Goodbye Day Job by Barbara Henderson sampler

Barbara Henderson is an Inverness-based writer and drama
teacher. As an established children’s author, her energetic school
visits take her across the length and breadth of Scotland, and
sometimes beyond. Scottish by Inclination was Barbara’s first
foray into adult non-fiction, followed by Our Forth Bridge: Made
from Girders, a collaboration with photographer Alan McCredie.
Now that her three children have flown the nest, she shares her
home with her long-suffering husband and a scruffy Schnauzer
called Merry.

By the same author:
Fir for Luck, Cranachan Publishing, 2016
Punch, Cranachan Publishing, 2017
Wilderness Wars, Cranachan Publishing, 2018
Black Water, Cranachan Publishing, 2019
The Siege of Caerlaverock, Cranachan Publishing, 2020
The Chessmen Thief, Cranachan Publishing, 2021
Scottish by Inclination, Luath Press, 2021
The Reluctant Rebel, Luath Press, 2022
Rivet Boy, Cranachan Publishing, 2023
Our Forth Bridge: Made from Girders, Luath Press, 2023
The Boy, the Witch and the Queen of Scots, Luath Press, 2024
To War with Wallace, Luath Press 2025

Goodbye Day Job
Inspiring true narratives of career
change and personal growth
BARBARA HENDERSON

First published 2026
isbn: 978-1-804252-79-6
The author’s right to be identified as author of this book
under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
has been asserted.
The paper used in this book is recyclable. It is made from
low-chlorine pulps produced in a low-energy, low-emission
manner from renewable forests.
Printed and bound by Robertson Printers, Forfar
Typeset in 10.5 point Sabon by Lapiz
© Barbara Henderson 2026

CONTENTS
introduction
Are You Ready To Say: ‘Goodbye Day Job’? 7
Section 1: Goodbye Day Job, Hello World! 11
The Travellers
Iain and Brioni Cameron: Technology Entrepreneur/
Teacher Ocean Adventurers and YouTubers
Catherine Tuwi: Medic Missionary
Section 2: Goodbye Day Job, Hello Limelight 21
The Thespians
Dave Slack: Desktop Publisher Actor and
Festival Organiser
Rene Baker: Finance PA Puppeteer
David Stewart: Biologist Animal Trainer for
Film and tv
Section 3: Goodbye Day Job, Hello Activism 37
The Do-Gooders
Corrina and JP Campbell: Lawyer/Teacher
Charity Founders
Sue Quinney: Chronic Patient Founder of Little
Boxes of Love
Marian Brown: Prosecution Lawyer Circular
Economy Campaigner
Section 4: Goodbye Day Job, Hello Tastebuds 53
The Foodies
Phil and Christine Jensen: Architect and Occupational
Therapist Extreme Cake Makers
5

Goodbye Day Job
Debbie Ross: Bid Support Team Leader Market Baker
Deanna Laforet: Charity Worker Wildcat
Café Co-owner
Section 5: Goodbye Day Job, Hello Nature 71
The Outdoor Lovers
Paul Boardman: IT Worker Qualified Mountain
Leader
Sioned Bannister: Journalist Campsite Owner
Karis Beattie: Travel Agent Crofter
Section 6: Goodbye Day Job, Hello Kids 89
The Educators
Justin Davies: Cabin Crew Pupil Support
Assistant and Children’s Author
Andrew Sharp: Publisher Primary School Teacher
Section 7: Goodbye Day Job, Hello Imagination 99
The Creatives
Kirsten Flores: Lawyer Crafter and Entrepreneur
Alan Windram: Theatre Nurse Writer and Publisher
Moira McPartlin: Global Role with Major Oil
Company Novelist
Section 8: Goodbye Day Job, Again And Again 117
The Serial Reinventors
Guy Grieve: Newspaper Employee Ethical
Scallop Diver, Adventurer, Entrepreneur
Kevyn Smith: Teacher Entrepreneur
Section 9: The Five-Year Follow-Up 129
afterword: What Now? 153
Additional Information 155
6

Introduction
Are You Ready To Say:
‘Goodbye Day Job’?
Why did you pick up this book?
Seriously, why?
I am willing to bet: You wonder if you could say it. ‘Goodbye
day job! I’m out of here.’
A recent study from Nottingham Trent University reveals
that nearly half of uk workers are scared of making a professional
change, with fears centring on finances and insecurities
about having the right skills. Men, traditionally seen as the
providers, are the worst off: a depressing seven out of ten feel
trapped in their current jobs, counting the years until they are
old enough to retire. Nearly half of millennials want out of
their current job too, with stress, feeling undervalued and lack
of fulfilment cited as the most common reasons. 1
The search for fulfilment in our working lives is even more
evident in the younger generation, especially among females.
A simple pay packet is no longer enough – we want our work
to matter. According to recent research from Centrica, eight in
ten teenage girls say it is important that their career makes a
‘positive contribution’ to society. 2
1
www .ntu.ac.uk/about-us/news/news-articles/2025/08/im-too-oldfor-that!-brits-stuck-in-jobs-they-hate-because-they-think-theyvemissed-the-boat
2
www .centrica.com/media-centre/news/2022/international-womenin-engineering-day-girls-aim-to-break-glass-ceiling/
7

Goodbye Day Job
As if that wasn’t enough, the job landscape is rapidly changing.
A report from the National Foundation for Educational
Research suggests that up to three million uk jobs in declining
occupations could disappear by 2035, largely due to ai and
automation. 1
The figures are both unsettling and compelling.
My guess is that you too have experienced lack of satisfaction,
lack of appreciation, lack of investment in you and your
progress, lack of freedom to use your talents and skills. Do you
feel trapped?
Do you dream of stepping away from it all? Is there something
you are truly passionate about and would love to pursue
daily? I suspect the answer is yes for almost everyone. I’m also
prepared to put money on this: far fewer of you have told anyone
of these thoughts, because dreams are quick to draw judgement.
Oh, grow up, some may say. Yes, yes, the grass is always
greener… others warn dismissively. All the familiar tropes:
Stick with what you know. Be sensible. Don’t rock the boat.
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. And meanwhile,
back in the real world…
However, in this increasingly connected world, it is easier now
to find the stories of those who dared. Some choose the drastic
way and leave everything behind, jumping across the abyss in the
hope of landing safely on the other side. But there are also those
who take step by stumbling step across a rickety rope bridge, holding
on for safety. They, too, are inspiringly brave to me.
I knew I didn’t want to write a glib guidebook to a better
life – where would be the challenge in that? There are plenty of
3
www .nfer.ac.uk/press-releases/up-to-three-million-uk-jobs-at-riskover-the-next-decade-says-report/
8

are you ready to say: ‘goodbye day job’?
those already. Instead, I wanted to write a book of people’s stories
– true and inspiring stories, yes, but true and real stories too.
I was lucky that everyone featured between these pages chose
to trust me with their experience. They deserve my respect. I
must not sugar-coat their challenges. I wanted it to be a book
of telling the truth.
Back to my question: why did you pick up this book?
Goodbye day job is one thing, but hello what? Do you long
to make the world better? Inspire the next generation? Spend
more time outside? See more of the planet, follow your passion,
be more creative?
Perhaps you already know what you want, and perhaps
you don’t. I don’t think this matters.
Listen, because everyone’s voice has something to teach
you. Read with an open mind. Be nosy. Go on!
• What do you love or feel passionate about?
• What are you looking for in a new working life?
• Where and when do you feel at your best and your most
productive?
• What may be holding you back?
• Who could be a trusted and honest advisor you can ask
to explore these questions with you?
9

section 1
Goodbye Day Job, Hello World!
When I began working on this book, I knew that I wanted to
feature adventurers. Those who had embraced their wanderlust,
despite the sensible advice of friends and family, walking
away from their earning potential in our conventional Western
world. The call of distant shores is strong.
What made a young professional couple sell everything they
had to buy a sailing boat on the other side of the world?
What motivated a newly qualified doctor in the United
Kingdom to abandon thoughts of a hospital career and financial
security for life, to move to Chad, financed only by donations?
There are as many reasons as there are paths, and people
to walk in them. Sometimes adventure is the goal, and sometimes
adventure is the gain, but one thing is certain: the world
is vast and our journeys few.
Meet the Travellers!
11

Goodbye Day Job
Iain and Brioni Cameron
Technology Entrepreneur/Teacher ➔
Ocean Adventurers and YouTubers
the travellers
Brioni and Iain Cameron’s cheerful faces appear on my Zoom
screen. ‘We’ve just experienced the mother of all lightning storms,
with flashes cracking right above us,’ Iain says. ‘Yes,’ his wife
Brioni adds. ‘When you have a boat with a mast, you kind of get
nervous.’
The jovial young couple must be among the most engaging
people I have met. They easily anticipate each other’s thoughts
and finish each other’s sentences, respectfully nodding and
laughing appreciatively as they bat stories and anecdotes of
their travels backwards and forwards. Their current location is
a stone’s throw from Venezuela, on the north-western fringes
of Trinidad. Fifty dolphins followed them in towards shore as
they headed for land.
The couple have been on the move for over a year by the
time we speak. Four years ago, Iain was travelling a lot with
his technology company, but he also spent extended periods
working from home. ‘I had a brainwave. I thought, if I am
going to work from home, I may as well base myself somewhere
pretty. Like on a sailing boat,’ he grins. When he tested
his thoughts on his wife, she did not mince her words.
‘I said, Stupid idea. I hate boats,’ Brioni interjects. ‘But
he kept bringing it up. When after six months this idea was
not going away, I gave in and allowed it some head space. It
12

goodbye day job, hello world!
sounded like a dream – but we needed to do some sums and
get a realistic picture of what it might actually mean.’ They
resolved to get some sailing experience. But Brioni was still
uncertain and began to research their options. ‘I had heard
that catamarans are more stable than monohulls, so perhaps
that was the way forward. And, oh my goodness, my conversion
was instant. We hired a two-hulled catamaran and took
it over for half a day. And I thought: Yes. Perhaps I don’t hate
ALL boats.’
But being inexperienced sailors wasn’t Brioni’s only concern.
‘There were a good few barriers in the way, I suppose.
I was working as a primary teacher and I wondered how it
would be, living without a job, with no internet or electricity.’
The couple chartered a catamaran in the Adriatic for a fortnight
and ‘tried their hardest not to meet anyone’ – they wanted to
cope on their own and form an impression of the experience
without outside influence. A month later, after careful consideration,
they had made their decision and resolved to sell everything
they owned. ‘Working out our notices, selling the house
and everything else took over a year,’ Iain remembers. But the
plan was so drastic that we actually didn’t tell anyone for ages
what we were doing.’
‘The timing could have been better though,’ Brioni giggles.
‘We had literally just sold our sofa and the tv in our house
four days before the first pandemic lockdown came, out of
nowhere. We had a bundle of cash, but no way to get out of the
country. We basically spent the next four months sitting on a
cushion on the floor with an iPad! Then there was a brief window
when house viewings were allowed, and we packed in as
many as we could and sold our house. Our plan was to buy
the travellers
13

Goodbye Day Job
the travellers
a specific boat – we’d had so much time to do our research –
so we travelled to St Vincent in the Caribbean where there
was one for sale. That sale fell through, basically leaving us
homeless in the Caribbean. We were living in a shipping container
when we tried for another boat, having hitchhiked from
one end of the Caribbean to another, three days before Christmas.
That was perhaps my lowest. I asked myself, Is this even
going to work?’
When they secured their own catamaran, it was bare,
without plug-in devices, an oven, fridge, freezer or lights. But
the couple had bought tools and began to build the boat up.
‘We were barely above camping,’ Iain says. ‘It was rough.’
Then, just three or four days in, the couple felt at home. ‘We’d
had three whole years of visualising, which helped. We had
the exact boat and model we had been after from the start –
we’d basically looked across the whole planet to find her.
We have called her Indioko which means to be in pursuit of
something.’
Perhaps predictably, reactions to their adventure differed
widely. ‘Most of our friends said, That’s crazy. Then they took
a breath and added, But it’s you two, so it doesn’t surprise us
at all. Both our dads are hobby sailors. Both of them thought
it was a terrible financial decision, while both our mums worried
about the safety aspect and piracy and so on. In the end,
almost everyone said, We’re sad to see you go, but we get it.’
So why, in essence, did they leave? Iain ran a company in
audio, video and automation technology while Brioni loved
her teaching job. Was it just a hunger for adventure?
‘It’s a bit more complex,’ says Iain. ‘So, most people come
out of school, and then it’s work, buy stuff, repeat. We thought,
14

goodbye day job, hello world!
you can have time, or money. You can spend either one. We
wanted to spend time as we see fit – yes, having an adventure,
but also giving a little wherever we go. We have tools, we
have some knowledge, we can give our time and make ourselves
useful. And finally, there are so many inspiring people
everywhere. We can share their stories and shine a spotlight on
what they are doing with our YouTube channel (youtube.com/
redseas) and social media (@RealRedSeas). So many amazing
things happen around the globe, and all it takes is an idea. Our
hope is that people will watch and think I can do that too, here
where I am.’
There have been many hairy moments for the relatively
inexperienced seafarers. Iain explains: ‘Our first overnight sail
was brutal. We found ourselves in the middle of a huge storm
and were forced to pull the sails down and motor into the
wind, making miniscule progress, taking turns to helm in the
pitch black. When you’re out there, you can’t just stop – you
have to rely on each other.’
‘And I’ll never forget the cracking sound when we ran
aground,’ Brioni adds. There is truth in the saying, there are
only two kinds of sailors: those who run aground and those
who lie about it. The creaking and the juddering…’ She shudders.
‘And making our way out to open sea through a narrow
channel in the pitch black – that was so nerve wracking!’
But there have been many moments which make it all
worthwhile.
‘Once I heard a huge splash and thought Brioni had gone
overboard but was relieved and delighted to discover dolphins
playing on our bows,’ Iain recalls. Brioni continues: ‘And the
first time we were able to put on our scuba gear and jump right
the travellers
15

Goodbye Day Job
off the back of our own boat into Jacques Cousteau’s National
Park was pretty special too.’
It is evident that the sailing life suits both of them. ‘Yeah,
zero regret,’ Iain says while Brioni nods emphatically. ‘Every
single day, we have learned something. Brioni is currently learning
to fibreglass and actually build boats – how cool is that?’
Brioni agrees: ‘Yes, I loved my life, my job and my friends. The
highs are higher, and the lows are lower, as the cliché goes, but
to me, it’s all about the people that we meet along the way.
We’ve received so much more from them than we could possibly
give back.’
the travellers
Find out how it all worked out for Iain and Brioni in Section 9.
Where are they five years later?
1. Do you recognise Iain’s description work, buy stuff,
repeat in your own life?
2. Is there an adventure you have always dreamed of?
3. Is there a person who may share that adventure?
4. What place(s) do you hope to experience?
5. Have you met inspiring people whose stories you
could share?
6. What could you learn from Iain and Brioni’s story?
16

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