Great story and very inspirational. I myself was laid off from my job as a real estate development manager last year. One of my co-workers and I started our own consulting and advisory firm, but its been really tough getting the business off the ground. One of my escapes and ways to satisfy my creative side has been through photography. I've received quite a few compliments on my work from friends and family members. I'm considering the possibility of putting some of my work on display for a show (at a local cafe', community center, places like that) to test the waters on how it is received by the public. I'd love to hear more about how you launched your "career" in the arts and what advice you might have to offer based upon your experiences. I plan to take some classes at a local photography school to hone my skills and learn more of the technical aspects of the field. Thanks for sharing.

I am currently reading Never Eat Alone and I love not just the ideas, but also your honest and open sharing of your own life experiences, Keith. For me, that's what is keeping me reading every page. You even found time to comment on your blog followers' comments - that impresses me greatly.

I changed career about 9 years ago now. I identified that there were only about 5 companies that could potentially employ me to do what I wanted to do, I contacted all of them and eventually got a job (despite no experience or relevant qualifications) because I turned up at the office without an appointment, and left a personal note expressing how interested I was, for the lady who became my boss. She called me back and invited me for an interview. I haven't looked back since. The job only lasted about 6 months but gave me the confidence to start my own business as a career coach.