In this episode of Oh For Food’s Sake, we turn the mic over to host Lucy Wager to hear her story of burnout and career change in the food industry. Lucy’s career has spanned several different roles within the industry and at times she’s faced some tough decisions. If this is the position you’re in, pull up a chair and listen to this informative episode!
In this episode of Oh For Food’s Sake, we turn the mic over to host Lucy Wager to hear her story of burnout and career change in the food industry. Lucy’s career has spanned several different roles within the industry and at times she’s faced some tough decisions. If this is the position you’re in, pull up a chair and listen to this informative episode!
Lucy’s food industry career began in new product development, where she quickly bagged a dream role working on a new range of Asian ready meals for M&S Food. She travelled extensively for the job and unfortunately contracted an illness and new food intolerances that wiped out her ability to taste food professionally. She decided she had to prioritise her own health and pivoted to a recruitment position, finding candidates for jobs within the food industry. She loved her new role but started to miss working with food and went on to launch Pudology, a range of indulgent dairy- and gluten-free desserts. However, this eventually led to another moment where she had to know when to quit, as the business faced multiple challenges.
You’ll hear us discuss some of the themes raised in Lucy’s story, from the difficulties of being a food taster to working out how to balance your own well-being against the demands of working in the food industry. If you enjoyed the episode, please get in touch with us and feel free to ask questions to find out more about our story and our expertise.
Timestamps
[0:47] Today, we’re talking career burnout
[1:50] Quitting or failing?
[2:35] Back to the start: Lucy tells the story of beginning her career in the food industry
[3:53] We don’t talk enough about how difficult food tasting is on your digestive system
[5:49] A bout of pre-Christmas food poisoning which led to long-term health issues
[7:07] The impact of Lucy’s new food intolerances on her career
[9:32] Moving over to working in prepped fruit and leaving behind ready meals
[11:17] A huge decision and a new start
[14:38] Lucy’s new perspective on careers in the food industry
[15:56] Moving into a gap in the market
[17:30] Knowing when to quit: How can you tell when it’s the right time?
[18:15] Being a start-up in the food industry
[21:10] Lucy’s role as a problem solver for other food businesses
[22:14] When are you ‘allowed’ to quit?
[26:20] “No, done. Can’t do it any more”.
[27:28] Why Lucy said no
[28:56] Liquidating the business without a plan
[30:00] A grieving period for the old business and starting up a new business
[31:27] Putting yourself first and trusting your gut
[34:07] It’s good to talk about it!
[35:33] If you need food consulting services, get in touch with Lucy!
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