Andrea Hogan shares the deeply personal story behind leaving a high-powered marketing career, returning home to care for her mother, and making the spontaneous decision to walk the Camino de Santiago. What unfolds is a conversation about Grief, identity, ambition, and the courage to choose a different path when life demands it. Michelle and Andrea explore what happens when achievement no longer feels like enough, how joy can be rediscovered in simple moments, and why stepping away is sometimes the most powerful move a person can make. It is a moving reflection on reinvention, purpose, and the seismic shift that happens when you finally listen to yourself.

This episode is a reminder that stepping back is not the same as falling behind. Sometimes the boldest move is to leave the noise, listen to your own voice, and trust that a different path may lead you closer to yourself.

CHAPTERS:
00:00 Welcome and introducing Andrea Hogan
00:42 How Michelle and Andrea first met at Qualcomm
01:36 Andrea’s journey from tech executive to author
03:31 Caring for her mother and returning to Ireland
04:25 Finding her mother’s Camino journal
05:00 Why she decided to walk the Camino right away
07:01 What 33 days of walking began to change
08:13 The shift from achievement to identity
11:05 What changed personally on the trail
12:11 A powerful moment in Portomarin
15:47 Rediscovering joy as a factory setting
16:56 What action came from that transformation
18:54 Writing the book and starting a new chapter
20:14 Grief, permission, and stepping back from work
22:40 Building a consulting business with purpose
23:09 Comparing corporate life to life now
24:42 Energy, routines, and owning your calendar
27:28 Why her mother walked the Camino
30:15 Michelle’s reflection on Andrea’s seismic shift
31:26 Where to find The Closest Thing to Magic

Special thanks to our friend Brian Wayy for the theme music this season!
Track Title: My Heart’s On Fire

Follow Michelle for more inspiring content:

Watch the podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheSeismicShiftwithMichelle 
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michelle-johnston-0264b5b
Instagram: instagram.com/michellekjohnston 
Website: https://michellekjohnston.com/ 

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Michelle Johnston Clifton Morvant Professor of Business

Dr. Michelle K. Johnston is a management professor, executive coach, and leadership expert who is the Clifton A. Morvant Distinguished Professor in Business at Loyola University New Orleans.

Her first book, The Seismic Shift in Leadership, The Seismic Shift in Leadership: How to Thrive in a New Era of Connection, is now an Amazon bestseller.

She was recently named A Woman of the Year by CityBusiness and one of the most influential New Orleanians.

Michelle is a celebrated keynote speaker presenting at conferences and events nationwide. She received her Ph.D. in Communication from Louisiana State University and was named to the prestigious 100 Coaches Group, which consists of the top executive coaches worldwide.
For speaking engagements, media, and more, visit michellekjohnston.com.