Life Between Titles: Career Transition, Layoff Recovery & Reinvention

Savan Kong | Job Loss Recovery & Career Stories
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What happens to your identity when your job disappears? Life Between Titles is the podcast for anyone navigating career transition, job loss recovery, and the hard work of career reinvention — told through honest, human stories. Whether you are between jobs, titles, or directions, Life Between Titles reminds you that the in-between is not the end. It is where transformation begins. Hosted by Savan Kong, a former federal employee and product executive who has lived through layoff, reinvention, and the question of who you are when your title is gone.

  1. Gladdys Uribe on Immigration Law, ICE Raids, & Building a Practice on Your Own Terms

    3D AGO

    Gladdys Uribe on Immigration Law, ICE Raids, & Building a Practice on Your Own Terms

    ICE raids. Deportations. A system moving faster than families can react. Immigration attorney Gladdys Uribe sees it all in real time — and she decided at 16 she'd be the one standing between her community and the worst of it. The daughter of Mexican immigrants, trained under one of LA's top lawyers, she built her practice on her own terms — as a working mom, in the middle of the most chaotic enforcement era in decades. In this episode, we talk about what it actually looks like to say yes when fear is the loudest voice in the room. If this show has helped you, consider buying me a coffee: buymeacoffee.com/lifebtwtitles ————————————————————— In this episode you'll learn: * How to build a career around a mission you committed to before you knew what it would cost * How to navigate a field that wasn't designed for you — and build a practice on your own terms * What ICE enforcement actually looks like on the ground right now, and what families need to know * How to use fear as information instead of a reason to stop * What it means to practice immigration law as a working mom without apologizing for either role The immigration system didn't get more forgiving. The enforcement didn't get quieter. Gladdys built her practice anyway — not in spite of the pressure, but inside of it. This is what it looks like when someone says yes to the thing that scares them, and keeps saying it for 26 years. What We Discuss: 00:00 — Introduction 02:00 — Growing up as the daughter of Mexican immigrants and deciding at 16 to become a civil rights attorney 08:00 — Getting into Occidental College and UCLA Law — and what no one tells you about being first 16:00 — Training under Enrique Arevalon, one of LA's top immigration lawyers 24:00 — What Trump 2.0 enforcement actually looks like: ICE raids, detention, daily policy shifts 34:00 — The moment she decided to build her own practice instead of fit into someone else's 42:00 — Building a working-mom-friendly firm — and why that design was intentional 50:00 — What saying yes instead of no out of fear actually changed 58:00 — What she wants families to know right now ————————————————————— SUPPORT THE SHOW & TOOLS Teal AI Resume Tool Online-Therapy Anxiety Assessment Guided Reflection Journal Some links above are affiliate links. They cost you nothing and help support the show. ————————————————————— MORE FROM LBT 📺 YouTube 🟢 Spotify 🍎 Apple Podcasts 🎵 Amazon Music ————————————————————— COMMUNITY 📝 Substack 💼 LinkedIn 🎵 TikTok 📸 Instagram ————————————————————— PARTNER WITH LBT 💰 Become a Sponsor 🙋 Be a Guest ————————————————————— #LifeBetweenTitles #careertransition #layoff #reinvention #humanstories #nextchapter #leadership #immigrationlaw #ICEraids #Trump

    1h 21m
  2. Ann Dunkin on Reinvention, Grit, and Breaking Into Rooms That Weren't Built for You

    APR 28

    Ann Dunkin on Reinvention, Grit, and Breaking Into Rooms That Weren't Built for You

    Here's the Spotify title and description: TITLE:Ann Dunkin on Reinvention, Grit, and Breaking Into Rooms That Weren't Built for You DESCRIPTION: Ann Dunkin has been in rooms most people never get into. Former CIO of the Department of Energy spanning three presidential administrations, HP veteran of 20 years, and now back at Georgia Tech as a professor and external fellow. She didn't get there by playing it safe. She got there by never getting too comfortable. We talked about what grit actually looks like when you've had every advantage stripped away. About being a woman in engineering in the South when the professors in the room didn't think you belonged there. About leading teams full of people smarter than you, and why not knowing everything is sometimes the best management tool you have. About the Boys Club, Gen X getting squeezed out, and what it costs when diversity gets treated as a threat instead of a strategy. Support the show: Buy Me a Coffee In this episode you'll learn: How to know when comfort is actually holding your career backHow to lead highly technical teams when you're not the most technical person in the roomHow to build a career across sectors without losing yourself in the processHow to navigate being the only woman in rooms that were never designed to include youHow to think about grit, privilege, and what it actually takes to build something that lastsWhat We Discuss: (0:00) Introduction (1:18) Georgia Tech, industrial engineering, and the world it dropped her into (5:23) How video games shifted the gender balance in computer science (10:40) What Georgia Tech raw material actually means (16:20) Building grit in yourself and your students (18:02) Why immigration raises the bar for everyone (25:51) The phone call from HP that changed everything (30:23) How one recommendation shaped how Ann pays it forward (36:40) Leading technical teams when you're not the most technical (39:07) Trust over micromanagement (41:02) Being the woman in the room and the most senior one (42:40) Gen X, the Boys Club, and what still needs to change (46:03) Keeping girls engaged in technology early (54:16) Change management at the Department of Energy (58:15) Why F1 is a technical sport disguised as racing (1:02:03) Advice her father gave her that she had to unlearn (1:10:42) The thing she's most proud of that isn't on her resume SUPPORT THE SHOW & TOOLS: Teal AI Resume Tool | Online-Therapy Anxiety Assessment | Guided Reflection Journal Some links above are affiliate links. They cost you nothing and help support the show. MORE FROM LBT: 📺 YouTube | 🟢 Spotify | 🍎 Apple Podcasts | 🎵 Amazon Music COMMUNITY: 📝 Substack | 💼 LinkedIn | 🎵 TikTok | 📸 Instagram PARTNER WITH LBT: 💰 Become a Sponsor | 🙋 Be a Guest #LifeBetweenTitles #careertransition #layoff #reinvention #humanstories #nextchapter #leadership

    1h 10m
  3. Danielle Frank on Career Pivots, Breaking Off an Engagement, and Writing A Wine Lover's Guide to Parenting #wineindustry #author

    APR 21

    Danielle Frank on Career Pivots, Breaking Off an Engagement, and Writing A Wine Lover's Guide to Parenting #wineindustry #author

    Career transition, reinvention, and second chances don't always look the way you expect. Danielle Frank calls herself a veteran of pivots: New York to LA in her late twenties, a toxic PR firm she quit in three months without another job lined up, twenty-two years in the wine and spirits industry she thought would be temporary, an engagement she broke off in her late thirties because she wanted children and he did not. In this episode of Work Unscripted, Danielle walks through what it takes to leave something that looks fine from the outside, how writing became her way of telling herself the truth when she was lying to her therapist, and why she refused to die with a fourteen-year-old manuscript still sitting in a drawer. This is not a story about having it figured out. It's a story about trusting the feeling in your stomach when it tells you the life you're living is not the one you want. ☕ Buy Me a Coffee to Support LBT Chapters 00:00 Pre-show and introductions01:05 Why Danielle calls herself a pivotal princess02:02 The theme of transformation as a cornerstone of identity05:19 Leaving Miramax International and moving from New York to LA07:27 Walking into a toxic PR firm and finding publicists crying on day one09:21 Quitting without another job because the feeling in her stomach wouldn't go away10:22 Landing in the wine and spirits industry at Bacardi, thinking it was temporary12:36 Meeting her ex at 32 and realizing the relationship wasn't what she needed15:00 The first night in the new apartment: going home early and feeling free17:43 What the wine industry actually looks like from the inside22:29 Why belief in what you're selling matters, even if you're selling toilets24:44 Writing as therapy after breaking off the engagement26:38 How the path of motherhood not happening didn't take away the nurturing27:06 The whining niece and the wine industry insider: how the book came together29:29 Why she shelved the manuscript for fourteen years30:22 Hybrid publishing and the decision to finally bring it to life31:22 The Mulled Wine chapter: helping parents recognize when their kid is the bully33:02 Why the themes haven't changed in fourteen years52:31 Getting on California Live and the pinch-me moment of being back in the green roomGift-Worthy Books Inspired by Danielle's Story A Wine Lover's Guide to Parenting Support the show and tools I recommend Teal AI Resume Tool | Online-Therapy Anxiety Assessment Some links above are affiliate links. They cost you nothing and help support the show. 🌐 Website Listen to Life Between Titles 📺 YouTube🍎 Apple PodcastsJoin the Community 📝 Substack📸 InstagramPartner with LBT 💰 Become a Sponsor🙋 Nominate a Guest#lifebetweentitles #careertransition #identity #lifetransition

    1h 14m

  4. APR 14

    Jerry Glavy | Retired Marine General, 39 Years. On flying the President, commanding cyber warfare, and what you miss when the mission ends.

    Jerry Glavy flew Marine One. He carried multiple presidents into Buckingham Palace, military bases, and cities across the world. Then he pivoted into cyber and space operations and retired as a Lieutenant General. Now he's in the in-between. This is a Work Unscripted conversation about what a career like that actually looks like from the inside, and what happens when it ends.In this episode:• What it's actually like to fly the President of the United States• How he went from Marine helicopter pilot to leading cyber and space operations• What the Pentagon looks like from the inside, and from the outside looking back• How identity shifts across a career that spans flight, combat, and technology command• What retirement looks like after 30 years of service at the highest levels of the Marine CorpsCHAPTERS0:00 Flying the President of the United States1:31 What It's Like to Pilot Marine One5:04 Buckingham Palace, Rio, and the Moments He'll Never Forget6:00 From Fighter Pilot to Cyber Command7:53 How General Cartwright Changed His Career13:00 Arriving at Fort Meade: A Steep Learning Curve17:22 Leading Through an Invisible Enemy18:42 Challenge Your People: Jerry's Leadership Philosophy23:51 Obstacle Removal: How He Kept Teams Moving25:46 AI Ready Veteran: Helping 200K Transitions a Year27:00 What Military Skills Actually Transfer to Civilian Life34:00 What Lawyers Taught Him About Decision-Making35:43 Growing Up Irish Catholic in Buffalo, New York38:16 The Backyard Hockey Rink His Dad Built44:45 Naval Academy, Prep School, and a Young Major Mattis49:57 Why He Chose the Marines53:05 The People Who Shaped His Life56:24 Hot Take: Why Saying Yes Beats Saying No1:01:26 Retiring After 39 Years1:03:05 First Weeks Out: The Chainsaw Operation1:05:11 What He Misses Most: The Mission and the Marines1:07:00 Grandkids, Faith, and the Fate Journey1:13:28 Still Figuring Out: AI and the Future of Work1:16:42 Words of Wisdom to Close_________Support LBT → https://buymeacoffee.com/lifebtwtitlesListen→ Spotify: https://sptfy.in/fd0u | Apple: https://apple.co/4mkfOwpGuests & Sponsors → https://www.lifebetweentitles.com/become-a-sponsor#lifebetweentitles #careertransition #personaldevelopment #militaryservice #identityshift

    1h 20m
  5. Dr. Jordan Swanson on Pediatric Surgery, Building Faces, and a Career Most People Can't Imagine

    APR 7

    Dr. Jordan Swanson on Pediatric Surgery, Building Faces, and a Career Most People Can't Imagine

    Dr. Jordan Swanson holds the Linton A. Whitaker Endowed Chair in Pediatric Plastic and Craniofacial Surgery at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia — one of the top-ranked children's hospitals in the country. He reconstructs the faces of children born without ears, children whose skulls do not grow with their brains, children with cleft lips and palates. He builds what is missing. He restores what was taken. In this conversation, Savan and his Lakeside School classmate go deep on what it actually costs to do work that carries real weight. About the Guest Dr. Jordan Swanson is a pediatric plastic and craniofacial surgeon at CHOP, where he holds the Linton A. Whitaker Endowed Chair. He trained at Harvard, Johns Hopkins, and the London School of Economics, spent time at McKinsey, and then walked away from elite job offers to spend two years in Nicaragua building a surgical program from nothing. He practices what he calls surgical justice — the idea, drawn from economist Amartya Sen, that the real measure of medicine is not the procedure but the freedom it restores. In This Episode The 4 words an anesthesiologist said mid-surgery in Nicaragua — and what happened nextWhy Jordan left elite offers behind and moved with a two-year-oldWhat wilderness first aid on Bainbridge Island had to do with becoming a surgeonThe detour through McKinsey and LSE before he came back to medicineHow Jordan trains the next generation of craniofacial surgeons at CHOPThe resident whose character was exceptional and whose hands weren'tWhat it feels like to hold a child's life in your handsWhy six-week-old blood in Nicaragua nearly cost an 18-month-old his lifeThe economist behind surgical justice and why it frames everythingThe infant mortality gap between the US and MadagascarWhat doesn't show up on the CV that Jordan is most proud ofWhich medical TV show gets it rightChapters 0:00 Cold open: "I've lost the pulse"5:02 Introduction5:10 Lakeside School, Seattle — how Jordan and Savan know each other8:49 Growing up on Bainbridge Island and the first pull toward medicine10:24 Harvard, global health, summers in Honduras, Bangladesh, and Thailand11:51 Stumbling onto plastic surgery in medical school15:24 Hopkins and the history of medicine19:12 The McKinsey and LSE detour20:24 The surgeon who brought him back — Dr. Rick Redette21:42 Watching an ear get reconstructed — the moment that sealed it25:42 Public health vs. medicine: population vs. patient27:19 Teaching and mentoring the next generation33:37 How to give feedback that actually lands38:31 The resident whose hands didn't match his character40:34 What it feels like to operate on a child's face47:33 "Take some of that anxiety and put it on my shoulders"49:32 Why he left and moved to Nicaragua54:30 "I've lost the pulse" — the full story55:56 How they saved the patient58:54 Surgical justice and Amartya Sen1:00:53 The infant mortality gap: US vs. Madagascar1:02:38 What doesn't show up on the CV1:04:53 Which medical show gets it right: Scrubs1:05:36 Is there a real-life House MD?Support LBT · ☕ https://buymeacoffee.com/lifebtwtitles Listen to Life Between Titles🟢 Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/1olZo0VDvHh9w0F2D2vEir?si=A0UYDnCoQzKtS0dksS0MrA🍎 Apple Podcasts → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/life-between-titles Partner with LBT💰 Become a Sponsor → https://www.savankong.com/become-a-sponsor🙋 Nominate a Guest → https://www.savankong.com/guest-submission #lifebetweentitles #workunscripted #pediatricsurgeon #surgicaljustice #careerchange #careertransition #jordanswanson #globalhealthcare #medicalpodcast #childrenshospital #CHOP #lakesideschool

    1h 11m

  6. MAR 31

    Nate Sexton on Going Pro, Sexton Firebird, & Building a Legacy #discgolf #jomezpro

    Nate Sexton is a professional disc golf legend, Innova athlete, and one of the top three ambassadors in the history of the sport. In this disc golf career deep dive, Nate breaks down exactly how a career in professional disc golf actually works, what it costs, and what it takes to stay relevant across multiple decades.About the GuestNate Sexton is a professional disc golfer based in the Pacific Northwest. He turned pro in 2004, competed full time alongside Paul McBeth, won the PDGA Sportsmanship Award in 2017, and has become one of the most beloved figures in the sport as a player, commentator, ambassador, and educator. His signature disc, the Sexton Firebird, remains one of the best-selling molds in the game. He is sponsored by Innova, Pound, and Idio Sports . He is signed through age 43 and is, by his own account, potentially the first person to retire comfortably from a career in disc golf.In This Episode What Nate says when he tells a stranger what he does for a livingThe financial benchmarks he set for himself before committing fully to the sportWhy he almost became a high school science teacher insteadHow his wife's career trajectory gave him the security to keep chasingThe full breakdown of how professional disc golfers actually make moneyThe McBeast Challenge, the Sexton Shootout, and what 200-person fan events actually looked likeHow Nate built one of the most loyal fan followings in the sport without being the best player on tourThe loneliness and grind of flying in and out as a veteran on tourWhether Pacific Northwest players have a geographic disadvantage on the pro tourWhat would happen to disc golf access if the money gets too bigWhy Nate wanted his on-course result to be the least important thing about himHow commentary shaped his connection to fans in ways competing alone never couldWhat the Sexton Firebird success is actually built onHow he thinks about his legacy and what he wants his daughter to say about him Chapters 0:00 Introduction0:34 How Nate introduces himself to strangers3:13 High school sweethearts and a road no one had a map for4:20 The financial benchmarks that made him keep going8:55 First professional tournament in 2004 and the early years14:25 Pacific Northwest players and the geography of the pro tour28:12 How professional disc golfers actually make money33:14 The McBeast Challenge, the Sexton Shootout, and building fan experiences35:24 Fan engagement, accessibility, and what 700 autographs in a day feels like40:50 Mental grind, loneliness on tour, and crisis of confidence43:54 Aging on tour and disconnecting from the road life46:40 Player accessibility and what happens to disc golf as the money grows54:17 Would Nate make it if he started today56:34 Community listener questions58:12 What the ideal disc golf venue looks like for fans and for television1:00:33 How Nate would grow the sport if he had one wish1:06:09 Getting municipalities to invest in disc golf courses1:12:21 Making on-course performance the least important part of your brand1:14:20 The secret sauce behind the Sexton Firebird1:15:23 Commentary: from a DVD at a friend's house to millions of views1:17:33 Building a career with no template1:18:06 What still feels unfinished1:19:35 How Nate wants his daughter to remember him Support LBT ☕https://buymeacoffee.com/lifebtwtitlesPartner with LBT 💰 Become a Sponsor → https://www.savankong.com/become-a-sponsor🙋 Nominate a Guest → https://www.savankong.com/guest-submission #discgolf #discgolfpro #natsexton #discgolflife #innovadiscs #pdga #discgolfcommunity #workunscripted #professionaldiscgolf #discgolfcareer

    1h 26m
  7. LAID OFF: A Year After the Pentagon. The Story I've Been Afraid to Tell.

    MAR 27

    LAID OFF: A Year After the Pentagon. The Story I've Been Afraid to Tell.

    Unemployed for a year after leaving the Pentagon. This is my raw story. I spent nearly a decade inside the Department of Defense across three administrations, holding a title nobody had ever held before, doing work I genuinely believed in. When I left, I thought I'd be fine. Everybody told me I'd be fine. I was not fine. ---- ⁠Buy Me a Coffee to Support LBT ---- This is the story I've been sitting on for a year. The deferred resignation program that got dangled in front of me and yanked back a week before my leave date. The contract work that kept the lights on but felt like nothing. The hundreds of applications that went nowhere. The companies that couldn't even bother to send a rejection. The slow, suffocating realization that this was going to take far longer than anyone prepared me for.And then the part nobody saw coming, including me. A doctor's visit. A score of 16 out of 18. A diagnosis of ADHD at 46. A year of unemployment will force you to look at things you've been avoiding your entire life.The budget is still tight. The search is still going. I'm not putting a bow on this because there isn't one. But I'm done pretending this has been anything other than exactly what it's been. One of the hardest years of my life.If you're in it right now, this one's for you. You're not alone.

    21 min

  8. MAR 24

    Dave Mazzeo on Building a Career Between the Stage and the Classrooms of O'Dea High School

    What happens when the guy hyping up 70,000 fans at Husky Stadium is the same guy quietly mentoring high school boys in downtown Seattle? That's Dave Mazzeo and his story is one you won't forget. Dave is the Alumni Director at O'Dea High School and one of Seattle's most sought-after independent MCs. In this episode, we get into what it really takes to balance two careers that couldn't look more different on paper, why showing up for people IS the job, and what 25 years at one institution can teach you about loyalty, leadership, and legacy. We also talk about his friendship with Nate Burleson, performing at Capitol Hill Block Party, MCing for 70,000 fans as the on-field host for Husky Football, and why the most impactful careers aren't always the loudest ones. 👤 ABOUT THE GUEST: DAVE MAZZEO Dave Mazzeo is a Seattle native, O'Dea High School alum (Class of '97), and one of the most versatile professionals in the city. By day, he serves as Alumni Director at O'Dea High School in downtown Seattle, a role he has held for nearly two decades, where he connects generations of graduates, supports current students, and helps shape the future of one of Seattle's most storied all-boys schools. By night, Dave is one of the most in-demand independent MCs in the Pacific Northwest, having performed at the Capitol Hill Block Party, served as the on-field MC for University of Washington Husky Football from 2015 to 2018, and hosted major fundraising events for organizations like the Boys & Girls Clubs of Snohomish County. A former Seattle hip-hop artist with full-length albums to his name, Dave's stage presence is the result of decades of hard work, self-reflection, and an unshakeable belief in showing up for the crowd, for the community, and for the kids. 🎙️ IN THIS EPISODE: How Dave balances being an MC and an alumni directorWhat makes a great MC (hint: it's not what you think)The brotherhood culture at O'Dea High SchoolO'Dea's house system and why it's changing livesLessons from Nate Burleson on confidence and staying true to yourselfWhy staying at one job for 25 years is a superpower⏱️ TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 The teacher who shows up for everything02:23 Meet Dave Mazzeo03:04 How Dave describes himself04:15 Balancing two careers: MC & Alumni Director09:18 Dave's MC journey and Capitol Hill Block Party13:43 Transitioning from hip-hop to hosting22:34 Lessons from Nate Burleson28:24 What is an Alumni Director?41:15 What brotherhood really means49:25 O'Dea's house system explained56:53 The hardest part of the job1:06:20 What keeps Dave coming back after 25 years ☕ Buy Me a Coffee to Support LBT https://buymeacoffee.com/lifebtwtitles🎧 Listen to Life Between Titles 🟢 Spotify🍎 Apple Podcasts📺 YouTube🎵 Amazon Music 🤝 Join the Community 📝 Substack🎵 TikTok📸 Instagram💼 LinkedIn💼 Partner with LBT 💰 Become a Sponsor🙋 Nominate a Guest #WorkUnscripted #Seattle #ODea #AlumniDirector #SeattleHipHop #NateBurleson #Leadership #Brotherhood #Mentorship #CareerAdvice

    1h 12m
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About

What happens to your identity when your job disappears? Life Between Titles is the podcast for anyone navigating career transition, job loss recovery, and the hard work of career reinvention — told through honest, human stories. Whether you are between jobs, titles, or directions, Life Between Titles reminds you that the in-between is not the end. It is where transformation begins. Hosted by Savan Kong, a former federal employee and product executive who has lived through layoff, reinvention, and the question of who you are when your title is gone.

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