Where did the idea for System Changers come from?
Part one - how I moved from anger to action
The thrilling/terrifying thing about developing an idea in the open is that I don’t know where I’m going, and I’m inviting everyone along with me as I figure it out. The highs of the journey are; moments of deep connection and impact, “YES! I really relate to this”, “omg you HAVE to read this book”, “this is really helpful, keep going”; finding like-minded collaborators and new friends; and the kind of learning and growth you get only when you put yourself out there. The lows of the journey are; feeling stuck when I want to feel assured and make progress; feeling exposed as not enough of an “expert” yet to write on certain topics or work with certain people; and the moments when, looking at half-finished work and sharing half-formed ideas with you, I doubt my ability to finish things or build something of real value. Thankfully, the highs feel so good and encouraging that, increasingly, I’m learning to linger less in the lows!
After a couple of years taking things slowly, navigating the ups and downs and tentatively feeling things out, my Substack and my coaching business are going through a bit of a growth spurt behind the scenes. I have a much better idea of what my readers and clients want and how I can give it to you in different ways, and I’m feeling more at home than ever in the professional ecosystem around me. I’ve learned a lot in these first two years, and I’m excited to bring it all together in a better, re-energised experience.
In this mini series I’m going to take you back to the beginning and explain where System Changers came from, share what I’ve learned about the relationship between personal growth and systemic change, and provide some details on what’s coming next here on Substack and in my coaching practice. There are now over 700 of you here, many who joined quite recently, so hopefully this is also a helpful re-introduction and re-cap of the story so far.
As always, thanks for being along for the ride,
Gen x
Where did System Changers come from?
I came up with the idea for System Changers during a career break in 2019/20, when COVID-19 was transforming life as we knew it, and the world was gripped by the racial justice movement triggered by the murder of George Floyd. Locked away in an AirBnb in Lisbon with far too much time on my hands, I spent a lot of time on social media. Aside from staying in touch and comparing experiences with friends and family in different parts of the world, I mostly followed stories on British politics (I’m from the U.K.), how the government there was handling the pandemic, and the global racial justice movement reignited by Floyd’s murder. I felt so angry and heartbroken by all that was happening, and disappointed in people in positions of power and the harm they were causing. I looked elsewhere for leaders and found reassurance and inspiration in the frontline workers, activists, organisers, educators and innovators who were rising to the moment, often putting their lives and careers on the line to do so.
These people, their stories and their leadership gave me hope for a better future. I wondered why we didn’t hear much about them in mainstream media channels. I wanted to learn more about them, to understand how and why they do what they do. I wanted to explore the personal stories behind their professional journeys and hoped that in doing so, we could make this work more accessible for others who want to make a difference. I was particularly interested in the people who could see a broken system behind the symptoms, and had decided to do something about it. The people who were courageous and visionary enough to tackle the problems at the roots and usher in new ways of doing things. The transition team, the system changers! I wanted to show the steps in their journey from “crazy” idea to significant impact, to inspire people to act on their own ideas for change. I wanted to understand the links between their personal growth and change, and the change they were leading in the world. There was only so much outrage I could engage with and perpetuate online, I sorely lacked stories of agency and optimism and knew that I wasn’t alone, so I decided to do something about it. I’ve never felt so physically compelled by an idea and knew that if I didn’t try, I’d regret it. I had to get it out of my head.
At the same time, I was gently exploring ideas for my next career move. Having spent the last few years working in people operations and talent with early stage entrepreneurs, I wanted to continue nurturing potential in exceptional people working on bold ideas. I was also on a mission to re-design my life and how my career fitted into it, and looking to the future with my soon-to-be husband. After nearly a decade of full-time employment in London I was craving independence, flexibility and a chance to carve my own path, to build something aligned to my interests and values without too much compromise. This mindset and a change of scene from the harsh, competitive London bubble allowed me to consider my strengths without having to fit myself into other people’s requirements or cultural expectations. In some ways it felt like a full breakdown in identity, especially because my work was such a big part of who I was when I left London, but it was also permission to be fully me. Stripping off all the layers of conditioning and conforming felt like coming home to myself.
I made a list of all my favourite projects and people from my career so far and what I loved about them. I saw that I’d sought out missions and teams leading change and shaping the world for the better, and left the ones that weren’t. I started valuing my sensitivity and realised how much I love relational work and working in deep connection with people 1:1. I could see a golden thread of creativity, storytelling and big ideas. The roles I enjoyed the most involved spotting patterns and relationships across different fields and disciplines. I embraced my visionary, entrepreneurial side and gave myself permission to explore and experiment. In 2021, I trained as a coach and learned that pure coaching isn’t based upon advice or experience, it’s a practice that helps people to find their inner resources and their own answers. I discovered a new world of work and kindred spirits developing support systems for people tackling the biggest challenges of our time. Gradually, the idea for System Changers as a content offering merged with my emerging coaching business. I would highlight the work of inspiring system changers, share resources for people who are doing/interested in this work, AND develop a coaching practice to support system changers 1:1. So I started to write, build community, and coach people leading systemic change, helping my clients to build agency and wellbeing.
I was also learning that people were interested in the journey I was on, why I left the job I’d designed myself in VC, how I was spending my career break, why I’d left London and moved to Portugal, and what I was going to do next. I was even interviewed about it for a piece in Elle called How to Reclaim Your Life and Make Your Great Escape! So I decided to invite people in and share what was going on. Initially I joined the long caption “cont’d in comments” crew on Instagram, but folded it into my Substack as soon as it was up and running. There wasn’t a clean divider between the personal and the professional anymore, and it made sense to share what I was learning alongside my writing about other people’s growth. Substack is also a better place to be, right? I soon realised that writing here is an extremely powerful practice for clarifying my thoughts, building momentum and birthing new ideas. Even writing the above has helped me to see things I’ve not seen before.
In summary, System Changers came from a moment in time when the world seemed to be falling apart and experiencing a crisis of leadership. It came from a deep need for more stories about our agency and power, and about how the world gets changed for the better. It came from a chance to pause and listen more deeply to myself and the work I really want to do. And it came from a growing movement of brave souls who want to do something about the polycrisis we find ourselves in.
I’ll always be so grateful for the people who believed in me and what I was doing in the early days, when System Changers was just an idea and I was a trainee coach. Our work together encouraged me to keep going and taught me so much. Part two of this series will dive into my most important lesson so far from doing this work, and a story we’ve been told about humanity and our place in the world that needs to change.
Please share any reflections in the comments below, and I hope you’ll keep reading!
Who are you, what are you working on, and how can this resource be of service to you? What would you like to ask your fellow system changers? With readers based in 57 countries and working in many different fields and system-changing capacities, there’s so much for us to learn from each other!
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This resonates so much!! Especially everything you wrote about your decision to transition into this work and why. I feel so seen reading your words. Thank you for sharing and amplifying the work of those of us on the path less traveled towards true systemic change.
"I’ve never felt so physically compelled by an idea and knew that if I didn’t try, I’d regret it. I had to get it out of my head. " This resonated and is good advice for making authentic decisions!