What to Do When Your Career Feels Stuck: Invest in Yourself, Stay Intentional, and Build the Right Network
Career stagnation is common among professionals who feel disengaged despite outward success. Andrea Carter, founder of Carter Growth and former EY partner, shares how intentional self-investment, strategic networking, and clear execution transform career inflection points into growth opportunities.
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Key takeaways
Work doesn’t feel the way it used to.
Between new tech, changing expectations, and the constant pressure to keep up, a lot of people—even those who look successful on paper—are quietly wondering what’s next.
In fact, recent workforce studies suggest a large share of employees feel disengaged or uncertain about their next move, despite…
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Work doesn’t feel the way it used to. Between new tech, changing expectations, and the constant pressure to keep up, a lot of people—even those who look successful on paper—are quietly wondering what’s next. In fact, recent workforce studies suggest a large share of employees feel disengaged or uncertain about their next move, despite appearing to have it all together. It’s not uncommon to feel stuck or unsure about your direction right now. And that tension matters: stay where you are too long, and you risk outgrowing your role; move too quickly, and you might step into something that doesn’t fit either.
So what should you actually do when you feel stuck? Is it about making a bold leap, or refining your direction with intention and strategy?
On this episode of Beyond the Ledger, hosted by Troy Ashby, the conversation dives deep into that very question. Joined by Andrea Carter, founder of Carter Growth, the episode explores how professionals can navigate career inflection points, align purpose with opportunity, and build momentum when progress feels stalled.
What You’ll Learn…
- The 25-Year Career Question That Changed Everything
- Building a Career at EY
- Why Andrea Didn’t Plan to Become a Partner
- Taking Risks and Changing Career Paths
- The Inflection Point After 25 Years
- Starting Carter Growth from Scratch
- The Reality of Building a Business
- Networking That Actually Works
- Common Organizational Challenges
- Why Strategy Fails Without Execution
- AI: From Ideas to Action
- Finding Purpose in Nonprofits
- Joining the Center for Nonprofit Management
- Advice for Career Transitions
Andrea Carter is a growth-focused executive and operator with more than 25 years of experience helping organizations turn vision into execution. She’s the founder of Carter Growth and has spent her career driving business transformation, operational efficiency, and scalable growth across private, nonprofit, and middle-market organizations.
Andrea previously served as a Partner at EY, where she led high-impact initiatives across industries and helped generate over $50 million in new consulting revenue. She’s also taken on leadership roles as a fractional COO and now serves as Chief Operating Officer at the Center for Nonprofit Management, continuing her work supporting mission-driven organizations and community impact.
Known for her ability to step into complex environments and create clarity, Andrea is passionate about building organizations that grow with purpose. Outside of work, she’s a proud mom of four, a dedicated St. Louis Cardinals fan, and makes time for a few trips to Napa each year.
Article written by MarketScale.
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About the author
Troy Ashby is President at Benchmark Search and host of Beyond the Ledger, where he talks with the leaders, innovators, and professionals shaping accounting and finance.
