Interview #1: Zoë

Posted on November 24, 2007
Filed Under Interviews |

This is the first in a series of interviews with people who have successfully ‘dropped out’ of the rat race. I’m always inspired by other people’s stories and keen to learn how they achieved their dream. I hope you find these stories as interesting and motivational as I did!Zoe and MollyName: Zoë
Age: 30

Zoe gave up her job and moved back to her native Cornwall, where she waitressed and temped for about a year until she lined up the job she wanted.

She now lives on a farm near Penzance with her partner and baby Molly and is also training to be an osteopath.

Where do you live now and what do you do?

On my family’s farm overlooking Mounts Bay near Penzance. I am general manager of the Minack Theatre, work as a freelance general manager for a youth theatre group, teach a bit of music at a local school and also have 6 month old baby Molly to look after. Oh, and I’m also training to be an osteopath!

Where did you live before and what did you do?

Most recently was Chief Executive of the Haymarket Theatre in Basingstoke and lived in the countryside outside Basingstoke.

What made you decide to drop out of the rat race?

I had enough of the politics of running a subsidised theatre and I was desperate to return to Cornwall, which is where I grew up!

How did you get started?

I handed in my notice, then told my partner who thankfully handed his notice in too and came with me! Once we moved he lined up self employed work before I did. I used my old music contacts to line up the teaching job, then temped and waitressed until my first theatre job came along. We were lucky in that we had somewhere to live that was not hugely expensive!

How is your life different now?

Very, very, very different! I don’t think we would have had baby Molly if I’d still been full time running theatres. Because a lot of my work can be done from home, or is in places which are really happy to have a baby in the office, I have been able to work pretty much the whole time since Molly was born which has been a big help financially. Just being able to live and work in such a beautiful place makes life so much more enjoyable. In fact we enthuse about it so much, my partner’s sister and parents are about to move down too!

What have been the highs and lows so far?

Highs – Molly, being head hunted for the Minack job, being able to go to the beach and walk along the cliffs.

Lows – it was tough financially at first and as my partner’s freelance work involves quite a bit of touring, we are apart more than we were before.

Would you have done anything differently?

No because I think if we’d have waited to get decent jobs here first we would still not have made the move.

Do you have a philosophy or a mode you like to live by?

I’m an eternal optimist and also am not interested in earning mega bucks. I am also pretty eco friendly.

What advice would you give to someone wanting to do the same thing?

Just do it. I think it’s a bit like I felt about having a baby – there is never really going to be a right time, so just go for it if that’s what you want to do. Also, if it doesn’t work then you can always go back, and at the end of the day it’s only 6 hours to central London which can actually be quite pleasant on the train!!

Stumble it!

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