What is the work that works for you?

About Richard Taliaferro Coaching

Career Coaching for Mid-Career Professionals

I’m Richard Taliaferro, a career coach who helps mid-career professionals—especially Gen Xers, journalists, and mission-driven storytellers—navigate career transitions with clarity, courage, and purpose.

If you’ve been wondering what’s next after burnout, layoffs, or simply outgrowing your current role, you’re in the right place. You don’t need to start over—you need a next chapter that truly fits who you are now.

Why I Became a Career Transition Coach

For 26 years, I thrived in the newsrooms of The Wall Street Journal. Journalism wasn’t just my job; it was my identity. But when layoffs hit, I realized that what once felt permanent was already shifting.

I had a backup plan: coaching. What started as a quiet side path became my way forward. And I discovered something powerful: career reinvention isn’t about abandoning your past. It’s about carrying your skills, experience, and purpose into a new story.

That’s what I help my clients do.

My Coaching Approach: Clarity, Courage, and Small Wins

Through structured coaching programs like Next Chapter Lab and the SPARK Method™, I guide clients through a steady process of reinvention. Together, we:

  • Step Back to see what’s working—and what’s not.

  • Let Go of outdated roles, assumptions, and “shoulds.”

  • Reclaim Your Career Narrative so you can tell your story with confidence.

  • Take Empowered Action with small, intentional steps that build momentum without burning you out.

  • Reconnect to Meaningful Work that aligns with your energy, values, and life today.

I don’t write résumés, and I don’t promise quick fixes. What I offer is a clear path forward—anchored by small wins, steady progress, and the belief that you’re not broken. You’re evolving.

You’re Not Starting Over—You’re Starting From Experience

My clients often arrive feeling uncertain, even stuck. But here’s what I want you to know: everything you’ve done so far still counts. Your skills, resilience, and experience are the foundation of your next chapter. My role is to help you see that clearly, put it into words, and take action that fits.

Ready to Explore Your Next Chapter?

If you’re in a season of career transition—or you simply know it’s time for something different—you don’t have to navigate it alone.

👉 Book a call with me and let’s start building the next chapter of your career—one small win at a time.

A man with glasses sitting on a wooden park bench in an outdoor setting, wearing a white shirt and khaki pants, with a background of a stone wall and greenery.