Career Grief: How to Rebuild Your Identity After Job Loss, Layoffs & Major Life Transitions

Career Grief: How to Rebuild Your Identity After Job Loss, Layoffs & Major Life Transitions

What happens when the career you’ve built your identity around suddenly disappears? In this episode of the Root, Realign, Rise™ Podcast, Mairin Moore Cane sits down with career strategist, executive coach, TEDx speaker, and former entertainment executive Laverne McKinnon to explore a topic that rarely gets discussed openly: career grief. After rapidly rising through the ranks at CBS and becoming a respected entertainment executive, Laverne experienced a devastating professional setback that left her questioning her worth, identity, and purpose. What followed was a years-long journey of understanding that she wasn’t broken- she was grieving. Together, Mairin and Laverne explore the hidden emotional impact of job loss, layoffs, career setbacks, leadership transitions, chronic illness, and the loss of professional identity. They discuss why so many high-achieving people struggle after major career disruptions and how to rebuild a sense of purpose when the role you held no longer defines you. In this conversation, you’ll learn: • What “career grief” is and why so many professionals experience it • The difference between visible losses and hidden losses after a career setback • How identity, belonging, and purpose are often tied to our work • Why professional heartbreak can feel just as painful as other forms of grief • The dangers of workplace codependency and over-identifying with a role • How to reclaim agency after a layoff, firing, business failure, or major life transition • Laverne’s RISE Framework for moving forward after loss • Three powerful questions that can help you reconnect with your purpose Whether you’re navigating a career transition, rebuilding after a setback, questioning what’s next, or supporting someone through a season of change, this episode offers practical wisdom and hope for the road ahead. ⸻ ABOUT OUR GUEST Laverne McKinnon is a career strategist, executive coach, TEDx speaker, producer, and former entertainment executive who helps professionals navigate career transitions, identity shifts, and professional heartbreak. A former senior executive at CBS and EPIX and former Head of Development for Charlize Theron’s production company, Laverne spent more than two decades helping bring major film and television projects to life before turning her focus toward helping others rebuild after career setbacks and life transitions. Connect with Laverne: Website: https://lavernemckinnon.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lavernemckinnon LinkedIn: Available through her website TEDx Talk: Available through her website ⸻ CONNECT WITH MAIRIN MOORE CANE Website: https://www.mairinmoorecane.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mairinmoorecane Root, Realign, Rise™ Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/rootrealignandrisepodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mairinmoorecane LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mairinmoorecane Speaking & Booking Inquiries: connect@mairinmoorecane.com ⸻ If you enjoyed this conversation, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone navigating a season of transition. Remember: You don’t have to be whole to lead. Leadership doesn’t begin once everything is resolved. It begins when you root yourself in truth, realign with what matters, and choose to rise with responsibility—right where you are.

How to Build Resilience Before Crisis Hits | JC Chamberlain on Emotional Capacity, Recovery & Sustainable Leadership

JC Chamberlain has spent a lifetime studying resilience long before he ever needed it to survive. A five-time national champion in cycling and rowing, JC has competed in more than 1,100 races, earned over 250 podium finishes, and logged more than 429,000 miles on the road. He has also led billion-dollar commercial real estate portfolios, helped scale a global nonprofit serving students in more than 40 countries, and co-founded multiple organizations focused on human development and well-being. But everything changed when a devastating cycling accident nearly took his life. In this episode of the Root, Realign, Rise™ Podcast, JC shares what crisis revealed, how recovery reshaped his understanding of leadership, and why emotional resilience must be intentionally built before adversity arrives. Together, we explore the connection between emotional capacity, endurance, loneliness, recovery, and sustainable leadership in a world that often rewards constant output while ignoring internal depletion. In this conversation, we discuss: • Why resilience is built long before a crisis occurs • The difference between resilience and emotional hardening • How emotional depletion becomes leadership depletion • The growing impact of loneliness on leaders and high performers • Why recovery is essential for long-term endurance • Daily habits that strengthen emotional resilience • How to create sustainable success without burning out One of JC's most powerful reminders: "Intensity can create momentum. Endurance creates legacy." If you're carrying significant responsibility, navigating pressure, or seeking a healthier way to sustain your leadership, this conversation offers practical wisdom that applies far beyond moments of crisis. Connect with JC Chamberlain: Website: https://antidotethebook.com [https://antidotethebook.com/] Learn more about: • Antidote • Emotional Wellth • Upcoming work around Will Power & Core Power Connect with Mairin Moore Cane: Website: https://www.mairinmoorecane.com [https://www.mairinmoorecane.com/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mairinmoorecane [https://www.instagram.com/mairinmoorecane] Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rootrealignandrisepodcast [https://www.instagram.com/rootrealignandrisepodcast] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mairinmoorecane [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mairinmoorecane] If you're navigating pressure, transition, burnout, or leadership fatigue, subscribe to Mairin's newsletter at https://www.mairinmoorecane.com [https://www.mairinmoorecane.com/] for weekly leadership insights and practical tools for leading well through demanding seasons. Before we wrap, remember: You don't have to be whole to lead. Leadership doesn't begin once everything is resolved. It begins when you root yourself in truth, realign with what matters, and choose to rise with responsibility- right where you are.

When Success Stops Working: Chris Woods on Fear, Leadership & Sustainable Success

Chris Woods achieved what many professionals spend their lives pursuing- executive leadership, career success, and influence at the highest levels. As a former Google sales leader, global C-suite executive, Certified Professional Coach, and author, Chris spent decades building a successful career. But beneath the achievements was a different story. At age 40, Chris flatlined in a hospital bed. That moment forced him to confront not only his health, but the hidden fears, assumptions, and internal drivers that had been shaping his decisions for years. In this episode of the Root, Realign, Rise™ Podcast, Chris shares how that experience completely changed his definition of success, leadership, and personal responsibility. Together, Mairin and Chris explore: • Why success built on fear eventually becomes unsustainable • The hidden difference between achievement and alignment • How fear disguises itself as ambition, discipline, and productivity • What most leaders misunderstand about sustainable success • The cost of continuing to lead from fear- even when it appears to work • How strength-based leadership changes decision-making • What it means to redefine success before success breaks you • Practical ways to identify fear-driven patterns in your own life and leadership This conversation is for leaders, entrepreneurs, professionals, and anyone who has ever looked successful on the outside while feeling disconnected on the inside. Because leadership isn’t just about what you achieve. It’s about who you’re becoming while you achieve it. ABOUT CHRIS WOODS Chris Woods is a Certified Professional Coach, former Google sales leader, former global C-suite executive, and author of Balls & Brains: A Framework for Living Your Best Life by Overcoming Fears and Maximizing Strengths. Drawing from decades of leadership experience and a life-changing health crisis, Chris now helps leaders move beyond fear-driven decision-making and build sustainable success rooted in clarity, confidence, and strengths-based leadership. Website: https://chriswoodscoach.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@chriswoodscoach Book: Balls & Brains: A Framework for Living Your Best Life by Overcoming Fears and Maximizing Strengths ⸻ CONNECT WITH MAIRIN MOORE CANE Website: https://www.mairinmoorecane.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mairinmoorecane Root, Realign, Rise™ Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/rootrealignandrisepodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mairinmoorecane LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mairinmoorecane Speaking & Booking: connect@mairinmoorecane.com ⸻ LEADERSHIP ASSESSMENT Discover where you may be leading from pressure, fear, or true alignment: https://form.jotform.com/261139523864057 ⸻ JOIN THE NEWSLETTER Join Mairin’s newsletter for leadership insights, podcast updates, and practical tools to help you lead with greater clarity, courage, and responsibility: https://www.mairinmoorecane.com ⸻ ABOUT THE PODCAST The Root, Realign, Rise™ Podcast explores leadership, resilience, decision-making, and navigating life’s most challenging transitions with responsibility and purpose. Each episode features conversations with leaders, experts, entrepreneurs, authors, and changemakers who share the lessons they’ve learned through pressure, adversity, growth, and transformation. Because leadership doesn’t begin once everything is resolved. It begins when you root yourself in truth, realign with what matters, and choose to rise with responsibility.

The Hidden Cost of Growth: Leadership, Visibility & Identity with Justin Schenck

Growth doesn’t just expand your reach- it exposes who you are. Today, we sat down with Justin Schenck, an entrepreneur, speaker, event host, and creator of the globally recognized Growth Now Movement podcast, a top-rated show reaching listeners in more than 100 countries worldwide. Recognized by INC Magazine as one of the Top 8 Podcasters to Follow, featured in Thrive Global, and named an “Icon of Influence” in the new media space, Justin has spent years interviewing world-class thought leaders, building impactful communities, and helping entrepreneurs, authors, speakers, and business owners expand their influence. He is also the founder of PodBrand.io and creator of Growth Now Summit LIVE, a highly respected event that brings together some of today’s leading voices in business, leadership, entrepreneurship, and personal development. In this conversation, we explore the realities of growth, visibility, identity, and leadership under pressure. Justin shares what success revealed about him, the internal shifts required to sustain influence, the difference between building an audience and leading one, and why identity ultimately determines whether growth becomes sustainable. Together, we discuss: • What drove Justin to build something of his own • What success revealed about him that he wasn’t prepared for • The hidden pressures that come with visibility and influence • The difference between building an audience and leading one • Why growth built on unstable identity eventually creates problems • Navigating uncertainty while creating something new • What leaders must let go of to reach the next level • The difference between performing growth and becoming capable of carrying it • What sustainable success actually requires • Leadership lessons from building a global platform This conversation is for leaders, entrepreneurs, creators, and anyone navigating growth while trying to remain grounded in who they are. Because growth doesn’t simply change your circumstances. It changes you. ⸻ Guest Credential Block Justin Schenck is an entrepreneur, speaker, event host, and creator of the globally recognized Growth Now Movement podcast, reaching listeners in more than 100 countries worldwide. Recognized by INC Magazine as one of the Top 8 Podcasters to Follow, featured in Thrive Global, and named an “Icon of Influence” in the new media space, Justin has spent years interviewing world-class thought leaders, entrepreneurs, athletes, entertainers, and high performers. As the founder of PodBrand.io and creator of Growth Now Summit LIVE, Justin helps entrepreneurs, speakers, authors, and thought leaders amplify their message, expand their influence, and build meaningful connections through podcasting, branding, and live events. Connect with Justin: Website: https://growthnowmovement.com PodBrand.io: https://podbrand.io Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justintschenck Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/justintschenck LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinschenck ⸻ Connect with Mairin Moore Cane: Website: https://www.mairinmoorecane.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mairinmoorecane Root, Realign, Rise™ Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/rootrealignandrisepodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mairinmoorecane LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mairinmoorecane Speaking & Booking Inquiries: connect@mairinmoorecane.com Leadership Assessment: https://form.jotform.com/261139523864057 Newsletter: https://www.mairinmoorecane.com

When Life Doesn’t Go As Planned | Blake Cooper Griffin on Identity, Reinvention & Rebuilding

What do you do when the life you planned no longer fits who you’re becoming? In this episode of the Root, Realign, Rise™ Podcast, Mairin Moore Cane sits down with actor, author, and entrepreneur Blake Cooper Griffin for a conversation about identity, rejection, reinvention, and taking back ownership of your life when things don’t go according to plan. With credits across Netflix, HBO, Marvel, and Lionsgate, Blake has built a multifaceted career rooted in resilience and reinvention. But this conversation goes far beyond Hollywood success. Together, Mairin and Blake unpack: • identity and external validation • rebuilding after rejection • navigating uncertainty and reinvention • the pressure to perform • self-leadership during transition • releasing attachment to one path • rewriting your story after disappointment • moving from external approval to internal authority Blake also shares openly about: * being dropped by representation early in his career * navigating identity pressure and conversion therapy experiences * learning to stop waiting for permission * and rebuilding a life not dependent on one outcome working out This episode is for anyone navigating: * transition * reinvention * rejection * identity shifts * uncertainty * or the realization that success alone does not create fulfillment Because reinvention is not about becoming someone else. It’s about reclaiming authorship over your own life. ⸻ ABOUT BLAKE COOPER GRIFFIN Blake Cooper Griffin is an actor, author, entrepreneur, and founder whose work spans Hollywood, advocacy, and education leadership. With credits across Netflix, HBO, Marvel, and Lionsgate, he has built a career rooted in reinvention, ownership, and resilience. After facing early rejection in his career and navigating significant identity challenges, Blake rebuilt from the ground up- eventually authoring The Story of You: A Life Rewritten, a book focused on reclaiming authorship over your life when circumstances force change. His work centers on identity, reinvention, and the decisions required to rebuild after rejection. Connect with Blake Cooper Griffin: Website: https://blakecoopergriffin.com ⸻ CONNECT WITH MAIRIN MOORE CANE Website: https://www.mairinmoorecane.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mairinmoorecane Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rootrealignandrisepodcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mairinmoorecane YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MairinMooreCane Newsletter: https://www.mairinmoorecane.com/newsletter Speaking & inquiries: connect@mairinmoorecane.com ⸻ If this conversation resonated, subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone navigating reinvention, uncertainty, or rebuilding after disappointment. To stay connected and receive weekly insights, podcast updates, leadership reflections, and tools for personal growth, sign up for Mairin’s newsletter at: https://www.mairinmoorecane.com/newsletter Thank you for being here and part of the Root, Realign, Rise™ community.