Meet Baiba Wisse, a multi-passionate creative from Raleigh, North Carolina, who spent a decade in global talent acquisition before life handed her a plot twist: a layoff. While she was still working in recruiting, Baiba discovered her favorite part of the job wasn’t the spreadsheets or the scheduling, it was the human connection. She loved coaching candidates, hearing their career stories, and helping people see their own potential.

That passion inspired her to start her own podcast, The Career in Technicolor, where she interviews people about their career journeys in living color. But when the layoff hit, she found herself in that all-too-familiar “what now?” moment.

Instead of sitting still (because that’s not her style), Baiba leaned into her creative energy, painting, cooking, cleaning, and trying new things. She also followed her curiosity into movement and stress relief, recently earning her Tai Chi instructor certification. Now, she’s on a mission to bring Tai Chi into corporate settings, helping teams manage stress, move more, and age well.

I met Baiba early in my own podcasting journey, and we’ve been swapping ideas and cheering each other on ever since. She’s been a generous supporter, a creative sounding board, and now I’m flipping the mic so you can hear her story.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• How Baiba turned a layoff into an opportunity to explore new passions
   
• Why coaching and human connection were the most rewarding parts of her recruiting career
   
• The creative outlets that kept her moving forward during a career pivot
   
• How Tai Chi can help reduce stress and support well-being in and out of the workplace
   
• The joy (and challenges) of podcasting about other people’s career journeys

Connect with Baiba

• Connect with Baiba on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bwisse/
   
• Listen to The Career in Technicolor
  • Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/career-in-technicolor/id1584835608
  • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/034sss7E8ncD5RewpqkwZJ
     
• Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/careerintechnicolor/ 

Thanks for tuning in to The Career Flipper!

If this episode made you think, laugh, or feel a little braver about your own flip, do me a favor:

💌 Share it with a friend
⭐ Subscribe or follow wherever you listen
💬 Leave a quick review! It helps other career flippers find our little corner of the internet.

Let’s stay connected:

📲 Instagram: @thecareerflipperpod for all things podcast

💼 LinkedIn: The Career Flipper Podcast

🪑 And if you want to see my career flip furniture flips in real life, follow me at @sandiegofurnitureflipper

Submit your story:

Have a career flip story? Whether you’re in the messy middle or celebrating the other side, I’d love to hear it and maybe even feature you on the show. Submit your story here: thecareerflipper.com.

Want to support the show or work together?

Book me to speak about career change at your next event, collaborate through sponsorships or affiliates or got another idea? Drop me a note at [email protected]

Bonus: If you’re in customer experience or building your own business, check out my online courses. Before I started flipping my life and furniture, I led CX teams and created training that’s helped over 12,000 students worldwide. Learn more at thecareerflipper.com/courses.

🎵 Music Credits

Season 1: Intro & outro music by Audionautix.com

Season 2: Original music by yours truly, Jenny Dempsey, recorded in my home studio

And hey, remember my favorite question: What’s the best that could happen? 💫

From big tech at Meta to laid-off, new mom, and starting a coaching business from scratch, executive career coach Natalie Robbins of San Diego, CA knows what it means to reinvent. We talk about building a career that actually fits your life, starting over with a tiny human in tow, and why asking better questions can unlock your next chapter. 

If you’re feeling the pull toward something new, this episode is your reminder that you’re not behind, you’re just getting started.

Connect with Natalie

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-robbins-25561789/
• Career Coaching: https://www.pivotinpower.com/

Thanks for tuning in to The Career Flipper!

If this episode made you think, laugh, or feel a little braver about your own flip, do me a favor:

💌 Share it with a friend
⭐ Subscribe or follow wherever you listen
💬 Leave a quick review! It helps other career flippers find our little corner of the internet.

Let’s stay connected:

📲 Instagram: @thecareerflipperpod for all things podcast

💼 LinkedIn: The Career Flipper Podcast

🪑 And if you want to see my career flip furniture flips in real life, follow me at @sandiegofurnitureflipper

Submit your story:

Have a career flip story? Whether you’re in the messy middle or celebrating the other side, I’d love to hear it and maybe even feature you on the show. Submit your story here: thecareerflipper.com.

Want to support the show or work together?

Book me to speak about career change at your next event, collaborate through sponsorships or affiliates or got another idea? Drop me a note at [email protected]

Bonus: If you’re in customer experience or building your own business, check out my online courses. Before I started flipping my life and furniture, I led CX teams and created training that’s helped over 12,000 students worldwide. Learn more at thecareerflipper.com/courses.

🎵 Music Credits

Season 1: Intro & outro music by Audionautix.com

Season 2: Original music by yours truly, Jenny Dempsey, recorded in my home studio

And hey, remember my favorite question: What’s the best that could happen? 💫

What happens when life rips up your plan and hands you an unexpected invitation to start over?

In this episode of The Career Flipper, host Jenny Dempsey sits down with Lori Wallace, executive recruiter, mentor, and all‑around career‑flipping muse. We talk about the serendipitous way we met (spoiler: Jenny was pretending I worked at an art show) and her journey from corporate banking to a total physical and emotional breakdown that changed everything.

These days, we often hear stories about COVID being the turning point for career change but Lori takes us back to another moment that shook the world: 9/11. It was the catalyst that impacted her health, her career, and ultimately, the way she lives and works today.

In this conversation, Lori shares:

• How the events of 9/11 sent shockwaves through her health and career
• What it’s like to be laid off while on maternity leave
• The moment her body forced her to pause and completely reevaluate her life
• Why listening to your body’s signals during transition is non‑negotiable
• How career change can be one of the most misunderstood (and isolating) forms of modern trauma

If you’ve ever felt like the rug’s been pulled out from under you, stuck, scared, or unsure of what’s next, this one’s going to meet you right where you are.

Connect with Lori:
🌿 The Great Compassion
🌿 Career Ecology
🌿 LinkedIn

Thanks for tuning in to The Career Flipper!

If this episode made you think, laugh, or feel a little braver about your own flip, do me a favor:

💌 Share it with a friend
⭐ Subscribe or follow wherever you listen
💬 Leave a quick review! It helps other career flippers find our little corner of the internet.

Let’s stay connected:

📲 Instagram: @thecareerflipperpod for all things podcast

💼 LinkedIn: The Career Flipper Podcast

🪑 And if you want to see my career flip furniture flips in real life, follow me at @sandiegofurnitureflipper

Submit your story:

Have a career flip story? Whether you’re in the messy middle or celebrating the other side, I’d love to hear it and maybe even feature you on the show. Submit your story here: thecareerflipper.com.

Want to support the show or work together?

Book me to speak about career change at your next event, collaborate through sponsorships or affiliates or got another idea? Drop me a note at [email protected]

Bonus: If you’re in customer experience or building your own business, check out my online courses. Before I started flipping my life and furniture, I led CX teams and created training that’s helped over 12,000 students worldwide. Learn more at thecareerflipper.com/courses.

🎵 Music Credits

Season 1: Intro & outro music by Audionautix.com

Season 2: Original music by yours truly, Jenny Dempsey, recorded in my home studio

And hey, remember my favorite question: What’s the best that could happen? 💫

In this episode, host Jenny Dempsey sits down with Beth Karawan, consumer & CX insights strategist, to talk about how a side hustle, a layoff, and a whole lot of curiosity led to an incredible career transformation. From student teaching and bartending to making donuts during the pandemic and launching her own consultancy, Beth’s journey is a reminder that your skills are transferable, your path is never linear, and joy can absolutely come from the most unexpected places.

Topics We Cover

• When your major doesn’t match your future
• Market research, storytelling, and discovering you’re good at math, kind of
• What a restaurant job taught Beth about trust and leadership
• Letting go of shame around unconventional jobs
• Launching “It’s Donut Friday” and leaning into fun
• The surprising link between CX and making donuts
   

Connect with Beth

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethcaran
• Newsletter: It’s Donut Friday
  
   

Thanks for tuning in to The Career Flipper!

If this episode made you think, laugh, or feel a little braver about your own flip, do me a favor:

💌 Share it with a friend
⭐ Subscribe or follow wherever you listen
💬 Leave a quick review! It helps other career flippers find our little corner of the internet.

Let’s stay connected:

📲 Instagram: @thecareerflipperpod for all things podcast

💼 LinkedIn: The Career Flipper Podcast

🪑 And if you want to see my career flip furniture flips in real life, follow me at @sandiegofurnitureflipper

Submit your story:

Have a career flip story? Whether you’re in the messy middle or celebrating the other side, I’d love to hear it and maybe even feature you on the show. Submit your story here: thecareerflipper.com.

Want to support the show or work together?

Book me to speak about career change at your next event, collaborate through sponsorships or affiliates or got another idea? Drop me a note at [email protected]

Bonus: If you’re in customer experience or building your own business, check out my online courses. Before I started flipping my life and furniture, I led CX teams and created training that’s helped over 12,000 students worldwide. Learn more at thecareerflipper.com/courses.

🎵 Music Credits

Season 1: Intro & outro music by Audionautix.com

Season 2: Original music by yours truly, Jenny Dempsey, recorded in my home studio

And hey, remember my favorite question: What’s the best that could happen? 💫

This week, I got to chat with my friend Liz Dekofsky. She lives in LA, works full-time in a customer-facing job, and runs the coolest little side business curating thrifted style bundles.

If you’ve ever walked into a thrift store and felt totally overwhelmed or just didn’t have the energy to dig through the racks, Liz gets it. That’s why she does the hunting for you, and her eye for finding great pieces is seriously next-level.

But this episode goes deeper than just clothes.

Liz recently got sober, and it’s been a huge turning point in her life. That decision gave her the clarity and confidence to stop hiding parts of herself and start doing more of what lights her up. We talk about what it’s like to balance a side hustle with a full-time job, how she deals with imposter syndrome (hint: it’s still there, but she doesn’t let it run the show), and how she’s learning to show up more fully as herself.

If you’ve been sitting on an idea, waiting for the perfect moment, or thinking you need to be “fully ready” before you start something, this episode is your permission slip to just go for it.

Starting messy is still starting. And Liz is proof that small steps can lead to big, beautiful changes.

Let’s get into it.

Connect with Liz & buy a bundle

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/curatedbylizd

Thanks for tuning in to The Career Flipper!

If this episode made you think, laugh, or feel a little braver about your own flip, do me a favor:

💌 Share it with a friend
⭐ Subscribe or follow wherever you listen
💬 Leave a quick review! It helps other career flippers find our little corner of the internet.

Let’s stay connected:

📲 Instagram: @thecareerflipperpod for all things podcast

💼 LinkedIn: The Career Flipper Podcast

🪑 And if you want to see my career flip furniture flips in real life, follow me at @sandiegofurnitureflipper

Submit your story:

Have a career flip story? Whether you’re in the messy middle or celebrating the other side, I’d love to hear it and maybe even feature you on the show. Submit your story here: thecareerflipper.com.

Want to support the show or work together?

Book me to speak about career change at your next event, collaborate through sponsorships or affiliates or got another idea? Drop me a note at [email protected]

Bonus: If you’re in customer experience or building your own business, check out my online courses. Before I started flipping my life and furniture, I led CX teams and created training that’s helped over 12,000 students worldwide. Learn more at thecareerflipper.com/courses.

🎵 Music Credits

Season 1: Intro & outro music by Audionautix.com

Season 2: Original music by yours truly, Jenny Dempsey, recorded in my home studio

And hey, remember my favorite question: What’s the best that could happen? 💫

Welcome to a special solo episode of The Career Flipper Podcast! It’s the podcastaversary!

One year ago, I hit publish on the very first episode of this show, having no idea what I was doing and definitely not realizing how much it would change my life. What started in the messy aftermath of a 2022 layoff (and 400+ job rejections) became a permission slip to rebuild, to reimagine success, and to start over without a map.

In this episode, I share the behind-the-scenes of how this podcast came to be, how flipping furniture helped me flip my identity, and how conversations with guests like:

Nick Musica, a former SEO guy turned animal psychic

Trish Jasinski, who bought a chateau in the south of France and left corporate to open a retreat space

Cat Cheng, a former music teacher turned Netflix-featured baker (hi, tres leches dreams)

And Case Sandberg, who I met at a farmer’s market and learned had just left his software engineering job to become a chocolate maker

…helped me feel less alone and more alive.

Oh and I’m sharing a piece of my music. I wrote a song called Just Wait, about getting laid off, getting lost, and learning how to come back to yourself.

Skip to 14:28 if you want to jump straight to the song.

Whether you’re in the middle of your own career flip, cocoon season, or identity unraveling, I hope this episode reminds you that you don’t need permission from anyone else to change your life.

You can give it to yourself.

🎧 Listen, share, and leave a review if this one resonates.

Thanks for tuning in to The Career Flipper!

If this episode made you think, laugh, or feel a little braver about your own flip, do me a favor:

💌 Share it with a friend
⭐ Subscribe or follow wherever you listen
💬 Leave a quick review! It helps other career flippers find our little corner of the internet.

Let’s stay connected:

📲 Instagram: @thecareerflipperpod for all things podcast

💼 LinkedIn: The Career Flipper Podcast

🪑 And if you want to see my career flip furniture flips in real life, follow me at @sandiegofurnitureflipper

Submit your story:

Have a career flip story? Whether you’re in the messy middle or celebrating the other side, I’d love to hear it and maybe even feature you on the show. Submit your story here: thecareerflipper.com.

Want to support the show or work together?

Book me to speak about career change at your next event, collaborate through sponsorships or affiliates or got another idea? Drop me a note at [email protected]

Bonus: If you’re in customer experience or building your own business, check out my online courses. Before I started flipping my life and furniture, I led CX teams and created training that’s helped over 12,000 students worldwide. Learn more at thecareerflipper.com/courses.

🎵 Music Credits

Season 1: Intro & outro music by Audionautix.com

Season 2: Original music by yours truly, Jenny Dempsey, recorded in my home studio

And hey, remember my favorite question: What’s the best that could happen? 💫

What happens when you walk away from academia and turn your deep love of language, story, and the arts into a strategic superpower?

In this episode of The Career Flipper Podcast, I sit down with Lisa Chensvold, a classically-trained soprano and former musicologist based in Washington, DC, who made a bold leap from the world of academia to the world of strategic communications.

Now the Principal of Chensvold Communications, Lisa helps mission-driven leaders and organizations tackle complex communication challenges—from defining a CEO’s voice to aligning internal teams and rethinking how strategy shows up in language. Her work is rooted in clarity, intentionality, and the belief that thoughtful communication is leadership.

We talk about:

• Why she pivoted away from academia 
• How she turned her humanities background into a strength in a STEM-obsessed world
• What it’s like to build a consulting business from scratch
• How communications can help shape and reshape organizations at every level
• The fear (and thrill) of taking the leap into entrepreneurship

If you’re someone who’s ever felt the nudge to pivot but wondered how your experience translates, this one’s for you.

Connect with Lisa

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisachensvold/
• Chensvold Communications: https://chensvoldcommunications.com/

Thanks for tuning in to The Career Flipper!

If this episode made you think, laugh, or feel a little braver about your own flip, do me a favor:

💌 Share it with a friend
⭐ Subscribe or follow wherever you listen
💬 Leave a quick review! It helps other career flippers find our little corner of the internet.

Let’s stay connected:

📲 Instagram: @thecareerflipperpod for all things podcast

💼 LinkedIn: The Career Flipper Podcast

🪑 And if you want to see my career flip furniture flips in real life, follow me at @sandiegofurnitureflipper

Submit your story:

Have a career flip story? Whether you’re in the messy middle or celebrating the other side, I’d love to hear it and maybe even feature you on the show. Submit your story here: thecareerflipper.com.

Want to support the show or work together?

Book me to speak about career change at your next event, collaborate through sponsorships or affiliates or got another idea? Drop me a note at [email protected]

Bonus: If you’re in customer experience or building your own business, check out my online courses. Before I started flipping my life and furniture, I led CX teams and created training that’s helped over 12,000 students worldwide. Learn more at thecareerflipper.com/courses.

🎵 Music Credits

Season 1: Intro & outro music by Audionautix.com

Season 2: Original music by yours truly, Jenny Dempsey, recorded in my home studio

And hey, remember my favorite question: What’s the best that could happen? 💫

In this episode, you’ll meet Mariena Quintanilla, a Los Angeles-based career flipper who proves you can pivot, even within the same industry.

After spending nearly two decades in tech, moving through roles in software engineering, product management, solutions architecture, and customer experience (plus navigating a layoff), Mariena had a realization: she didn’t want to keep climbing the corporate ladder but she still loved tech.

So, she made the leap. Today, Mariena runs Mellonhead.co, an AI education and consulting company helping others make sense of emerging technology.

In our conversation, we talk about:

• The inner work that happens before, during, and after a big leap
• Building a financial safety net and jumping anyway
• The identity shifts that come with walking away from a title
• Why knowing who you are matters more than knowing where you’re going

Mariena doesn’t sugarcoat the messy middle. She shares what it really felt like to start over, the fears she faced, and the courage it took to rebuild on her own terms.

Connect with Mariena

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariena/

Website: https://mellonhead.co/

Thanks for tuning in to The Career Flipper!

If this episode made you think, laugh, or feel a little braver about your own flip, do me a favor:

💌 Share it with a friend
⭐ Subscribe or follow wherever you listen
💬 Leave a quick review! It helps other career flippers find our little corner of the internet.

Let’s stay connected:

📲 Instagram: @thecareerflipperpod for all things podcast

💼 LinkedIn: The Career Flipper Podcast

🪑 And if you want to see my career flip furniture flips in real life, follow me at @sandiegofurnitureflipper

Submit your story:

Have a career flip story? Whether you’re in the messy middle or celebrating the other side, I’d love to hear it and maybe even feature you on the show. Submit your story here: thecareerflipper.com.

Want to support the show or work together?

Book me to speak about career change at your next event, collaborate through sponsorships or affiliates or got another idea? Drop me a note at [email protected]

Bonus: If you’re in customer experience or building your own business, check out my online courses. Before I started flipping my life and furniture, I led CX teams and created training that’s helped over 12,000 students worldwide. Learn more at thecareerflipper.com/courses.

🎵 Music Credits

Season 1: Intro & outro music by Audionautix.com

Season 2: Original music by yours truly, Jenny Dempsey, recorded in my home studio

And hey, remember my favorite question: What’s the best that could happen? 💫

In this episode, host Jenny Dempsey chats with Joseph Rudd, who went from selling bathroom fixtures in London to managing personal brands in the marketing world. His journey is a real-deal look at what it takes to flip your career when everything feels uncertain.

After the pandemic threw his career plans off course, Joseph didn’t wait for someone to give him a shot, he created his own opportunities. He started building experience from scratch, leaned into the world of personal branding, and learned how to stand out by being, well...himself.

We talk about:

• Making big career changes without a traditional background
• Why networking isn’t as scary as it sounds
• The magic of having supportive people in your corner
• What to do when self-doubt shows up
• How to start building a personal brand—even if you’re not in marketing
• Why your portfolio matters more than your degree
   

Joseph’s story is a reminder that it’s never too late to start something new, and you don’t need a fancy title or perfect plan to begin. You just have to start.

✨ If you’ve ever thought, “Who’s going to take me seriously?”, this one’s for you.

Connect with Joseph

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephrudd/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/worklifewithjoe/?hl=en

Thanks for tuning in to The Career Flipper!

If this episode made you think, laugh, or feel a little braver about your own flip, do me a favor:

💌 Share it with a friend
⭐ Subscribe or follow wherever you listen
💬 Leave a quick review! It helps other career flippers find our little corner of the internet.

Let’s stay connected:

📲 Instagram: @thecareerflipperpod for all things podcast

💼 LinkedIn: The Career Flipper Podcast

🪑 And if you want to see my career flip furniture flips in real life, follow me at @sandiegofurnitureflipper

Submit your story:

Have a career flip story? Whether you’re in the messy middle or celebrating the other side, I’d love to hear it and maybe even feature you on the show. Submit your story here: thecareerflipper.com.

Want to support the show or work together?

Book me to speak about career change at your next event, collaborate through sponsorships or affiliates or got another idea? Drop me a note at [email protected]

Bonus: If you’re in customer experience or building your own business, check out my online courses. Before I started flipping my life and furniture, I led CX teams and created training that’s helped over 12,000 students worldwide. Learn more at thecareerflipper.com/courses.

🎵 Music Credits

Season 1: Intro & outro music by Audionautix.com

Season 2: Original music by yours truly, Jenny Dempsey, recorded in my home studio

And hey, remember my favorite question: What’s the best that could happen? 💫

What starts as a hobby can totally change your life—and Laura Hatcher is living proof.

In this episode of The Career Flipper, I chat with Laura, a former Navy captain turned full-time professional photographer based in Alexandria, Virginia. Her journey from military structure to creative entrepreneurship is honest, emotional, and so deeply inspiring.

We talk about:

• Transitioning from military to civilian life
• Finding identity outside the uniform
• Imposter syndrome and self-doubt as a creative
• Building a business from a side passion
• How mentorship and community helped her grow
• The emotional side of setting “big” goals
• Navigating cultural identity and belonging in new spaces
• Adapting through the pandemic and learning as she went

If you're in the thick of a transition—or wondering if your side project has legs—Laura's story will meet you where you are, and maybe even give you that little nudge to keep going.

🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts and don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review if this one resonates!

Connect with Laura Hatcher:

📸 Website
📷 Instagram
📘 Facebook
🎥 YouTube
💼 LinkedIn

Thanks for tuning in to The Career Flipper!

If this episode made you think, laugh, or feel a little braver about your own flip, do me a favor:

💌 Share it with a friend
⭐ Subscribe or follow wherever you listen
💬 Leave a quick review! It helps other career flippers find our little corner of the internet.

Let’s stay connected:

📲 Instagram: @thecareerflipperpod for all things podcast

💼 LinkedIn: The Career Flipper Podcast

🪑 And if you want to see my career flip furniture flips in real life, follow me at @sandiegofurnitureflipper

Submit your story:

Have a career flip story? Whether you’re in the messy middle or celebrating the other side, I’d love to hear it and maybe even feature you on the show. Submit your story here: thecareerflipper.com.

Want to support the show or work together?

Book me to speak about career change at your next event, collaborate through sponsorships or affiliates or got another idea? Drop me a note at [email protected]

Bonus: If you’re in customer experience or building your own business, check out my online courses. Before I started flipping my life and furniture, I led CX teams and created training that’s helped over 12,000 students worldwide. Learn more at thecareerflipper.com/courses.

🎵 Music Credits

Season 1: Intro & outro music by Audionautix.com

Season 2: Original music by yours truly, Jenny Dempsey, recorded in my home studio

And hey, remember my favorite question: What’s the best that could happen? 💫