Switching Careers in Your 40’s

Perhaps you’re being bothered by the question, “What’s Next?”

That’s what happened to me.

By the time you’ve hit your 40’s, you’ve most likely established a deep level of expertise in your field and have an established network of people in your industry that would make it possible for you to ride comfortably for the rest of your career into that golden sunset.

If you’re in an industry like mine where automotive and mobility are being redefined on a global scale, then the pace of self-reflection is even more prominent. 

So far in my career, I’ve had the privilege of working for two awesome automotive brands as well as two of the big 4 consulting firms. 

The question I was faced with was, “Simon, do you still have one more left in you?”

That turned out to be the case which resulted in a round of interviews at a few emerging mobility companies in the bay area and overseas, but ultimately where I decided to land has a lot to do with the following values that have been clarified over the past 20 years. Let me know what you think of them?

1.      BEING ABLE TO DO MORE OF WHAT YOU LOVE. - That could differ by person, but some of us are being faced with the fact that we’re at the career midpoint of our lives. For me, doing more of what you love means helping people and organizations reach what they didn’t think was possible. Ever since I was a kid, it was hard for me to accept, “no” from anyone, because I always believed there was always a way to make things happen. Never underestimate your resourcefulness. Just MacGyver it! It got me in trouble from time to time, but the lesson here is that trust begins with trusting yourself. Knowing that by bettering yourself, you are able to better others is a noble pursuit that pays forward in spades. It becomes a gift that you can bestow on those you care for personally and professionally. Looking throughout history, it’s one of the best ways to leave a legacy for others to follow.    

2.      PEOPLE, LEARNING, AND SELF-DEVELOPMENT ARE TIMELESS MOTIVATORS! – This I have to hand to the friends at Sewell in Texas. Their whole model thrives on this value which starts at the top. You are never going to improve the experience for your customers, if your people aren’t driven, curious, caring, and intelligent. There is one particular General Manager who I feel like I am getting an Executive MBA education every time we talk to each other. The sharing of what we’ve learned from other people, books and articles inspire us to promote a learning culture that sets a bar that continually raises itself higher each time we are able to touch it.

3.      BEING A PART OF WHERE GREATNESS IS HAPPENING. –This is really the easiest and hardest of the four values, because change is the universal constant that creates a bounty of opportunities for some and nightmares for others. It’s only a matter of time before today’s disruptors become tomorrow’s disrupted. Being in a job that allows you to tackle, solve, and overcome these challenges ultimately result in the written history of those who became the pioneers that others followed.   

4.      BEING A PART OF A WINNING TEAM! – I remember when I was invited to attend the Hendrick Automotive Group Leadership Conference in 2016. Something that specifically resonated with me was one of the core values which is a passion for winning. That one particularly stuck with me. When you can find people who buy into this mindset, then you’re most of the way there. People enjoy winning together. Any parent that has a child that participates in a sport gets this. It’s one big cheers and tears nerve-racking celebration between the teammates and all those who support them. When you see that winning culture being created by the people across the organization, and it’s articulated and embodied at all levels of the company, one can’t help but to jump in headfirst. 

These four guiding values are what landed me with GP Strategies, which is a $500 million performance improvement consulting and training company with over 70 offices worldwide. They support a multitude of industries of which automotive makes up 20% of its portfolio. Everything from technology, banking & finance, government, aerospace, and energy, GP Strategies does business with 148 of the Fortune 500 companies. I’m proud to have found this great group of people who have a keen eye on where business is heading, and they possess a passion of helping their clients get there. 

I will be specifically focused on developing our business outside the US, primarily where automotive and mobility are developing at breakneck speeds. If there is anyone out there in need of retail and business transformational consulting and training as a result of the forces impacting your business model, please give GP Strategies a try when looking for a partner on your consideration list. You too will may find the answers to some of the questions you’ve been asking yourself lately.

We all get to where we are today because of the support and opportunities provided by others. A huge heartfelt thank you to all of you who have traveled this journey with me. 

Photos: (first row) BMW International Training Managers Conference, M-B Eurotraining in Spain, M-B International Training Managers Conference, BMW Welt Backstage Tour (second row) Customer Experience Tour, Hendrick Leadership Conference, Gathering at a Dealer in Munich, BMW 5 Series Launch @ COTA, View from the 13th Floor of the 4 Cylinder Building (third row) Designers of the S-Class, C-Class, CLA, SLS, AMG GT, Visit to the M-B region and dealers in Shanghai, That GM I was talking about.