In September 2010, Dr. William T. Lewis, Sr. stepped into what he believed was his dream role: vice president for Diversity and Inclusion at Virginia Tech. But what began as the pinnacle of his career quickly unraveled into a four-year storm of politics, pain, and ultimately, being fired. The harder part? That moment wasn’t the end of his story but the beginning of a years-long battle with rejection, self-doubt, and the search for identity beyond a job title. In this deeply honest conversation, Dr. Lewis opens up about how he rebuilt his confidence, rediscovered his self-worth without external validation, and how he learned to stand steady in life’s fiercest storms. Along the way, he reveals the seven core resiliency traits he’s discovered while writing his second book, Perched in the Storm: Brutal Lessons Every Leader Can Learn from Entrepreneurs.
Dr. William T. Lewis, Sr. is a nationally recognized expert in organizational culture, leadership, and change management. He is the founder of WillHouse Global and co-founder of The Intersection, where he advises institutions and businesses on building cultures of courage, clarity, and belonging. A former DEI executive at four major institutions - including Indiana University and Virginia Tech - Dr. Lewis now serves as Senior Consultant for Inclusion and Belonging at ECU Health. A U.S. Marine Corps veteran, he is the award-winning author of Sweet Potato or Pumpkin Pie: Conversations with My White Friends about Race and co-author of NADOHE’s Standards of Professional Practice. He also leads community efforts in Winston-Salem, serving on the boards of Bookmarks, United Way, the Black Philanthropy Initiative, and Leadership Winston-Salem.
Connect with Dr. Lewis via email, on LinkedIn or on his website. You can learn more about his upcoming book, Perched in the Storm: Brutal Lessons Every Leader Can Learn from Entrepreneurs, here.
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In July 2025, David Nebinski embarked on an experiment: call one new person every day for a month. No scripts, no agenda, no calendar invite. Just pick up the phone, call a number, and see what happened. What happened next planted the seed for his own next chapter. In this episode, David unpacks the discomfort, confusion, excitement, and embarrassment of being in his middle, and talks candidly about the courage it takes to leave something “perfect” and chase who you want to become.
David Nebinski works with founders and companies to build their brand community through go-to-market roles, projects, and consulting opportunities. Prior to this, he spent over four years building and growing the Chief of Staff Network community, where he built followings of 30,000+ followers, launched a podcast, and hosted and produced hundreds of global events. He lives in New York City and is known for his community skills and love of funky pants.
Connect with David on LinkedIn, on his website, or on Substack.
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After more than 20 years in executive recruiting, Steve Lavner has seen it all, and he’s pulling back the curtain on what really happens in the hiring world. In this candid conversation, Steve shares the unspoken truths of recruiting at the highest levels, the politics behind hiring decisions, and how the job market has shifted beneath our feet. He talks why “career progression” is an illusion, why the best candidates sometimes get passed over, how careers are turning into project role after project role, and what it was like going through his own sudden layoff. It’s part reality check, part roadmap, and a fully honest look at how work, loyalty, and success have evolved in recent years.
Steve Lavner spent over 20 years in executive search and talent acquisition. As Senior Vice President of Talent Acquisition at Edelman Smithfield, a global financial communications boutique within Edelman, he connected top talent with roles across 25+ cities worldwide. Prior to his recruiting roles, Steve performed on Broadway, playing Le Fou in Beauty and the Beast. He’s now a certified Senior Professional Career Coach and creates short, uplifting YouTube videos of kids songs in his spare time.
Connect with Steve on LinkedIn, his career coaching website Steve Lavner Talent Advisory, or on his YouTube channel.
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At just 17 years old, Fabi Preslar left home with no money, no car, and no safety net. That leap of survival set the stage for a career and a life that grew and changed as much as she did. In this episode, Fabi opens up about the challenges she’s faced over the last several decades, from losing her home and the family business as a teenager, to being pushed out of her first business, to facing a cancer diagnosis, and the “stupid courage” it took to keep moving forward. She shares how she’s learned to see middles not as endings, but as turning points, and offers practical wisdom for anyone navigating their own season of change.
Fabi Preslar helps leaders turn their wisdom into gorgeous, powerful books and magazines. She’s the founder of SPARK Publications, a 28-year-strong custom publishing firm that’s helped hundreds of entrepreneurs and organizations share their stories and grow their legacy. She’s an award-winning author of three books, including The Fabulous F Words of Business Ownership and her newest release, Wilted and Worthy – a soulful photography and lyrical essay collection honoring resilience, aging, and beauty in life’s tougher seasons. Her team has won 350+ industry awards, and her proudest work is helping under-represented entrepreneurs publish life-changing books through her nonprofit, Radiant Chapters Collective.
Connect with Fabi on LinkedIn, on her website, or through the SPARK Publications website.
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Candice Van Dertholen didn’t set out to be an energy healer, but her own battles with mental health and a chance encounter at a yoga studio led her to the work she now calls life changing. In this episode, Candice shares how energy healing can help break the cycles that keep us stuck, especially in the middle of a life transition, and how to recognize the signs that you are – or aren’t – on the right path. She opens up about the misconceptions around energy work, why it’s growing in acceptance, and how simple practices can help rebuild identity when everything feels uprooted.
Candice Van Dertholen is a holistic practitioner and public speaker who helps clients navigate identity shifts and rebuild their inner foundations to thrive in seasons of change. A military spouse and mother of three adult children, Candice works with leaders, practitioners, and changemakers to find clarity during their hardest moments and put tangible strategies in place to move forward.
Connect with Candice on LinkedIn or through her website, The Warrior Within Healing.
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When J T. Ramsay was laid off after nearly 20 years in comms and marketing, he thought his network and experience would carry him through. Instead, he found himself burnt out, chasing “bad fits,” and questioning the very idea of personal branding. In this conversation, J T. unpacks what it means to be stuck in a middle: between jobs, between meaning and visibility, and inside industries desperate to reinvent themselves without changing their DNA. His story isn’t just about work; it’s about resilience, reinvention, and learning to ask better questions of yourself and the organizations you join.
J T. Ramsay is a digital marketing executive with more than 15 years of experience transforming how Fortune 500 brands engage their customers. He’s built and led digital and social initiatives at Fortune 50 companies including Comcast, Ford Motor Company, Lockheed Martin, and Aptiv. He currently advises companies on how to evolve and modernize their communications and marketing strategies, processes, and teams. He is, much to his own vexation, a Philadelphia sports fan.
Connect with J T. on LinkedIn.
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After over 25 years in corporate America, including two executive positions at Lockheed Martin and UnitedHealthcare, Jenn Whitlow faced a decision: take one more corporate job or blow up her career and see what happened. She chose the latter, and two months later, bought an inn sight unseen in rural Maine. In this episode, Jenn talks about what it was like being in the room when critical company decisions were made, how she made the decision to leave, and how she handled the emotions and uncertainty of trying something new.
A self-described “reformed corporate exec,” Jenn Whitlow is the owner of Blair Hill Inn & Spa in Greenville, Maine. Prior to purchasing the inn, Jenn served as the Chief Communications Officer for UnitedHealthcare and Lockheed Martin. She spent much of her career in the aerospace industry.
Connect with Jenn on LinkedIn.
Learn more about Blair Hill Inn on their website or follow them on Instagram.
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Tahseen Taj spent years trying to break into Salesforce, so when she was offered a manager role in 2019, she planned on being there for decades. Instead, an international move and a change in life plans forced her to leave after only six short years and embark on a path she never expected: founding her own marketing company. Tahseen shares how she worked through the emotions that came with the change, the lessons she’s learned as a founder, and why the fear of failing has been her best motivator.
Tahseen is the Founder and CEO of Runar Marketing, a founder-focused marketing agency for ambitious business-to-business (B2B) and tech brands. She helps founders and Salesforce partners with messaging, go-to-market strategy, fractional Chief Marketing Officer services, and partner marketing.
Prior to founding Runar, Tahseen spent 16 years in various marketing roles, most recently serving as Director of Global Partner Marketing at Salesforce. She lives in Dubai.
Connect with Tahseen on LinkedIn, Instagram, or Runar Marketing’s website. You can also send her an email.
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After 16 years at the company she loved, Courtney Cecil Anderson found herself laid off and sitting in her pantry, crying on the phone with HR. That moment became the turning point that reshaped her career, her priorities, and her definitionof success. In this episode, Courtney opens up about the invisible toll of burnout, how she found her true calling, and the steps she took to realign her work with her values, including building a life where success doesn’t come at the expense of her wellbeing.
Courtney Cecil Anderson is the founder of Working Moms Movement and a work/life balance coach that helps working moms go from surviving to thriving. She has spent 20 years in consulting and organizational culture in professional services and banking.
Connect with Courtney on LinkedIn, Instagram, or listen to her podcast, The Life Management System for Working Moms.
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From teaching chemistry and mathematics in rural Iran to engineering chips at Intel, the last decade of Dr. Ehsan Fereyduni’s life has been full of dramatic change. After an unexpected layoff in July 2025, he shares what it was like to suddenly lose his job, the sleepless nights that followed, and the surprising second chance that came his way. Along the way, Ehsan walks through the daily habits and practical steps that keep him steady and insights that can help anyone prepare for the twists and turns of their own career.
Dr. Ehsan Fereyduni earned his PhD in chemistry at the University of Florida, where his research resulted in three high-impact publications and a U.S. patent. His journey then took him from lab to fab, moving from academic research into the world of semiconductor manufacturing. Today, he is a metrology engineer at Intel, specializing in advanced inspection and measurement techniques that improve chip yield, reliability, and efficiency.
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After more than seven months of looking, Craig Whitaker still doesn’t have a job. It’s not for lack of trying; he’s submitted over 150 applications. In this brutally honest conversation, Craig shares how being unemployed has impacted his mental health (“I wonder, ‘Did I run over a bus full of nuns in a previous life?’”), what he’s learned, and how competing in triathlons has been easier than finding a job in this market.
Craig Whitaker is a New Jersey-based creative professional, educator, musician, and triathlete. He has worked on feature films, served as the creative director for the Department of Homeland Security Science & Technology Directorate, taught creative design classes for multiple universities, performed with everyone from Matchbox 20 and Gavin DeGraw, to members of The Grateful Dead, wrote and recorded his first solo EP produced by Jim Riley (drummer/band leader for Rascal Flatts), performed at the legendary Bluebird in Nashville, completed an Ironman 70.3 triathlon, is the co-chair of the USA Triathlon (USAT) Membership Committee, and had his music featured on NBC’s “ER.”
Connect with Craig on LinkedIn, TikTok, Instagram, or his website.
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What happens when everything falls apart in just a few months - your marriage, your job, your sense of self - and you’re left sitting in a turbocharged Audi thinking, “At least I can sleep on my leather seats”? In this deeply honest conversation, author, podcaster, blogger, and storyteller Eric Payne shares what it means to rebuild when life gut-punches you from every direction. From navigating divorce and job loss to redefining success and self-worth, Eric opens up about being laid off, reclaiming his identity, and how you can start showing up as your whole self, flaws and all.
Eric Payne has more than 15 years of experience leading content strategy, editorial operations, and brand storytelling across media, healthcare, tech, and culture. He’s been a trusted voice for brands who want their stories to stand out, and as a podcaster and memoirist, he brings heart and clarity to everything he creates.
Connect with Eric on LinkedIn and Instagram. You can read and subscribe to his Substack newsletter, listen to his podcast, The Dating After Divorce Survival Guide, and read his collection of poetry and short stories, I See Through Eyes.
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Three layoffs in five years. Wade Lee has rebuilt his career time and again, and in this conversation gives a behind-the-scenes look at the tech sales industry, the strategies he's using to find his next role, and how he handles comparing his progress to others.
Wade Lee is an account executive and business development professional. He helps companies understand and implement artificial intelligence (AI). Throughout his career, he’s helped software-as-a-service (SaaS) companies expand their commercial and enterprise accounts. He lives in Denver, Colorado.
What happens when you land your dream job, only to realize it’s not enough? In this candid conversation, communications leader Gab Ferree shares what it felt like to be handpicked for a high-profile, executive role while silently navigating burnout and the fear of not being “ready enough.” Still in the middle of her career whiplash, Gab opens up about ambition, identity, and why success doesn’t always feel like it looks on LinkedIn.
Gab Ferree is the founder of Off the Record, a private membership community for communications professionals. Previously, she led global communications at Bumble and held senior communications roles at Slack and Salesforce. During her agency time at Edelman, she supported clients like Starbucks, Delta, and UPS across corporate reputation, crisis, and media campaigns.
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Welcome to The Middle, a podcast about people in the thick of job loss, layoffs, new ventures, career pivots, and life transitions. These aren't the polished LinkedIn posts. Just real people with real stories.