Laid Off. 6 Months Pregnant. Here's What I Built.
READ TIME: 5 MINUTES
It was May 1, 2025 and I had been laid off for the second time in two years.
I was six months pregnant with our second child.
We had a vacation planned for the first week of May. It gave me a chance to breathe. But when I got back, I already had five calls lined up with my network — targeting my next VP role.
That's the version of me that had always existed: execute, go back to what you know, keep climbing.
But something was different this time.
The last few years, the endless work and stress had started to get to me. I'd take walks with my family and say: I want more flexibility. I want to enjoy the work I do. I want less pressure.
My original plan was to build something like that in my fifties. I'm not sure if having kids sped up that dream, or if VP burnout did.
Either way, the timeline moved up.
The question I couldn't stop asking
Late May, I was deep in two corporate interview processes and at the same time, talking to former colleagues who had built businesses of their own. I was trying to figure out: am I crazy to walk away from corporate?
During that stretch, I remembered the career coach I'd worked with in 2023. I turned to Google, started researching, and quickly discovered there was an entire industry — and certifications — built around career coaching. A few days later, I purchased a nine-week program and finished it in a week and a half.
I was close to an offer at one of the corporate roles.
The question became: do I take it and build on the side, or do I bet on myself?
I don't know if I would have chosen myself if it wasn't for another career coach, Amy, who reached out at exactly that moment.
She didn't tell me what to do.
She asked me to define my goals.
She asked me why not.
She gave me a perspective that no one in my corporate network could.
She also reminded me of my strengths. Specifically, what I'd learned from a CliftonStrengths assessment.
My #1 strength: Discipline.
It drove my performance as an AE. It drove my results as a manager. It drove me to VP. She helped me see it would drive the success of my business too.
She was right.
That's the power of a coach
This year I committed to posting on LinkedIn three times a week and writing this newsletter every Sunday. I haven't missed once. That's discipline.
A coach can remind you of your strengths.
A coach can ask you the questions that help you see the path forward.
A coach can believe in you in the moments when you can't believe in yourself.
And a coach can hold you accountable when you need it.
Fast forward a year. I've built the foundation of a coaching business that fits my life. I've celebrated clients landing offers, getting promoted, and growing in their careers.
I still meet with Amy monthly. I've also invested in a business coach — learning the frameworks of marketing, offers, and lead gen, with someone invested in my success to provide guidance and hold me accountable.
She reviewed my sales page last week and flagged language that sounded AI-generated, not like me. I had to laugh. I gave that exact feedback to a client a few weeks ago when she was prepping for a presentation round.
When you're too close, you can't see it. That's what a coach is for.
It's true when you're launching a business. It's just as true when you're running a job search.
Most people haven't run a real job search in years. Some have never been taught how. They're making decisions in the fog — without a framework, without someone to push their thinking.
That's the gap I coach to every day.
One year ago, I set another goal: build something accessible
Not just 1:1 coaching — which will always be the deepest transformation — but something a sales professional could work through at their own pace, on their own schedule, at a price point that didn't require a budget conversation.
This week, I launched my first course: Setback to Interview Ready.
Here's what building it and working with clients daily has taught me.
Three things drive success in an interview, a career pivot, a promotion, or clawing back from a tough quarter:
Knowing what you want — the end goal
Knowing your strengths
Having confidence in yourself
When I look back at every new role I landed, every promotion I earned, every pivot I made, every hard chapter I came through — it was those three things that made the difference.
When you know where you're going and you genuinely trust what you bring, you show up differently. You stop second-guessing your stories. The interview becomes a conversation and the hiring manager feels it.
The course is built on that foundation.
The confidence workbook gives you the framework to rebuild your confidence.
It's the same work I did after the 2025 layoff — it gave me the confidence and direction to launch my own business. It's what I lacked in 2023.
That's what I built this course to do for you.
At some point in your career, you'll need to rebuild your confidence and walk into an interview ready to land the offer.
GrabSetback to Interview Readynow.
Hit reply and tell me: what’s your number one strength? I read every response.
To clarity and confidence in your career path,
Amanda
See you next Sunday.
PS - Grab the course at the early bird price of $27 and lock in lifetime access before the price goes up.
Want to get this in your inbox every Sunday? Subscribe to the newsletter.
One email every Sunday. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
