The Layoff Playbook: Healing, Strategy & Ownership for Career Rebirth
The Power of Owning Your Career Podcast
Release Date: 11/17/2025
From Overlooked to Unforgettable: How to Stand Out and Own Your Career
The Power of Owning Your Career Podcast
🚨 Why does hard work never seem to be enough? You're crushing it at your job. Delivering results. Yet somehow, you're still invisible when promotion conversations happen. Sound familiar? This week, Simone sits down with Lorraine Lee—LinkedIn's founding editor turned LinkedIn Learning powerhouse—who learned this lesson the hard way after being passed over for promotion despite years of excellence. Her response? She built the Epic Career Brand Framework that's now helped thousands go from overlooked to unforgettable. Here's what you'll discover: ✅ The #1 reason hard work alone...
info_outline
Claiming the Driver’s Seat: Transformative Mindset Shifts for Career Ownership
The Power of Owning Your Career Podcast
This is it—the Season 15 finale. And if you've been waiting for a sign to take control of your career FINALLY—THIS IS IT. After 15 seasons and 200+ episodes, host Simone Morris is closing out this incredible chapter with the most important lesson of all: You are the driver of your career. Not your boss. Not the economy. Not "luck." YOU. In this powerful finale, Simone breaks down her game-changing framework from "52 Tips for Owning Your Career"—starting with the #1 step most people skip: claiming ownership. Because here's the truth: you can't steer what you...
info_outline
Eight Important Steps to Own Your Career and Thrive with Gratitude
The Power of Owning Your Career Podcast
Welcome to this week’s episode of The Power of Owning Your Career Podcast! I’m your host, Simone E. Morris, and today’s episode is a heartfelt celebration of gratitude and growth as we reflect on seven incredible years of the show. With over 200 episodes under our belt, we take you behind the scenes—from the origins of the podcast, born out of the book “The Power of Owning Your Career,” to the powerful stories of leaders, personal milestones, and the lessons learned along the way. In this episode, Simone E. Morris looks back on her journey, shares the pivotal experiences that...
info_outline
The Layoff Playbook: Healing, Strategy & Ownership for Career Rebirth
The Power of Owning Your Career Podcast
This week on the Power of Owning Your Career Podcast, host Simone Morris interviews Steve Jaffe—San Diego native, veteran marketer, and author of The Layoff Journey. Steve’s story is a testament to resilience and reinvention, showing that setbacks can spark your greatest professional pivots. From launching his career in journalism to shaping iconic campaigns like “What Happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas,” Steve enjoyed 25+ successful years in advertising, in-house marketing, and consulting before confronting—and thriving through—not one but four career layoffs. In this...
info_outline
Turning Challenge into Purpose: Harnessing Spiritual Intelligence to Own Your Career
The Power of Owning Your Career Podcast
This week on the Power of Owning Your Career Podcast, host Simone Morris interviews Dr. Yosi Amram—licensed clinical psychologist, CEO, leadership coach, and pioneering researcher in spiritual intelligence. From his decorated beginnings as an Israeli military leader to founding and taking two tech companies public in Silicon Valley, Dr. Amram’s career journey is a masterclass in growth, reinvention, and awakening. But it was a personal spiritual crisis—at the peak of his business success—that transformed his understanding of leadership, purpose, and fulfillment. In this insightful...
info_outline
Taking Ownership of Your Career Through Resilience, Adaptability, and Bold Leadership
The Power of Owning Your Career Podcast
This week on the Power of Owning Your Career Podcast, host Simone Morris sits down with Kai-Nneka Townsend—a leadership, resilience, and burnout consultant whose global career journey has shaped her mission to help high-pressure industries achieve sustainable success without sacrificing wellbeing. As the founder of Rise by KCL, Kai-Nneka Townsend draws on lived experience in international development, public health, and corporate leadership across Jamaica, the UK, and beyond. In this insightful episode, Kai-Nneka Townsend reveals how her childhood dream...
info_outline
Turning Change into Opportunity: Navigating Ageism and Owning Your Career
The Power of Owning Your Career Podcast
This week on the Power of Owning Your Career Podcast, host Simone Morris welcomes Keith Willis—leadership expert, entrepreneur, and Founder of Core Management Training. Keith’s journey is indicative of how careers thrive by intentional design, not by chance. Starting out as a U.S. Army Junior Officer, Keith made the leap to corporate America through the Cameron-Brooks Development & Preparation Program, a pivotal experience that shaped his passion for helping others own their career trajectories. Keith built an impressive resume with award-winning roles in sales and training at industry...
info_outline
Unlearning to Rise: Empowering Yourself to Take Career Risks and Thrive
The Power of Owning Your Career Podcast
This week on the Power of Owning Your Career Podcast, host Simone Morris welcomes Fadjanie Cadet, seasoned HR and inclusion strategist, author of "In First Place," and self-proclaimed Chief Change Experience Officer. Fadjanie's remarkable journey—from her upbringing as a first-generation Haitian American to leading talent engagement and culture transformation at top companies—offers essential lessons for those ready to take the wheel in their professional lives. Join Simone and Fajani for a heartfelt and practical conversation brimming with actionable tips. Fadjanie discusses how she...
info_outline
Turning Career Dreams Into Reality: Actionable Strategies to Own Your Professional Journey
The Power of Owning Your Career Podcast
This week on the Power of Owning Your Career Podcast, host Simone Morris welcomes Charlotte Dales, co-founder and CEO of Inclusively, for a lively and insightful discussion on charting your own course and building inclusive workplaces. Charlotte shares her remarkable journey—from banking at Deutsche Bank to starting successful companies and sparking positive change after being inspired by her cousin’s achievements. Tune in for actionable tips on handling rejection, planning bold career moves, leveraging technology for growth, and embracing a mindset that keeps you in the driver’s...
info_outline
How Introverts Can Take Calm Command Of Their Careers
The Power of Owning Your Career Podcast
Welcome to another insightful episode of The Power of Owning Your Career podcast! This week, host Simone E. Morris is joined by Goldie Chan—dubbed “The Oprah of LinkedIn,” acclaimed author of Personal Branding for Introverts, and founder of the award-winning social strategy agency Warm Robots. In this vibrant conversation, Goldie shares her inspiring and unconventional career journey—from dreaming of being a classroom teacher, to running a fashion brand in her twenties, to ultimately becoming a marketing powerhouse and global keynote speaker with nearly half a million followers. Goldie...
info_outlineThis week on the Power of Owning Your Career Podcast, host Simone Morris interviews Steve Jaffe—San Diego native, veteran marketer, and author of The Layoff Journey. Steve’s story is a testament to resilience and reinvention, showing that setbacks can spark your greatest professional pivots. From launching his career in journalism to shaping iconic campaigns like “What Happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas,” Steve enjoyed 25+ successful years in advertising, in-house marketing, and consulting before confronting—and thriving through—not one but four career layoffs.
In this heartfelt and practical discussion, Steve gets candid about how professionals can reclaim their power, purpose, and confidence after a job loss. He introduces his actionable “Grieve, Grow, and Go” framework, providing insights into the emotional and strategic realities of layoffs, and challenges listeners to bet on themselves—no matter how daunting the circumstances may be. Steve shares how aligning with your values and passions, adopting a learning mindset, and bravely taking risks are the keys to stepping into the driver’s seat of your career, not simply riding along.
Whether you’re currently navigating a layoff, worried about job security, or looking to get proactive about your career direction, this episode brings validation, encouragement, and tactical advice you can use right now. Steve also walks through the seven stages of grief and explains how understanding them can help any professional—whether laid off or not—move forward with clarity and confidence.
Resources Mentioned in the Episode:
- The Layoff Journey by Steve Jaffe (book)
- Steve Jaffe’s website: thestevejaffe.com
- LinkedIn: Steve Jaffe
- Instagram: @thestevejaffe
- Steve’s Substack blog
- Studies on the five stages of grief by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
Episode Time Stamp:
00:00 "Reclaiming Power After Job Loss"
05:07 "Taking Control of My Career"
07:05 "Layoffs as Growth Opportunities"
12:02 Turning Layoffs Into Lessons
13:21 Career Proactivity and Resilience
17:45 "Let Go, Look Forward"
21:04 "Phoenix Rising: Reclaiming Yourself"
23:20 "Taking Risks for Success"
28:06 "Own Your Career Journey"
Connect & Learn More:
- Host Simone Morris: LinkedIn | Become a Guest on the Show | 52 Tips for Owning Your Career
- Steve Jaffe: Website | LinkedIn | Instagram | Substack
Follow & Subscribe:
- Join us on IG at @simonemorrisent for career inspiration
- Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform, and visit Simone Morris Enterprises for more resources
From practical frameworks to stories of transformation, this episode will empower you to let go of shame, lean into your strengths, and write the next bold chapter of your career—wherever you’re starting out.