Almost 10 months ago, I got on a Zoom call I had dreaded, imagined, and ultimately expected. I got laid off. And I've been ashamed to tell the story until now.

Here I was, building a coaching business helping people in 9-to-5s figure out what they're good at and build something of their own — and then I lost my own job before my business had even taken off.

How am I supposed to talk to people working full-time about building something alongside their jobs when I couldn't even keep mine?

This is the honest story of what happened next. Not a neat "I chose the rebuild and everything changed" story. Just the truth of what it felt like, what I decided, and what I've learned so far.

⏱ TIMESTAMPS

0:00 The Zoom call I dreaded

0:16 The shame of being laid off while coaching others

1:05 The day it happened

2:15 The layoff call

3:04 "It felt like I'd been hit by a heavy object"

3:44 Financially, mentally, emotionally unprepared

4:27 "Is this an invitation to think differently?"

5:20 "Am I going to treat this as a verdict on my life?"

5:36 The decision to rebuild everything

6:17 The shock stage

8:36 "This is a golden opportunity"

9:22 Suffering comes from the meaning we attach to events

10:26 The payoff — almost 10 months later

11:53 Consistency beats intensity

13:19 "If you're going through hell, don't stop"

14:15 "My breakthroughs aren't here yet, but neither is my ending"

14:59 The shift in identity and credibility

16:49 "If you're hoping for an overnight miracle..."

17:20 Share this with someone who just got laid off

Follow on Instagram: @growwithkepo

🎧 New episodes of Grow With Kepo drop every Monday at 9AM GMT-7. 
Don’t miss a moment of clarity, confidence and aligned action.

📱 Follow Kepo on Instagram for more insights and behind the scenes:  
https://www.instagram.com/growwithkepo/

❤️ If this episode spoke to you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it.

This podcast has been brought to you by APodcastGeek. https://www.apodcastgeek.com

I turned 40 this year. And looking back, there are 10 things that would have saved my 28-year-old self a lot of pain, a lot of money, and most importantly — a lot of time.

Number 9 is something I'm still paying a hefty price for today.

These are the lessons from a decade of expensive mistakes, relationships that went nowhere, businesses that never took off, and the hard-won clarity that came after.

If you're in your late 20s or 30s, pay attention.

⏱ TIMESTAMPS

0:00 "I turned 40 this year..."

0:38 Welcome to Grow With Kepo

1:29 #1 If it's not a hell yes, it's a hell no

3:34 #2 Your gut instinct is always spot on

4:59 #3 Never overplay your role in someone's life

6:40 #4 Being interested ≠ being committed

8:49 #5 Ditch the timeline

12:22 #6 Don't hold others to your standard

14:52 #7 You can end suffering any time of your choosing

17:23 #8 Your circle determines your life

20:48 #9 Put the big financial rocks first (still paying for this one)

23:37 #10 Most men aren't worth your time

26:30 Share this with someone who needs to hear it

Follow on Instagram: @growwithkepo

🎧 New episodes of Grow With Kepo drop every Monday at 9AM GMT-7. 
Don’t miss a moment of clarity, confidence and aligned action.

📱 Follow Kepo on Instagram for more insights and behind the scenes:  
https://www.instagram.com/growwithkepo/

❤️ If this episode spoke to you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it.

This podcast has been brought to you by APodcastGeek. https://www.apodcastgeek.com

What does it mean to actually be an unedited version of yourself online in a world where everyone's curating, filtering, and performing? Kayla Shannin is a positioning coach who helps women in their online businesses show up as the authentic, unedited version of themselves, and she's living proof that it works.

In this episode, Kayla opens up about her own journey from editing herself to tearing back the curtains and putting herself out there, even when it terrifies her. We talk about fear of being seen, blocking for boundaries, why you don't need a perfect method before you start, and why giving yourself permission to change your mind is actually a superpower.

If you've been holding yourself back because you're afraid of what people will think, this conversation is your permission slip.

👉 Join the free newsletter: https://onikepo.com/newsletter👉 Waitlist for You're Sitting On Gold workshop: https://onikepo.com/workshop

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Intro

00:38 Meet Kayla!

02:51 Fear of Being Seen

05:57 Blocking for Boundaries

09:38 Becoming an Unedited Challenge

12:19 Corporate Roots and COVID Pivot

16:57 From Affiliate to Coaching

19:21 Just Execute and Evolve

22:36 Work With Kayla

24:45 Authenticity Attracts Clients

🎧 New episodes of Grow With Kepo drop every Monday at 9AM GMT-7. 
Don’t miss a moment of clarity, confidence and aligned action.

📱 Follow Kepo on Instagram for more insights and behind the scenes:  
https://www.instagram.com/growwithkepo/

❤️ If this episode spoke to you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it.

This podcast has been brought to you by APodcastGeek. https://www.apodcastgeek.com

I got laid off six times. Six. And each time I thought it was a performance problem. Each time I sat in that boardroom hearing "we're sorry, we're going to have to let you go," I blamed myself. I thought I wasn't good enough, wasn't competent enough, hadn't done the PowerPoint deck well enough.

Then I noticed the one thing all six layoffs had in common, and it had NOTHING to do with my performance. It had everything to do with me putting my ladder against the wrong building and climbing anyway.

In this episode, I walk you through the full cycle: the stellar resume, the Deloitte orientation where I thought "I want to make partner," the first layoff shock where I couldn't even hear what they were saying, the job hunt trap that pulled me back in five more times, the ridiculous job demands (10 years of experience with ChatGPT, really?), and the moment I finally chose to bet on myself instead of running back to the safety net.

If you've been laid off, or you're stuck in that cycle of pushing through exhaustion wondering "how long am I going to do this for," this episode is your wake-up call.

👉 Join the free newsletter: https://onikepo.com/newsletter👉 Waitlist for You're Sitting On Gold workshop: https://onikepo.com/workshop

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Intro

00:26 Chasing The Perfect Resume

03:10 First Layoff Shock

05:36 Blame And Self-Doubt

06:10 Sixth Layoff Pattern

09:58 Job Hunt Cycle Trap

12:49 Ridiculous Job Demands

16:26 Betting On Myself

17:38 Building The Business

19:49 Your Turn To Bet

22:05 Freedom Without Fear

22:58 Start Before Layoff

🎧 New episodes of Grow With Kepo drop every Monday at 9AM GMT-7. 
Don’t miss a moment of clarity, confidence and aligned action.

📱 Follow Kepo on Instagram for more insights and behind the scenes:  
https://www.instagram.com/growwithkepo/

❤️ If this episode spoke to you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it.

This podcast has been brought to you by APodcastGeek. https://www.apodcastgeek.com

What if everything you thought personal branding meant was keeping you broke? Amanda Swiger has built a multi-six-figure photography and brand business by helping people see themselves the way they really are, not through pretty photos or perfect color palettes, but through embodying the results their clients actually want.

In this episode, Amanda breaks down why your brand isn't your logo, your colors, or even your photoshoot (though those are nice). It's how you make people FEEL when they work with you. We talk about reverse engineering the experience, why you are the niche, and why permission to evolve matters more than getting it "right" the first time.

If you've been stuck perfecting your brand instead of building your business, this conversation will set you free.

👉 Join the free newsletter: https://onikepo.com/newsletter👉 Waitlist for You're Sitting On Gold workshop: https://onikepo.com/workshop

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Intro

01:56 Beyond Logos and Colors

04:28 Brand as Feeling

06:01 Reverse Engineer Results

11:19 Candle Brand Example

14:21 Pinterest Without Templates

18:41 You Are The Brand

27:45 Power Play Presence

32:05 Permission to Evolve

🎧 New episodes of Grow With Kepo drop every Monday at 9AM GMT-7. 
Don’t miss a moment of clarity, confidence and aligned action.

📱 Follow Kepo on Instagram for more insights and behind the scenes:  
https://www.instagram.com/growwithkepo/

❤️ If this episode spoke to you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it.

This podcast has been brought to you by APodcastGeek. https://www.apodcastgeek.com

🎧 New episodes of Grow With Kepo drop every Monday at 9AM GMT-7. 
Don’t miss a moment of clarity, confidence and aligned action.

📱 Follow Kepo on Instagram for more insights and behind the scenes:  
https://www.instagram.com/growwithkepo/

❤️ If this episode spoke to you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it.

This podcast has been brought to you by APodcastGeek. https://www.apodcastgeek.com

🎧 New episodes of Grow With Kepo drop every Monday at 9AM GMT-7. 
Don’t miss a moment of clarity, confidence and aligned action.

📱 Follow Kepo on Instagram for more insights and behind the scenes:  
https://www.instagram.com/growwithkepo/

❤️ If this episode spoke to you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it.

This podcast has been brought to you by APodcastGeek. https://www.apodcastgeek.com

🎧 New episodes of Grow With Kepo drop every Monday at 9AM GMT-7. 
Don’t miss a moment of clarity, confidence and aligned action.

📱 Follow Kepo on Instagram for more insights and behind the scenes:  
https://www.instagram.com/growwithkepo/

❤️ If this episode spoke to you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it.

This podcast has been brought to you by APodcastGeek. https://www.apodcastgeek.com

🎧 New episodes of Grow With Kepo drop every Monday at 9AM GMT-7. 
Don’t miss a moment of clarity, confidence and aligned action.

📱 Follow Kepo on Instagram for more insights and behind the scenes:  
https://www.instagram.com/growwithkepo/

❤️ If this episode spoke to you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it.

This podcast has been brought to you by APodcastGeek. https://www.apodcastgeek.com

🎧 New episodes of Grow With Kepo drop every Monday at 9AM GMT-7. 
Don’t miss a moment of clarity, confidence and aligned action.

📱 Follow Kepo on Instagram for more insights and behind the scenes:  
https://www.instagram.com/growwithkepo/

❤️ If this episode spoke to you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it.

This podcast has been brought to you by APodcastGeek. https://www.apodcastgeek.com