Get Out of Teaching Podcast Season 3, Episode 2 Coaching with Vonnie Gilpin (Event Facilitator in the Making)

Vonnie began her dream job, teaching in a small primary school in 1981. This job finished with the birth of her first child. After years of raising her seven children and voluntarily organising school fundraisers, she began casual teaching at a high school. 

This quickly led to a permanent teaching position. Over fifteen years, Vonnie honed her event preparation skills, fundraising for school charities and producing school musicals even after she had resigned to become a casual supply teacher. 

Her third son’s passion for metal music saw Vonnie, her husband and her son organise many live music shows over the years.

By 2016, Vonnie realised she needed to work towards her newly realised dream of teaching others to plan and run amazing events. The plan is still coming to fruition. Vonnie is expanding her studies and has spent 2021 to date as a wedding planner extraordinaire for three of her children.
 
 Aired on 31 March 2021

——
 
 For show notes, transcriptions and other resources, visit https://www.larksong.com.au/podcast

For all podcast episodes, visit https://getoutofteaching.buzzsprout.com/

Get Out of Teaching website (Larksong): https://www.larksong.com.au

Join the ‘Get Out of Teaching!’ Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/getoutofteaching

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/get-out-of-teaching/id1498676505

Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-diacos-career-transition-coach-for-education-leaders-get-out-of-teaching/

Connect with me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elizabeth.diacos

This podcast is a member of the Experts on Air podcast network https://expertsonair.fm/

Transcript

Elizabeth Diacos  0:00  
Welcome to Season 3 of the Get Out of Teaching Podcast. I'm your host, Elizabeth Diacos. In each episode of this season, I'll be coaching a teacher around one aspect of their move out of Education, you'll have the privilege of listening in on the powerful coaching conversations that move people closer to a life they love. So come along for the ride as we get out of teaching. 

Episode 2. 

Great to see you again, Vonnie. So what would make this a great call for you today?

Vonnie Gilpin  0:31  
Oh, good. Hi, Elizabeth. Good to see you. Um, it would make a great difference to me if you could calm me, help me be more calm about what I'm doing, about where I'm going because I'm turning into a little bit of a panic wart, a bit of a worrywart.

Elizabeth Diacos  0:45  
Okay, so just for the background, we we've already worked together before, and you were on the cusp of setting up your own business. And a few things happened, your husband got very sick. 

Vonnie Gilpin  1:00  
Yup.

Elizabeth Diacos  1:00  
And you needed to kind of pull back from that. It wasn't the time to go out on a limb and risk financial, you know, insecurity, because he wasn't, there was a, was a bit of uncertainty around his work. And so what's happened since then, because I haven't probably seen you for maybe 6 months or so?

Vonnie Gilpin  1:20  
Yup, so end of last year, my big plan was, and we were very calm about this, that by the end of the year, I will have choices for 2020. 

Elizabeth Diacos  1:28  
Mm.

Vonnie Gilpin  1:29  
And there will be different people offering me jobs. And it turned out where I thought I would get here, of course, come and take your job back, they're like "anyone who wants the job again, needs to reapply." Okay, and I didn't want to reapply there because of staff member concerns. And then I went to the other school that's much closer to me. And their jobs closed the day that I found out the other ones closed as well. So it was casual work again, this year, I started my website, event connections, and discovered that we teachers tend to try and be a jack of all trades, "Oh, I can do that. How hard can that be?" "Of course I can do that." And then "No, I cannot." 

And, you know, I don't know whether now my website looks like a sketch on a napkin. If I handed it to a professional - would they go, "Why did you even do that?" Or whether they'd actually be able to say, "Oh, I can click there, click there and fix it." And I'm pretty sure they can. That's a confidence thing. That was in events. And so COVID did a number on events for anyone and everyone. And it just sort of it just sort of put me back to right. "Okay, I need to find ways of getting money in that are regular" and I went to casual teaching again, like an old fool. And...

Elizabeth Diacos  2:53  
Yeah, so is there a, I'm hearing something in your voice that makes me think there's a bit of regret there or frustration?

Vonnie Gilpin  3:00  
Oh yeah. Oh, absolutely. A casual teaching, at my level of experience or age gets, if I work every single day, I'd be on like $86,000. If I worked every single, if I worked on a contract and could have 20 days off being sick, or whatever I chose to be on those days with built in sick leave, in other words, $103,000.

Elizabeth Diacos  3:27  
Yeah.

Vonnie Gilpin  3:27  
So that's $19,000 difference, or hang on, whatever 86... oh that's $17,000 difference, not a math teacher. (Laughs)

Elizabeth Diacos  3:39  
But, but on the other hand, you're not going to have reports, right, and all the rest?

Vonnie Gilpin  3:45  
No, but you're and you're also going to get work every day when high fever seasons on, and cold and flu seasons on, or when a pandemic strikes, you're going to have 8 weeks at home where you're too rich to get any government benefit. But you also can't work. So that's, that was the, a big regret there. And I've recently started to apply for some teaching jobs for next year. Looking at really different areas of teaching, like teacher librarianship and preschool teaching. And that would be amazing because currently you can get you can upgrade your degree to a preschool teacher's degree for the cost of a TAFE course rather than a uni course. 

Oh that would be amazing, but I missed that job so, yup not doing that. Because generally, generally preschool jobs tend to be long hours poorly paid. This was in a actually in a school, so it meant that it was paid at teacher rates. 

Elizabeth Diacos  4:47  
Oh, wow. Yeah, that is a big difference. Okay, so it sounds like there's some financial concerns there that you need to address. And it sounds like to me that this is, I'm gonna say a sideways step because you're, you're not working on your business, is that right?

Vonnie Gilpin  5:06  
Correct. And then, the other day I started putting into these jobs and thinking, "Oh, yeah, teaching whatever, why not?" Now I'm going to teach history and religion again. What a bonus that will be for me putting the application at the school I'm working at and haven't even got an interview. 

Elizabeth Diacos  5:24  
Okay. 

Vonnie Gilpin  5:25  
I, WHAT? I am so... feeling, I mean, they might not have put out interviews yet, but I'm feeling so unwanted and disrespected there. So I've been putting into different schools. And then my son rang and said, "Mum, we're getting married in whenever, March next year. Can you help us organize that?" And all of a sudden, my soul just go, "Oh, yeah, hey, let's do this. Yeah, let's Google, whatever, let's find out, whatever." And I've been running around to wedding venues and stuff like that since. Since, I dunno, last Wednesday, last Friday. And it's just, I know, it's what I want to do. But I still need to know how to let go of that regularity of pay that even if I'm going, even if I'm getting three days a week, knowing that I'm getting that chunk of pay. 

Elizabeth Diacos  6:16  
Yeah. 

Vonnie Gilpin  6:17  
It's taking the leap across the pay divide. That's the big concern. 

Elizabeth Diacos  6:21  
Yeah. But it sounds like what you, helping your son prepare for the wedding is really what makes your heart sing?

Vonnie Gilpin  6:30  
Oh, yeah. Oh, absolutely, yes!

Elizabeth Diacos  6:33  
Yeah. And all that time. I mean, obviously, with COVID, you couldn't really work on that, because there were no events.

Vonnie Gilpin  6:40  
No, no.

Elizabeth Diacos  6:40  
So you couldn't even really get much happening?

Vonnie Gilpin  6:43  
Yes.

Elizabeth Diacos  6:45  
But now there's an opportunity. And it looks like the school system's not really excited about having Vonnie on board at this point in time, at least?

Vonnie Gilpin  6:53  
As unexcited, as Vonnie is at being on board?

Elizabeth Diacos  6:56  
Maybe they sense that, Vonnie. Maybe.

Vonnie Gilpin  6:58  
Bit bloody rude, I reckon.

Elizabeth Diacos  7:01  
So maybe there's a, this is like the, for one of a better way of putting it. Maybe this is the universe saying, "Hey, Ronnie,"

Vonnie Gilpin  7:10  
"Move on."

Elizabeth Diacos  7:10  
Let's let's find your happy place instead of being stuck where you don't want to be? And if they don't, it's mutually beautiful, really - they don't want you and you don't want them.

Vonnie Gilpin  7:20  
Yes, yes. 

Elizabeth Diacos  7:21  
Sounds like an unmatch made in heaven. So let's go back to my original question, what would make this a great call for you? You said you want to not be panicky? Is it just about the financial security? Or is it something else there as well?

Vonnie Gilpin  7:37  
I don't know. I'm not, not about financial security as such now. Because I'm, we will survive. But it's more about, look, I would be happy if you said to me, "I need to organize whatever. I've got this much money to spend." And no one, no one starts in that position, I'm sure. But I'd say "Okay, can I'll just quickly find out a little about, little about you and see what we can do. And I'll come back with some ideas." I'm feeling, feeling old, and feeling like I'm never going to be the person that you want to see at the wedding. Yeah, with the yeah, not the clipboard, with the y'know, extension cord on their arm, you know, running around, just because the speakers haven't started to work properly, that sort of thing. 

I don't want to be that sort of wedding planner who's "Okay, so we're going to have the future serviettes or are we going to have the whatever?" I want to be the sort of one who helps people who need help who want help. So I'm probably looking at changing, like a changing what I thought I wanted to do and feeling like feeling total lack of confidence. Who's going to pay for that?

Elizabeth Diacos  8:45  
So what is it exactly that you do want to do? Let's work on instead of thinking about what you don't want. Let's talk about what you do want.

Vonnie Gilpin  8:52  
Oh, people would come and say "Look with my daughter's getting married," or "We're doing a bar mitzvah," whatever. I think, what is wrong with me? But a bar mitzvah. We need to know what we can do locally. We don't have time to shop around. I'd like to be sort of someone's party personal assistant. Does that make sense?

Elizabeth Diacos  9:12  
So like a Party PA? 

Vonnie Gilpin  9:14  
Yeah. 

Elizabeth Diacos  9:15  
I love that. That sounds awesome. And so you would, you would be the go to person where they needed to get all those things organized. And then would you do the bookings for them? Or would you say, here are your options? There are three options there are, you can hire freeze marquees? There's this cutlery, there are these tablecloths, whatever. What would that look like? Tell me what you'd like your...

Vonnie Gilpin  9:39  
This is the whole, this is my biggest problem that I don't know where that's going to be. Like, who can afford it here? Because we're in a very limited area as in 40,000 population. Who can afford it? What can they afford? And it's, I feel like I'm one of those people when you say "Oh, look why don't you try for a new job?" "Oh, I couldn't possibly", you know, because of this, it seems like always come up with an excuse. Because I'm so unsure, so uncertain about what, yeah what people might want. And I'd be happy to go and book it for them. But I'd also be happy to say these are the informations - I'd present the informations. 

I've presented them in a chart so you can see cost versus product offered. Yeah, like tick it, a checklist, obviously, with obviously, you've got to have checklists, if you're in events and suggesting to people all the other, so they can see it at a glance, like when you comparing two things on eBay or on Gumtree or somewhere.

Elizabeth Diacos  10:42  
Got it. Okay, so, so right now, you've got an opportunity to do that. Just that exactly what wanted.

Vonnie Gilpin  10:48  
Yes, yes. 

Elizabeth Diacos  10:49  
And potentially get a testimonial. 

Vonnie Gilpin  10:53  
Yep. 

Elizabeth Diacos  10:53  
From the happy couple.

Vonnie Gilpin  10:55  
Wouldn't it be sad if I didn't? (Laughs)

Elizabeth Diacos  10:58  
What? Get a testimonial?

Vonnie Gilpin  10:59  
From my own kid? So it not. That was shit, mum.

Elizabeth Diacos  11:02  
Well, you know what, it'd be really helpful feedback, wouldn't it?

Vonnie Gilpin  11:05  
It would be.

It wouldn't happen. Wouldn't happen, because it wouldn't be bad. It's gonna be magic. Yeah.

Elizabeth Diacos  11:11  
Yeah! It's gonna be magic. So I think this is a wonderful opportunity for you, Vonnie to do that. And then and could you so here's some homework for you. I want you to document the process. 

Vonnie Gilpin  11:26  
Yes. 

Elizabeth Diacos  11:27  
And I know you've done a little bit of that already. From when we're working together before? 

Vonnie Gilpin  11:32  
Yep. 

Elizabeth Diacos  11:33  
What else do you need to do to get this up and running? Or at least have a testimonial that you can share with the world? What else do you need to do? Like really. Like the absolute bootstrap leanest possible business model.

Vonnie Gilpin  11:54  
That sounds like a trick question. But, um, and the trick answer always seems to be just do it. I don't, I don't know how to answer that.

Elizabeth Diacos  12:06  
Okay. 

Vonnie Gilpin  12:08  
Elude the witness.

Elizabeth Diacos  12:08  
So, that sounds like a good answer. Just do it. 

Vonnie Gilpin  12:12  
Yeah. Good. Oh, great. 

Elizabeth Diacos  12:15  
But you, you, you've got a Facebook page. 

Vonnie Gilpin  12:18  
Yes. Yes. 

Elizabeth Diacos  12:19  
Page. 

Vonnie Gilpin  12:20  
Yes. 

Elizabeth Diacos  12:20  
So even if your website's not, you know...

Vonnie Gilpin  12:23  
Functional.

Elizabeth Diacos  12:23  
...all it would be you could use the Facebook business page for you, for now? 

Vonnie Gilpin  12:27  
Yes, yes, yes, yes. Cool.

Elizabeth Diacos  12:34  
What else would you need to feel confident? Because it sounds like this is a confidence issue. And you've used that word yourself. But so you're working with family so there's that's, that's not, it shouldn't be such a big deal. What else would you need to feel confident that you were able to do this even just as for the first time? It's not like you've never worked in this industry before? You're actually an expert, aren't you?

Vonnie Gilpin  13:01  
Yes. Yes. Definitely. 10,000 hours there? Definitely.

Elizabeth Diacos  13:04  
Okay. So, I mean, the listeners don't know that you've worked in hospitality, you've run your own food truck. You've got all this expertise and experience in and and you're, I was gonna say tight-arse, it's not quite quite the right word, but you're very economical. And...

Vonnie Gilpin  13:22  
Yes. 

Elizabeth Diacos  13:23  
...creative at sourcing materials and equipment that wouldn't maybe normally cost a lot of money, but you can find a budget option that will be, that will serve really well.

Vonnie Gilpin  13:34  
Yes. Yes.

Elizabeth Diacos  13:35  
I remember we were talking about grazing platters at one point and you had a really great solution for that.

Vonnie Gilpin  13:40  
Yeah. And I believe when I'm spending someone else's money. I am super careful to get the very most out of it. With my own, also kind of careful, but I can accept a whole lot more mistakes for me than I could for someone else. 

Elizabeth Diacos  13:54  
Yeah. 

Vonnie Gilpin  13:56  
Just yesterday, the number of umbrellas we nearly purchased. Market umbrellas for tables made out of electrical cable spools, you know being big spools, they're like this big and we're in Bunnings and went "Oh, oh, their on clearance. Let's get them. No, let's not let's find out whether they're going to have an outdoor wedding first before we commit to 20 umbrellas."

Elizabeth Diacos  14:22  
Yeah, I guess you can sell them on eBay. That's so cool. Okay, so you've got some amazing, great ideas. So this is this is your first gig, you're going to document what else you need to do? How would you get your second gig?

Vonnie Gilpin  14:40  
Just last night, I got another phone call from another child saying, "Mum, we're engaged." (Laughs)

Elizabeth Diacos  14:49  
I love this sort of biological growth. (Laughs)

Vonnie Gilpin  14:52  
Organic, we got. Please, please.

Elizabeth Diacos  14:56  
Some organic growth of your industry. That's amazing. So this is like the perfect opportunity...

Vonnie Gilpin  15:01  
It is, it is.

Elizabeth Diacos  15:01  
...is already there. How long can you survive, Vonnie, financially before you actually have to make some money at this?

Vonnie Gilpin  15:07  
I don't know. I don't know. I don't. It's, it's not like that. It's never like, money's never. I'm a rich white girl here. I'm sorry. That's, y'know.

Elizabeth Diacos  15:23  
Okay, so if money's not an issue, why are you so worried about it?

Vonnie Gilpin  15:26  
I don't know. I'm being seen to, oh, this is a whole Catholic Church guilty thing, it's a being seen to be a value. Being seen to be doing the right thing. Being seen, you know, set me up a little... this, this is another example that you're going to help me with here. And it's about boundaries. This morning, I'd said to the casual person, "Look, I'm not coming in because I'm minding my granddaughter," and granddaughter is self-sufficient. She wanted someone to watch her swim, but that was about it. I swam with her and we got out of the water. My grandson arrived, and he's not so easy to manage. But he was fine. But then my son-in-law arrived. And that meant I had to talk to him sort of thing. 

And I get very easily sidetracked with, without, without boundaries there of I'm doing this, I need to do this and do this alone. And being computer based in industry for the minute you know, searching things, and it's very easy to procrastinate on a computer. But there are plenty of people tugging at me to make me procrastinate. And then I'm not real good at focus myself. So, here, there's some work to do.

Elizabeth Diacos  16:41  
Okay, that's that's really interesting. So is this, is there something there about self respect do you think? That you're not worthy to ask for that time for yourself?

Vonnie Gilpin  16:54  
Absolutely. It's, this is when my mom was dying she said she felt really terrible that on her wedding day, she insisted on a taxi to the church. This is 1942. And she said she felt like such a spoiled brat. She wore her Sunday dress that had been washed by her mum, Auntie Lou had made a cake with pink icing and sprinkles. But mum was spoilt and wanted a taxi to the church. I have rejected so many of those selfless things. But the the burden is still there. Yes, definitely. 

Elizabeth Diacos  17:36  
Yeah. 

Vonnie Gilpin  17:38  
And that when I'm studying the kids are like, "Oh, God, yeah, of course," I can say "I'm studying this matters. I've got to get this assignment in." I don't have the same sense of urgency, even though at 60, nearly 61, I probably should be thinking of everything as being kind of urgent, shouldn't I? Because...

Elizabeth Diacos  18:00  
Well Vonnie, my brother-in-law died suddenly at 60. 6 weeks after his birthday. 

Vonnie Gilpin  18:06  
Oh.

Elizabeth Diacos  18:07  
And that was... 

Vonnie Gilpin  18:08  
So sorry. 

Elizabeth Diacos  18:09  
...a couple years ago. And my dad was 56 when he died. And so I'm, yeah, I'm with you on that. I, I'm like, let's not let the grass grow under our feet. Because we're not, we don't know, do we? We just...

Vonnie Gilpin  18:25  
No.

Elizabeth Diacos  18:25  
...don't know. And I think you know, a lot of my clients are more mature people who've been in teaching for a long time. And this, I think this is a real issue. We just don't know when our number's up. And so let's make the most of it. That's how I feel anyway. I don't want to put words in your mouth. But I...

Vonnie Gilpin  18:44  
No, no, no.

Elizabeth Diacos  18:45  
...that, that's really, really quite real for you too.

Vonnie Gilpin  18:48  
And that if you go for an interview, it's not like, "What do you think you'll be bringing to our company over the next y'know, decade?" It's "What do you got in you for the next year?" Yeah. "What do you hope?"

Elizabeth Diacos  18:58  
Don't buy green bananas? All right. 

Vonnie Gilpin  19:01  
(Laughs) 

Elizabeth Diacos  19:04  
Okay, so Vonnie, let's, let's wrap this up. 

Vonnie Gilpin  19:07  
Yes. 

Elizabeth Diacos  19:08  
What is your takeaway from our conversation so far? And where do we need to go to get you to feel like some of that anxieties been alleviated?

Vonnie Gilpin  19:18  
I think it's just doing it, just doing it. Like, I'm, I'm telling them I'm not coming into work to school tomorrow. And I hope that they have to, I dunno, hire a babysitter or something. Because they've just been, it's, I don't feel wanted or respected there. So it's nice to be able to full of saying, "Look, I won't be in" and I need to kill a procrastinator. Yeah. And just, just do some of this stuff that I get as many processes I can have as many bits of information from the son and then information for the other child for a winter wedding. So yeah, I hope it's winter this year. I hope it's not next year. I don't want it that long.

Elizabeth Diacos  20:04  
(Laughs) If things go well, it will be next year.

Vonnie Gilpin  20:07  
So yeah, yeah, yeah. No, no, no. Winter 6 months away not winter 18 months.

Elizabeth Diacos  20:11  
Yeah.

Vonnie Gilpin  20:11  
Yeah, yeah, yeah. 

Elizabeth Diacos  20:13  
Okay, so so I just had a fleeting thought about that that self-respecting boundary thing? 

Vonnie Gilpin  20:22  
Yep.

Elizabeth Diacos  20:23  
Do you think that's what's happening here? That if you set some boundaries around this time and say, "I'm considering you as my first two clients?" 

Vonnie Gilpin  20:35  
Yep. 

Elizabeth Diacos  20:37  
"And I need you to I, in order to serve my two clients, the best I can I need..." What, what do you need?

Vonnie Gilpin  20:48  
Give me some hints. I'm in just do it mode. I'm not in...

Elizabeth Diacos  20:55  
How long do you need? Or how many hours in a day or in a week? Would you need to actually make this work to make it happen? 

Vonnie Gilpin  21:02  
Oh, uhm, 4 hours where people are answering the phones, or three weeks when they're not? Because that's what's, that's what's happened today, so far, playing phone tag with Darryl. 

Elizabeth Diacos  21:16  
Right, okay. 

Vonnie Gilpin  21:17  
Darryl, come on.

Elizabeth Diacos  21:19  
So okay. So, realistically, in order to get all this information that you're collating now, for using your future business? 

Vonnie Gilpin  21:29  
Yes, yes. 

Elizabeth Diacos  21:30  
You need to set aside until the end of this year, essentially.

Vonnie Gilpin  21:33  
Cool, cool.

Elizabeth Diacos  21:33  
The rest of the school year? 

Vonnie Gilpin  21:35  
Yes. 

Elizabeth Diacos  21:36  
Because let's face it, the school year ends on like the 18th of December, or whenever it ends here in Australia, so.. 

Vonnie Gilpin  21:42  
Yup.

Elizabeth Diacos  21:43  
Basically, the next month, if you're going to make this business grow, and let's face it, the world's just opened, our world has just started to open up.

Vonnie Gilpin  21:51  
Open up, like, again.

Elizabeth Diacos  21:52  
People are gonna have events, this is the perfect time to have a new business because people are going to be looking for help. 

Vonnie Gilpin  21:58  
Yes.

Elizabeth Diacos  21:59  
And they're not sure who is open. They don't know what the regulations are. And there's a lot of uncertainty around and but also this, I feel like there's a bit of excitement under the surface as well, like, "Oh, I love..."

Vonnie Gilpin  22:09  
Absolutely, absolutely. And I love that the notion that I've heard recently, when you pay someone and they say, "Oh, that's $80." "Oh, you fixed it in three minutes," yeah, we're not paying for those three minutes. We're paying for all the time they put in beforehand to learn how to fix it in three minutes. So that's, that's what this time, that's a great idea. And did not have a really now it's a great idea. Because this is what Dave suggested to me this morning. Set aside till the end of the year, see what you can do with it. Yeah. I don't know whether he... 

Elizabeth Diacos  22:12  
And then you get your first two clients already. Amazing. So then, okay.

Vonnie Gilpin  22:47  
You know how much money isn't in that?

Elizabeth Diacos  22:49  
I know, but it's experiences, testimonials, and it's that expertise that you need to go into the next conversation? 

Vonnie Gilpin  22:58  
Yes. 

Elizabeth Diacos  22:58  
Say, "Well, I'm working with a couple of clients now. I've got an engagement party and a wedding on the books."

Vonnie Gilpin  23:04  
Yup.

Elizabeth Diacos  23:04  
"I can fit you in next Wednesday." 

Vonnie Gilpin  23:06  
Yep.

Elizabeth Diacos  23:06  
"This is my fee." How are you going to price yourself, Vonnie?

Vonnie Gilpin  23:09  
Oh, this is the trick too. Like we're discussing whether it's getting, giving people prices or giving them a whole lot more service. Yeah, like going and booking things for them that, that's relevant. 

Elizabeth Diacos  23:23  
Mm.

Vonnie Gilpin  23:25  
In events, it tends to be like 15% of the gross for a small event and 10% for large events. 

Elizabeth Diacos  23:32  
Right. 

Vonnie Gilpin  23:33  
So I can't see myself doing that for the first number. You know, and I don't mean the first number. Imagine if I charged myself for a Wedding I have to pay for...

Elizabeth Diacos  23:46  
Well, you could. You could charge the business, or the business could charge you.

Vonnie Gilpin  23:50  
Yeah, yeah, okay, okay. 

Elizabeth Diacos  23:52  
I mean, you know, anyway, maybe we can talk about that after we get off this call.

Vonnie Gilpin  23:56  
Yeah, yeah, yes, yes. 

Elizabeth Diacos  23:57  
Let's just, just go back. I want to I want to give you something before we get off this call. I want to give you...

Vonnie Gilpin  24:05  
Lovely.

Elizabeth Diacos  24:05  
...permission to say no. 

Vonnie Gilpin  24:10  
Yep. 

Elizabeth Diacos  24:11  
And I give you permission to set aside the time that you need to do this work. 

Vonnie Gilpin  24:18  
Yes. 

Elizabeth Diacos  24:19  
...in your diary. 

Vonnie Gilpin  24:20  
Cool. 

Elizabeth Diacos  24:22  
Which means maybe your beautiful grandchildren need to get a babysitter. Sometimes, that's not you. 

Vonnie Gilpin  24:28  
Yeah.

Elizabeth Diacos  24:29  
Maybe the family can't just pop in for lunch or whatever. And just say, "Sorry, I'm working today. It's really not a good time."

Vonnie Gilpin  24:36  
Yep.

Elizabeth Diacos  24:37  
"I'll catch up with you on the weekend." Let's just backtrack. What's your takeaway from our conversation today?

Vonnie Gilpin  24:42  
That you and Dave think similarly, and that's a beautiful thing. And I can take some time till the end of the year to get this joyful, to become functioning and doing things that I want to do for me.

Elizabeth Diacos  24:57  
Yeah. All right. I think we're gonna wrap it up there. It was beautiful to reconnect with you, Vonnie and I look forward to hearing how that goes. I'm pretty sure I've got you penciled in for a podcast appearance where you tell us how you set up your business. That might be, maybe, Season 4. What do you reckon? 

Vonnie Gilpin  25:17  
Lovely. I'll be, have my hair a French roll from the weddings.

Elizabeth Diacos  25:20  
Yeah, sounds amazing. All right. Thanks, Vonnie. 

Vonnie Gilpin  25:22  
Thanks, Elizabeth. Thank you very much.

Elizabeth Diacos  25:26  
So I'm super excited for Vonnie after that conversation. And we actually recorded that in 2020, in late 2020. Since then, Vonnie has left her teaching job at the school where she'd been working, which has given her a huge sense of relief. She's actually moved on and signed herself up for a wedding planning course. And also, she's got, well she's had three weddings in the pipeline for 2021, one of which she did last weekend. And it was amazing for one of her children. And she's got two more to go. And she just said she finds that work invigorating and exciting. And she comes home completely exhausted, but in a good way. So I think that's a great outcome from that conversation. And I look forward to seeing what Vonnie comes up with in the weeks and months ahead. 

If this is the kind of conversation you'd like to have, here are some ways we can make that happen. You can connect with me via my website, larksong.com.au or join the Get Out of Teaching Facebook group, or send me a message. You don't need to stay stuck in a job that makes you miserable. I offer a free 10 minute triage call to people who are ready to explore possibilities for the future. So let's have a chat. 

You've been listening to the Get Out of Teaching Podcast, please share it with your teacher buddies. And for show notes and other resources. Visit larksong.com.au/podcast

Transcribed by https://otter.ai