Hady Méndez - 1,000 Applications. 30 Interviews. 0 Offers. Then This.

She Got Laid Off Nursing Her Newborn, Then Built a $500K Business

Buckle Up - She Got Laid Off Nursing Her Newborn, Then Built a $500K Business Five weeks postpartum, nursing her newborn, juggling a two-year-old and two foster teenage sons, that's when Julia got the call. Her CEO had put off the layoff as long as he could, but there was nothing left in the bank. She didn't panic. She didn't cry. Her first thought was simply: what's next? In this episode, Julia Arpag, founder of Aligned Recruitment, shares the wild ride that followed from fielding six job offers within two weeks, to taking sales calls with her baby strapped to her chest, to turning a side hustle for a friend into a business that billed $500,000 in its first 10 months. She opens up about buying out her co-founder, building a values-first company without sacrificing her family, and why she believes anyone considering entrepreneurship should "run, don't walk." We also get into the real talk: why storytelling (not "stuffy finance bro talk") is what actually converts on LinkedIn, the mindset shift required to become a founder, and the mantra she repeats to herself on the hard days. Connect with Julia on LinkedIn (she's the only one!): https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-arpag/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-arpag/] Check out Aligned Recruitment: https://www.alignedrecruitment.com/team [https://www.alignedrecruitment.com/team] Connect with Vanita on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vcapobiancohrtech/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/vcapobiancohrtech/] Subscribe to Laid Off to Lift Off on Spotify, YouTube and Apple. Please share with someone who needs a little hope and encouragement today. https://laidofftoliftoff.riverside.com/ [https://laidofftoliftoff.riverside.com/]

Hady Méndez - 1,000 Applications. 30 Interviews. 0 Offers. Then This.

After 1,000 applications and 30 interviews with no offers, discover how resilience and authenticity led to an unexpected breakthrough. Join us as Hady Méndez shares her transformative journey from setbacks to success. In this episode: * Hady shares the emotional and practical realities of being laid off for the second time and how she navigated feelings of fragility and uncertainty. * The importance of preparedness: financial, emotional, and professional so you can pivot confidently * Her experience moving to Spain as part of her retirement planning * How she transitioned from corporate leader to entrepreneur and author, and the lessons learned in marketing, visibility, and community-building * The power of storytelling and how her book serves as a tool for healing and connection * Tips on leveraging LinkedIn Live shows, including her Latinas Front and Center and Authors Unplugged, to build community and showcase authenticity * Practical advice for those facing layoffs, embracing uncertainty, maintaining curiosity and nurturing side hustles Connect with Hady 📖 Calladita No More - available in paperback, hardcover, e-book, and audiobook. https://www.boldlyspeakingllc.com/calladitanomore [https://www.boldlyspeakingllc.com/calladitanomore] 🏆 Two-time Firebird Book Award winner 💼 LinkedIn: Hady Méndez [https://www.linkedin.com/in/hadymendez/] 📺 Latinas Front and Center - LinkedIn Live, Thursdays at noon ET 📺 Authors Unplugged - LinkedIn Live, Tuesdays at noon ET Connect with Vanita on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/vcapobiancohrtech/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/vcapobiancohrtech/]

Deidre Dee Henry - The Spite That Built a Business in 45 Days

What happens when a sales and marketing powerhouse gets laid off on a Tuesday with zero warning despite celebrating record company profits just a week prior? Dee Henry, founder of The Sales Loft, turned that exact moment into a 45-day launch sprint that became her origin story as an entrepreneur. In this episode, Dee shares the raw, real story of her layoff, the spite that fueled her first business move, and the lesson that changed everything: done is better than perfect. From navigating the emotional whiplash of sudden unemployment to building systems that help other founders move with speed, Dee's journey proves that the skills that made you "good enough" for corporate make you unstoppable for yourself. Key Takeaways * "Done is better than perfect." The mantra that drove Dee from layoff to launch in 45 days. When she stopped agonizing over the perfect website or the perfect platform choice and just moved, the universe moved with her. * Your skill set isn't company property. If you were good enough to hire, you're good enough to bet on yourself. The talent that made you valuable to them is exactly what will make you successful for you. * The first month is about survival, not strategy. Expect overwhelm from notifications (Slack deactivation, insurance deadlines, concerned colleagues), and give yourself permission to sit in it rather than jump into your next move immediately. * Boundaries aren't optional for founders—they're a superpower. Dee built Boundaries (coming soon) because she learned the hard way that without them, people exploit your time, your energy, and your earning potential. This is especially critical for neurodivergent entrepreneurs and creators. * There's always room for you. The space isn't too crowded. CNBC found Dee because she was posting consistently. If you commit to showing up, the right people will find you. Connect with Dee: * LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/deidremhenry/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/deidremhenry/] * Instagram: @deidreofficial * Tik Tok: @deidreofficial * The Sales Loft: https://thesalesloft.com/ [https://thesalesloft.com/]

Shantae Howell - They Said She Didn't Have Enough Experience. She Had 10 Years.

What happens when you see the layoff coming and still can't stop it? That's where this conversation starts. Shantae Howell is a creative director and brand storyteller who spent years building content from the ground up, eventually leading creative teams across the US, Canada, and Mexico. She's worked with major brands on everything from live events to full campaign builds and her work has always been rooted in one thing: making people feel genuinely seen. In this episode, Shantae opens up about her layoff, the brutal reality of the 2024 job market (even with referrals), and how she accidentally built a personal brand on LinkedIn that started opening doors for her; one relatable, personality-packed post at a time. If you're a creative professional navigating a pivot, questioning whether your resume is doing enough, or just trying to figure out your next move, this one is for you. What we cover: * The layoff she saw coming and the moment that still blindsided her * Why five referrals failed her, zero recruiter screens * The job search pivot from picky to practical * Why a Linktree is not a portfolio * LinkedIn, but make it human; her approach to showing up * The rejection that turned into viral content * Networking advice from someone who genuinely hates networking * The half-step nobody talks about between layoff and dream job Connect with Shantae - https://www.linkedin.com/in/shantaehowell/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/shantaehowell/] Connect with Vanita - https://www.linkedin.com/in/vcapobiancohrtech/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/vcapobiancohrtech/] * Subscribe to Laid Off to Lift Off * Comment * Rate * Share with someone who needs it. This one-woman show appreciates it!

Brittney Ball - Mom. Student. Founder. Job Seeker. Brittney Is All of It Right Now.

Brittney Ball - AI Documentation Strategist, Founder of TechniDox, and writer behind The Documentation Engineer on Substack. Brittney has 14 years of experience in tech, a self-taught background in software engineering and a track record working with some of the world's leading companies. But in 2025, she was laid off and instead of waiting for the job market to come back for her, she got honest about who she was without a title, what her finances looked like, and what it would actually take to rebuild on her own terms. In this episode, Brittney and I talk about the morning the email arrived (while her kids were headed to school), the survivor's guilt she had carried from previous rounds of layoffs and what it felt like when for the first time, she was the one let go from a job that had become a big part of her identity. Her first six-figure role. The applications weren't landing so Brittney did something different: she created a new identity entirely. She coined the term AI Documentation Strategist, launched TechniDox and built a Substack newsletter that grades AI companies on how transparent and inclusive their documentation actually is for everyday users, not just tech professionals. In this episode: * What it actually felt like the morning the layoff email came * Losing your first six-figure job and the identity that came with it * How Brittney rebranded her career around what was needed, not just what was trending * Why she invented her own job title and what an AI documentation strategist actually does * Her Substack journey: from writer since age 16 to published weekly newsletter * How she plans content a week ahead and stays consistent without burning out * The honest conversation around AI: what it can do, what it can't, and the safety side nobody talks about * Running a startup, going to school in the evenings, and being a present mom: the work-life balance reality * Her advice for anyone in a layoff or sensing one coming: prepare, stay visible, don't let it define you Connect with Brittney: * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittney-ball/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittney-ball/] * Substack — The Documentation Engineer: https://briitoeknee.substack.com/ [https://briitoeknee.substack.com/] Connect with Vanita: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vcapobiancohrtech/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/vcapobiancohrtech/] Subscribe to the podcast, share with a friend and rate on Spotify and Apple. #podcast #layoffs #laidoff #mindset #career #AI #personaldevelopment #startup