Sarah K Peck is a Career Breaker. After five years in the corporate world at the start of her career, Sarah knew it wasn’t the right fit, so she made her leap into entrepreneurship. A few career pivots later, and inspired by her own experience of pregnancy and startup life, she set out to write a book about what it’s really like to build a business while becoming a parent. But along the way, the interviews she recorded for research took on a life of their own, and everything changed. What began ...
May 06, 2025•38 min•Season 2Ep. 27
Lea Pandozzi is a Career Breaker. She’s also my oldest friend—we go way back to 3rd grade! Lea began her career in higher education before making a bold pivot into big tech. At Amazon, she didn’t just follow a set path—she carved out her own, moving from recruiting into an executive business partner role where she could put her strengths to work. When the work no longer felt fulfilling, she chose to step away without a job lined up. That pause created space for new opportunities, including a car...
Apr 22, 2025•40 min•Season 2Ep. 26
Murillo Sorensen is a Career Breaker. After working for over a decade in higher education and making a bold leap into the tech world, Murillo was hit with not one, but two unexpected layoffs. What could have been a moment of defeat turned into an opportunity for clarity, creativity, and growth. In this episode, Murillo shares how his career breaks gave him space to reconnect with his identity beyond work—embracing his lifelong love of storytelling and writing. During his time away from full-time...
Apr 15, 2025•38 min•Season 2Ep. 25
Rebecca Magee is a Career Breaker. After years working in social impact and corporate social responsibility, Rebecca took not one but two intentional career breaks, each one reshaping how she thought about success, safety, and sustainability in her work. In this episode, she shares the story of her first break in her twenties, which helped her move from nonprofit work into a dream role in sustainable fashion. Years later, burned out and feeling ready for something new, she made the bold move to ...
Apr 08, 2025•34 min•Season 2Ep. 24
Jared Perry is a Career Breaker. Jared had been thinking about launching his own business for a while. When he was laid off from his role at a tech startup, it became the catalyst to move forward with a plan he’d already been quietly building - the launch of his fractional Chief of Staff business. In this episode, Jared shares how he navigated that in-between time by validating his business idea through unpaid work, rebuilding confidence, and creating structure - all with a baby on the way. He t...
Apr 01, 2025•28 min•Season 2Ep. 23
Lakshmi Narayanee is a Career Breaker. After a successful career in big tech, including nearly a decade at Amazon, Lakshmi found herself feeling disconnected and uninspired. Despite being on a promising career trajectory, she knew something needed to change. So, she made the bold decision to take what she calls a "slowbatical," an intentional break to slow down, reflect, and reconnect with herself Her journey began with a one-way flight to Bali, where she embarked on an "Eat, Play...
Mar 25, 2025•31 min•Season 2Ep. 22
Tiffany LeNoir is a Career Breaker. After building a successful career in software sales, Tiffany hit a wall of burnout at 30 and realized that even high-paying jobs could feel like dead ends. She took a bold step back, quitting her job and spending the summer scooping ice cream and making greeting cards—giving herself space to reset and explore what truly mattered to her. In this episode, Tiffany shares how her five-month career break helped her redefine success, embrace failure as a stepping s...
Mar 18, 2025•39 min•Season 2Ep. 21
Yue Zhao is a Career Breaker. Yue began her career in management consulting before transitioning into product leadership, first at startups and later at tech giants like Meta and Instagram. From the start, she approached her career as a series of stepping stones, intentionally seeking out experiences that would expand her skills and leadership abilities. But when her life and priorities shifted, Yue realized it was time to design a career that aligned with what she valued most, time with her fam...
Mar 10, 2025•38 min•Season 2Ep. 20
Barrett Brooks is a Career Breaker. After years of helping scale ConvertKit from $3M to $30M in revenue as COO, Barrett found himself at a crossroads where he felt underutilized, overworked, and disconnected from his family. Instead of pushing through, he made a bold decision: to step away without a clear next move, but with the conviction that there had to be something better. In this episode, Barrett shares how he approached his transition with intention, from open conversations with his wife ...
Mar 04, 2025•51 min•Season 2Ep. 19
Janis Vogel is a Career Breaker. After navigating the high-stress demands of New York City’s film industry, the challenges of motherhood, and the profound impact of the pandemic, Janis transformed her journey - not by leaving her passion behind, but by reimagining her approach. Now, she artfully integrates coaching with film editing, choosing projects that inspire her, like her recent work on AppleTV’s "Severance." In this episode, Janis shares how she balanced her evolving career, embraced grad...
Feb 25, 2025•39 min•Season 2Ep. 18
Brittney Van Matre is a Career Breaker. After spending nearly 12 years at Nike leading consumer and employee experience initiatives, Brittney reached a turning point—climbing the corporate ladder no longer felt fulfilling. The pandemic, along with personal losses, gave her the push she needed to walk away, even without a clear next step. In this episode, Brittney shares how she embraced uncertainty, giving herself permission to pause, reflect, and even experience boredom as a gift in her transit...
Feb 18, 2025•40 min•Season 2Ep. 17
Anita Guru is a Career Breaker. After years of building a successful career in corporate learning and development, Anita found herself facing a personal mental health crisis. Burnout, stress, and exhaustion had taken their toll, forcing her to confront a difficult truth—her career was no longer sustainable. In this episode, Anita shares how she made the courageous decision to step away, prioritize her well-being, and reimagine what success truly meant. Through deep reflection and healing, she fo...
Feb 12, 2025•25 min•Season 2Ep. 16
Brea Starmer is a Career Breaker. After being laid off while pregnant, Brea faced a crossroads that ultimately reshaped her career and the future of work for many others. With a background in tech marketing, startups, and consulting, she found herself piecing together short-term projects to fund her own maternity leave—an experience that sparked the idea for her company, Lions + Tigers . In this episode, Brea shares how her career break became a launchpad for entrepreneurship. She opens up about...
Feb 04, 2025•30 min•Season 2Ep. 1
Adriane Jones is a Career Breaker. In this special season finale of The Career Breakers Show , Adriane, the host and creator of the podcast, takes the guest seat to reflect on her own career break journey. Burnt out and dissatisfied, Adriane made the bold decision to step away from her career in 2024—a move that became a transformative chapter in her life. Joined by Kim Middleton, a fellow Career Breaker and guest from Episode 2, who steps into the host seat, Adriane dives into her evolving unde...
Dec 19, 2024•41 min•Season 1Ep. 14
Allison Whaley is a Career Breaker. After spending over a decade in product marketing for VC-funded FinTech startups, Allison rose to a director role and became a sought-after industry speaker. Yet, she reached a point where success, as traditionally defined, no longer resonated. About a year ago, Allison courageously stepped away from her career without another job lined up to redefine what success looks like and explore her true passions. In this episode, Allison shares how her career break be...
Dec 10, 2024•34 min•Season 1Ep. 13
Avni Shah is a Career Breaker. After spending 18 years at Google working on iconic products like Search, Chrome, Maps, and Google for Education, Avni made the bold decision to take a career break. Initially planning for a short pause, her time away has stretched into nearly three years of reflection, renewal, and self-discovery. In this episode, Avni shares how stepping away from her career gave her the space to explore what she truly wants in life, reconnect with her values, and dive into new i...
Dec 03, 2024•25 min•Season 1Ep. 12
Lila Cantor is a Career Breaker. After navigating a layoff from her role in tech, Lila faced a moment of uncertainty that ultimately became an opportunity for growth. With a background spanning healthcare, tech, and leadership, she chose to take a step back, reflect on her career path, and prioritize her well-being. In this episode, Lila shares how her break allowed her to grieve the loss of her previous role, focus on self-care, and uncover new possibilities. After her break, she built a person...
Nov 26, 2024•26 min•Season 1Ep. 10
Vale Jokisch is a Career Breaker. After years of leadership in the social and environmental impact space, Vale found herself facing burnout, personal loss, and a desire to be more present for her family. Encouraged by a friend’s reminder that she’s irreplaceable at home but not at work, Vale made the courageous decision to step away from her executive role and take a break. In this episode, Vale shares how she structured her break intentionally—focusing on family, local volunteering, creative pu...
Nov 19, 2024•31 min•Season 1Ep. 10
Shannon Kenyon is a Career Breaker. After realizing that her role no longer aligned with her vision as a leader, Shannon took the courageous step to leave her job and refocus on what truly mattered. During her break, she launched her “coffee project”—a unique approach to networking that allowed her to explore new possibilities and ultimately led her to a rewarding career in learning and development. In this episode, Shannon shares the highs and lows of her journey, from overcoming anxiety and na...
Nov 12, 2024•31 min•Season 1Ep. 9
Erica Davis is a Career Breaker. After nearly two decades in healthcare leadership, Erica found herself feeling burnt out and unfulfilled, craving a life more centered around family, health, and her own well-being. She took a brave step back from her corporate role to explore her passions and priorities, embarking on a four-month sabbatical to reconnect with what truly mattered. During her time off, Erica focused on family, mountain biking, and discovering her calling in wellness coaching. This ...
Nov 04, 2024•25 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Alison Tierney is a Career Breaker. After reaching a leadership role, Alison realized the traditional career path wasn’t bringing her the fulfillment she had envisioned. She took a courageous step and embraced a career break to rediscover what truly brings her joy in both work and life. During her break, Alison navigated the anxieties and self-doubt that can come with stepping away. Through community involvement, volunteering, and a focus on patience and self-discovery, Alison gained new clarity...
Oct 28, 2024•22 min•Season 1Ep. 7
Cecile Oreste is a Career Breaker. With a marketing and communications career spanning non-profit arts organizations in cities across the globe, Cecile has always valued travel and exploration. After reflecting on her career during the pandemic, she made the bold decision to take an extended break—traveling for a year and a half with her partner while working part-time remotely. Cecile's break led her to embrace a new perspective on work-life balance, challenging the idea that career success is ...
Oct 22, 2024•26 min•Season 1Ep. 6
Colby Nichols is a Career Breaker. After co-founding and running a successful design studio for 12 years, Colby found himself at a crossroads. Burnt out and no longer connected to his "why," he knew something had to change. Overwhelmed by the challenges of entrepreneurship and the added stress of the pandemic, Colby made the courageous decision to step away from his work for a year-plus-long break. That decision marked the start of Colby’s journey to slow down, let go of productivity pressures, ...
Oct 15, 2024•27 min•Season 1Ep. 5
Megan Leatherman is a Career Breaker. After working in a burnout-inducing HR job, Megan knew she needed a change. She left her corporate role in Boston and moved back to Oregon. Though she had no idea what she wanted to do next, she was certain of one thing: she couldn't continue down the same path. That leap marked the beginning of Megan’s journey to realign her work with nature’s cycles and break away from capitalism’s relentless push for productivity. During a second career break in late 2019...
Oct 08, 2024•25 min•Season 1Ep. 4
Chris Coladonato is a Career Breaker. After years of thriving in corporate talent development, Chris Coladonato felt a growing sense of unfulfillment and knew it was time for a change. Taking a courageous leap, she stepped away from her corporate career to launch her own consulting business, only to find herself replicating the same patterns she sought to escape. It wasn’t until she attended a transformative retreat that Chris discovered her true calling: guiding others to reconnect with themsel...
Oct 01, 2024•26 min•Season 1Ep. 3
Kim Middleton is a Career Breaker. After achieving tenure as a professor early in her career, Kim found herself unfulfilled and ready for a change. She took a bold step by moving across the country for a new role in academic administration, but it wasn’t until she took a sabbatical that she discovered a more meaningful path. Today, Kim works in a museum, where she feels more aligned with her values and purpose. Tune in to hear Kim’s powerful story and learn how embracing uncertainty can lead to ...
Sep 24, 2024•28 min•Season 1Ep. 2
Ha Nguyen is a Career Breaker. She has taken two purposeful career breaks that ultimately led to a more meaningful and fulfilling career. Today, she leads a portfolio career, the result of stepping back and asking herself, "What is the life I want to lead next?" She then visualized that life and took small, intentional steps to make it a reality. Tune in to hear Ha’s inspiring story and learn how you too can take steps toward creating a career that aligns with the life you want to lead...
Sep 17, 2024•22 min•Season 1Ep. 1
The Career Breakers Show - Coming Soon! Welcome to The Career Breakers Show trailer! Discover real stories of people who paused their careers and experienced remarkable transformations, inspiring you to reimagine your own career journey. Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/ra/let-good-times-roll License code: IZSHZUICLD1SB7OT
Aug 01, 2024•3 min
