Learning to Adapt and Flow with Damon Bowen-Ashwin

Show Notes

Career change is sometimes planned, and sometimes life forces the issue. This conversation is about resilience, purpose and learning to adapt when the path changes.

Stephen Drew speaks with Damon Bowen-Ashwin about adapting and flowing through change, moving from design and construction recruitment into life coaching, health, purpose, resilience and making difficult life transitions with intent.

The conversation covers:

• How Damon moved from recruitment towards life coaching
• How health challenges can change priorities
• Why resilience and mindset matter during transition
• What professionals can learn from adapting under pressure
• How to think about purpose when a career path changes

Read the episode on Architecture Social: Damon Bowen-Ashwin on Adapting and Flowing

Watch the video on YouTube: Learning to Adapt and Flow

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Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to learning to adapt and flow
• 05:00 Damon Bowen-Ashwin's background in recruitment
• 10:00 A brain tumour diagnosis and life change
• 15:00 Moving towards life coaching and purpose
• 20:00 Radiotherapy, chemotherapy and resilience
• 25:00 Why mindset matters during difficult transitions
• 30:00 Changing careers and finding meaning
• 35:00 What architecture and design professionals can learn
• 40:00 How to respond when life changes unexpectedly
• 45:00 Practical reflections on adapting
• 50:00 Final thoughts on purpose and flow

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Architecture Social

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Creators and Guests

Host

Stephen Drew

Hello! I’m Stephen Drew, Founder of the Architecture Social—an online community and resource hub dedicated to helping professionals in Architecture, Design, Development, and Real Estate advance their careers. I’m here to connect you with insights, tools, and opportunities that lead to meaningful growth, whether you’re just starting out or ready to take that next big step.

What is Architecture Social?

It is hard to get a job in architecture. We exist to help you get there. Hosted by Stephen Drew, Architecture Social is the unfiltered guide to the UK Built Environment. We decode the realities of the industry, provide actionable cheat codes for your career, and bridge the communication gap between the drafting board and the boardroom.

Whether you are a Part I assistant trying to survive your first role, a Part III architect managing complex procurement, or a Practice Director fighting tight margins and adapting to the Building Safety Act, this podcast is your central node of intelligence. We strip away the aesthetic gatekeeping and toxic positivity to talk about the actual mechanics of the business.

Expect honest conversations about salary realities, portfolio strategies, hiring economics, and the true experiences of the people actively shaping the profession.

No fluff, just the reality of practice.