Breaking Barriers: How One Woman Turned Layoff into Liberation with Kirstin Purcell

In this episode of the Resilient Heart Podcast, Kirstin Purcell, owner of Handshake and Heels, shares her journey from corporate recruitment to entrepreneurship after an unexpected layoff. Joined by host Gabi and a guest interviewer, Kirstin discusses the challenges of starting her business, balancing family life, and building community through events and workshops. She offers practical advice on networking, job searching, and embracing resilience. The conversation highlights the importance of support systems, continuous learning, and taking bold steps toward personal and professional growth, inspiring listeners to pursue their goals despite uncertainty.

 

Timestamps

Guest Introduction & Background (00:01:27) Kirstin Purcell is introduced; she shares her background in staffing, recruitment, and starting Handshake and Heels.

Transition from Corporate to Entrepreneurship (00:02:11) Discussion about shifting from a corporate career to building a business, motivations, and initial fears.

Laid Off & Starting the Business (00:03:08) Kirstin describes being laid off in October 2024 and deciding to go all-in on her business.

Survival Mode & Family Conversations (00:04:06) Both Kirstin and the interviewer share experiences of being laid off and the immediate steps taken to survive financially.

Preparing for the Hard Conversation (00:06:10) Kirstin discusses preparing to talk with her husband about betting on herself and using their 401k as a runway.

Balancing Family & Business (00:10:08) How Kirstin and her husband balance parenting and business responsibilities, and the benefits of entrepreneurship for family life.

Early Entrepreneurial Influences (00:12:31) Kirstin shares how her early career in staffing and mentorship shaped her entrepreneurial ambitions.

Traits from Childhood & Learning Mindset (00:17:27) Discussion about childhood traits, asking questions, and being a lifelong learner as keys to business success.

Networking & Strategic Time Management (00:21:15) Kirstin explains the importance of networking, choosing the right groups, and being strategic with time.

Planning & Executing the Live to Lead Event (00:24:11) Kirstin details organizing her first major community event, Live to Lead, and lessons learned from event planning.

Personal Growth from Live to Lead (00:30:26) Reflections on stepping out of her comfort zone, learning to keynote, and the resilience required to pull off the event.

Community Impact & Vision (00:35:06) The broader impact of Live to Lead, building community, and the importance of creating spaces for connection.

COVID’s Impact on Work & Family (00:39:12) How COVID changed work culture, remote work, and the importance of family support in entrepreneurship.

Business Growth & Delegation (00:44:41) Transitioning from working in the business to working on the business, and the importance of building a team.

Early Business Wins & Proof of Concept (00:45:59) Stories about the first business successes, the mindset shift from corporate to entrepreneurship, and proof of concept moments.

Origin of Handshake and Heels (00:47:14) Kirstin shares why she started her company, the value of insider knowledge, and helping job seekers.

Resume & Interview Masterclass (00:50:26) Announcement of a live and virtual masterclass to help job seekers with resumes, interviews, and LinkedIn profiles.

Service-Oriented Mindset (00:56:18) Kirstin discusses her passion for helping people and how service has always been central to her work.

Final Advice & Motivation (00:58:04) Encouragement to take action, overcome self-doubt, and pursue what makes you happy.

 

Powerful Quotes from the Episode

Kirstin Purcell (00:05:16): “I will figure it out. For me, it was having a real hard conversation with myself and saying, what are you going to do? So I immediately went into, okay, I gotta figure out insurance, I need to figure out when bills are due, and just went into figure-it-out mode.”

Kirstin Purcell (00:17:44): “I was always taught, you don't know what you don't know. Being a sponge, being a student of life and soaking up anything and everything that I could has always been something that I've been good at.”

Kirstin Purcell (00:18:27): “If I don't understand something, I will figure it out and I will ask questions to someone that does so I can learn, because I think learning and having knowledge is power.”

Kirstin Purcell (00:36:02): “One relationship, one conversation can change your life. It can change the trajectory of your outcome and your life, and that fuels me.”

Kirstin Purcell (00:58:52): “There's nothing standing in your way except for you. Do your homework, figure out your steps, do your to-do list, check your things off, put in the work to better your situation. You just got to do it.”

 

RESOURCES:

Connect with Kirstin:

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS:

Live Workshop (Fredericksburg, VA):
Website for Tickets: https://handshakeinheels.ticketspice.com/how-to-get-hired-secrets-from-a-recruiters-desk

Virtual Workshop:
Date: April 15th starting at 12 PM EST (to accommodate West Coast)
Link: Coming soon

Connect With Me:

Gabi Garland

Website: https://www.resilientvoicemedia.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabi.garland/

FOLLOW THE PODCAST: Resilient Heart Podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

 

“Sometimes the unexpected push is exactly what you need to build the life you’ve been putting off.”

 

Podcast Produced and edited by the team at ResilientVoiceMedia.com

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