancing a career as a practising architect / designer with academic teaching. Finding herself bored with day to day work of architecture, Rachaporn headed off to study in New York and Tokyo, ending up coming full circle to practice architecture on her own terms.  We get into providing for staff, how important it is for champions to provide a vision of how to live beyond the nuts and bolts of careers; the balance between art and commerce. And the secret sleep substitute: foot massages.Key facts about RachapornLast mean: Food is not really that important. I think it has to be a party. And we have some fun talking and drinking.Currently reading: Poilâne: The Secrets of the World-Famous Bread Bakery by Apollonia PoilâneCurrently watching: Mafia movies. I love The Godfather. Listening to: The Economist podcast briefingsFavourite unwind: I read. And order books that pile up.What advice would you give to someone who is in the middle of their career and working out what to do next?If you are 40 or 50 something I think we have nothing to lose, right? Like me. I think for me, after like 40 something. At 40 I had this feeling that whatever difficulties come, I'll be able to handle them. So if you want to change your career, if you don't feel that you belong to where you are anymore, I think you just change.A little about your co-hostsAnita Dullard is a media and advocacy strategist; Avigail Shai is a diplomatic and policy adviser, and former diplomat – both currently work in the international humanitarian sector.Read and listen to more at ninetofivepodcast.com and don't forget to subscribe and leave us a review!

Vineta Salale joins us from London, UK where she works in business development and client relationship management at GMO, an investment managment fund. Before joining GMO, she worked at the Janus Capital Group as an institutional director and Towers Watson, as the head of Global Bond research in London.We discussed pulling IQ and EQ levers for best performance; not having shame about what you want and need; shifting the Overton window for people coming after us; the pros and cons of quotas; and importantly, that everything is temporary - the changes or compromises you make now don’t have to be forever.Key facts about VinetaEat: an omeletRead: A snail and the whale. Mostly books for two year olds.Watch: Married at First Sight. Season Six.Listen: Economist podcastUnwind: RunningWhat advice would you give to someone working out the next step in their career?Think carefully about what really motivates you. What truly gets you out of bed in the morning. And then you know what success looks like, as part of that. If you can get out of bed every day, and not feel anxious about the world that you're going into, and if maybe you can feel like every day, you're in a role that makes you progress, then that is the career path that you should go down. I think inertia for most people is not a good thing. So find the path that challenges you and makes you feel energized. And go for it. A little about your co-hostsAnita Dullard is a media and advocacy strategist; Avigail Shai is a diplomatic and policy adviser, and former diplomat – both currently work in the international humanitarian sector.Read and listen to more at ninetofivepodcast.com and don't forget to subscribe and leave us a review!

Toleen Touq joins us from Toronto, Canada where she is the Artistic Director at the South Asian Visual Arts Centre, SAVAC. Toleen has worked in the arts for many years as an independent cultural operator, originally based in Amman, Jordan. She collaborates with initiatives locally and internationally to run visual arts, music, storytelling and discussion-based programmes. We spoke about career reinventions (expectations vs reality); the subtle shift in support for career risks taken at 30 compared to career risks taken at 40; meeting-free Wednesdays and how people do actually accept boundaries if you make them; and making money ethically under capitalism?Key facts about ToleenLast meal: A watermelon. She would want to transition to the next world on a light sweet note.Read: Magic in Islam by Michael Muhammad Knight; an article about dreams and dream analysis; and the Weekend Edition newspaper in print. Watch: rewatching six feet under - every episode is an existential crisis of its own.Favourite unwind: a glass of wine and watch the sky and the sunset and the cloudsWhat advice would you give to someone trying to figure out the next step in their career?Take the risk. I know that's sometimes difficult because people are not in a position to take the risk, but you can't figure out where you want to go unless you try. So I would encourage people to put themselves in situations other than their own in order to figure out if that is something that they can thrive in. There are so many different ways of trying to figure out why this thing would work out for you or not. And I think it's also important to surround yourself with people that encourage you to take risks. There's little things we can do to slowly start preparing for a shift in career. It doesn't have to be letting go of everything. Start slowly, small steps - incremental risks can lead to something bigger. A little about your co-hostsAnita Dullard is a media and advocacy strategist; Avigail Shai is a diplomatic and policy adviser, and former diplomat – both currently work in the international humanitarian sector.Read and listen to more at ninetofivepodcast.com and don't forget to subscribe and leave us a review!

Fiona  Meldrum, joins us from Cardiff, Wales, where she is a community organiser with Citizens UK. Before making the big shift to community organising, where she supports communities to run social justice campaigns, Fiona worked in qualitative market research; in London as a brand consultant for organisations including the BBC and Microsoft; as a media and communications strategist for Australian brands such as United Breweries; and as a freelancer in the startup world.  We spoke to Fiona about the power of ‘small p’ politics; going a long time without a win - and how to deal with it; the privilege of taking a massive pay cut; how to prevent burnout (hint; strong boundaries are key); the necessity of having people in your life who can help anchor you when you’re lost; and finding measures of success other than making more money.Key facts about FionaLast meal:  Crumpets with butter, diplomatically alternating between Marmite and Vegemite Read:  A collection of essays by George Orwell called Fascism and Democracy, Ezra Kline’s book ‘Why We’re Polarized’; Ella Baker and Desmond Tutu on civil rights and the fight for social justice.Watch: It’s a Sin, Call My AgentListen: Desolation Radio, a podcast on Welsh politics, society & culture; Changemakers Podcast, which tells stories of people who are striving for social change around the worldFavourite unwind: a lot of yoga, a lot of walking, gardening, and traveling in the camper vanAdvice for those wondering how to figure out the next step in their career?Spend as much time thinking about who you are and want to be in the world as you do thinking about your next career move; unpick what matters for you versus what you’ve been taught to think is important, or what you’ve been told you should be. Taking out this ‘stuff’ and letting go will create the space necessary to find your own purpose. And practically, write down what you want, bounce ideas off people whether that’s mentors, anchors, friends, coaches - this helps to visualise what matters to you so you can work toward it.A little about your co-hostsAnita Dullard is a media and advocacy strategist; Avigail Shai is a diplomatic and policy adviser, and former diplomat – both currently work in the international humanitarian sector.Read and listen to more at ninetofivepodcast.com and don't forget to subscribe and leave us a review!

Georgie Parker lives in Geneva, and is the head of sustainability at Query Capital, an independent funds management firm based in Switzerland. She began her career as an investment analyst in London and New York, before switching to the startup sector with a focus on reducing plastic waste and coming full circle back to investments in her current role. Georgie is also the co-founder of a network called Broadminded, which brings together and supports dynamic and ambitious women in the middle of their careers to hear from inspiring speakers, speak honestly about the challenges they face and learn from each other’s experiences - clearly right up our alley!​We spoke to George about taking big risks - including the power of quitting a job before finding the next one; how to network in a way that feels true to you; the importance of confidence, having clear boundaries and taking lunch; the lack of correlation between hours worked and productivity; and what the ‘100 year life’ means for how our approach to work will change over time. Key facts about GeorgeLast meal: roast chicken and crumble for dessertRead:  A book on Hypno-birthing and Panchiko by Min Jin LeeWatch: This Is UsListen: investment podcasts like Bloomberg and French podcasts to improve Advice for those wondering how to figure out the next step in their career?Find ways to meet new people, that are not in your head a networking opportunity, because then automatically it becomes more painful. Seek connections with people who do different things, not just your friends, but outside of those circles, and through extracurricular activities. Ask people you do know  for introductions, have coffees with people in the fields you’re interested, and always be open to the potential of chance encounters.A little about your co-hosts Anita Dullard is a media and advocacy strategist; Avigail Shai is a diplomatic and policy adviser, and former diplomat – both currently work in the international humanitarian sector.Read and listen to more at ninetofivepodcast.com and don't forget to subscribe and leave us a review!

Based in New York, Aarathi Krishnan specializes in Strategic Foresight for the humanitarian and development sector, working with UNDP as their strategy and foresight advisor. She is also a technology and human rights Fellow at the Harvard Carr Center for Technology and human rights, and also a Berkman Kline Fellow at Harvard University, researching and supporting decolonization of humanitarian digital policy and governance.We spoke to Aarathi about preparing for the future, be it good or bad; the kind of ancestors we want to be; choosing community over competition; class barriers in building the careers we want; imposter syndrome as  construct; decoloniality and ethics in the humanitarian sector; the importance of giving yourself a break; and icecream for breakfast.Key facts about Aarathi Last meal: my dad's lamb curry, a good gin cocktail and a Cadbury creme egg.Read: Design Justice by Sasha Constanza Chuck Watch: horror moviesListen: Simon and Garfunkel Favourite unwind: a good drink in a good bar with good friendsAdvice for those wondering how to figure out the next step in their career?Speak to as many people as possible from very different backgrounds to work out what is interesting and what is happening out there. Often we think that the jobs we know of are the only ones that are there…. one of the most beautiful things about this time that we're living in is people are doing really crazy things. And there's different kinds of jobs, but you don't often hear about it…Because you surround yourself with people that are like yourself. Just speak to as many people as possible to work out what the options are. And just because you've been doing something your whole life doesn't mean you have to keep doing it. You can take that and spin it off into something different. Just speak to lots of different people and keep your mind open about what that could be.A little about your co-hosts Anita Dullard is a media and advocacy strategist; Avigail Shai is a diplomatic and policy adviser, and former diplomat – both currently work in the international humanitarian sector.Read and listen to more at ninetofivepodcast.com and don't forget to subscribe and leave us a review!