Most career change stories skip the hard bit.
This one doesn’t.
In this episode of Get A Shift On, I’m joined by Kevin Matthew, a former secondary school teacher, university lecturer, and education entrepreneur who went on to build multiple businesses across e-commerce, property, and digital travel… and then hit a point where it all nearly collapsed.
Kevin’s journey spans education, health, entrepreneurship, burnout, depression, and a complete rethink of what work is actually for. From launching innovative physical-activity programmes in schools, to scaling a nationwide personalised gift brand, to facing the brutal reality of post-COVID business decline — this conversation goes right to the edge of what happens when effort no longer equals security.
We talk honestly about:
What it feels like when a “successful” business stops working
The mental toll of carrying financial pressure for your family
Why traditional employment and the 9–5 model are breaking down
How transferable skills from teaching, education, and leadership actually translate into business
The difference between working harder and working differently
Why many people don’t need another job - they need a second income stream
What “front-loading effort” really means in modern business
And how Kevin and his family are preparing to leave the UK, world-school their children, and redesign life around freedom rather than rota-driven work
This isn’t a get-rich-quick story.
It’s a real conversation about resilience, review, rebuilding, and choosing a life that fits.
Kevin shares hard-earned lessons about:
Building systems instead of burning yourself out
Why reviewing your business matters more than starting it
The truth about network-based and digital business models (without the nonsense)
Why younger generations are rejecting traditional career paths
And why effort still matters - no matter how you earn your money
If you’re a professional who feels capable but stuck…
If you’ve outgrown your job but can’t yet see the next step…
If you’re carrying the quiet pressure of being the provider…
Or if you’re questioning whether the way you’re working is worth the cost.
This episode will give you something far more useful than motivation.
It’ll give you perspective.
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