Why I Left tells real stories from real people about the bold career moves that changed their lives.
Hosted by Brian Aquart, the show goes beyond resignations to uncover courage, clarity, and growth in the face of change. Each episode offers honest reflections, lessons learned, and practical insights for anyone considering a pivot, navigating uncertainty, or seeking inspiration for their next chapter.
We don’t talk about resignations enough, this podcast makes sure we do.
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Aundrea Cline-Thomas spent 15 years as an Emmy-winning journalist in top markets like New York and Philadelphia before making the decision to walk away. Because she realized she was operating far below her full capacity.
In this episode, Aundrea shares what led to that realization, the internal conflict of leaving something she worked so hard for, and how she approached building a new path through entrepreneurship. From financial preparation to redefining identity beyond a job title, this is a grounded look at what real career transitions require.
This conversation is for anyone questioning whether success still fits, navigating misalignment, or thinking about what comes next. It’s not about quitting. It’s about clarity, strategy, and choosing differently.
Enjoy!
Stay connected with Aundrea Cline-Thomas Website: https://aundreact.com/mountain-court-media/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aundreact/
The Next Nuggets Newsletter: https://aundreact.com/NEWSLETTER/
The Next Best Thing Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFkxUkBZcqCcmc9T5heyg9w
Work with Brian
Storyline by Kingswood helps leaders and professionals make sense of career transitions, identity shifts, and the stories they’re telling about their work.
Your story deserves to be told with clarity and impact. That’s why I created Storyline by Kingswood, an executive branding and narrative strategy service for high-impact professionals who are stepping into a new chapter. Elevate your leadership. Command your story.
Farah Hussain spent more than a decade building a successful career at PayPal. From the outside, her trajectory looked like momentum. Promotions. Influence. Global impact.
But internally, something had shifted.
In this episode, Farah shares the moment that changed everything. A quiet realization during a coaching session that made the burnout disappear and revealed the work she truly wanted to do.
We talk about the myth of corporate meritocracy, the emotional cost of high performance, and what happens when leaders stop benchmarking their success against everyone else.
Farah now helps founders and executives become more effective leaders by starting with something most organizations ignore: self-awareness.
This conversation is about purpose, clarity, and the courage to choose a different path.
Enjoy!
Stay connected with Farah Hussain Website: https://coachingwithfarah.com/
The Pivotal Leader: https://coachingwithfarah.substack.com/
Work with Brian
Storyline by Kingswood helps leaders and professionals make sense of career transitions, identity shifts, and the stories they’re telling about their work.
Brian sits down with Lori Eberly, founder of Radius Executive Coaching and co-author of "Fuckery." Lori shares her compelling journey from hospice social worker to leadership development expert, revealing how grief, transition, and trust shape meaningful career change. Discover practical, neuroscience-backed strategies for navigating loss in your professional life, building resilience, and transforming team culture.
Loris trauma-informed approach provides actionable insights on overcoming toxic workplace habits and fostering authentic connections. Whether you're considering your next career move or leading through change, don't miss this conversation packed with wisdom, humor, and real-life advice for making bold, intentional decisions. Check out the episode for inspiration to trust yourself, grieve what you leave behind, and step forward with clarity.
Courtney Maron joins to share her story of how having faith in herself allowed her to pivot into something she truly loves and the positive effects it's had on her relationship with her children. She had a successful twenty-five year career in advertising. In executive leadership roles, she was responsible for negotiating multi-million dollar partnerships on her clients behalf, ensuring they were consistently the best in the marketplace.
In our discussion, Courtney discussed how much she learned about herself and her family during this time and how the pandemic opened an opportunity for her in her home life that she couldn't pass up. It was great to hear her evolution as a professional and how now she's doing something she truly loves.
Stay connected with our Guest Connect with Courtney Maron on LinkedIn and visit her Website.
Wale Ayantoye is a FinTech industry veteran with vast experience in the Anti-Money Laundering space. He transitioned roles multiple times during the pandemic and shares his perspective on the current state of the job market. In our discussion, Wale discussed how advantageous the work environment is now for prospective employees and how he used that to his benefit to land in an area hes truly passionate about. Hes also found a way to use this time in our history as a teaching opportunity for the younger generation entering the workforce.
Stay connected with our Guest Connect with Wale Ayantoye on LinkedIn and visit his Website.
Valeria Colato is a Brazilian professional with experience in Sales, Customer Service, Account Management, and Marketing. She moved to Ireland in 2017 and marketed for well-known Irish brands prior to joining the Great Resignation and deciding to change her career and industry in December 2021. Since March 2022, she is happily working in the Tech Industry, as a Customer Success Associate. Shes a natural extrovert who was heavily impacted during the shutdowns of the pandemic, but she was able to use available resources to determine where her values truly lied.
#TheMoreYouKnow: As of July 16, 2022, people in the US can call/text 9-8-8 when experiencing a mental health crisis.
Joan Pons Laplana is on a mission to disrupt healthcare and empower frontline staff & patients to lead together. He currently works at Health Education England where he helps young adults gain work experience and skills. In 2018, he won the Britain BJN Nurse of the Year Award.
In this episode, we discuss working on the front lines of COVID as a nurse and explore the challenges and cause for his burnout and quitting. We also cover issues of mental health, stress and work-life balance and look at Jo's new career path of helping others through teaching.
(03:01) Who is Jo, his upbringing and background? (04:35) What are some of the things Jo has been passionate about when it comes to his job and profession?(05:58) Jo's experiences in health care. What type of things work and don't work in the medical field?(08:50) The medical field was at the center of the pandemic.(11:42) Lessons from the COVID pandemic.(14:26) What was the ultimate reason for Jo leaving his job during the pandemic?(19:25) After leaving his role, what is Jo up to now?(22:20) Advice for people in health care or other highly stressful fields.(24:43) What can employers do to support employees in the post-COVID world?(26:24) Jo's book was written as a part of therapy.(30:10) Final thoughts and further resources.
When Reflection Illuminates Life's Lessons - Jennifer Walton
Jennifer Walton is the Chief Brand Officer and Partner of SkyNile Consulting. She spent the last 10 years of her career hustling for one brand at a time, working hard to climb the corporate ladder, reach Executive level, and unlock many of life's "achievements, but couldnt find peace. She lacked fulfillment and joined the public sector, but when she failed to get the resources and support she needed, she decided it was time to work on her own terms.
Brian Aquart is the Creator and Host of the Why I Left Podcast, a show chronicling real stories from real people about why they left their jobs during the pandemic. He is passionate about knowing the why. He's learned valuable lessons from his family which helped him build relationships, understand peoples motivations, and navigate difficult situations while maintaining his authenticity.
In this debut episode, Brian gives you an overview of the podcast, why he launched the show and its goals.
Chelsea is on a mission to build a healthy world, one organization at a time. She turned her passion for leveraging the power of movement as medicine into a wellness career where she supported large government and Fortune 100 companies. In the throws of the covid-19 pandemic, she joined the Great Resignation to launch her company, SiteWell Solutions. SiteWell helps businesses improve the well-being of their workforces through resilience, fitness, nutrition, and injury prevention services.
Your story deserves to be told with clarity and impact. That’s why I created Storyline by Kingswoodto help executives, founders, and rising leaders align their presence with their next chapter.
Why I Left is happy to be part of the Alive Podcast Network, which offers a diverse range of shows featuring powerful storytelling, insightful conversa
Your story deserves to be told with clarity and impact. That’s why I created Storyline by Kingswoodto help executives, founders, and rising leaders align their presence with their next chapter.
Why I Left is created using Riverside, which makes it easy to record podcasts and video interviews that look and sound great: Riverside (paid link).
Did you enjoy t
Your story deserves to be told with clarity and impact. That’s why I created Storyline by Kingswoodto help executives, founders, and rising leaders align their presence with their next chapter.
Why I Left is created using Riverside, which makes it easy to record podcasts and video interviews that look and sound great: Riverside (paid link).
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Your story deserves to be told with clarity and impact. That’s why I created Storyline by Kingswoodto help executives, founders, and rising leaders align their presence with their next chapter.
Your story deserves to be told with clarity and impact. That’s why I created Storyline by Kingswoodto help executives, founders, and rising leaders align their presence with their next chapter.
Your story deserves to be told with clarity and impact. That’s why I created Storyline by Kingswoodto help executives, founders, and rising leaders align their presence with their next chapter.
Your story deserves to be told with clarity and impact. That’s why I created Storyline by Kingswoodto help executives, founders, and rising leaders align their presence with their next chapter.
Your story deserves to be told with clarity and impact. That’s why I created Storyline by Kingswoodto help executives, founders, and rising leaders align their presence with their next chapter.
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