Laura Brown: Life After Getting Fired Is Better Than You Think!

Begin Again with Davina McCall

FlightStory

Education, Society & Culture, Self-improvement, Health & Fitness, Mental Health

4.7 • 970 Ratings

🗓️ 20 November 2025

⏱️ 58 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In this episode of Begin Again, Laura Brown, former editor-in-chief of InStyle, shares her powerful journey from the top of the fashion world to navigating life after being fired. Laura opens up about the ups and downs of her career, how she rebuilt herself after losing a job, and why getting fired doesn’t have to be the end but rather, a fresh start. She discusses how women often struggle with self-doubt in the workplace, the importance of confidence, and how owning your experiences can change the way you view setbacks. Laura also talks about how she came to understand her true value, and why she’s not afraid to stand up for herself, even in the face of adversity. Whether you're currently facing a career challenge or just looking for inspiration, this episode is full of actionable tips and hard-won wisdom that will help you feel empowered to start again. What do you think? Have you ever faced a major career setback and come back stronger? Share your thoughts in the comments below! Don’t forget to like 👍, comment 💬, and subscribe 🔔 for more stories. Click the bell icon to stay updated on new episodes! 🌱 (00:00) Intro (01:37) Who is Laura Brown? (01:50) Laura on Hustle, Work Ethic, and Drive (05:40) Taking Ownership: Women’s Confidence in the Workplace (10:03) Moving to New York and Breaking Into the Industry (19:11) Becoming the Editor-in-Chief of InStyle (23:03) Changing the Culture & Empowering Badass Women (28:19) Aura Frames Ad (29:35) Navigating the Changing Media Landscape (35:48) Life After Being Fired: Public Reaction (38:32) Being Fired: How to Handle a Workplace Exit (42:24) What to Do When You Get Fired (45:25) Even Oprah Got Fired (50:02) Top Tips for Troubleshooting in the Job Market Sponsored by:Ancient + Brave - https://ancientandbrave.earth/pages/planet and use code BEGINAGAIN for 20% off your order Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Ready to launch your business? Get started with the commerce platform made for entrepreneurs.
0:04.8	Shopify is specially designed to help you start, run and grow your business with easy customizable themes that let you build your brand.
0:12.4	Marketing tools that get your products out there. Integrated shipping solutions that actually save you time.
0:17.4	From startups to scaleups, online, in person and on the go. Shopify is made for
0:22.8	entrepreneurs like you. Sign up for your $1 a month trial at Shopify.com slash setup.
0:29.6	I was at Talk Magazine working for Harvey Weinstein for six weeks and then I started
0:33.7	hired me. Did not think we would all be fired on Zoom. Today I'm'm speaking to the amazing Laura Brown, who went from right at the top of the fashion world to having her life completely turned upside down. Every bit of experience you have is like a sort of a platform you stand on. And then you get taller and taller and taller and taller and taller for that experience. And the only one who forgets that is you. Your value is yours.
0:55.0	Don't give it away.
0:56.0	Laura opens up about what it's really like when the career, identity in life that
1:00.0	you've worked so hard for suddenly disappear and how you find your feet again.
1:06.0	Going forward, what can you do to increase the happiness and decrease the unhappiness?
1:10.0	Laura speaks openly about the experience of being fired and how so many people, even Oprah, have navigated it.
1:16.6	In that shock moment, there's that sort of pile of papers that's being pushed at you, right?
1:20.6	In whatever way it is.
1:21.6	But the most important thing is...
1:23.6	She shares how self-doubt can sometimes hold women back in the workplace and how to find pride in how far you've come, even when things don't go the way that you planned.
1:34.9	We didn't construct the workplace. Men did. I'm not one to re-insulate the glass ceiling. Yes, we happen to be women and we're owning everything that happens to us.
1:42.0	So if you're feeling a bit lost or unsure of what's coming next,
1:45.0	I'm hoping that this talk is for you.
1:47.7	Because no matter what happens, it is never too late to begin again.
1:58.4	Well, Laura Brown.
1:59.5	Yes.
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from FlightStory, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of FlightStory and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.