pondering the work-life balance that lends
meaning to their lives. At times, it’s transforming
a side hustle as Craven did. In other cases, it’s
chasing a long-dormant dream. In still more, it’s
a complete surprise.
After a stint as a trial lawyer, then taking the
reins of the business his father founded, Craven
said he had no idea what he really wanted. That’s
when he turned to a holistic leadership retreat
and dug deep into every aspect of his life.
The retreat turned into a long-term support
system of like-minded business people offering
both direction and support. In 2015, out of
the emotional work he did on himself, came
his new full-time gig as an executive coach,
helping CEOs and presidents of companies and
organizations overcome the things that bog
them down. Turns out, he said, helping others
was exactly what he needed.
“Being vulnerable is definitely the first step,”
Craven said.
His family closed the business after he left, but
not all second acts — also called second curves
— need to be complete life overhauls.
With a doctorate, Michal Strahilevitz in Moraga,
California, had been a marketing professor for
more than 20 years.
“At some point I loved it and found it exciting,”
she said. “More recently, I was doing it because
it was what I had always done. Then COVID
hit and so many of my students were dealing
with anxiety and depression. Truthfully, I was
struggling, too. I wanted to do something more
meaningful.”
That’s when she developed a course on the