Ever wished you could just start over? Maybe go back to all your idealistic and seemingly impossible goals and, well, make them possible? That’s exactly what Janet Gericke did, realising dreams she didn’t even know she had and turning her second act into her best yet.
In truth, Janet is no stranger to reinvention. She might not quite be Madonna, but she’s had her fair share of career changes over the years, segueing from theatre to travel to marketing and communications – and, most recently, completing the circle by going back to theatre.
So, why did she leave the stage in the first place? Probably for the same reason as many other young actors and actresses: as thrilling and satisfying as your craft may be, there’s a lot to be said for financial stability.
Hence the turn to travel, an industry that presented a slew of opportunities. Janet’s passport bears stamps from the likes of Slovenia and Turkey, and on one memorable occasion she embarked on a whirlwind stateside trip for a trade show that took her from New York to Chicago, Toronto and Los Angeles before heading back to the Big Apple.
Exciting though the industry was, Janet had a yearning for more; specifically, she wanted to try her hand at self-employment. Joining forces with a friend, she resigned from her travel job, only to take on her erstwhile employer as her very first PR client.
From there, building an agency came easily. She already had the skills (Janet is an inveterate student, and had taken a course in PR. To this day, she signs up for as many masterclasses and workshops as possible); and it didn’t take long to establish a network – even though she found out she was pregnant shortly after launching her entrepreneurial career. “It’s not that I’m fearless, or that I’m not aware of challenges. But I didn’t let myself get daunted, because I was doing what I loved. When I’m working with someone, I don’t see myself as a vendor but as a team member. I don’t just drop in for a monthly status and carry on – my clients become my friends.”
This ethos led Janet to launch some prestigious campaigns, including the launch of imminent designer Nicola Hadfield’s books and a stint on The Wedding Expo’s team, before she joined her (now ex) husband’s media company, Pint Size Media.
Then, in 2023, the couple got divorced – and Janet underwent her most significant reinvention yet. First came her re-entry into the world of theatre when she joined the Franklin Players Community Theatre, first as a stage manager and then as interim Chair of the Committee. Although she has since stepped back from this role, she has proved her mettle in another area: last year, Fractured Vows, a play she wrote and directed won a clutch of accolades at the Franklin Players’ One Act Play Festival, including Most Emotional Performance and, even more significantly, Best Original Script. “It was a complete surprise. Until then, the only thing I had written was a press release!” Janet laughs, adding that the play – which looks at how much women change throughout their married lives – probably owed its appeal to the fact that it is “an Every woman’s story.”
The night that Fractured Vows was meaningful for another reason, too. “It was the single moment that I realised how much more I felt like myself again,” Janet says.
This is one of the reasons that she’s eager to keep up her work with the Franklin Players. “I’d never say ‘would have, could have, should have’, but I realise now just how precious the theatre is to me. It’s where I started, and although it will never be a full-time pursuit, I feel I am in the right place. Community theatre is a wonderful space to experiment; you’re surrounded by creativity.”
The hours not invested in theatre are given over to her work as a marketing consultant, a job she still enjoys despite the evolution brought about by the emergence of some channels and the demise of others and, more recently, the launch of her podcast series. ‘Janet Generally Speaking’ gives her the chance to delve into the minds of women she considers role models, while a second focus on NGOs has given her a platform to bring attention to worthy organisations.
This was inspired by her long-standing relationship with Barking Mad SA, a network of shelters aiming to help pet owners re-home their animals responsibly. In fact, such is the depth of partnership with Barking Mad SA that founder Tracy McQuarrie last year nominated Janet for a Woman of Stature Award, where she was named a finalist. The honour was especially important to Janet because it recognises women’s impact on their communities; in her case, her commitment to teaching, mentoring and guiding.
This is a skill she is currently putting to use as manager of the Diamonds Women’s Network NEXT Programme (Janet recently completed her IMBE through the programme).
The next stage in her reinvention? “I realise that, as different as all my undertakings may be, they all share a common thread: storytelling. So that’s what I’m concentrating on. I’m working on the outline for a new play and turning Fractured Vows into a book. And there are so many more things I want to do.”
Janet’s advice for enjoying your second act
• Find someone who can give you objective advice about your life. It can be a therapist (although this isn’t necessarily about mental health) or a life coach, so long as they can help you join the dots and uncover your passions.
• Gather your tribe, and love them. You don’t need to do everything on your own.
• Be gentle with yourself. Some things are beyond your control, and you need to accept that.
• Parenthood is a journey. Respect your children as you expect them to respect you, and listen to what they say without assuming you know it all.
• Shut up! Give other people a chance to talk, and listen when they do.
Article by Lisa Witepski.
