Time for a change? Meet quereinsteiger
In every job, there comes a tipping point that calls for a complete re-evaluation of where we are and where we’re going. It’s not uncommon to feel as though we have outgrown a career or workplace the same way we outgrow phases, places, clothes and relationships.
Athlete and social entrepreneur Samantha Gash is no stranger to this feeling. Working long, unpredictable hours as a corporate lawyer, Gash began to gravitate towards her passion for endurance running, social impact and philanthropy work. “I didn’t know how they would fit together as they didn’t make up a conventional career,” says Gash. “But deep down I knew they aligned with my values of contribution, connection and community.”
And so she began her journey from lawyer to entrepreneur and activist. Since swapping business suits and briefs for sneakers and social activism, Gash has taken on ultramarathons, fundraising initiatives and ambassadorships for the likes of World Vision and the Royal Flying Doctor Service, and recently launched Her Trails, a new holistic training program aimed at strengthening physical and mental resilience.
Gash’s story may be unique, but the premise is not a rare phenomenon, and there is a name for someone who makes a dramatic pivot in their career — or for women. Much like the Swedish word or the Danish word , there is no true English definition for this German word. It roughly translates to “lateral entrant” and derives from the German word — referring to going against the grain and making
