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/

Connect with Vanita - https://www.linkedin.com/in/vcapobiancohrtech/

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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/
• Substack — The Documentation Engineer: https://briitoeknee.substack.com/

Connect with Vanita:

LinkedIn: 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

What do you do when you're being told you're laid off and you have to remind yourself not to smile? That's exactly where Heidi Kent-Mack found herself having to think about.

As someone who worked in HR, Heidi had a feeling her layoff was coming. But nothing quite prepares you for the moment it actually happens and what surprised her most was how she felt: relieved, excited, and quietly hopeful about what was next.

In this episode, Heidi shares her practical framework for navigating career transitions built around three powerful Rs: Recovery, Reflection, and Redesign.

We talk about how she structured her days after the layoff, how she stayed mentally grounded and why she built a three-page master resume that became her secret weapon in the job search.

We also get into her unexpected new chapter - beekeeping. Wait till you hear the Queens names.

In this episode we cover:

• How Heidi knew her layoff was coming and how she prepared mentally
• The three things she did the day she got home
• Why controlling what you can control is the key to staying sane
• Her Recovery, Reflection, and Redesign framework
• How to ask for things you think aren't available to you (free conferences, anyone?)
• Bees. Just… bees.

Connect with Heidi on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidi-kent-mack/

Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vcapobiancohrtech/

Visit my Stan Store for my very own resume template, interview prep guides and layoff resources: https://stan.store/vanitacapo

What do you do when the job you gave everything to lets you go? In this episode, Vanita sits down with Anna Morgan, talent acquisition veteran, speaker, and founder of the Evolve Conference to talk about her layoff during COVID, what she did differently to bounce back, and how she turned years of authentic relationship-building into a thriving community and business. Anna shares the real advice she wishes she'd had: documenting your wins, the art of the layoff announcement, why LinkedIn commenting is underrated, and why your next opportunity is one conversation away. If you've been laid off, are dreading one, or are just tired of hiding behind your resume, this episode is for you.

Connect with Anna on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/annamorgan-recruiter-careerbff/

Learn more about CareerBFF and Evolve - https://yourcareerbff.com/

Grab my very own resume template, budget tracker, interview guides and more on my Stan Store - https://stan.store/vanitacapo

What would you do if you got laid off on the same day you won a company-wide AI hackathon? For Donald King, the answer was to press record and post!

In this episode, I sit down with Donald King, CEO of AMDK Marketing, who at 25 was building in the AI space at a big 4 company until a 6 a.m. meeting invite changed everything.

Donald shares what that day actually felt like, why he chose to record his layoff and post it on TikTok and how a viral moment became the spark for his entrepreneurial journey.

We talk about building a business with the person you love, and what it really takes to go from employee to CEO.

Whether you're currently laid off, feeling the uncertainty of today's job market or quietly dreaming of building something of your own, this one's for you.

In this episode:

• The moment Donald knew he wasn't going back to corporate
• How his layoff video hit 1 million views in a single day
• Why he pivoted from an AI startup to a marketing agency in 26 days
• Advice for anyone laid off or thinking about entrepreneurship

Connect with Donald at amdkmarketing.com or on Instagram @DonaldTheKing

Connect with me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/vcapobiancohrtech/

Grab my very own resume template, interview guides, join a movement of women building their personal brand after their 9-5 - https://stan.store/vanitacapo

• Brittany Barbosa - Redefining her success after a layoff
• Jamie Jackson - Chief Meme Officer/ HR Bestie chats about becoming "unemployable."
• Aseeyah Shahid - Building in public, creating her own media company.

All amazing ladies showing resilience, hope and are inspiration that a layoff does not define who you are!

#believeinyourself #layoffs #motivation

In this episode of Laid Off to Lift Off, Vanita speaks with Roxy Couse, an entrepreneur and content creator, about surviving multiple layoffs, the impact on her identity and the importance of building a personal brand. We discuss the need for empathy in leadership, the changing landscape of job security and how to leverage skills for a successful career. Roxy emphasizes the importance of self-belief and the power of content creation in opening new opportunities.

Takeaways

• Surviving layoffs
• Building a portfolio career

Chapters

• 00:00 Navigating Layoffs and Uncertainty
• 06:56 Impact on Relationship with Leadership and Corporate Loyalty
• 14:53 The New Safety Net: Portfolio Careers and Content Creation

Connect with Roxy on her website and follow on her socials- https://roxycouse.com/

https://www.instagram.com/roxycouse/

https://www.tiktok.com/@roxycouse

Please share this podcast with someone who needs it. Subscribe to get the latest episodes when they drop and let me know how this episode or others helped you in the comments.

Connect with me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/vcapobiancohrtech/

Grab my very own resume template, interview guides on how to answer the most commonly asked questions and a blueprint on how to navigate layoffs or plan for one! - https://stan.store/vanitacapo

Jess Ramos got fired.

Instead of spiraling (okay, maybe spiraling a little), she turned it into the launchpad for her now thriving data education brand, Big Data Energy.

In this episode, we talk about what actually happens after you lose the corporate job, the doubt, the loneliness, the “now what?” and how Jess used that moment to build something completely her own.

We get into:

• How her very first viral post on LinkedIn changed everything
• Why personality > perfection when it comes to standing out
• How she makes complex data topics fun
• The reality of building a business alone
• And how to turn career disruption into momentum instead of shame

If you’ve ever been laid off, fired, overlooked, or just feel stuck, have a listen. Sometimes the worst news you receive becomes the best redirection of your life.

Connect with Jess on her socials - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessramosmsba/

https://www.bigdataenergycourses.com/

Connect with Vanita on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/vcapobiancohrtech/

Book a call with me to get a LinkedIn makeover so recruiters come to you, download my very own resume template and snag my interview guide on how to answer the most commonly asked questions. - https://stan.store/vanitacapo

Discover how Benji Block turned a sudden layoff into a year of remarkable growth and bold entrepreneurship. In this episode, Benji shares his personal story of resilience, the mindset shifts that fueled his success, and practical advice for navigating career transitions with confidence.

• The unexpected moment: Benji's experience of being laid off amidst holiday festivities
• The psychological stages of losing a job: laughter, grief, and adaptation
• Recognizing the value of personal agency and control during career upheavals
• The power of boldness and courage in starting a business after layoffs
• Insights from Benji’s impressive 2025 stats: 11 new clients, 294 videos, 1.3M views
• The importance of combining vision with strategy for sustainable growth
• Building community and the role of surrounding yourself with supportive networks
• The origin story behind Signature Series and creating impactful personal brand content
• Practical steps to move from feeling stuck to taking decisive action

• Connect with Vanita on LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/vcapobiancohrtech/

• Stan Store - https://stan.store/vanitacapo

  Book a call with me to get a LinkedIn makeover so recruiters come to you, download my very own resume template and snag my interview guide on how to answer the most commonly asked questions.

• Connect with Benji Block on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/benji-block/
• Signature Series - https://www.signatureseries.co/

On this episode of Laid Off to Lift Off, I chat with Evan Tachoir, HR expert and host of the NetGain podcast, about his layoff journey, from the shock of losing his job to building his own consulting business, Jack of All People Trades. Evan opens up about the emotional side of layoffs, the importance of relationships, and how resilience and reinvention can lead to something even better.

Connect with Evan on LinkedIn.

Visit my Stan Store for my own resume template, interview guides, bounce back blueprint for steps to take before and after a layoff.