Big career announcement! After 19 years of owning Megan Neher Public Relations, I’ve accepted a full-time position as director of marketing and communications with Heart to Heart International, a nonprofit humanitarian aid organization headquartered in Lenexa, Kansas.

This is a HUGE change, and something I’ve been thinking about for more than a year. I’ve always embraced change but my brain has taken a while to grasp exactly what this means. For almost two decades my whole identity has been wrapped up in my business, client service and my team.

Entrepreneurship Spirit
It’s interesting to think about separating who we are from what we do, right? For a lot of entrepreneurs, we spend every waking minute: networking, branding and making plans for how to build the business. And sometimes we’re thinking about it even when we’re not awake. I’m serious! I always hate when I dream about work stuff like email. I mean, come on.

I’m so proud of the company I created, the work we accomplished and the partnerships I’ve developed. Most of all I’m honored to have worked with so many amazing people who collaborated with me, supported me and helped me along the way. I wish I could recognize each of you individually.

I’m told that when I was a toddler and before I can remember, I used to play a make-believe game with my dad and aunt where I directed “my people” who worked for me at a pretend company. It might have been inspired because my dad had his own business. It’s ironic because I never really aspired to be a business owner and kind of just fell into it. But it has been an incredible experience – the best and hardest job I’ve ever had. I think about my dad a lot especially when I’m struggling with a business decision or considering a business risk. I feel as if a little piece of his entrepreneurship spirit must have been passed down to me, and I’m so glad!

Difficult Decision
We’ve all heard that you should choose a job you love, and you won’t have to work a day in your life. I’ve truly loved every job I’ve had. Newspaper reporter. Corporate communicator. Agency PR professional. And now PR agency owner. It’s been a very difficult decision to say goodbye to a business I’ve built.

I love the work, and I will continue to get to do what I love in my new position, but I have so much to learn about the nonprofit world. I’m thrilled with that challenge.

I will NOT miss solving my own technology issues, paying small-business taxes, sending monthly invoices and all of the day-to-day crap that comes along with business ownership.

Also, I’m on a mission to reduce my stress to improve my wellness. Our jobs are such an important part of our lives. I know that being an employee for the first time in almost 20 years is going to feel like a breath of fresh air for my entire system.

But what made the decision so difficult was that I wanted the best for my current clients. I’m so happy to report that after a long search, I was able to “re-home” each client with a fantastic PR and marketing consultant who will do a much better job than I was ever doing! I wish them the best, and they know I’m only a phone call away.

4.0 Career
As a Gen Xer, I’ve reinvented myself with major career changes a few times, and by my calculations I’m on about 4.0. But after 19 years, it has certainly been a while since I’ve made a BIG change like this! I wanted to investigate this “reinvention” thing especially in regard to us “old-ish” people (AKA Gen-Xers). What is motivating us? So, I Googled it, and it’s a thing (not something I invented). Apparently, there’s others of us who are doing this same thing, and it’s already been named 4.0 Career.

I won’t go into the 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 career descriptions – you can probably figure those out. But the description of the 4.0 was spot on!

The article I read says: the 4.0 careerist wants more than sufficient work-life balance and personal meaning; they want a focus on having an impact on something larger than oneself. We’re motivated by a sense of service and human connection. In addition, we’re looking for a career that offers new learnings and creative growth, through which we can use our talents and capacities for making a positive impact on human lives with our work.

HELLO?? This is ME! 🙂

I love thinking about my reinvention/career change this way. I’m so happy I’m joining an organization that values positive leadership, inclusion, partnerships, innovation and is a fun place to work.

If this is anything you’re considering, I hope I can be an inspiration to take the leap! It might take your brain a minute to adjust just as it did mine, but when it does, it opens up a whole new world of possibilities! Whether it’s 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0 or beyond! I believe all good things in life are the result of change.

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