S4E4 - How a Hospitality Executive Pivoted Into a New Industry as a Leader (Without Starting Over) Artwork

The Career Transition Podcast

Nada Buhendi is one of 4 Career Coaches at the Master level (highest designation) within the International Association of Career Coaches. After seeing countless people struggling with their career and finding jobs that would fulfill them, Nada decided to apply all of her life and work experience to help professionals take control of their career rather than letting organizations determine it for them. In these episodes, Nada covers the complete system that helped her clients navigate complex career transitions and up-level their career by identifying their career sweet spot and confidently sell themselves using storytelling techniques. Nada is joined by her friend John Chao to facilitate these conversations to pull the genius from her head after helping 100+ clients overcome imposter syndrome and increase their salary up to 265% landing jobs they love!

All Episodes

The Career Transition Podcast

S4E4 - How a Hospitality Executive Pivoted Into a New Industry as a Leader (Without Starting Over)

May 15, 2026 • Nada

0:00 | 35:25

After 30+ years climbing the ranks in hospitality — hotels, casinos, ownership groups, leadership roles across the country — Rich hit a moment most senior leaders never admit out loud:

He looked around at a career he'd spent his entire adult life building…

And realized the dream he'd been chasing wasn't the one he actually wanted anymore.

In this episode, we unpack what it really takes to walk away from a decades-long career and pivot industries as a senior leader — without starting over, without taking a pay cut, and without losing the seniority you've earned.

We talk about:

The identity shock of leaving the only industry you've ever known
How "triage hospitality" during the pandemic forced a deeper reckoning about work-life balance, longevity, and what success actually means at this stage of life
The courage it takes to resign from a stable, well-paying executive role with nothing lined up
Why resume-only career coaches couldn't solve his real problem (and why most senior leaders fall into this trap)
How the Chunks of 10 framework helped him reconnect with his origin story and uncover transferable strengths he didn't realize he had
Why the community component is non-negotiable when you're navigating a high-stakes pivot at the executive level
The mindset shifts required to transition strategically (not emotionally or out of burnout)
Why holistic positioning matters far more than rewriting your resume when you're crossing industries

Rich went from 30+ years in hospitality leadership to landing a leadership role in an entirely new industry — without starting over, without stepping backward, and without sacrificing the lifestyle he finally decided he deserved.

If you're 20+ years into your career and quietly wondering if you've been chasing the wrong dream, this conversation will help you think clearly before you act impulsively.

If you'd like help navigating your own crossroads, book a 15 min Career Diagnosis using this link: https://go.nadabuhendi.com/video

Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn and share your feedback about this episode. I always love hearing from my listeners: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadabuhendi/