The Unemployment Diaries

Healthcare executive turned writer on “becoming you” after a stroke

Florence Acosta spent years building herself around her credentials of nurse anesthetist and executive director of a surgical center. On the weekends? She was doing work she loved but never fully committed to: facilitating women's circles. Then she had a stroke. And overnight, the career, the title, the independence — all of it — was gone. What followed was two years of sweats, silence, and grief she didn't know how to name. That is until her son moved 1,231 miles away and something in her finally shifted. In this episode, we talk about: * What it actually looks like to rebuild in small, almost invisible steps * Why driving alone for the first time in three years felt like getting her freedom back * How writing became the way she finally found her voice — and why those two things took decades to connect * Grieving a version of yourself you're not sure you're ready to let go of * The power of writing to heal yourself and others  * How a Raggedy Ann doll taught her it wasn't safe to ask for what she wanted, and how she’s building that safety today This one is quiet, honest, and particularly important for anyone who has ever faced a setback that took more than they expected. Chapters 00:00 Welcome, Florence Acosta 01:23 Life after the stroke 05:45 Navigating grief and recovery 08:00 Finding independence after a stroke 09:38 Help, grief and signs of recovery 13:08 Writing on Substack 15:51 Not taking independence for granted 16:53 Appreciating the past 18:12 Are you happy? 19:51 Facing challenges 20:33 Finding a voice through writing Where to find Florence * BECOMING YOU with Florence Acosta on Substack [https://floacosta330.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips] For more from The Unemployment Diaries * Stay up to date on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/theunemploymentdiariespodcast/] * Go behind the scenes on Substack [https://aishaommaya.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips] * Watch on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@theunemploymentdiariespodcast]

Venture capitalist & founder on life after ego death

What happens when the career you built becomes the thing that breaks you down? Yannick Kpodar spent fifteen years in front-row seats at some of Europe and San Francisco’s fastest-growing companies — LinkedIn, PayFit, and a unicorn valued at $2.2 billion. He raised hundreds of millions as an operator and by every external measure, he was winning. Then, in the span of 6-12 months, he lost his job, his marriage, and his identity.  What followed wasn't a pivot. It was an ego death. In this episode, Yannick shares his story and: * Why hypergrowth has a dark side and how it spreads through an organization * What identity collapse actually feels like  * The beliefs that shattered and how he rebuilt  * What happens when you wear a mask for too long * What conscious leadership looks like in the age of AI * The one piece of advice he gives every founder before their next move * Why he now vets who gets into his community — and what disqualifies you immediately Chapters 00:00 Introducing: Yannick Kpodar 01:10 The journey to identity collapse 07:44 The dark side of hypergrowth 15:17 Experiencing ego death 19:34 Rebuilding with a new perspective 26:31 The cost of wearing a mask 30:26 Reconnecting with creativity and intuition 34:22 Balancing structure with flexibility 38:03 Conscious leadership in the age of AI 42:03 The importance of identity for founders 46:40 How to avoid re-masking 51:40 New ventures and learning paths Where to find Yannick * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yannickkpodar/ [https://www.instagram.com/yannickkpodar/] * TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@yannickkpodar [https://www.tiktok.com/@yannickkpodar] * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yannickkpodar/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/yannickkpodar/] * Website: https://www.full-stack-ceo.com/ [https://www.full-stack-ceo.com/] & ⁠https://www.aventracapital.com/⁠ [https://www.aventracapital.com/] * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@YannickKpodar [https://www.youtube.com/@YannickKpodar] For more from The Unemployment Diaries * Stay up to date on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/theunemploymentdiariespodcast/] * Go behind the scenes on Substack [https://aishaommaya.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips] * Watch on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@theunemploymentdiariespodcast]

From paralyzed to podium | A marine veteran’s story of post-traumatic growth

What if the worst thing that ever happened to you turned out to be the making of you? Patrick grew up knowing exactly who he was going to be. His grandfather's photo above the fireplace. His dad's. A blank third frame he promised himself he'd fill. He applied to just one school (The Citadel), joined the Marine Corps, and became a platoon commander leading 40 Marines. He was living his calling. Then, five days into his second deployment, a bullet tore through his body and the only life he ever wanted. He was 26, paralyzed from the waist down, and told he'd never walk again. Fourteen surgeries, two years at Walter Reed, and a collapsed identity later – he found a reframe that is almost hard to believe: getting shot is going to be the best thing that ever happened to me. In this episode, Patrick shares his story and: * The blank photo frame that shaped his entire identity and what happened when that identity was taken away * What emotional contagion taught him about leadership under the worst conditions * How he broke a two-year recovery into milestones small enough to survive, and why a 48-minute mile mattered * How he battled imposter syndrome at Harvard and Wharton * Why he left management consulting * How he went from a paralysis diagnosis to Team USA captain at the Invictus Games, a bronze medal, and training for the Paralympics * What resilience actually is — and why helping someone else is the fastest way to shorten your own suffering Welcome to The Unemployment Diaries, Patrick Nugent.  Chapters 00:00 Welcome, Patrick Nugent 00:46 The journey 07:30 The power of mindset and belief 09:49 Facing the diagnosis 11:15 Breaking down the recovery 18:54 The lowest point 29:42 The reframe: Getting shot was the best thing 32:57 The journey to the Invictus Games 36:55 Imposter syndrome in business school 40:26 Strategies for resilience and avoiding burnout 45:48 The power of helping others in healing Where to find Patrick * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nugentpatrick/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/nugentpatrick/] * Website: https://www.patrickdnugent.com/ [https://www.patrickdnugent.com/] * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pdnuge/ [https://www.instagram.com/pdnuge/] * Substack: https://nugentnotes.substack.com/ [https://nugentnotes.substack.com/] For more from The Unemployment Diaries * Stay up to date on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/theunemploymentdiariespodcast/] * Go behind the scenes on Substack [https://aishaommaya.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips] * Watch on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@theunemploymentdiariespodcast]

Women’s fightwear CEO on betting on yourself before anyone else

What if the thing that changed your life wasn't supposed to be your life at all? Maya stumbled into a Brazilian Jiu-jitsu class at 16 thinking it was kickboxing. She then started a business at 19 with $2,000 and kept it secret for two years. Recently, she took it to Shark Tank and walked away with $300,000. But this episode isn't really about any of that. It's about what it takes to bet on yourself and then to keep investing no matter which direction you decide to walk in. In this episode, Maya and I discuss: * Why women on the mat changes everything * What jiu-jitsu teaches you about failure, humility, and showing up * How betrayal can be an incredible teacher * The two-pen journaling practice that gives her perspective on everything * Why she's project-agnostic and why that might be the most important mindset of all * What 80-year-old Maya thinks about all of it Welcome to The Unemployment Diaries, Maya Nazareth.  Chapters 00:00 Introducing: Maya Nazareth 01:02 Starting Brazilian Jiu-jitsu (BJJ) 06:04 The transformative power of jiu-jitsu 11:57 Finding calmness, peace and humility 14:28 From 2k at 19 to Shark Tank success 21:37 Tools for resilience and overcoming challenges 26:38 Navigating life and business on social media 29:41 The next chapter 32:52 Embracing change and new identities 36:42 How to shift perspectives 41:02 The power of self-control and acceptance 44:09 Advice to a younger self Where to find Maya * https://www.instagram.com/maya.nazareth/ [https://www.instagram.com/maya.nazareth/] * https://alchemizefightwear.com/ [https://alchemizefightwear.com/] For more from The Unemployment Diaries * Stay up to date on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/theunemploymentdiariespodcast/] * Go behind the scenes on Substack [https://aishaommaya.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips] * Watch on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@theunemploymentdiariespodcast]

Former lawyer/elephant conservationist/travel creator: Stop building the wrong life

What if you already know what you need to but you just won't do it? Jacob Templer went from law school to state attorney to elephant conservation to tech sales to travel content creator. Any one of those would have been a solid career. None of them were the right life. Now he helps people figure out the difference before they waste any more time.  In this episode, Jacob and I discuss: * Why being good at something isn’t a reason to keep doing it * How to build a life you actually want  * Why most people never take action  * What travel taught him about the difference between a life you love and content about a life you love * How AI is becoming a thinking inhibitor that's way more dangerous than social media  * Why mass education may be producing people who don't know how to think  * What it means to curate your environment, inputs, and influences  * Churchill's two-sentence framework for the only decision that actually matters Chapters 00:00 Meet Jacob Templer 01:07 Travel and self-discovery 03:28 Defining a dream career 05:16 A non-linear career path 11:31 Passion isn't enough 14:54 Lifestyle vs. career choices 17:16 The benefits of having a coach 21:18 The downsides of mass education 24:41 The case for homeschooling 27:05 Parental responsibility and self-awareness 28:38 The dark side of tech 30:51 Navigating the future: skills for uncertainty 34:37 The role of virtue and agency 37:46 Living with courage and truth 40:40 The challenge of taking action 46:30 Embracing fear and taking risks Where to find Jacob * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/jacobtempler/] * Substack [http://jacobtempler.substack.com] * hello@jacobtempler.com [hello@jacobtempler.com]  For more from The Unemployment Diaries * Stay up to date on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/theunemploymentdiariespodcast/] * Go behind the scenes on Substack [https://aishaommaya.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips] * Watch on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@theunemploymentdiariespodcast]