I Got Laid Off. Then I Built Something. Now I'm Ready to Come Home.

TL;DR:

Getting laid off shook my identity. So I built something on my own, a creative consultancy where I ran ghostwriting, social strategy, branding, design, and content creation for clients who needed someone to figure it out and get it done. And I did. But after a year of solo wins, soul searching, and skill sharpening, I’m ready for what’s next. I miss the team. I miss the momentum. I’m not applying to everyone. If I applied to you, it’s because I believe I can make an impact. I’m back, better than ever, and ready to skate full speed into whatever comes next. ________________________________________________________________ Here’s the truth no one tells you when you get laid off: It doesn’t just hit your paycheck. It hits your identity.

Especially if you’re the type of person who’s always been the go-to. The one who builds the strategy, keeps the train on the tracks, sends the Slack emoji with the perfect timing, and makes things happen even when the wheels are falling off.

Yeah, I’m that person.

So when I got laid off, I didn’t just lose a job. I lost the rhythm of my days. I lost the inbox pings. The brainstorms. The team group chat that pinged with chaotic energy and memes at 10:03 a.m. I lost the sense of belonging to something bigger than myself.

And that? That was a punch to the gut.

For a while, I spiraled. I won’t lie. I tied so much of my worth to what I could do for other people, for a brand, for a logo in my email signature. So when that disappeared, I had to sit with a lot of uncomfortable questions.

What do I do now? Who am I if I’m not “the social media, content marketing, go-to get-it-done person”? Can I actually make something of my own?

Spoiler: I did.

I Built Something From Nothing (and It’s Got Teeth)

In the year that followed, I did what I do best: I figured it out. I built a creative consultancy from the ground up. No safety net. Every client came through word of mouth, proof that doing good work speaks louder than a pitch deck. Just grit, caffeine, and an uncanny ability to deliver when it counts.

I ran executive ghostwriting and thought leadership programs. I created social media strategies that actually worked, not just vanity metrics, but content with soul. I wrote blogs that didn’t sound like blogs. I designed logos and built brands that felt like home. I led consulting calls that turned chaos into clarity. And I did it all while keeping clients laughing and moving forward, even when things were hard.

I was a one-woman agency, part content machine, part therapist, part hype squad. And I was good at it. Really good. I have the testimonials to prove it, hundreds of them, many talking about my talent, but more talking about my resilience. My optimism. My “get it done no matter what” attitude.

Like a third-line grinder in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, I might not always be the flashiest name on the team, but I will out-skate, out-hustle, and out-heart anyone on the ice.

But Here’s the Thing: I Miss the Team

The corporate world gets a bad reputation. Everyone loves to roll their eyes and say “I could never go back.” And yet… I miss it. Deeply.

I miss the feeling of collaborating toward a common goal. I miss cross-functional chaos. I miss nerding out with product, jamming with sales, and getting creative with comms.

I miss knowing that when one of us wins, we all win.

I’ve spent the last year learning more about myself than I ever expected. I’ve done the soul-searching. I’ve unpacked what burnout did to my brain. I’ve redefined what success means to me. And I’ve come back stronger, sharper, and more self-aware than ever before.

This wasn’t just a year of working for myself. It was a year of becoming myself.

And now? I’m ready to return. Not just because I want the structure. But because I want to pour everything I’ve learned into something bigger again.

I want a jersey. I want a locker room. I want a team.

If You’re Reading This, You Might Be It

I’m not applying to just anyone. I’m being intentional. Selective. Strategic.

If I applied to your role, it’s because I did my research. Because I believe in what you’re building. Because I see the gap, and I know I can fill it with impact, empathy, and results.

If you bring me onto your team, you’re not getting a checkbox hire.

You’re getting a Swiss Army knife. A utility player. A fearless creative who will roll up their sleeves, pull up the data, name the campaign, and write the caption that gets people talking.

You’re getting someone who can handle the mess and make something magical out of it.

You’re getting someone who has already been knocked down, and got back up swinging. You’re getting one of the good ones.

Not to sound cocky. Just to speak the truth.

I’ll Leave You With This

Taylor Swift said it best: “The comeback is always stronger than the setback.”

This past year? It was the setback I didn’t see coming. But this next chapter? It’s the comeback I’ve been building all along.

If you’re looking for someone who’s equal parts heart and hustle, strategy and scrappiness, storytelling and sharp execution, we should talk.

I’m ready to come back. I’m ready to go all in. And this time, I know exactly who I am.