Navigating Layoffs & Building Financial Resilience: A Conversation with Abby Schommer

📌 Introduction: Rethinking Career Security in an Uncertain Job Market

Layoffs have become a harsh reality for many professionals across industries. Whether it’s the tech sector, corporate downsizing, or economic shifts, the truth is—job security is no longer guaranteed.

So what can you do when your career takes an unexpected turn?

On this episode of the Strategic Thinkers Podcast, I sat down with Abby Schommer, co-founder of CalPal, a time and calendar management platform for freelancers and consultants. Abby is also the host of The Marginalized Podcast, where she explores overlooked voices and experiences in business and tech.

Drawing from her personal experience being laid off from Facebook and transitioning into a portfolio career, Abby shares hard-earned lessons on navigating uncertainty, building multiple income streams, and reclaiming control over your professional future.

Inspired by this conversation, I created the R.E.B.U.I.L.D.™ Framework to help professionals turn job loss into an opportunity.

🎧 Listen to the full episode here (Beyond the Layoff- Building an Unshakable Portfolio Career).
📖 Read the full article that aligns with the podcast here (Portfolio Careers: The Key to Resilience in Today’s Uncertain Job Market).

📌 The Reality of Layoffs: Why You Need a Backup Plan

Abby’s story mirrors what many professionals are experiencing today.

💡 She was excelling at her job, receiving promotions, and delivering strong results—yet she was still laid off.

According to LinkedIn’s Workforce Confidence Index, 65% of professionals who experienced a layoff reported making substantial career changes rather than seeking similar roles. This statistic underscores an important shift in how people respond to career disruption.

🔹 Lesson 1: No one is immune to layoffs. Even top performers can lose their jobs due to restructuring, budget cuts, or company pivots.

🔹 Lesson 2: A job title is not your identity. The emotional impact of a layoff is real, but you are more than your role.

🔹 Lesson 3: A single income stream is risky. Abby quickly realized that relying on one employer meant she had zero control over her financial security.

This is where portfolio careers come in—a strategy that allows professionals to diversify their income, leverage their skills in new ways, and maintain financial stability, even in uncertain times.

📌 What is a Portfolio Career & How Can It Help You?

A portfolio career is when you build multiple income streams instead of relying on just one employer. This can include:

✔ Freelancing or consulting (leveraging your expertise for various clients).
✔ Building a side business (creating an additional revenue source).
✔ Contract work or part-time roles (flexible employment opportunities).

According to Fiverr’s Freelance Economic Impact Report, 68% of freelancers reported feeling more financially secure with multiple clients versus one employer. This increased sense of security comes from not having all your financial eggs in one basket.

🔹 Why It Works: Even if one income source disappears, you have others to fall back on.

🔹 How Abby Started: She initially used Upwork to land her first freelance projects while still considering corporate roles.

Abby emphasizes that starting a portfolio career doesn’t mean abandoning traditional employment. Instead, it gives you options so that if another layoff happens, you are prepared.

📌 The Emotional Impact of Layoffs & Why You Shouldn’t Rush Into Job Applications

One of the biggest takeaways from our conversation was Abby’s advice to NOT immediately jump into job applications after a layoff.

Why? Because applying without processing what happened can lead to:

🚨 Burnout from mass applying with little response.
🚨 Desperation that lowers your confidence in salary negotiations.
🚨 More rejection because your energy isn’t in the right place yet.

🔹 Instead of panicking, step back, reset, and reassess your options.

🔹 Layoffs can be an opportunity to build something for yourself rather than just finding another job.

This approach appears to lead to greater satisfaction too. A FlexJobs survey found that 73% of workers who diversified their income streams after a layoff reported greater job satisfaction than in their previous full-time roles. This suggests that the path less traveled might actually be more rewarding.

📌 The R.E.B.U.I.L.D.™ Framework: Turning Job Loss into an Opportunity

Layoffs can be devastating—but they can also create space to reimagine what’s possible. Inspired by my conversation with Abby Schommer, I created the R.E.B.U.I.L.D.™ Framework—a structured approach to help professionals navigate the emotional, financial, and strategic phases of career transition.

It’s more than a mindset shift. It’s a method.

Each stage of the framework is intentionally designed to move you from shock and survival to clarity, income, and long-term success. This is also a prime example of how the PathMaker™ approach works: taking powerful stories and turning them into actionable blueprints.

Let’s break it down:

🔁 Stage 1: R.E.S.E.T.™

Shift your mindset, stabilize finances, and explore your next chapter.

Purpose:
This first stage is about regaining clarity and control. Before rushing into job boards, you need space to process, stabilize, and reassess.

Framework Breakdown:

R – Reflect: Acknowledge the emotional weight of the layoff. What did your last role teach you? What do you want more of now?

E – Evaluate: Look at your financial situation. Cut unnecessary expenses. Calculate your runway.

S – Stabilize: Apply for unemployment or temporary income. Handle health insurance and basic needs.

E – Explore: Brainstorm alternative income paths—consulting, freelancing, part-time work.

T – Take Stock: Use journaling, reflection, or assessments to reconnect with your strengths and interests.

✅ Outcomes:

• Emotional regulation
• Financial reality assessed
• Short-term plans in place
• Clearer vision of personal and professional values

⚠️ Common Pitfall:
Jumping straight into job applications without healing or realignment.

🧱 Stage 2: B.U.I.L.D.™

Create income streams, position yourself, and land your first clients.

Purpose:
Once you’re steady, the next step is to generate income and momentum. This stage focuses on small, strategic wins.

Framework Breakdown:

B – Brand Yourself: Update your narrative and clearly communicate your value.

U – Understand Your Market: Research industries, platforms, and problems you’re equipped to solve.

I – Initiate Offers: Turn your skills into services—freelance packages, consulting sprints, etc.

L – Launch Visibility: Start showing up. Share insights on LinkedIn, pitch yourself, build presence.

D – Deliver Results: Start small, overdeliver, and build testimonials or proof points.

✅ Outcomes:

• Activated income streams
• First client wins or paid projects
• Defined positioning and credibility

⚠️ Common Pitfall:
Waiting for the “perfect” website, logo, or offer before taking action.

🚀 Stage 3: T.H.R.I.V.E.™

Scale with intention, strengthen your systems, and secure long-term success.

Purpose:
This is where you go beyond surviving. You’ve validated your skills—now it’s time to build a business or career path that works for you long-term.

Framework Breakdown:

T – Track Progress: Use KPIs or financial dashboards to measure performance.

H – Hone Systems: Streamline workflows and manage your time with tools like CalPal or Notion.

R – Reinforce Boundaries: Avoid burnout. Create guardrails around your time and energy.

I – Invest in Growth: Reinvest in learning, coaching, tools, or support that moves you forward.

V – Validate & Expand: Test new offers, raise rates, or reach for bigger contracts.

E – Establish Long-Term Strategy: Define your sustainable career model—portfolio work, entrepreneurship, or re-entering full-time work on your own terms.

✅ Outcomes:

• Steady income and systems in place
• Expanded offers or client base
• Vision and strategy for long-term growth

⚠️ Common Pitfall:
Trying to scale without support systems, which leads to exhaustion and inconsistency.

🧩 This Is PathMaker™ in Action

This framework didn’t come from theory—it came from listening.

Abby’s story is rich with insight: emotional recovery, experimentation, client-building, and platform creation. But many listeners finish a podcast episode inspired, yet unsure of what to do next. That’s where PathMaker™ comes in.

PathMaker™ is a strategic framework development process that transforms meaningful conversations into actionable tools. By distilling real-life experiences into structured, milestone-driven frameworks like R.E.B.U.I.L.D.™, PathMaker™ helps professionals move from insight to implementation with clarity and confidence.

This isn’t just about responding to job loss. It’s about redefining success on your own terms—and having a proven process to get there.

If you’re navigating a career change—or proactively building a more resilient future—the R.E.B.U.I.L.D.™ Framework is your starting point. It’s the first of many tools created through PathMaker™ to help you rethink, rebuild, and thrive.

📌 How Abby’s Work Aligns with This Journey

Abby isn’t just talking about these strategies—she’s building tools to help people navigate them.

✅ CalPal – A time and calendar management platform built for freelancers juggling multiple clients.
✅ The Marginalized Podcast – Where she highlights underrepresented voices in business, tech, and entrepreneurship.

By creating resources and conversations around financial independence, time management, and career pivots, Abby is actively helping professionals build sustainable, flexible careers.

📌 Key Takeaways & Next Steps

If you’re facing a career transition or considering freelancing as a next step, here’s what you can do:

✔ Step back and reset before rushing into job applications.
✔ Consider how you can leverage your skills outside of traditional employment.
✔ Explore portfolio careers & freelancing as a way to take control of your income.
✔ Use time management tools like CalPal to balance multiple projects.
✔ Listen to more career transformation stories on The Marginalized Podcast.
✔ Take the free Entrepreneurial Type Assessment to find the best business model for you. Start Here
✔ Get a personalized PathFinder Blueprint to map out your next steps. Learn More

🎧 Check out the full episode with Abby Schommer here (podcast).