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I worked with Laura Teusink for many years when I was the deputy editor of Travel + Leisure, and I’ll never forget reading her application to be the brand’s associate managing editor. Among other duties, the role of a managing editor at a magazine is to make sure that all deadlines are met. And when you’re at a travel magazine with a staff of editors who are constantly on the go, that role is even more vital.
Teusink had formerly been a Radio City Rockette, and she spoke of how she would bring the skill set of a dancer — a combination of grace and discipline — to the role. Indeed, it was that magic formula that helped make her so successful in her position.
“One might have thought working as a dancer and working as an editor couldn't be more opposite,” says Teusink. “However, I learned that many of the skills necessary to have a successful performing career — good work ethic, promptness, discipline, ability to work as a team, grace under pressure, excellent communication skills — were highly appreciated in an office environment.”
So when Teusink announced earlier this year that she was leaving her role as executive managing editor of Travel + Leisure and Departures in her 40s to pursue a third act as a yoga and meditation teacher, it made complete sense.
“You might think that there is zero overlap going from being a managing editor to teaching yoga and meditation,” says Teusink. “It's been awesome to discover that the skills I honed as a managing editor — time management, organization, financial tracking, concise communication, follow-up, juggling multiple timelines, problem-solving, relationship building — are all a huge support to me as I build my practice.”
Now, Teusink is growing her business, teaching private, semi-private and small-group yoga and meditation classes around the New York City area. She teaches at corporations (Meredith, Condé Nast, Kaufman Astoria Studios/Exploring the Arts, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation), at private residential fitness centers in luxury condominiums, at a senior center and occasionally at the 14th Street Y.
I caught up with Teusink to find out how she has pivoted so successfully over the years and to get her tips for other people who are considering a big career switch. Here, Teusink shares her insight and advice.
Think about how your skills and interests can translate into a new career. After a successful career as a dancer and performer, including dancing as a Radio City Rockette for six seasons, I decided I wanted to work in magazine publishing. I loved the written word: journaling and writing long travelogues when I was on tour was a hobby. Since I knew a lot about dance and nothing about publishing, I landed the perfect position as an editorial assistant at Dance Spirit magazine and eventually worked my way up to editor-in-chief, before moving on to National Geographic Adventure and then Travel + Leisure and Departures.
Do the work to figure out what you want to do next. After 18 years in publishing, I knew I wanted to make another big career switch, but I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do next. My boyfriend saw that I was unhappy and said, “Take some time to figure this out.” I did a lot of soul-searching. I would sit down and journal and dream and make lists. One day, I felt inspired to put on a sombrero from an old Halloween costume — I felt like it would help me focus. I started to call this exercise “The Sombrero Sessions.” Ultimately, I decided I wanted to explore a path that I had chosen not to take at an earlier time: teaching yoga. I love the body, I love human interaction and it was very important to do something that would contribute positively to the world.
Tune into your heart — not just your mind. There’s a lot of rationalization that can go on when you’re thinking of making a career switch: What should I be doing? What would other people like to see me do? What would make a lot of money? What would look good on my résumé? Make sure you also spend time noticing what type of activities really open and light up your heart and what you get passionate about easily.
Find support — and choose it wisely. A midlife career change isn't a one-woman show or a lone-ranger pursuit. You need energy and moral support from your loved ones. If they don't support you, find people who do. But be careful not to just dump on everyone: It’s important to find people that you really trust and who value your mindset and opinion. It’s easy for people to impose their own ideas and listen through their own lens.
Tap into your network. Seek out people you’re already connected with, but don’t be afraid to reach out to someone you haven’t been in touch with for a long time — especially if you think that person might have valuable information or be willing to help.
Look for a professional mentoring group. You will benefit so much if you can find a mentor or a mentoring group that works in your new field. For instance, I'm currently in a group for people building private yoga practices created by Emily Sussell, who built a successful business herself and now coaches yoga teachers. Her tagline is, “I teach CEOs how to be yogis and yogis how to be CEOs.” She calls us “yogapreneurs.” I didn't think I needed this kind of support, and I've been 100% surprised at how much I've benefited from it.
Start a side hustle, moonlight and find other ways to get the tools of your new trade. Don’t just quit what you’re doing before you know what direction you’re headed in. Carve out time in your current situation to develop the next situation. Since I was working 40-plus hours a week at the magazines and because I love a full, long immersion in an area of study, I enrolled in a 200-hour yoga teacher certification with Sondra Loring, of Sadhana Yoga and Meditation Center, in Hudson, New York, that would take nine months to complete. It was so empowering to be doing something that was effortless to get excited about. I also chose to enroll in a 200-hour mindfulness meditation teacher training. I'd been meditating for about eight years and was moved to share the practice, which had been so important and transformative for me, with others.
Consider offering your services for free. It depends on what you’re doing next, but offering an intro session helps people experience your product. Even if they don't end up purchasing, you’ll have new ambassadors, and many times a free intro or trial will convert into client or customer. It’s counterintuitive to think you might need to do something for free when you want to earn money, but it can be helpful. For instance, I know someone who is creating an app and is letting people use it for free to develop a demand before he starts charging. I started by offering to teach classes for free. I would gather groups of friends at my place or at their places (friends offered their decks, backyards, basements) so I could start practicing teaching as often as possible. By doing this I got valuable real-world feedback, honed my skills and kept my inspiration to the practice alive.
Shift your mindset. Instead of saying, "I'm a yoga teacher," I say, "I am building a yoga teaching business." As soon as I shifted to this mindset and started talking to people about what I was doing that way, it helped me relax (because building a business takes time) and prioritize (what are my business goals and what steps do I need to take to achieve them?).
Make a business plan. It's important to have a business plan, even when your new career doesn't seem businessy (like teaching yoga or becoming a potter). You can’t just see what happens. Sussell advises that if you have a vague goal, you get vague results. If you have specific goals, you’ll get specific results. You need to set monthly or quarterly goals and check in; if you’re not meeting your goals, what do you need to change about what you are doing to meet them? Also, recording everything you’re doing helps you look back and see how much you’ve grown. I keep track of everything in Excel, so I have a ton of data about the progress of my business.
Talk it up. Talking about your new pursuit with everyone (even strangers) is the original word-of-mouth marketing. Make a point of talking about your business to at least one person every day.
Go outside your comfort zone. If you’ve been in a role for a long time, chances are you can do it with your eyes closed. When you start something new, everything takes so much more energy — even the smallest things. Notice what you’re resisting. For instance, I recently pushed myself to host a Facebook Live, something I didn't want to do. In the end, it was so beneficial because I had a boost of confidence for having gone outside my comfort zone.
Take classes. Continuing education in your new line of work is motivating and fuels the fire necessary to keep going.
Take care of yourself. Self-care, positive self-talk and affirmations are crucial. Daily. Be careful not to just say “yes” to everything. You want to say “yes” to as much as possible, but do it strategically. Touching back into your original intention and reminding yourself why you made the choice to change careers is also important. It helps you pursue it with the proper energy.
Consider travel. After my last day at my full-time job, I took a 10-day trip to chill out and mark the moment. If you have the resources, think about taking some time off and traveling before you make the switch. And try to maintain and build vacation time into your new business, even if you’re self-employed. We all know how important travel is for recharging your batteries. We also learn and reinvigorate our creativity. And we create space in the mind and the heart for new ideas to arise.
