Repost Series: The Power of Reinvention: From Laid Off to Lit Up with Karley Stewart

Title: The Power of Reinvention: From Laid Off to Lit Up with Karley Stewart

This week on The Goode Guide, we're getting real about career curveballs, identity shifts, and what it means to reinvent yourself—not just professionally, but personally.

I’m joined by the incredibly insightful and resilient Karley Stewart, a powerhouse leader whose career spans Nordstrom, Louis Vuitton, and Amazon. Carly and I first bonded over our shared corporate roots—rare in LA’s sea of creatives—and today’s conversation feels like chatting with a future version of myself. We cover it all: layoffs, leadership, letting go of old plans, and learning to love the pivots.

Carly opens up about her unexpected layoff just two weeks after relocating to New York, the emotional unraveling that followed, and the clarity she gained from hitting pause and leaning into self-discovery. Her story is an empowering reminder that your job may be what you do, but it’s not who you are—and that some of our biggest breakthroughs come wrapped in what first looks like breakdown.

From LA to the Corporate Grind
[2:24]
Shanarra shares what it was like moving to LA and not finding many peers in traditional 9–5 roles—until she met Karley, who mirrored her own corporate path and ambition.

Carly’s Early Career + Dream of Shoe Entrepreneurship
[6:03]
Karley  reflects on her early days in retail, her original dream of opening a shoe store, and how Nordstrom fast-tracked her leadership journey.

The Three P’s That Shaped Her Leadership Style
[10:35]
Karley introduces her “Three P’s”—People, Passion, Product—and how they became the north star for her leadership philosophy.

From Luxury to Tech: Transitioning to Amazon
[15:12]
We talk about the culture shock of moving from Louis Vuitton to Amazon and why her first role at Amazon didn’t quite fit—but still taught her invaluable lessons.

Boomerang Back: Why She Returned to Amazon
[20:45]
Karley shares what brought her back to Amazon and how working under two powerful women reignited her leadership confidence.

Layoff in a New City: When the Plan Falls Apart
[27:19]
Just weeks after moving to NYC, Karley was laid off. She opens up about the emotional fallout, identity loss, and what it taught her about self-worth beyond titles.

Rebuilding Through Reflection
[33:31]
From journaling to soul-searching, Karley walks us through the internal work she’s done to reconnect with what she truly wants.

Confidence and Curiosity: What She Wishes She Knew at 25
[39:12]
Karley reflects on the advice she’d give her younger self—and why confidence and curiosity are the keys to long-term growth.

The Power of Your Network
[44:00]
We talk about the importance of building strong relationships, especially when you're in transition—and why your network can often open more doors than your résumé.