Forging Forward
How Job Loss Became an Inflection Point That Redefined My Leadership and Purpose
Job loss has a way of taking more than a role or a title. It can erode confidence, disrupt direction, and challenge a long-developed sense of identity—particularly for women who have spent years building credibility in demanding environments.
Throughout my career, I have led complex enterprises, driven growth, and adapted through continual change within major retail organizations. From the outside, the path may appear linear. From the inside, it included moments of abrupt disruption—roles eliminated, structures reshaped, and futures altered without warning.
Those moments taught me something essential: job loss is not failure; it is interruption. And interruption, while uncomfortable, can become an inflection point.
When my role ended, my initial response was urgency—update the résumé, apply quickly, restore stability. What ultimately mattered more was allowing space to recognize the enduring value of decades spent turning around underperforming business units, building strong partnerships, leading through uncertainty, and translating strategy into execution. Those capabilities were never tied to a title. They were—and remain—uniquely mine.
That realization changed everything.
Rather than starting over, I reframed the moment as a reset. I sharpened my focus, leaned into my Executive MBA foundation, and approached my next step with intention instead of fear. I became more selective—seeking alignment with organizations that value thoughtful leadership, long-term vision, and resilience, not just speed or scale.
Job loss also reshaped me as a leader. Having lived through uncertainty, I developed deeper empathy and perspective. Influence is not defined solely by metrics or outcomes; it is reflected in how you lead when circumstances are difficult, how you support others through transition, and how you remain steady when certainty is absent.
For women, job loss can feel especially personal in a world that often demands we continually prove our worth. My message is simple: your impact is larger than any single role. Careers are not straight lines—they are chapters. And one chapter ending does not diminish the story.
Forging forward does not mean ignoring disappointment. It means integrating it—using it to clarify who you are, what you value, and how you choose to lead next.
That, to me, is influence: the quiet confidence to rise again with clarity, purpose, and a deeper understanding of your own strength.
