Dr. Robin Owens is a Career Breaker.

Her career began the way many high achievers are taught it should. She majored in business, landed a leadership role at a bank right out of college, and on paper, she had arrived. But internally, something was off, and eventually her body forced her to pay attention.

In this episode, Robin shares how breaking away from early expectations led her through multiple career chapters and toward work that truly fits who she is. She explains how her own career journey shaped the PurposeMAKER Method™, the framework she now teaches to help people navigate their careers with clarity, self-trust, and purpose.

If you are questioning a path that looks right on the outside or searching for what comes next, this episode is for you.

Listen now and follow the show for more inspiring stories of career pivots, pauses, and transitions.

If this episode resonated, I would love for you to share it with someone who might need to hear it. Every follow and listen helps me know this work is reaching others and encourages me to keep going. Thank you so much for your support. ❤️

Notes:

Here’s some links to things we discussed in this episode. 

Dr. Robin Owens on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/robinlowensphd/

Dr. Robin's website: https://www.robinlowens.com/

Leadership Purpose with Dr. Robin: https://www.robinlowens.com/podcast

Purpose Maker by Dr. Robin *COMING SUMMER 2026!*: https://www.robinlowens.com/book

LISTENER SURVEY

Audrey Blankenship is a Career Breaker.

Audrey’s career has taken her across sales, training, and tech, with plenty of pivots along the way. Today, she works in sales enablement, supporting teams at a cybersecurity company. Like many people navigating work right now, she’s experienced moments of uncertainty, including a layoff that invited her to pause and think differently about what she wanted next.

In this Season 3 finale of The Career Breakers Show, Audrey shares her own career story. Then, the conversation turns. Audrey interviews Adriane on the themes that emerged across the season and how these stories have shifted Adriane’s perspective personally. They also reflect on their shared history, having worked together earlier in their careers.

Together, they explore what these stories are revealing about modern careers. They talk about how people are navigating uncertainty, redefining success, and learning to build lives that are not solely defined by work.

This episode is a chance to zoom out, connect the dots from Season 3, and close the season together.

Did you enjoy this episode? Here's how you can support the show and help others find it:

1.) Follow the show on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

2.) Share an episode with a friend.

3.) Send me a message! Connect with Adriane on LinkedIn:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrianejones/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Thank you for supporting the show! ❤️

Notes:

Here’s some links to things we discussed in this episode. 

Audrey on LinkedIn

Travis Wilson’s episode

SJ Tutor’s episode

Wendy Kleinfeldt’s episode

Jessica Wan’s episode

Krista Vaught’s episode

Amy Petricek’s episode

Jessica Wan’s Podcast: ⁠The Ampersand Manifesto⁠

Follow Adriane on LinkedIn as we relisten to all the episodes starting NOW!

Please take the listener survey here.

Jessica Wan is a Career Breaker.

After a successful career rising through marketing roles across design, the arts, and tech, Jessica reached a moment when the path ahead looked clear but no longer felt right. She craved deeper conversations, more meaningful impact, and a way of working that honored all the parts of who she is.

In this episode, Jessica shares how she stepped away from a role she loved and navigated the uncertainty that followed. She talks about the grief of leaving something good, the questions that surfaced in the in-between, and the internal myths she had to release around money, identity, and investing in herself. Her break ultimately opened the door to coaching and to building a business that feels true to her values, her energy, and her multidimensional life.

Jessica also introduces her idea of the ampersand: people who build thriving careers in two or more completely different worlds. She explains why these blended paths aren’t just possible, but essential to the future of work.

She offers thoughtful insights for anyone at a crossroads, reminding us that we’re allowed to choose again and follow our curiosity, and that reinvention is far more accessible than we often believe.

Tune in to hear Jessica’s story of clarity, creativity, and building a career that makes room for all of who you are.

Jessica’s current offering: https://www.kristinalibby.com/the-cohort

Jessica at SXSW on March 16, 2026: https://schedule.sxsw.com/2026/events/PP1162466 

Did you enjoy this episode? Here's how you can support the show and help others find it:

1.) Follow the show on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

2.) Share an episode with a friend.

3.) Send me a message! Connect with Adriane on LinkedIn:⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrianejones/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Thank you for supporting the show! ❤️

Notes:

Here’s some links to things we discussed in this episode. 

Jessica’s Website:  https://www.jessicawan.com/

Jessica on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicamwan/

Jessica’s Podcast: The Ampersand Manifesto

Wise Women’s Council: https://www.wisewomenscouncil.com/

Sarah K. Peck: https://sarahkpeck.substack.com/

Lee Price: https://viewfinderpartners.com/

Wendy Kleinfeldt’s episode: https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/Ty1s0Us8uZb

Article about women advancing in their career because of skills, networks, and mindsets, not mindsets alone: https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/to-climb-to-the-top-women-should-focus-on-skill-building

Co-Active Coach Training: https://coactive.com/
Center for Executive Coaching: https://centerforexecutivecoaching.com/executive-coach-certification/

Deb Manning is a Career Breaker.

Deb's career has spanned multiple chapters, first pausing when her children were young, then rising into senior marketing leader in the tech world. Most recently, she spent 12 years in a role she describes as "full, fast, and fulfilling." She loved her team, loved the work, and yet something inside her knew it was time to pause again.

In this episode, Deb shares what prompted her to step away from a career that looked picture-perfect from the outside, how she used her pause to realign with her values, and why “leveling up” sometimes means choosing a role with more space and more joy, not a bigger title. She also talks about crafting a life that feels true to who she is today—a fractional marketing professional, a soon-to-be board member, and a parent with grown kids.

Listen now to hear how Deb reshaped her career around alignment and joy, and what her story can teach us about slowing down, listening inward, and designing work that supports the life you want.

Did you enjoy this episode? Here's how you can support the show and help others find it:

1.) Follow the show on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

2.) Share an episode with a friend.

3.) Buy Me a Coffee I can sip while I produce the next great episode, here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠buymeacoffee.com/adrianejones⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

4.) Send me a message! Connect with Adriane on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrianejones/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Thank you for supporting the show! ❤️

Notes:

Here’s some links to things we discussed in this episode.
Deb on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deb-manning-executive/

Amy Petricek is a Career Breaker.

Over the last four years, Amy has navigated three unexpected layoffs. Each one arrived abruptly and outside her control, yet these career disruptions became moments that reshaped how she thinks about work, identity, and growth.

In this episode, Amy shares how she rebuilt confidence by activating her network, treating her job search like a sales process, and investing in herself through career coaching and an MBA program. She talks about staying visible during uncertainty, finding momentum when motivation is low, and building a life outside of work so that a layoff doesn’t take everything with it.

We also explore the emotional side of job loss, the value of having people you can be honest with, and why setbacks are more common than most of us admit.

Listen now to hear how Amy reframed disruption as a path forward and what her story can teach us about navigating layoffs with clarity, agency, and self-trust.

Did you enjoy this episode? Here's how you can support the show and help others find it:

1.) Follow the show on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

2.) Share an episode with a friend.

3.) Buy Me a Coffee I can sip while I produce the next great episode, here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠buymeacoffee.com/adrianejones⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

4.) Send me a message! Connect with Adriane on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrianejones/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Thank you for supporting the show! ❤️

Notes:

Here’s some links to things we discussed in this episode.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-petricek/

SJ Tudor is a Career Breaker.

After nearly a decade freelancing and enjoying the freedom and flexibility of running her own creative business, SJ started to feel the limits of hustling alone. SJ had big ambitions, including becoming a creative director for a global brand, and she realized she needed new experiences, bigger teams, and a different kind of environment to get there.

In this episode, SJ shares how she made the intentional shift from freelancing to corporate life, letting go of a long-held identity and stepping into a role that pushed her to grow. She talks about craving more stability, outgrowing hustle culture, and learning to hold her five-year plan loosely so she could stay open to what might come next.

We talk about the entrepreneurial skills she brings into corporate, how designing her life with intention has always been her compass, and why no chapter has to be forever.

Listen now to hear how SJ is rewriting what a modern creative career can look like and what her story can teach us about choosing the pace, structure, and path that support who you’re becoming.

Did you enjoy this episode? Here's how you can support the show and help others find it:

1.) Follow the show on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

2.) Share an episode with a friend.

3.) Buy Me a Coffee I can sip while I produce the next great episode, here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠buymeacoffee.com/adrianejones⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

4.) Send me a message! Connect with Adriane on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrianejones/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Thank you for supporting the show! ❤️

Notes:

Here’s some links to things we discussed in this episode.

SJ on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjtudor/

SJ on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sjtudor?igsh=dnJxM3Bycnk4bjFn

Atalay Ozsoy is a Career Breaker.

After a decade in corporate sales at companies like Coca-Cola and Amazon, Atalay found himself craving work that felt more meaningful than closing deals. Football had always been an important part of his life but it wasn’t until corporate asked him to choose between returning to the office or continuing to coach on the side that he realized what mattered most.

In this episode, Atalay shares how a return to office mandate pushed him to walk away from corporate life, move across the world to London, and start at the bottom of a brand-new field.

He shares about redefining success, trusting internal affirmation instead of external validation, and using the lessons from past chapters to coach the next generation of players with purpose and heart.

Listen now to hear how Atalay rebuilt his life around what he loves, and what his story can teach us about courage, reinvention, and following the work that makes us feel most alive.

Did you enjoy this episode? Here's how you can support the show and help others find it:

1.) Follow the show on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

2.) Share an episode with a friend.

3.) Buy Me a Coffee I can sip while I produce the next great episode, here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠buymeacoffee.com/adrianejones⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

4.) Send me a message! Connect with Adriane on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrianejones/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Thank you for supporting the show! ❤️

Notes:

Here’s some links to things we discussed in this episode.

Atalay on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/atalayozsoy/

Atalay on the AFC Wimbledon Clubs podcast: https://www.afcwimbledon.co.uk/videos/2e298f4f-a064-4a9a-93cf-344f84565c67

Rebecca Goldcrump is a Career Breaker.

She began her career as a CPA, following a predictable and stable path. Over time, she realized she wanted work that felt more connected to people and purpose, which led her to pursue an MBA and co-found The Impact Collective, a company helping individuals and organizations actualize their vision of a better world, one where the strength of the collective drives shared success.

In this episode, Rebecca shares how she used small experiments to explore new directions, why she believes there are a million paths to purpose, and how rest can be a powerful form of growth.

Listen now to hear how Rebecca transformed her career from numbers to humans and what her story can teach us about building a meaningful, purpose-driven life.

Did you enjoy this episode? Here's how you can support the show and help others find it:

1.) Follow the show on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

2.) Share an episode with a friend.

3.) Buy Me a Coffee I can sip while I produce the next great episode, here: ⁠⁠⁠buymeacoffee.com/adrianejones⁠⁠⁠⁠

4.) Send me a message! Connect with Adriane on LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrianejones/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Thank you for supporting the show! ❤️

Notes:

Here’s some links to things we discussed in this episode.

The Impact Collective PDX.com

Emily Lily is a Career Breaker.

After more than a decade leading culture, people, and organizational development, including serving as Director of Culture at a Portland startup, Emily felt a pull to step away. What began as a quiet whisper to leave became a full-body call for expansion.

They left, but their break took an unexpected turn through two ovarian tumor surgeries, surgical menopause, and a deep process of self-reconnection. Along the way, Emily discovered that when one chapter ends, nothing is wasted. Every experience, skill, and scar comes with you into what’s next.

In this episode, Emily shares how rest, intuition, and unlearning became their greatest teachers and how those lessons inspired Second Threshold, their new venture supporting people navigating early and surgical menopause. Together, we talk about dissolving old identities, trusting timing, and writing your own rules for what comes after.

Listen now to hear how Emily carried everything they learned into a new chapter and how their story invites us all to do the same.

Did you enjoy this episode? Here's how you can support the show and help others find it:

1.) Follow the show on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

2.) Leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

3.) Buy Me a Coffee I can sip while I produce the next great episode, here: ⁠⁠⁠buymeacoffee.com/adrianejones⁠⁠⁠⁠

Thank you for supporting the show! ❤️

Connect with Adriane | Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or LinkedIn:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrianejones/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Notes:

Here’s some links to things we discussed in this episode.

Kelly James (Emily’s coach): https://www.kellymaureenjames.com/

Byron Katie’s School for the Work: https://thework.com/school-for-the-work-byron-katie/

Emily’s newest offering, Second Threshold, on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/secondthreshold/

Emily on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilylily_/

Emily on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-lily/

Travis Wilson is a Career Breaker.

After years building a career in leadership and learning development, helping teams grow across industries like higher education, healthcare, aerospace, and tech manufacturing, Travis made a pivot. In 2023, he stepped away from corporate life to become the Lead Dad in his household while his wife, an academic physician, pursued her work in oncology.

In this episode, Travis shares how this pause from corporate work reshaped his perspective on work, leadership, and family. He reflects on the emotional labor of parenting, the importance of adaptability and intentionality, and his guiding “for now” philosophy that encourages experimentation and reminds us that no chapter is forever. Travis also shares how he’s bringing what he’s learned in this season into his part-time coaching work.

Travis offers thoughtful insight for anyone rethinking balance, identity, or success, and shows that true leadership can happen just as much at home as it does at work.

Listen now to hear Travis’s story and follow the show for more conversations with bold Career Breakers like him.

Did you enjoy this episode? Here's how you can support the show and help others find it:

1.) Follow the show on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

2.) Leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

3.) Buy Me a Coffee I can sip while I produce the next great episode, here: ⁠⁠⁠buymeacoffee.com/adrianejones⁠⁠⁠⁠

Thank you for supporting the show! ❤️

Connect with Adriane | Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or LinkedIn:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrianejones/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Notes:

Here’s some links to things we discussed in this episode!

A Company of Dads: https://thecompanyofdads.com/

Sarah K Peck: https://www.sarahkpeck.com/

Travis on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/travislwilson/