Benvon Crumpler left her corporate role in 2019 and struggled her way through COVID and menopause before joining a business she had long admired…
Name
Benvon Crumpler
Old Position
I had held senior roles in media and entertainment
New Career
Chief operating officer for a micro-business called 2to3days
What is your current role?
I am chief operating officer for a micro-business called 2to3days. It’s a female-focused recruitment marketplace supporting women who want to work flexibly.
As we are a tiny team. I do everything from co-developing the strategy through to updating the website, from writing sales pitch decks to organising and running events. It’s totally different to what I have done before.
What were you doing previously?
I worked in the corporate world, where I had held senior roles in media and entertainment.
I was 50 and bang in the middle of the menopause, although I didn’t know it at the time. It’s only with hindsight that it explains a lot of things. I didn’t know why I was so anxious and living on my nerves.
Why were you looking for change?
In 2019, I was 50 and bang in the middle of the menopause, although I didn’t know it at the time. It’s only with hindsight that it explains a lot of things. I didn’t know why I was so anxious and living on my nerves. I wasn’t being my best self at work. So, when I was faced with a challenge I was buckling. If I had been able to acknowledge this as being menopause-related then I could have got support and the organisation could have offered support. I think there could have been a different outcome, but instead I spiralled into a negative downturn. I wish I’d known what I know now. I wanted to be part of something with a purpose that chimed with my values. I also wanted something that was going to turn me on my head and push me.
What challenges did you face?
I had never worked in the recruitment industry and I haven’t got an HR background. I’d never worked in a business this small. When I joined I had a lot of the right skills and experience, but in practice I had never done a lot of the tasks and I’ve had to teach myself a lot – from using new software to how the industry worked. It’s really different, but that’s what I wanted.
I enjoyed the whole learning experience, met other like-minded professional mid-lifers but most of it all it reminded me that I have a ton of transferable skills.
How did you manage your transition?
I had to dig deep. I only realised afterwards how much of my identity had been wrapped up in that corporate life. But I became quite feisty about making a change, and part of that was an interest in working for a much smaller company.
I used my network, even though I felt I had really neglected it at time through having a full-time job which involved travel, a growing family, and being sole carer to an elderly parent. However, almost without exception I heard back from everyone, and they all wanted to help. I became very structured about approaching people every week and being clear about how they could help me.
Leaning on that network was what ended up getting me into my first non-corporate, self-employed role in a fantastic brand consultancy, within a couple of months. I loved it, I was working with interesting people, was well-respected and learning loads. Until March 2020, that is. The opportunity collapsed overnight due to Covid because what we were doing involved touring and third-party venues.
What help and support did you get with your new career direction?
I wanted to keep developing myself and connecting with the wider world, so I joined a cohort of 100 midlife women on the (free) online Visible Start programme. It’s an 8-week initiative designed to build confidence and provide fundamental knowledge and skills to start a career in digital media.
It was sponsored by WPP and run by Univisibility. I enjoyed the camaraderie and shared sense of community and the connection back to the creative industry. I then joined the Brave Starts programme. A hybrid programme of online content and workshops with a small peer group, designed to provide career guidance for the over 45s, led by careers professionals.
What have you found rewarding about your journey to your new career?
I enjoyed the whole learning experience, met other like-minded professional mid-lifers but most of it all it reminded me that I have a ton of transferable skills.
I’d had enough of the demoralising job search. I wanted to be part of something.
I had followed the 2to3days business for many years, keeping my eye on flexible roles in interesting companies.
I felt an affinity with it, so when I saw that the founder was advertising for the chief operating officer role, I applied. It proved to me that good things can come, if you persevere.
