Pink Slip Pavilion

Ashley Waddington
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Pink Slip Pavilion is where layoff stories become power moves. Inspired by lived experience with job loss and reinvention, this podcast shares real stories of women who have experienced layoffs and turned them into catalysts for growth, clarity, and bold career pivots. Through honest interviews and thoughtful conversations, we explore what truly happens after the pink slip. We talk about identity shifts, confidence rebuilds, professional reinvention, and the mindset work that redefines what success can look like. This is a space for resilience, possibility, and intentional next chapters. Because a setback does not have to be the end of your story. It can be the beginning of something more aligned, more powerful, and more yours. Welcome to the Pavilion.

  1. 5d ago

    From Unemployed to Unbothered | Denis Storey

    Denis Storey has been laid off five times. Three of those layoffs happened in three years. His most recent? His employer decided AI could do his job. In this episode of Pink Slip Pavilion, host Ashley Waddington sits down with Denis to talk about repeated layoffs, career pivots, being replaced by AI, rebuilding confidence, and what five very different experiences taught him about navigating job loss. Denis began his career as a journalist. Early on, he was laid off three times by the same company as magazines closed or relocated during the dot-com crash and the economic fallout surrounding 9/11. Remarkably, the same mentor kept bringing him back. Those experiences taught Denis an early lesson: layoffs can feel incredibly personal even when the decision has nothing to do with your value or performance. They also taught him the importance of not burning bridges. Years later, Denis pivoted from journalism into marketing, using his writing and storytelling skills in a new environment. That role was eventually eliminated too. Then came layoff number five. Denis was working for a scientific publication, translating complex studies into digestible news stories. After a couple of years, his employer told him his writing would be replaced by Claude, an AI tool. They even wanted him to help train it. That layoff hurt. Today, Denis says he's in the best place he's ever been in his career. In this episode, we cover: • Getting laid off five times • Experiencing three layoffs in three years • Being rehired by the same company after a layoff • Why you shouldn't burn bridges • Pivoting from journalism into marketing • Using transferable skills to change careers • Imposter syndrome during a career pivot • Losing a writing job to AI • Being asked to help train the AI replacing him • Rebuilding confidence after job loss • Why interviewing is a skill you need to practice • Rethinking loyalty in today's job market • Staying open to opportunities while employed • Finding gratitude on the other side of a layoff Looking back, Denis wouldn't trade his layoff experiences. Each one taught him something about his career, himself, and navigating uncertainty. One of his biggest lessons? Don't get complacent. Keep your eyes open. Maintain your network. Practice interviewing. Know your strengths. And don't allow your career to become your entire identity. Denis went from having the "Sunday scaries" to being genuinely grateful to sit down at his desk on Monday morning. For anyone currently navigating a layoff, his message is simple: It's going to be okay. This isn't your whole story. It's just a chapter. CONNECT WITH DENIS STOREY: Instagram: @storeyeditor LinkedIn: Denis Storey TikTok: @storeyeditor Email: denis.storey@gmail.com Pink Slip Pavilion shares real stories about layoffs, job loss, career transitions, career reinvention, and what comes next. New episodes every Wednesday.

    From Unemployed to Unbothered | Denis Storey

  2. Sep 9

    From 3 Layoffs to a Career Beyond Architecture | Vinita Kuhikar

    Vinita's first layoff left her crying on the kitchen floor. By her third, her response was completely different: "It's fine. I'll figure it out." What changed? She learned to trust herself. In this episode of Pink Slip Pavilion, host Ashley Waddington sits down with Vinita Kuhikar to talk about being laid off three times, navigating job loss while on a work visa, rebuilding confidence, and learning how to approach the job search without allowing a layoff to define her value. Vinita's first layoff happened during COVID while she was working as an architect on a major Google headquarters project in the Bay Area. As an international worker in the U.S., losing her job came with additional pressure: her work visa clock started ticking the moment she was laid off. After two days to process what happened, Vinita went all in on her job search and landed another role within a month. Three weeks later, she was laid off again. Fortunately, she had another offer waiting. Then came layoff number three. By that point, Vinita's mindset had changed. Instead of wondering whether she'd find another job, she trusted that she'd figure it out. Repeated job searches taught her what worked, how to interview more effectively, and how important confidence was to the process. Her layoffs also pushed her to reconsider her career. She transitioned from architecture into construction management, finding better financial growth, hours, and working conditions. She also began sharing what she'd learned online to help others navigate their job searches. In this episode, we cover: • Getting laid off three times • Losing a job while on a work visa • Getting laid off from a dream project during COVID • Landing another job within 30 days • Rebuilding confidence after job loss • What Vinita learned about job searching and interviews • Separating a layoff from your personal value • Pivoting from architecture to construction management • Building your network before you need it • Preparing for a potential layoff • Negotiating severance • Turning your experience into a way to help others Vinita's experience taught her something powerful: The first time, you don't know whether you'll figure it out. The next time, you have evidence that you already have. Her advice? Build your safety net before you need it. Grow your network, maintain your résumé, keep track of your accomplishments, and build relationships outside your company. As Vinita puts it, you have to back yourself. If you're navigating a layoff, struggling through a job search, or worried about losing your job, Vinita's story is a reminder to trust your ability to figure out what comes next. CONNECT WITH VINITA: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vinita-kuhikar Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vin_thejobhunt TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@vin_thejobhunt YouTube: https://youtube.com/@vin_thejobhunt Book a call: https://topmate.io/vin_thejobhunt_community/1954933 Pink Slip Pavilion shares real stories about layoffs, job loss, career transitions, and what comes next. New episodes every Wednesday.

    From 3 Layoffs to a Career Beyond Architecture | Vinita Kuhikar

  3. Sep 2

    From Surviving Change to Designing It | Beste Ozer Tezcan

    What if getting laid off gave you the opportunity to completely rethink how you want to work? Beste knew her layoff was coming. After watching reorganizations and layoffs unfold around her for more than a year, she received five months' notice that her own role was being eliminated. She would spend those final months helping train the vendors replacing her team. But Beste was already asking herself a bigger question: Do I actually want another corporate job? In this episode of Pink Slip Pavilion, host Ashley Waddington sits down with Beste Ozer Tezcan to talk about navigating an expected layoff, career uncertainty, entrepreneurship, and what happens when job loss gives you permission to question the career path you've always known. Beste had been unhappy in corporate for years but didn't know what else was possible. Entrepreneurship felt like something she'd maybe pursue in 20 or 30 years. Then she got laid off. Instead of immediately jumping into another job, Beste used the time to explore her options. She interviewed. She worked with a coach. She experimented with contract work. And she started questioning whether moving to another company would simply recreate the same problems she'd been trying to escape. Then came the ultimate test. On Beste's final day, she received an offer to join the team she'd been trying to get into for six years. Everyone told her to take it. She said no. Beste left corporate and started her own business. In this episode, we cover: • Knowing a layoff is coming months in advance • Training the people replacing your team • Why Beste waited for the layoff instead of quitting • Receiving a contract offer the same day she got her layoff notice • Navigating job interviews while questioning corporate life • Why changing companies doesn't always solve the underlying problem • Creating more control over how and where you work • Exploring entrepreneurship when you don't see yourself as an entrepreneur • Turning down a corporate opportunity she'd pursued for six years • Building skills and relationships before you need them • Why networking matters even when you're not job searching • Preparing yourself for uncertainty in an AI-driven job market • Looking beyond your job title to understand your transferable skills • Creating multiple career options instead of relying on one path • Why courage and adaptability may be two of today's most important career skills Beste compares her relationship with corporate life to staying in a toxic relationship because it's familiar: "I don't have the power to end it. Can you please end it for me?" Her layoff finally gave her the deadline and space to ask what she actually wanted. Her advice for anyone facing job loss? Don't immediately jump into action. Give yourself space to process. Explore possibilities. Ask what else could be possible before automatically pursuing the same title, industry, or career path again. The goal isn't necessarily to become an entrepreneur. It's to make your next move an intentional choice instead of an automatic one. CONNECT WITH BESTE: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/besteozer/ Pink Slip Pavilion is a podcast about layoff recovery, job loss, career transitions, career reinvention, entrepreneurship, and turning career disruption into growth. New episodes release every Wednesday.

    From Surviving Change to Designing It | Beste Ozer Tezcan

  4. Aug 26

    From Dismissal to Discovery | Steve Jaffe

    Steve Jaffe didn't become an expert on layoffs by studying them. He became one by living through four of them. His first layoff devastated him. His fourth barely knocked him off course. In this episode of Pink Slip Pavilion, host Ashley Waddington sits down with Steve Jaffe, author of The Layoff Journey: From Dismissal to Discovery – Navigating the Stages of Grief After Job Loss, to talk about what really happens emotionally after losing your job and why the advice we're often given immediately after a layoff may be exactly what we're not ready to hear. Update your résumé. Start networking. Apply for jobs. Get back out there. But a layoff isn't just a career setback. It's a loss that can shake your identity, confidence, routine, relationships, and sense of what comes next. Steve learned that firsthand. His first layoff came in 2001 during the dot-com crash. He was doing good work, his client was happy, and his agency was happy. But when the client went bankrupt and layoffs followed, Steve internalized the decision. What did I do wrong? He carried shame and embarrassment and eventually spent 18 months out of work. More than two decades and three additional layoffs later, his perspective had completely changed. One of his biggest realizations: Layoffs are math, not merit. Hard work and strong performance don't necessarily protect you from restructuring, shrinking budgets, recessions, pandemics, or changing industries. Losing your job doesn't mean you failed. Over four layoffs, Steve learned how to process the grief of job loss, separate his identity from his job title, rebuild his confidence, and focus on what he could control. Those lessons eventually became The Layoff Journey, a resource designed to help others navigate the experience he wishes he'd understood the first time around. In this episode, we cover: • What four layoffs taught Steve about job loss • Why getting laid off can trigger grief • Shame and embarrassment after losing your job • Why layoffs are often about math, not merit • Separating your identity from your job title • Why you may need to heal before starting the job search • Rebuilding confidence after job loss • How unresolved emotions can affect job interviews • Navigating rejection, ghosting, and unemployment • Building resilience through career setbacks • Deciding whether to pivot, reskill, or stay on your career path • Focusing on what you can control after a layoff • Turning job loss into an intentional redirect • Finding community and support during layoff recovery Steve's message: Heal before you hustle. The layoff wasn't your choice. What comes next can be. If you're navigating a layoff, worried one may be coming, or still carrying the emotional weight of a past job loss, this conversation offers a different way to move forward. Not simply bouncing back, but processing what happened, rebuilding yourself, and intentionally deciding where you want to go next. CONNECT WITH STEVE JAFFE: Book: The Layoff Journey: From Dismissal to Discovery – Navigating the Stages of Grief After Job Loss Website: thestevejaffe.com Instagram: @stevejaffethelayoffjourney LinkedIn: Steve Jaffe Substack: Steve Jaffe Pink Slip Pavilion is a podcast about layoff recovery, job loss, career transitions, career reinvention, entrepreneurship, and turning career disruption into growth. New episodes release every Wednesday.

    From Dismissal to Discovery | Steve Jaffe

  5. Aug 19

    From Building Brands to Building Her Own | Melissa Cohen

    Laid off from the company where you thought you'd retire. What happens when the career you thought was your future suddenly disappears? If you're navigating a layoff, struggling through today's job market, questioning your career identity, or wondering whether it's too late to reinvent yourself, this episode is for you. In this episode of Pink Slip Pavilion, host Ashley Waddington sits down with Melissa Cohen to talk about being laid off from her dream company during the COVID-19 pandemic and how losing the career she thought she'd have forever ultimately led her somewhere she never expected. Melissa had spent years in the fashion industry and considered herself "corporate through and through." She never imagined becoming an entrepreneur. Then 2020 changed everything. Losing her job brought sadness, anger, uncertainty, and even shame. Making matters harder, the fashion industry had been devastated by the pandemic, leaving few jobs to even apply for. When opportunities finally returned, Melissa faced another challenge: a frustrating job search filled with multiple rounds of interviews, ghosting, and rejection. After six or seven interviews with one company, she was told she was their top candidate and would hear about next steps on Monday. She never heard from them again. That became her final straw. Melissa started consulting and turned to LinkedIn to rebuild her network. What started as an attempt to find another job unexpectedly became a community, a personal brand, and eventually an entirely new business helping others leverage LinkedIn and build their own personal brands. Today, Melissa runs her own business, speaks, has co-authored two books, and says the positive things that have happened over the last six years happened because corporate left her. In this episode, we cover: • Getting laid off from your dream company during COVID • Losing a job you thought you'd have until retirement • The identity loss and shame that can follow a layoff • Navigating job loss when your entire industry is struggling • Multiple interview rounds, rejection, and job-search ghosting • Knowing when to stop forcing your way back into corporate • Starting a business after a layoff • Discovering entrepreneurship when you never planned on becoming an entrepreneur • Using LinkedIn to rebuild your network after job loss • Building a personal brand that isn't dependent on your employer or job title • Separating your self-worth from where you work • Reinventing your career later in life • Why Melissa now considers her layoff a blessing • Using job loss as a springboard toward something better Melissa's message for anyone navigating a layoff is simple: You're not alone, and it's never too late to reinvent yourself. A layoff can feel like losing a piece of who you are. But losing your job doesn't mean losing your value, your experience, or your ability to build something new. Six years later, Melissa says she wouldn't have believed where that pink slip would eventually take her. Her memoir title says it best: It All Worked Out in the End. CONNECT WITH MELISSA: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-beth-cohen/ Website: www.melissabethcohen.com Pink Slip Pavilion is a podcast about layoff recovery, job loss, career transitions, career reinvention, entrepreneurship, and turning career disruption into growth. New episodes release every Wednesday.

    From Building Brands to Building Her Own | Melissa Cohen

  6. Aug 12

    From Hospitality Leader to "Hospitality" Career Coach | Christopher McFadden

    What happens when you know a layoff is coming, but there's absolutely nothing you can do to stop it? If you're worried about an upcoming layoff, watching your industry shrink, or trying not to take job loss personally, this episode is for you. In this episode of Pink Slip Pavilion, host Ashley Waddington sits down with Christopher McFadden, former hospitality executive, college professor, entrepreneur, and coach, to talk about losing a job he genuinely loved and navigating a career transition completely outside of his control. After 25 years in the restaurant and hotel industry, Christopher made a major career change into education. Teaching gave him the flexibility his family needed while allowing him to discover work he loved. Then government policy changes affecting international students began reshaping higher education in Ontario. Programs shrank. Campuses closed. Colleagues started losing their jobs. Christopher knew his pink slip was probably coming...and then it did. Even with months to mentally prepare, losing a career he loved was painful. Christopher found himself asking the same question so many people face after a layoff: What do I do now? But as one part of his life changed, something much bigger was happening. Just months after losing his teaching position, Christopher and his wife were matched with the young boy who would become their son. Suddenly, the time and flexibility created by his layoff allowed him to be fully present for one of the most important transitions of his life. Professionally, Christopher also began recognizing that he wasn't alone. Former students, colleagues, friends, and professionals across industries were asking the same question: What's next? That realization helped reshape his own business and the people he wanted to serve. In this episode, we cover: • Knowing a layoff is coming and living with career uncertainty • Losing a job you genuinely love • Job loss caused by changes outside your control • Why preparing for a layoff doesn't necessarily make it hurt less • How to stop taking a layoff personally • Navigating a major career transition • Preparing for job loss before it happens • Thinking about your next career move while you're still employed • Why layoffs can create unexpected space in your life • Becoming a father through adoption during a career transition • Rethinking work-life balance and putting life first • Turning your experience into an opportunity to help others • Building the mindset to move forward after career disruption Christopher's biggest advice for anyone facing a layoff is simple: Don't take it personally. Companies change. Industries shrink. Funding disappears. Economies shift. Decisions are made that you may have absolutely no control over. But you can control how prepared you are for what comes next. CONNECT WITH CHRISTOPHER: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christophermmcfadden/ Website: www.tmgcareercoaching.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tmgcareercoaching/ Email: christopher@tmgcareercoaching.com Pink Slip Pavilion is a podcast about layoff recovery, job loss, career transitions, career reinvention, entrepreneurship, and turning career disruption into growth. New episodes release every Wednesday.

    From Hospitality Leader to "Hospitality" Career Coach | Christopher McFadden

  7. Aug 5

    Who Am I Without My Job? A Framework for Rebuilding Your Identity After a Layoff | Ashley Waddington

    What happens when losing your job makes you question who you are? If you've ever thought, "Who am I without my career?" after a layoff or job loss, this episode is for you. In this special solo episode of Pink Slip Pavilion, host Ashley Waddington shares one of the most impactful frameworks she's learned for navigating identity after a layoff. Rather than telling another layoff story, Ashley walks through a practical exercise designed to help you understand your self-identity, reconnect with your strengths, and rebuild your confidence after career disruption. One of the most common themes to emerge from conversations with guests on Pink Slip Pavilion is self identity. When we spend years investing our time, energy, and purpose into our careers, it's natural to feel lost when that role suddenly disappears. But what if losing one identity doesn't mean losing yourself? In this episode, Ashley introduces a simple self-identity mapping exercise that helps separate who you are from what you do, identify the core traits that remain even after job loss, and discover new ways to channel those strengths into your next chapter. Whether you're recovering from a layoff, changing careers, navigating unemployment, or simply questioning what's next, this framework can help you move through uncertainty with greater clarity and confidence. In this episode, we cover: • Why layoffs often trigger an identity crisis • The difference between a job, a career, and a calling • Understanding how self-identity evolves throughout life • Creating your own self-identity map • Identifying the core traits that define you beyond your job title • Why your strengths don't disappear after a layoff • Reallocating your talents into new opportunities • Finding purpose after career disruption • Rebuilding confidence after job loss • Why identity is about who you are—not what you do • Practical exercises to help you navigate career transitions If you're walking through a layoff and wondering who you are without your job, this episode will give you a practical framework to help you rebuild your identity with intention instead of fear. Because losing a job may change what you do. It doesn't change who you are. Pink Slip Pavilion is a podcast about layoff recovery, job loss, career transitions, entrepreneurship, and turning career disruption into growth. New episodes release every Wednesday.

    Who Am I Without My Job? A Framework for Rebuilding Your Identity After a Layoff | Ashley Waddington

  8. Jul 29

    From Chaos to Clarity | Andrew Bath

    Laid off twice while living overseas. What happens when losing your job also puts your visa, your family, and your future on the line? If you're navigating a layoff, facing uncertainty about your career, or wondering how to move forward after job loss, this episode is for you. In this episode of Pink Slip Pavilion, host Ashley Waddington sits down with career coach and founder Andrew Bath to discuss what it was like to experience two layoffs while living and working in the United Kingdom on a work visa, and how those career setbacks ultimately became opportunities to reinvent himself. Andrew's first layoff came after the dot-com crash in 2002. His second followed the 2008 global financial crisis, just weeks after starting a new job. In both cases, his family's ability to remain in the country depended on him finding employment quickly. The pressure was immense. There were tears, uncertainty, and the fear of letting his family down. But those experiences also taught him something unexpected. A layoff isn't the end of your career, it's your chance to start with a blank canvas. In this conversation, Andrew shares how rebuilding a daily routine helped him regain momentum, why acknowledging difficult emotions is the first step toward moving forward, and how every career transition gave him new opportunities, stronger relationships, and a fresh perspective on what was possible. His story is a powerful reminder that careers aren't ladders—they're journeys. In this episode, we cover: • Experiencing two layoffs while working abroad on a visa • Job loss during the dot-com crash and the 2008 financial crisis • The unique challenges of layoffs while living overseas • Managing the pressure of providing for your family after a layoff • Why losing your routine can be one of the hardest parts of job loss • Building daily habits that create momentum during career transitions • Acknowledging difficult emotions without letting them control your future • The importance of intentionality after a career setback • Why every layoff became an opportunity to reinvent himself • Creating a "blank canvas" for your next career chapter • The value of maintaining relationships with former coworkers • How to stop one bad day from becoming a bad week • Why careers are journeys, not ladders • Finding opportunity and growth after unexpected change If you're experiencing a layoff, rebuilding after job loss, or preparing for your next career move, this conversation will remind you that uncertainty doesn't last forever. Andrew reminds us: A layoff may change your direction. It doesn't have to change your destination. CONNECT WITH ANDREW: Email: andrew@momentumcareerconsulting.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-bath-growing-careers/ Pink Slip Pavilion is a podcast about layoff recovery, job loss, career transitions, entrepreneurship, and turning career disruption into growth. New episodes release every Wednesday.

    From Chaos to Clarity | Andrew Bath
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About

Pink Slip Pavilion is where layoff stories become power moves. Inspired by lived experience with job loss and reinvention, this podcast shares real stories of women who have experienced layoffs and turned them into catalysts for growth, clarity, and bold career pivots. Through honest interviews and thoughtful conversations, we explore what truly happens after the pink slip. We talk about identity shifts, confidence rebuilds, professional reinvention, and the mindset work that redefines what success can look like. This is a space for resilience, possibility, and intentional next chapters. Because a setback does not have to be the end of your story. It can be the beginning of something more aligned, more powerful, and more yours. Welcome to the Pavilion.

Information

  • Creator
    Ashley Waddington
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    32
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Ashley Waddington
  • Show Website
    Pink Slip Pavilion