Starting Over, On Purpose
Katherine Ghantous’s Mid-Career Reset
Want to follow Katherine’s next chapter?
Find her on LinkedIn
What were you doing when you realized you needed a change
I was working at Mable, a start-up in the food distribution space, where I’d held various roles for nearly six years. Most recently, I was leading our customer success efforts for new partnerships.
How did burnout/mental health affect your experience, and how did you start to heal?
The burnout came from balancing motherhood with a company I wasn’t sure was the right fit for me anymore. My youngest was in daycare and constantly sick; it felt like something new every week. I got to the point where I was embarrassed to tell my team yet again that something had come up. At night, I’d lie awake worrying about how I would make it all work and how to be a good mother and employee. The logistics of daily life left almost no space for me, and the lack of time for self-care started to scare me. That’s when I knew something had to change.
What habits or boundaries are you bringing with you into this next chapter?
One thing I’ve committed to is parenting out loud. I’ve always been transparent with my team when my day goes sideways because of something kid-related, and I plan to continue that. It’s important to me that working parents don’t feel like they have to hide this part of their lives to be seen as professional or committed. My day ends at 5 PM. I might check my email later in the evening, but I won’t accept meetings after 5, for the most part. That boundary protects my time with my family, and, honestly, my sanity. It’s not always easy, but I’ve learned the hard way that it’s necessary.
What did the change feel like at first (relief, fear, something else)?
There was a lot of fear and sadness leading up to the decision. I questioned whether I was making the right move, letting people down, or ever finding a job again. But the moment I shut my laptop for the last time, I felt something I hadn’t expected: relief. Insane, overwhelming relief. Like I could finally exhale, that moment told me I was making the right choice.
When did you start imagining a different version of your career?
My dad always told me, “Find something you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.” That’s how he led his professional life, spending his days immersed in medical research, which truly lit him up. I think about that often. I see glimmers of what that might be for me, but I know it’s something I’ll have to build, not find neatly packaged and waiting. This pause has allowed me to start imagining what that could look like. And while I don’t have all the answers yet, I’m okay with that. I’m choosing to trust the process and follow the magic.
Did you know what you wanted next, or were you starting from scratch?
I have no idea where I am going to end up. My list of ideas is long and growing by the day.
What part of your identity did you have to leave behind to move forward?
I’ve always seen myself as an ambitious, financially independent woman. That hasn’t changed; my ambition is still very much alive. But what’s been hardest in this chapter is grappling with the shift in my financial independence. I intentionally saved for this time away, knowing I needed space to reset. But not having income coming in has been a real mental adjustment. I’ve found myself struggling with the dependence on my husband, even though this was a shared decision and something we planned for. Letting go of that financial control—something I’ve always tied closely to my identity has been more challenging than I expected.
What new skills, roles, or industries did you explore during your transition?
I'm learning French because I have a long-term goal of living abroad. Lately, I've also been exploring AI, thanks to my software engineer husband.. He was initially resistant to AI, but now he uses it every day and describes it as an extension of his brain. He says it makes him feel much smarter, and that perspective sparked my curiosity to understand it better.
What does success look like now, compared to before?
My time is still limited, so I prioritize waking up early, before the rest of the house. I use that quiet window to run (I’m training for a 10K), drink coffee, and read. It sets the tone for the whole day if I can get one or two hours to myself in the morning. It’s my way of anchoring myself before the chaos begins, of claiming time that’s just for me, without guilt or distraction.
And because I am now with my children during the day, success looks like ensuring we spend the most time outside and off screens that we can!
What do you wish more people understood about starting over?
It’s supposed to be scary; it's a shock to the system. Embrace the scary and trust that it's part of the process.
If someone else is standing at the edge and unsure of what’s next, what would you tell them?
The feeling of wanting a change does not go away. You might be able to stifle it, but it's always there. Jumping into that change is so freeing.
Want to follow Katherine’s next chapter? Find her on LinkedIn
