The Career Breakers Show

In this special season finale of The Career Breakers Show , host and creator Adriane Jones returns to the mic, solo, to reflect on Season 2, share behind-the-scenes updates, and offer a glimpse into what’s next — for the show and her! Over the past six months, Adriane has interviewed bold professionals navigating pivots, pauses, and transitions — not always with a plan, but often by following a sp...

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 i...

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...

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 beyo...

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 sustaina...

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 t...

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 wi...

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...

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, Y...

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, Ba...

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 Ap...

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 uncertaint...

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...

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 e...

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...

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 succe...

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 h...

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 p...

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 s...

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 developmen...

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 o...

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 comm...

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...

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...

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 brea...