The AND Podcast

I was a guest on The AND Podcast in April, and the conversation went places I did not expect. This series is called Fired AND Free. Which tells you something about how it starts.

Host April Obersteller brings together leaders, makers, and thinkers who live beyond the limits of either/or. Real, unfiltered conversations about identity, leadership, and what it means to thrive in the tension of AND. It was the right room for this story.

I talked about finding a company that actually aligned with my values. One that took working parents seriously, built real community, and led with humanity in a way I had not experienced before. When that company restructured, my layoff looked nothing like the horror stories you hear. It was handled with care, transparency, and genuine respect for the people involved.

That experience changed what I was willing to accept next. Instead of looking for something similar, I built Aurora Talent Lab. I carried forward everything I had learned about what it looks like when leadership gets it right, and I made that the foundation.

You can be fired AND free. You can be a mom AND a founder. You can love the work AND know when it is time to build something of your own.

It was a good one. Give it a listen.