How to know when to leave the party (aka job) with Natalie Archibald
Ep. 80 on the All Figured Out Podcast
Have you ever stayed in a job because you love the people, the culture, or the mission—even though deep down, you knew it was time to move on? Natalie Archibald knows exactly how that feels.
In my latest episode of All Figured Out, I sat down with Natalie Archibald, a seasoned HR and People & Culture executive, to talk about navigating the messy and often emotional process of leaving a job you love. Natalie’s career path has been anything but linear—she’s worked across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, held leadership roles in high-growth tech companies, and even worked as a clinical counsellor. But despite her professional success, figuring out how to balance career growth with parenthood and personal fulfillment wasn’t easy.
Natalie opens up about the pressure to define purpose through work, and the unrealistic expectations we place on our partners to fulfill every emotional need. She also shares how she knew it was time to leave a company she loved—and why stepping away without a plan was the best career move she could have made.
It’s okay to leave a job you love.
On paper, Natalie’s role at a Canadian tech company was a dream job. She was leading hyper-growth at a company that had scaled from 400 to over 1,000 employees, navigating a pandemic, multiple acquisitions, and major rounds of investor funding. She loved the people, the work, and the mission.
But as the company grew, she started to feel a shift.
Natalie realized that the next phase of growth required a different type of leadership—and that wasn’t the kind of work she felt aligned with. She made the difficult but intentional decision to step away while things were still good, knowing that it was better to leave before resentment crept in.
Don’t expect your partner to be everything.
Natalie talks about the pressure we place on our partners to fulfill every emotional need—and why that’s unrealistic.
“We expect our partners to be our emotional sounding board, our therapist, our coach—but they can’t be everything. That’s why it’s so important to have a personal board of directors—a mix of friends, mentors, and peers who provide support in different areas of your life.”
Natalie shares how having strong female friendships became essential for her mental health, especially after becoming a parent. Seeking support from others allowed her to remove the pressure from her relationship and strengthen her marriage in the process.
Purpose doesn’t have to come from work.
There’s a lot of pressure to “find your why” and align your career with your life’s purpose. Natalie pushes back against that narrative, encouraging people to find fulfillment beyond work.
“I think there’s a lot of toxic wellness messaging out there about needing to find deep meaning in your work. That’s not always realistic—and it’s okay if work is just a job.”
Natalie encourages people to seek fulfillment from other areas of life—whether that’s creative projects, activism, or community building—rather than expecting work to meet all of those needs.
Leaving without a plan is scary—but sometimes necessary.
After leaving her job, Natalie took six months off—a move that felt risky but ultimately led her to the right next step.
“I felt like my whole identity was wrapped up in work. Taking time off was terrifying—but it gave me the space to figure out what I really wanted.”
Natalie used the time to focus on her health, spend time with her family, and reflect on what she wanted in her next role. That clarity ultimately led her to her new role at Boulevard—a company that aligned with her values and her leadership style.
Final Thoughts
Natalie’s story is a powerful reminder that leaving a job isn’t failure—it’s an act of courage. Sometimes the best thing you can do for your career (and your mental health) is to step away and give yourself the space to figure out what’s next.
“I didn’t leave because I couldn’t handle the work. I left because I trusted myself to know when it was time to move on.”
If you’re feeling stuck or questioning whether it’s time for a change, this conversation will help you clarify your next steps—and remind you that it’s okay to leave before you reach the point of burnout.
About Natalie
Natalie Archibald is a People & Culture (HR) executive in the tech industry with a 20-year career spanning the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Her experience includes working as a clinical counsellor, executive coach, retail and tech executive, and nonprofit leader. Natalie is fueled by her passion for social purpose-oriented work, activism, values-led leadership, and catalyzing people potential.
She has harnessed these superpowers to cultivate transformative and inclusive workplace cultures where both people and businesses thrive. Natalie holds a Master’s degree in counselling psychology and is near completion of a Doctorate degree in leadership studies. She is a public speaker, community activist, and angel investor, supporting female/non-binary-led social impact ventures.
Outside of her work, Natalie lives in North Vancouver with her husband and two children and enjoys hiking, running, and cooking for family and friends—preferably while listening to 90’s hip hop.
👉 Connect with Natalie on LinkedIn here
👉 Learn more about Boulevard (and apply for a job?!) here
About Andrea Barr, host of All Figured Out
Andrea is a certified career and life coach for parents. Through her coaching, she supports parents in finding better work-life rhythms so they can continue to grow personally and professionally without sacrificing family time.
Connect with Andrea via Instagram here.
