Being managed out doesn't have to mean career death. Learn how one executive turned an impossible 90-day project into a $15M company and why your "setup to fail" might actually be a setup for success.

95,000 tech workers were laid off in 2024 and I was one of them. What no headline tells you is that my layoff actually saved me from a $600,000 mistake. Three hours after Google let me go, someone asked, “Who are you without your title?”—and I had no answer. This post shares the hidden cost of staying small, the mistakes most people make after a layoff, and how losing my job became the best thing that ever happened.

I was told I was “too ambitious” and rated “Needs Improvement.” Six months later, I was speaking on Google’s public stage. My Barrel Strategy turned rejection into recognition and changed everything. Here’s how I built visibility, found advocates, and led with courage when doors closed.

After nine years at Google, I did something few leaders dare to do: I filmed my resignation. From Google to Freedom isn’t about drama or a viral moment. It’s about documenting the calm that comes when you’ve built your exit with intention. In this story, I share what my resignation footage really captured: the strategy behind my transition, the lessons from one difficult meeting that changed everything, and the freedom that comes from long-term, courageous planning. I call it strategic activation, the difference between running from something and running toward something. Through this journey, I learned how to build authority while employed, create options before I needed them, and lead with purpose. If you’ve ever felt ready for more but unsure where to start, my story will show you how to build your bridge to freedom, one intentional step at a time.

Comfort isn’t free. It’s expensive. While you wait for the “right time,” you’re quietly paying a tax no accountant will ever calculate: the Activation Tax. It compounds daily, costing you not just income but the identity and courage you’re meant to grow into.