#103 Building a business with heart with Nick Francis

Reinvention for 23-year-olds with nothing to lose is relatively easy. At 40, it's brave. Here's how to do it well.

At 23, Nick Francis left the BBC, drove a Mini to Mongolia, and stumbled into building a creative business now in 9 countries. Back then, it didn't feel brave. No mortgage. No kids. Nothing to lose.

As Nick says: "If you quit your job in your 40s, with kids and responsibilities - that's brave."

Here's what struck me: midlife reinvention isn't about starting over. It's about starting better.

In your 40s, you're not building from zero. You have:

• Clarity about what you actually want (not what you think you should want)
• Skills that compound in unexpected ways
• Networks built on real relationships
• Resilience from surviving previous challenges

The 23-year-old has energy. The 40-something has intention.

Nick's line stuck with me: "We often overvalue the risk of doing something different, and undervalue the risk of continuing to do what we've always done."

If you're questioning your next chapter, you're not having a crisis. You're seeing an opening - an opening to thoughtfully design your next chapter.

This conversation is special because Nick not only shares deep wisdom on reinvention - he also acquired my company last year.

Shownotes
https://howtolive.life/episode/102-building-a-business-with-heart-with-Nick-Francis

For Folks Affected by Restructuring
4 Week Career Transition Program.
https://www.sharadlal.net/thrivethroughtransition

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