Laid Off to Lift Off shares real layoff stories and perspectives from all walks of life, where they are now, and inspiring advice to help you through your own journey. If you’ve been there, are in it, or think it’s coming, this podcast is here to remind you: you’re not alone.
Check out my Stan Store - https://stan.store/vanitacapo (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 me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/vcapobiancohrtech/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/vcapobiancohrtech/)
Subscribe to Laid Off to Lift Off and share with someone who needs it!
Iraya Corley has been laid off three time, most recently from Microsoft, right in the middle of moving into a new home. In this episode, she opens up about getting the news while packing boxes, picking her son up from summer camp without falling apart, and blind-copying 150 executives just to ask for a shot.
What We Cover:
Getting laid off mid-move and the loses that came after.
Raising her son through three layoffs and how much he's absorbed watching her navigate corporate life
Why she sent a mass email to 150 Microsoft executives asking for a shot to prove she could do any job!
All about her "building" and launching journey - many things! Listen and find out
Her in-progress coffee table book on Black joy and mother-son bonds, and a children's wellness book series for Black and brown kids
Her advice for anyone facing a layoff: protect your peace, minimize debt, negotiate your severance, and collect cell phone numbers before you go (find out why)
Her new podcast, "Own Your Story by Iraya"
And so much more..
Connect with Iraya:
LinkedIn: Iraya Corley (https://www.linkedin.com/in/irayacorley/) / A Ray of Sunshine Fitness (https://www.linkedin.com/in/arayofsunshinefitness/)
Instagram: @IrayaCorley (https://www.instagram.com/irayacorley/)
Catch her at her wellness talk in Jersey City, NJ on September 30th
Black Doctor's (https://blackdoctor.com/) film festival: October 14th
Connect with Vanita:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vcapobiancohrtech/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/vcapobiancohrtech/)
Substack: https://substack.com/@laidofftoliftoff (https://substack.com/@laidofftoliftoff)
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@laidoff_to_liftoff (https://www.youtube.com/@laidoff_to_liftoff)
Resources:
https://justgotlaidoff.org/ (https://justgotlaidoff.org/) created by Melissa Caudill (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mcaudill/)
Practical, plain-English information to help workers understand layoffs, protect their benefits and finances, and figure out what comes next.
Subscribe to Laid Off to Lift Off
Share with a friend, follow, comment and rate to keep the pod going.
Appreciate you.
#career #layoffs #motivation #mindset #resilience
2 Sept 2026
Brian Sheehy - Comfortable Should Be Your Warning Sign
Brian Sheehy on Layoffs, Reinvention and Building Momentum After a Career Reset
Episode Summary
No dramatic firing, no villain, just a remote exec whose company wanted him to relocate to Portland and a quiet, amicable exit that still hit like a loss. In this episode, Brian Sheehy, COO, patent-holding product developer, former CPA, and host of the podcast De:termination joins Vanita to unpack what happens after the layoff: staying challenged, building visibility, and treating a career reset as fuel instead of a setback. They cover comfort zones, reinvention in your 40s and why creating content is a practical job-search tool, not just a personal project.
What We Cover
Why an amicable layoff can still feel like real grief
The time Brian got locked out of a startup
Realizing he had gotten too comfortable and why that's dangerous, not safe
Why Brian thrives at smaller companies where he can wear a lot of hats
How a coffee catch-up with his old career coach turned into a job offer
The origin story of De:termination (yes, the colon is intentional)
Why cold outreach for guests beats asking friends
The "always be building" pattern Brian's noticed across his own guests
LinkedIn visibility as an interview advantage, recruiters want to talk about your content, not "tell me about a time when…"
Connect with Brian:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianhsheehy/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianhsheehy/)
De:termination Podcast - DeterminationPod.com (http://DeterminationPod.com)
Connect with Vanita:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vcapobiancohrtech/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/vcapobiancohrtech/)
Resources: https://justgotlaidoff.org/ (https://justgotlaidoff.org/) created by Melissa Caudill (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAAAbiENQBE_t_jekta0Fuey6-477KVBEUxMo)
Practical, plain-English information to help workers understand layoffs, protect their benefits and finances, and figure out what comes next.
Subscribe to Laid Off to Lift Off - https://laidofftoliftoff.riverside.com/ (https://laidofftoliftoff.riverside.com/)
Share with a friend, follow, comment and rate to keep the pod going.
Appreciate you.
#career #layoffs #motivation #mindset #resilience
12 Aug 2026
Maha Abouelenein - It's Laid Off to Lift Off's 1st Birthday — With the One Who Helped Me Lift Off
It's Laid Off to Lift Off's first birthday!
To celebrate 26 episodes and one full year of storytelling, I brought on the person who helped make this whole thing possible: Maha Abouelenein, founder of Digital & Savvy and bestselling author of 7 Rules of Self-Reliance.
Back in late 2024, an Instagram ad introduced me to Maha right as she was launching her book and a group coaching cohort. I signed up not really knowing what I was doing and that cohort became the spark for Laid Off to Lift Off. So having her on the show a year later isn't just a guest interview, it's a full-circle moment.
In this episode, we talk about:
The scrappy, imperfect origin story of starting a podcast (bad lighting, a bed in the background etc)
Why "getting the reps in" matters more than getting it perfect
The vulnerability of publishing deeply personal stories on LinkedIn; including the response Vanita got after sharing she was undocumented for 10 years
What personal branding actually means
Why LinkedIn isn't just for job seekers; it's where business and relationships happen, regardless of industry
Maha's simple but powerful networking trick
The mindset shift Maha says everyone needs after a layoff: your name and title were never the same thing
Advice for anyone who feels like they don't have it all figured out
Maha's advice for Vanita heading into Year Two
About Maha Abouelenein:
Founder of Digital & Savvy, bestselling author of 7 Rules of Self-Reliance, and a self-proclaimed sports fanatic. Minnesota-born, 100% Egyptian, and one of the people who helped give Vanita the courage to start telling her story.
📖 Grab Maha's book: 7 Rules of Self-Reliance (available in audiobook, paperback, and hardcover):
https://www.mahaabouelenein.com/book (https://www.mahaabouelenein.com/book)
https://www.amazon.com/Rules-Self-Reliance-Moving-Invest-Yourself/dp/1401978665 (https://www.amazon.com/Rules-Self-Reliance-Moving-Invest-Yourself/dp/1401978665)
Connect with Maha - https://www.mahaabouelenein.com/ (https://www.mahaabouelenein.com/)
Connect with Vanita - https://www.linkedin.com/in/vcapobiancohrtech/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/vcapobiancohrtech/)
🎧 Here's to Year Two.
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