Why Your Messy 20s Are Actually Perfect for Finding Your Dream Career.

You’re not lost - you’re learning.

In this episode, Alex Blumberg (co-founder of Gimlet Media, host of How to Save a Planet, and now climate entrepreneur at Daisy Chain Energy) shares how his “aimless” twenties paved the way to a purpose-driven career. From answering phones at This American Life to building and selling a multimillion-dollar podcast company, Alex proves that curiosity, not certainty, is the real key to meaningful work.

If your 20s feel chaotic, this episode is for you. Alex Blumberg opens up about how heartbreak and confusion became unlikely launchpads for a career in storytelling and climate solutions. He shares why early-career uncertainty is not only normal - but necessary. You’ll hear how Alex followed his natural curiosity, embraced experimentation, and eventually turned hard-won experience into action for the planet. His journey is a powerful reminder that clarity comes after the mess, not before it.

00:00 – Why your 20s don’t have to be figured out
04:52 – From heartbreak to breakthrough: Alex’s early years
09:15 – Interning at This American Life and falling in love with storytelling
14:20 – Finding energy in what others find boring
18:30 – Building and selling Gimlet Media
22:05 – Making a bold pivot into climate work
26:40 – What Daisy Chain Energy actually does
31:10 – The split incentive problem and climate systems
35:45 – Aligning incentives to decarbonize buildings
39:00 – Why messy careers make you better
42:20 – The real work of building better systems

🔗 Resources & Links:
This American Life https://www.thisamericanlife.org/
Daisy Chain Energy https://www.daisychain.energy/
How to Save a Planet Podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/1KzrasE...
Get the Work That’s Worth It book: https://georgienthoven.com/book/
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Facebook:   / georgienthoven.workthatsworthit  
LinkedIn:   / georgienthoven  

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Available on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Deezer, Pocket Casts & more.

#careerchange #purposeatwork #climateentrepreneurship #meaningfulwork #impactcareers #gimletmedia #daisychainenergy #howtosaveaplanet #findingyourpath #careerinspiration