The Best Career Advice Ever Shared on the Love Your Career Podcast
What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve ever received? It’s a question that cuts through job titles and industries and gets to the heart of what shaped a person’s journey. On the Love Your Career podcast, Lawrence Everest asks this question often. And the answers that follow are honest, wise, and often unexpectedly powerful.
In this blog, we unpack some of the standout advice that shaped the careers of fitness leaders, childcare experts, founders, and CEOs. These aren’t theoretical tips from textbooks. They’re the real, lived lessons behind successful careers.
1. Don’t Chase Titles — Chase Skills
Climbing the ladder quickly might feel like progress, but the most successful careers are built on strong foundations. Titles can be misleading. It’s your skills, experience, and the depth of your understanding that determine your impact — and your long-term growth.
The best advice our guests received? Focus on what you’re learning, not just what you’re being called. When you prioritise skill-building, promotions and recognition naturally follow.
“Some of the best career moves I ever made didn’t come with a promotion. They gave me depth, not just status."
— Sarah Watts, Alliance Leisure
“I always tell people — make moves that make you better, not just better paid.”
— Jack Shakespeare, 4Global
“Early in my career, I was obsessed with getting to ‘Head of Something.’ Then I realised, real success is knowing your stuff and being respected for it.”
— Elaine Coulthard, Consultant
2. Learn to Say Yes Before You’re Ready
Many people wait until they feel fully prepared before stepping into a new challenge. But growth doesn’t happen when everything feels safe and certain. Successful leaders often reflect on the moments they said "yes" despite their doubts — and how those leaps changed everything.
Imposter syndrome is real, but so is readiness disguised as fear. Trust yourself. Take the role. Accept the project. Back yourself.
“If someone offers you a great opportunity and you’re not sure you’re ready, take it anyway. You’ll figure it out.”
— Jo Matthews, Ten Health and Fitness
“I didn’t tick every box for that role — but I said yes, and I grew into it.”
— Caroline Constantine, Right Directions
3. Build Relationships Before You Need Them
Networking isn’t just about LinkedIn requests or coffee chats. It’s about building trust and mutual respect long before you need to ask for anything. Successful careers are supported by strong relationships — with mentors, peers, former colleagues, and industry friends.
The best advice? Connect when there’s no agenda. Give first. And build a network that’s based on real rapport.
“Careers are built on relationships. That’s where the opportunities really come from.”
— Guy Griffiths, GGFit
“When I look back, every big move I made was through someone I’d worked with or supported in the past.”
— James Luscombe, Study Active
4. Be Curious and Coachable
Curiosity keeps your mind open. Coachability keeps your growth alive. Together, they form one of the most important success habits.
Being coachable doesn’t mean you’re inexperienced — it means you’re invested in constant improvement. And being curious shows you’re not content with surface-level understanding. You want to dig deeper and do better.
“One of my mentors told me: be spongy. Soak everything up. That’s how you grow faster.”
— Tom Trout, Love Childcare Recruitment
“You can have 10 years of experience or 1 year repeated 10 times. Stay curious.”
— Lucy Findlay-Beale, Elevate
“I always wanted to sit next to the smartest person in the room. That’s how I learned.”
— Steve Orton, Consultant
5. Be Brave Enough to Leave the Wrong Role
Sometimes, the best career move is leaving. Whether it’s a toxic culture, a role that doesn’t challenge you, or leadership that doesn’t align with your values — staying too long can cost you your confidence and momentum.
The leaders we spoke to didn’t always make easy exits. But they made brave ones. And those choices shaped the rest of their careers.
“I once left a job after 4 weeks. It just wasn’t right. That decision opened the door to everything that followed.”
— Rob Christie, Airparx
“I wasn’t aligned with the leadership. I knew I couldn’t thrive there, so I stepped away.”
— Rebecca Passmore, PureGym
“I’ve always said — don’t stay where you’re tolerated. Go where you’re valued.”
— Catherine Ferma, Gym Group
6. Stay Humble — Always
Humility is a superpower. It helps you listen better, lead with empathy, and never stop learning. It also keeps your ego in check — a quiet warning against complacency.
Many guests on the podcast pointed to humility as a key trait in the people they admire most. It’s not about being self-deprecating. It’s about staying grounded, no matter how high you climb.
“The moment you think you’ve made it, you stop listening. Stay humble.”
— Daniel Jones, Orbit4
“People don’t follow titles. They follow humans. Be real. Be kind.”
— Sophie Lawler, Total Fitness
“I’ve worked with incredible people. The common thread? Humility.”
— Andy King, Consultant
7. Know What You Stand For
Values are more than words on a wall. They’re your career compass. When you know what you stand for, every opportunity, challenge, and decision becomes clearer.
Values keep you aligned. They help you recognise the right fit — and walk away from the wrong one.
“I ask myself regularly: would my kids be proud of how I’m leading? That’s my compass.”
— Natalie McGuire, Space and Place
“If your values don’t match the business you’re in, it will never feel right.”
Craig Jones, Junior Adventures Group
“Leadership is living your values — even when it’s hard.”
— Ty Menzies, Lift Brands
Final Thoughts
The best career advice doesn’t come from job boards or HR manuals. It comes from people who’ve been there. Who’ve taken chances, made mistakes, grown through feedback, and built careers they love.
Every guest on the Love Your Career podcast offers a unique perspective. But when it comes to career-defining advice, their messages are universal.
Trust yourself. Be coachable. Value people. Stay grounded. And never forget what matters to you.
Want more insight from the best in the business?
Listen to the Love Your Career podcast wherever you get your podcasts or at loverecruitmentgroup.com.
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