The Moment I Quit: How One Bold Move Led to a Thriving Leadership Coaching Business with Lindsay White | #205

Have you ever hit a breaking point at work where you just knew—you were done? In this powerful episode #205 of the Second Act Success Career Podcast, host Shannon Russell sits down with leadership coach and HR strategist Lindsay White, who shares the moment she abruptly quit her 20-year corporate career with no plan... and never looked back.

Lindsay opens up about the toxic leadership that pushed her out of her corporate job, the toll it took on her health, and how she turned that career crisis into a successful business through High Voltage Leadership. You’ll hear how she leaned into her experience, built her coaching certification, and launched a podcast and consultancy that helps leaders build better cultures and become the kind of bosses people want to work for.

This candid conversation dives into:

• How to know when it’s time to walk away from your 9-to-5
• Turning HR experience into a purpose-driven business
• Creating a people-first culture in small business
• The emotional side of quitting a job without a backup plan
• Why your second act can be the best one yet

Whether you're thinking about leaving your job, dealing with burnout, or dreaming of building something of your own—this episode will inspire you to take the leap (with or without a plan).

🎧 Listen now and get ready to produce your best life!

SHOW NOTES

https://secondactsuccess.co/205

Connect with Lindsay White:

https://www.highvoltageleadership.ca/

https://www.highvoltageleadership.ca/podcast

https://www.instagram.com/highvoltleadership/

_______

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Transcript

Second Act Success Career Podcast

Season 1 - The Moment I Quit: How One Bold Move Led to a Thriving Leadership Coaching Business with Lindsay White | #205

Episode - #205

Host: Shannon Russell

Guest: Lindsay White

Transcription (*created by Descript and may not be perfectly accurate)

Lindsay White: [00:00:00] It was a jp out of the plane moment.

There was nothing strategic about it. Something snapped and I just said you're right. I don't fit here anymore and I can't do this.

There was absolutely no forethought. In that moment, I just knew unequivocally I couldn't take it for one more second.

I just was not willing to put up with that garbage any further. 

Are you ready to quit your nine to five job and start a business of your own? Well, you're in the right place, my friend. Welcome to the second Act Success Career podcast. I am your host Shannon Russell. I am a former television producer, turned business owner, career transition coach, and boy. My mission is to help you produce your best life.

This podcast will teach you how to get from where you are now to where you want to be, and how to build a business that fits your life and lights you up. Let's get started. I.

Shannon Russell: Hey there. Welcome back to the second Act Success [00:01:00] Career podcast. Today I'm joined by Lindsay White. . Lindsay rose the ranks in HR for over 20 years in various companies.

One day she decided to take her experience and create a business of her own. She is now a people strategist and leadership coach with High Voltage coaching.

Lindsay joins me to discuss her second act success journey, as well as give us ideas on how to take your experience and create a business of your own.

She gets honest and real, gives us some HR insight, and I absolutely love this conversation. Let's get started. This is my friend Lindsey White.

Shannon Russell: Lindsey White. I'm so happy to have you here. 

Lindsay White: Yeah. Thank you so much for having me. 

Shannon Russell: It's been so fun. We are in the same mastermind. We know each other really well. I was on your podcast, but today we're gonna really talk all about you and where your career began to get you up to being this really successful [00:02:00] entrepreneur, podcast host, mother, all the things.

Let's take it to the beginning. Where did your career begin? 

Lindsay White: Yeah, I actually started my career like a lot of young women. , I was working in an admin role to begin with when I first graduated from university. I enjoyed the role in the sense that I like helping people. I mean, that's genuinely who I am.

Mm-hmm. But I knew that, you know, working in that capacity wasn't what I wanted forever. , I was working at the time for a major Canadian retailer. I was in the corporate office, which afforded me a ton of different opportunities. So I started out in the store design and construction space, , and learned a lot about how, you know, stores are, , situated, how they're set up, how they're built, , commercial real estate, , and how that works.

And, , and then, you know, the real artistic license that goes into creating like those brands and those colors, even how [00:03:00] you display. Merchandise in the store. Like, it was interesting. 

Shannon Russell: That's so interesting to me. I never thought about someone actually planning the design layout of the store. Yeah. Like 

Lindsay White: It's a whole thing.

Really trying to move your customer through the store in a way that makes sense. And if you've ever been through an Ikea, how they guide you. Through their store. Like there's a story there and every retailer does it. So really cool. Like really learning about the inside out. , and I did a lot of financial stuff, accounts payable, accounts receivable, budget management, all those kinds of things.

And I knew that that was genuinely not for me. , worked in operations and so really learning how a retail organization runs, how a business runs, like that's really, I got a foundational knowledge in business acen. , but what I recognized, I was ended up doing a lot of local area marketing, , for the organized, like they had a marketing group that did like national, well they did flyers back in the day.

Right, right. [00:04:00] A lot of the local bits and pieces working with the radio stations to do regular promos at Christmas time, like things like that. And I also ended up doing a lot of the HR pieces. The HR team sort of disbanded and they were restructuring it. And so I had eight or 10 area managers that were all coming to me to look for some of the HR pieces.

And I was like, geez, I, I, you know, I kinda like this marketing stuff and I kind of like this HR stuff. And I had a boss at the time who said to me, listen, I wanna help you grow your career. Why don't you take a course in each area? I. I'll pay for it. , and then you can decide whichever area you wanna go in.

I will help you. And he'd been in retail, I'm pretty sure since God created time, like he'd been in retail forever, had done all the things. He was on the sunset side of his career. 

Shannon Russell: Okay. , 

Lindsay White: So I took the HR course first. I got like 98% in it and I was like, oh my God, this is my jam.

I have [00:05:00] found my thing. I really then went wholesale into it, working on a new management certification. Right. So we had a program, local university, after degree program that I could take, , remote, which was perfect. I was a single mom at the time working full-time, two hour commute, like the whole song and dance, right?

Wow. Mm-hmm. It was a lot. It was a lot. , so I could take these courses remotely and, or I could go in the smer and do like a whole week. Awesome. So I could work away at it. And, , what I recognized though is that as I was learning, I, I wanted to be doing, and because they were restructuring and re, you know, restaffing, this HR team, they didn't have a role for me.

They didn't have capacity to take on someone who was really green in that area. They just didn't, they didn't have that. So at that point I started looking for real HR jobs. Like I knew that that was what I wanted my career to [00:06:00] be. , I moved to, , a major bank here in, , the province where I live in Alberta, and I started in recruitment.

That was my first real HR job, and I've been doing all, all of that now for about 20 years. And, , it, yeah, it's been a journey, but it, it's something that I, I deeply enjoy. , the aspect of being able to support people as they explore and grow and learn in their careers. Mm. 

Shannon Russell: That seems like such a great transition for you because knowing you, you're so about people and relationships and structure and strategy, and so you start in recruiting and then you obviously move up and you try different areas of hr.

And what did you find that you were really thriving at over those 20 years? 

Lindsay White: , I mean, I still like recruitment. There is something. And HR people are funny. There's a few of us that love recruitment, and then there's a whole bunch of people that are [00:07:00] like, no, I hate it. Like you, it's real.

It's like cilantro. , so you love it or you hate it? I loved recruitment because if you do it right, everybody's happy and they think you're a superhero. Like that is a pretty cool feeling. Yes. So neat. 'cause I still know people that I, you know, I recruited into roles and they've come back to me, you know, 5, 10, 15 years later and said, you changed my life.

Mm-hmm. You gave me my job that I always dreamed of and my career's taken off. That's an absolutely astronomical feeling. , but yes, I've done a whole bunch of stuff. I've worked in learning and development. I've done compensation design, I've done organizational design and development. Leadership is really my passion and I love HR strategy, so I.

What I did in the last few years of my corporate career is I worked really closely with C-suite executives, helping them take their business plan and translate it into a people strategy. How were we going to resource [00:08:00] that plan with the right talent at the right time? Mm-hmm. And then I was able to take it and execute it.

I would work with the recruitment team. To design, you know, what are the roles we need? I would develop them and then I would have recruitment, , help me, you know, execute. I would work with the compensation team. Okay, we actually need this new role. We need to design a compensation plan for them, or the org design team.

Okay, this team needs to change and shift. How, how do we redesign this? Right? , change management, , experts to help manage that. I got to work with so many different groups and so many different experts. I feel so lucky to this day, but that's the stuff that I love to do. And now combined with this passion for really helping great leaders be great, that's what I get to do on a micro scale and I take all of that work and I just rightsize it for a small growing business.

Shannon Russell: So you found what you really loved within the HR [00:09:00] space, and what made you decide to leave corporate and start your own business? I. 

Lindsay White: So like many of us, I ended up working for a very toxic boss. Mm-hmm. I worked for someone even in han resources, people and culture. I worked for someone who was, , really deeply, you know, in, in, in an inappropriate role.

, someone who just, I did not click with. , and that person, , I think in the end really felt threatened, , by me. Mm-hmm. I, I mean, you know, me, Shannon, you know, I, High Voltage is not just the name of my business, it's who I am. And sometimes that just, there are people that just react to that, and I'm okay with that.

I am not for everybody, and I'm cool with it. , I ended up working for someone who, who was extremely toxic and I quit my 10 year career, , in the middle of a meeting and said, you know what? I don't fit here anymore. And I, I know that this probably a story you [00:10:00] hear a lot. It's probably a story people listening , identify with.

, I couldn't take it. , I was sick. I, I physically, mentally, emotionally exhausted and, and burnt out. , and I knew I just could not work for this person any longer. And I loved my team. 

Shannon Russell: Yeah. 

Lindsay White: I worked with a group of incredible people. I still, I just planned to go for drinks with like two weeks from now.

Shannon Russell: Oh, 

Lindsay White: my team. It was heartbreaking 

Shannon Russell: for me. It's unfortunate then when you enjoyed what you were doing except for that one person. And I hear that all the time, Lindsay. All the time. Yeah. And I wanna really talk about that because I think it's something that a lot of my listeners, a lot of. My clients go through, it's wondering like, should I suck it up?

Should I just deal with this or do I need to leave? And you're in that limbo. How long do you think you were in that limbo before you finally had your last straw? 

Lindsay White: Great question. I mean, let me just be clear. I, I worked for a [00:11:00] really great organization. They are recognized in Canada as one of the top employers.

Okay. Arguably a really fantastic organization. You always have your ups and downs. Yeah. It was when this particular director was hired, , , and we, we had a hand in hiring this person. Right. My team and I were instrental. Of course we were, we were HR pros. Right, right.

, we were instrental in inviting this person to lead our team. It started within months of that new leader coming in. And there's always a transition time. You know, I'd worked for someone previously that had really supported my development and I really connected with deeply again, I am still friends with.

Mm-hmm. And so you gotta, you always wanna give that several months, okay. It's a new, new person, a new director, they're gonna do new things. , You gotta get used to it. But I can tell you that within that first six month period, I knew already something was up and it went downhill pretty quickly, like right off the rails.[00:12:00] 

To the point where I look back now and think there was definitely some pretty significant bullying going on, like it was wildly inappropriate behavior, behavior that if I was working with the client group and I knew that that behavior was happening, I knew a leader was behaving that way. There would be pretty significant consequences.

Mm-hmm. Like, I would jp on that as a, as a strategic partner in me, it's hard to recognize when it's your own world. Yeah. So I think that's what keeps us in that space. I, I think Shannon and the other part is that we think, is it me? Am I not performing well? Am I being too sensitive? Am I just not getting it?

I thought that for a long time, , my other colleagues were being recognized for performance. They were being rewarded. They were be giving, , new projects. They were winning internal performance awards. And I thought, oh, maybe I am just shitty, right? Like, I think that's for us [00:13:00] to believe.

But what I actually recognized, , in the middle of that conversation was like, wait a minute. This is not about me anymore. This really isn't, I have done all that I can do, and I guess if am I'm not terrible, I probably should go. , it was such a light bulb moment for me. Yeah. 

Shannon Russell: To realize you didn't want to spend every day feeling that holiness and feeling that feeling, and it was probably a threat.

Right. Normally when there are situations like that, that person comes in and it feels threatened by. Whoever they're targeting. And that just is on them, especially if he was your superior, your manager at that level. 

Lindsay White: Yeah. , Again, I have lots of connections back to that company.

I heard over and over how this person continued to be problematic and, and bully others. And, and I was pretty clear on my way out. , I negotiated my severance 'cause here in [00:14:00] Canada, you can't be terminated. Unless it's with cause. , otherwise you are due severance. That's part of our system here. So I negotiated my severance on the way out with a very good friend of mine.

Ironically, I was very clear about what happened, but the truth is the rest of the organization just didn't wanna see it. Right. And it wasn't until, you know, a year later that they actually really, there were other people that said, listen, this is inappropriate. And they finally, , sort of figured it out and that person was let go.

Mm. It was a pivotal moment for me, for sure. 

Shannon Russell: That day that you walked out of that meeting and you quit, had you planned that in the days prior or did you have a backup plan or was it really like, this is my emotions, I can't take it anymore? 

Lindsay White: It was a jp out of the plane moment.

There was nothing strategic about it. Something snapped and I just said like, you're right. I don't fit here anymore and I can't [00:15:00] do this. And I just closed my laptop and I was actually working at a local branch that particular day and I packed up my things and I came home.

Luckily my husband was home, he'd been working away and I walked in the house and he was like, are you okay? Upset. No, I think I just quit my job. There was absolutely no forethought. It was just in that moment, I just knew unequivocally I couldn't take it for one more second.

I just was not willing to put up with that garbage any further. 

Shannon Russell: I want listeners to hear this though, Lindsay, like, I think this is important to know that sometimes there's not a plan and you're allowed to say, this doesn't fit me, it doesn't serve me.

I've heard many people talk about situations where it affects them in all other areas of their life. If they're having this confrontation at work, it comes home. It's just sitting on you affects your health. There are times like when you can be strategic. It's great when you can have a plan and if you can't and it's for the [00:16:00] better of your wellbeing, then go for it.

Lindsay White: , The only thing I regret is, , that I did have to, , I left some relationships, right? They had to change. Mm-hmm. , and the ones that were meant to stay, have stayed. , and, and I'm very grateful.

I am forever grateful for what I learned, who I worked with, the experts that I got to, , spend time with. The, all of that knowledge and skill has given me the confidence to build my own business and to be the strategic advisor and, and the, and the, you know, powerful coach that I am today.

Mm-hmm. So I'm extremely grateful and I think that's the important part is that you don't have to leave it behind and pretend it never existed. But Shannon, I was, I left, I was very sick. I had some really in-depth blood work testing done after.

They measured every vitamin and mineral in my body. Working in this job, literally leached all the good things out of my body.

I wasn't sleeping, so I was taking sleeping pills. My anxiety was through the roof, so I was on antianxiety and antidepressants. , [00:17:00] I wasn't eating properly, so I'd gained 50 pounds. Like, for real? , My mental and physical and emotional health was suffering so significantly. It was either quit the job or go on some kind of, , stress leave.

, In that moment, I couldn't imagine going back. , I knew at the heart of it I had a partner who, no matter what I did, he was going to be supportive. , and my husband has absolutely supported every step of the way. , it was hard. Mm-hmm. 

Shannon Russell: He was really hard. I think that those moments are catalysts.

Catalysts, you know, signs from the universe, whatever you wanna call them, to get you to that next level. And was it in the time afterwards where you started thinking, what am I gonna do next? That you said, I'm gonna go into business for myself? I. Yeah, you are right. 

Lindsay White: It and it, the funny part was that Catalyst didn't come until a little bit later, I did a lot of coaching in my role, like that was a big part of my job.

And so I [00:18:00] had already committed to a coaching certification program in the spring and I paid the deposit on my corporate credit card. Like that was part of my development program, and I was gonna do that coaching designation over the course of a couple years. So I did that in the spring. I quit my job in the middle of August and I knew that I had a course, my first course, , intensive was gonna be in September.

And so part of my negotiation was that the organization would actually pay for that. Like I said, listen, this was something you promised to me and then is a 10 year employee. This is a commitment I wanna upheld and I negotiate. I mean, come on. I know how to calculate my own severance. Yeah, I, I really haggled and so I was able to go straight in, almost full-time into my designation.

And so I did all the course, all the course Intensivess between September and January, and then I went right into my certification process. And so what I [00:19:00] did was I basically went back to school to learn how to be the most powerful coach I could be. And I will tell you that that move was absolutely cathartic.

I was so angry. I was so anxious. I was so overwhelmed and just so close to being burnt out if I hadn't been in that program and doing something that absolutely moved me in a direction I knew I wanted to go. Like that was the only thing I knew. And I got incredible coaching from my peer group.

We would practice our coaching on each other. And it was during one of those sessions and a very dear friend of mine said to me, why do you have to go back to an HR job? , Why don't you just start your own practice? And I was like. I can do that. Another light bulb moment. Right. It was just the universe just continually pushing me. And, and I would tell you, I mean, I'm a bit of an accidental entrepreneur. Like it wasn't a plan again, , but. You know, I recognize now that I'm [00:20:00] unemployable.

I, I don't wanna work for anybody else. I don't even wanna make anybody else money. I want my clients, I don't wanna work as a consultant for someone else. That's not my jam anymore. Doing that was so cathartic.

I think if I'd been sitting at home by myself, I probably would've stayed in anger a lot longer. Yeah. I had to process it. I didn't have a choice. 

And learning. Mm-hmm. Learning. Learning. It's when we sit still that we're not growing. Yeah. 

Shannon Russell: Tell us exactly what you do in your business now and has it evolved since you began? 

Lindsay White: When I started High Voltage coaching. That's what I really wanted to do. I wanted to coach leaders to be more impactful, and it was so meaningful for me because I just worked with a really terrible leader. Mm-hmm. And I'd had some really exceptional leaders, and I know I never wanted anybody else to work with a crappy leader like that.

Again, I won't even call them a leader. They were a boss. They weren't a leader. Big difference. Leadership is a commitment and it's a relationship, and it's a [00:21:00] connection. That person was just the boss. That's it. I just reported to them on the org chart. And so I really wanted to embrace the coaching piece, but what I recognized as the business has evolved is that actually the leadership coaching, it really dovetails nicely with the HR strategy and what I was being asked to do more and more was both.

Because you can't have a great people strategy in your business and elevate your team if you are not ready to elevate as a leader. The two things go hand in hand and then you wrap it all up in a really great culture where people feel like they belong. Mm-hmm. When you do those three things together, that's what at really accelerates business success and everybody wants to work.

Everybody enjoys themselves. Everybody feels passion. And so I just recognized my clients were asking me more and more, yeah, I need [00:22:00] coaching, but actually, can you help me with this stuff with my team? Can you help me create a performance management structure? Can you help me make sure that we're paying people properly?

Can you help me make sure that my team knows how to communicate and give feedback? Of course I can. Yeah, and now I do all three things, all wrapped up in one. 

Shannon Russell: So leaders of companies, executives from companies will come seek you out? Or is it the company themselves that are like, Hey Lindsay, I want you to come and work with this manager

Lindsay White: so it's a bit of both. , because I work with a lot of small businesses. So like for example, just this last week, , I had one of the five business owners come to me and say. I think we need your help and I think I need your help. So that certainly happens.

, sometimes it's the CEO of a small business that comes to me and says, I'm really struggling, , to lead this team. And I know we have a really bold business plan. We are gonna grow like [00:23:00] mad and I gotta have the right people on the bus and I gotta be driving the bus. , and then sometimes I will have HR partners that I have from my network reach out and say, yeah, we have a leader in our business, , that is really needs some coaching or is really asking for some coaching.

Would you coach, , that person or the, this group? So it does come in a couple different ways. , and the skill sets blend together so beautifully that I can be really flexible. 

Shannon Russell: And you have the background. So how incredible, because I always like to tie it up and bring that thread through from the first act to the second and you, everything that you learned over your HR career and all of the roles you played, you're now able to look at it from that leadership coach strategy, eye and pull what you need to help each individual or organization with what they need.

Lindsay White: A hundred percent perfect 

Shannon Russell: person to 

Lindsay White: do it. Well, exactly, because there's a lot of organizations where the business has been created because the owner's [00:24:00] really passionate about what they do. They're really high end professional. They're well educated. They've got 25 years of experience. But actually they haven't had a great example of what it means to be a leader.

Mm-hmm. Don't understand what it takes to create a people strategy that attracts and retains and rewards the right talent. They certainly don't know what it takes to nurture a really high performance culture belonging. Like that's just not what they do. Well, super cool. That's where I come in. 

 , I love that you said attract, retain, and reward. I feel like a lot of companies know that and they don't always get all three. And you know, so you're a great reminder to get in there and be like, you know what, you've got a great team. This is how you can keep them. Yes. This is how you can keep them because it's easier on you.

Shannon Russell: They are happier. It's just the business runs better, 

Lindsay White: the business runs better. , And you can grow more efficiently and effectively without all the mess. Yeah. [00:25:00] Just adding a bunch of new people does not actually solve the problems. You need some structure, you need some programs, you need some clarity for people, and it doesn't have to be big and messy.

Shannon Russell: It brings up a question of, okay, if someone is listening and they've had this experience 10, 20 years in whatever role, and they wanna start an organization like yours, their own business, what were the steps?

How did you realize what you were going to offer and come up with pricing and come up with your product suite? Creating the business is all of those little pieces. What was that like for you? 

Lindsay White: You know, the one thing I think I've done pretty well over the last several years, and I'm just approaching my sixth anniversary in business.

Congrats. I, I engaged with some really great experts at the beginning. I had a great coach again, still a lovely friend and connection of mine. , and we started with things like values, vision, mission. We really started to think about what was it that I really love to do and what was I really good at, and what [00:26:00] was the intersection of that?

And also what did I not wanna do? Right. There's evolution here. Mm-hmm. , and then I worked with an organization that really helped me develop a brand that was really meaningful for me. High Voltage is part of my life purpose statement. It's who I am. So they were able to actually draw that out for me.

And build a brand around that, that is still deeply meaningful for me today. And I love, love, love, and, and that was really key work to do. Having someone who can help guide you through that process and ask you some great questions and maybe like point out a few like road signs for you, that's really valuable.

Mm-hmm. Right? 'cause then you can enter into the business. Really feeling confident about not just what do I do, but what does this business mean, right? And that brings more passion to, here's the work I do, here's [00:27:00] the way I wanna set it up. Here's the services that I wanna offer. And you know, from the beginning I kept it pretty simple.

Now I have a bit more of a broader offer suite. 

, Because I've really been articulate in my client journey. Yeah, like who I like to work with and where, what do they need at different spaces Along the way, you'll get there. But if you're just thinking about, I wanna set up my own business, I don't know exactly what I wanna do, you know, start with what is it that you really love doing?

Uncover if there's value in that first. Mm-hmm. 

Shannon Russell: And you've branched out the business. You have a podcast. Let's talk about the Female Founder Unplugged podcast.

Lindsay White: That was my COVID project. Some people sourdough, some people learned how to crochet.

I started a podcast, I had been doing a weekly video on Facebook called Manic Mondays. 'cause I don't think Mondays are motivational or any of that stuff. Like Mondays in my house, I had four kids and like six pets, Mondays in my house were a nightmare. So [00:28:00] I've been doing this Manic Monday video and someone said, listen, why don't you turn into a podcast?

And I was like, again, that's a thing. I mean, for real. I just sort of stble around. Anyways, , started the podcast and, and what I wanted to do was really tell the story of female entrepreneurs what their journey was, how they got to be a founder, and then where they had like really screwed it up. And what they've learned.

'cause I actually think there's such an incredible value in that. And so, , the show is almost 190 episodes. It's four seasons now. And, , telling those stories, which has been exceptional. And Shannon, you've been such a lovely guest. 

Shannon Russell: Mm-hmm. 

Lindsay White: . Started with just some friends that I had here locally and it, and it's grown from there.

And I've had women from all over the world. 

Shannon Russell: Podcasts are great because they show your thought leadership, they show you as an expert, and that kind of bleeds into your business as well, I'm sure. 

Lindsay White: And the truth is, it's evolved again. [00:29:00] So, , I'm stepping a little bit more into some solo episodes because there's a message here. Mm-hmm. I have real value to offer. You're right. The podcast just creates a, such a great platform for that conversation, right? , I can literally be in people's ear and isn't that what we all want?

, And then layering into that some great guests that are really gonna help us talk about leadership, people's strategy and culture from different business angles, that's what I wanna hear. Anyways, this is my podcast, so whatever. That's, I think that's gonna add some real cool value.

Shannon Russell: Oh, absolutely. Great, for founders that are starting out, for people who want to start, people who've been around a while and need that inspiration. , that's fantastic. I wanna also make sure we touch upon your positive intelligence tell me a little bit about what that is and how you're using that in your work as well. 

Lindsay White: Yeah, so Positive Intelligence is based on a bestselling book of that name. The gentleman who wrote the book and did the research, his name is Zad Shain, , [00:30:00] and he created this seven week bootcamp program.

This is all about mastering that critical, snarky, inner voice that we all have in our own head that holds us back, keeps us small and sad, and stressed out, and overwhelmed and anxious that, that, that nasty little voice. Yeah. , the program is actually based in some really cool science and research, so positive psychology, performance psychology, , and, , neuroscience.

That is incredibly valuable in terms of helping us understand where that voice comes from, why it's there, and then what to do. So I always call positive intelligence, the DIY. Mm-hmm. It is literally the things, the tools, the practice. To rewire your brain so you can turn down the vole on that snotty conversation in your head.

I love it. I came to that work in, , the very early part of 2021, and if we all remember, we'd just been [00:31:00] through our first Christmas where we were separate. I had a brand new grand baby that I had to be separate from. I love Christmas. I couldn't see my family, and I will tell you, I was brokenhearted. I remember sitting on the steps bawling, and my husband's looking at me like I made a glass.

, I'm despondent. Yeah. I live in Canada. It was hella cold. Yeah. And we only get a few hours of light a day because it's so overcast and snowing. I was miserable. Yeah. And I was invited to do this work. I did it myself and it changed everything. 

Especially as an entrepreneur, we need to learn how to manage that conversation in our head, and it goes way beyond imposter syndrome.

That's just the tip of the iceberg. , So now I lead groups of people through, , the seven week bootcamp, and we learn together how to build new neural pathways, build our mental muscles, , so that we can, we can hit pause on that saboteur [00:32:00] conversation, , and find the gifts and the opportunities even when it's tough.

And then, you know, really explore and innovate and, and create in a way. That we need to, particularly in our own business, and then move forward and make those calculated decisions, manage that risk. 'cause every day's risky. Every day. Every day. Every decision. And so, , that's what allows us to do is just manage, manage that internal chatter so we can move forward and really good about what we're doing.

And it's changed my world. 

Shannon Russell: That is magical, magical work. I'm gonna make sure that I link to it in the show notes because I think that can be really valuable for anyone who's starting out in the entrepreneurial space that has all those doubts and just needs to get rid of those voices. So such a tool.

Lindsay White: I include it in all the work I do because when we can be grounded. We can control our own negative inside conversation. We are so much more [00:33:00] capable than we recognize, so it it, I include it in every package because it's so important.

Shannon Russell: As we wrap up, Lindsay, I'd love to get your advice on what you would say to someone who's about to leave their corporate job and start a business of their own.

What advice would you give? 

Lindsay White: I think first things first, I would actually say if, make a plan, right? , I left because it was that bad. It, I'm telling you right now, if it is that bad, you need to leave. Make your plan now. Get it going. If you gotta spend evenings and weekends, you gotta do that.

Seek out the right advice. If you're listening to the show, you're reading Shannon's book, , this is The Han that you wanna connect with because Shannon knows how to do it. , listen to some podcasts, read some books arm yourself with some knowledge, , then step into it, bet on yourself.

, think that's one of the most important things. I always have to remind myself. I gotta bet on myself. I have a hundred percent track record of figuring it out. And anyone who's listening to this [00:34:00] podcast has probably got the same one. 

Shannon Russell: From the HR expert that you are.

Mm-hmm. I always say, make sure you give the two weeks notice. Make sure you leave your team in the best possible way. Give more time if you can. Any tips about giving that exit, giving that notice. That'll just help you on the other end. 

Lindsay White: That is super practical advice because you do wanna relieve that relationship in the most positive way that you can.

Even if you're feeling negative on the inside, like you're really grpy and angry and you know all of that. Yeah, make sure you give your two weeks notice. If you can give a month, that's super, but, and that might give you that time to plan, give you a bit of a hard deadline. Like sometimes if you're like me.

I need a deadline in order to feel the urgency. True. Give yourself that month. But don't go back on it because they could come to you and try and, oh, we just need two more weeks. We just, could you wait till the end of the quarter? No. No, you're not. You're not doing that. They can't keep you trapped.

Your end dates, [00:35:00] your end date. Make sure that you are very clear about what you're capable of completing and how you're gonna hand things off. Make that plan. Who does that work need to be transitioned to? Or what are the things that you can finalize before you exit? So. And then do that with grace and style.

Like hold your head up high as you walk outta that building on that last day, you did what you needed to do, , and that you're, that you're closing that chapter, , in your professional world and sometimes in your personal too. , and that you honor what you learned and, and what you did and how you grew.

, and you're taking that with you. 

Shannon Russell: So well said. Thank you for that. Thank you for that little bit of advice because I think that's what a lot of people struggle with, especially after being somewhere for so long. And for my listeners who I know will wanna connect with you and get to know you more, where are all the places.

Lindsay White: I hang out a lot on LinkedIn, so I'm Lindsey White and I would love it. I mean, come hit the connect button. I love new connections. Tell me that you were listening to the show. , I'm also on [00:36:00] Instagram and my handle is @highvoltageleadership. ,

And then the website is High Voltage leadership.ca and of course you can find the podcast. And it's, , female Founder Unplugged. 

Shannon Russell: Perfect. I'll link to everything. And my friend Lindsey White, thank you so much for being here. This has been so much fun. We could talk for hours.

, but thank you for all that you shared for being so honest and open about your journey. Yeah, thanks for having me. I really appreciate it.