Send a message to the show At the height of a successful career in Hollywood, Steven Puri was working on some of the biggest film franchises in the world. The path forward was clear. Bigger titles. Bigger budgets. More recognition. But something didn’t sit right. What happens when you realize the system you’re succeeding in no longer reflects your values? For Steven, that moment came when he saw firsthand how success could be disconnected from meaning. The work was profitable, but it wasn’t p...

Send a message to the show She had the career people chase. And still chose to leave. Karlyn Kieffer spent years in television news before realizing the work no longer aligned with how she wanted to live. What followed was a shift away from visibility and toward impact. Now an executive coach and founder of Pro Tip Partners, Karlyn helps leaders communicate with clarity, think on their feet, and lead with intention. But getting there required redefining identity beyond the spotlight. This epi...

Send a message to the show He had stability, leadership, and influence inside one of the largest healthcare systems in the country. And he still chose to leave. Dr. Adam Carewe is a practicing physician and clinical informaticist who built a reputation for driving innovation from within. But over time, he realized the system couldn’t move at the pace he believed healthcare needed. In this episode, Adam shares what led to that decision, what it cost him to walk away from stability, and how he’...

Send a message to the show 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 b...

Send a message to the show 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 o...

Send a message to the show Kevin Schmiegel founded Hiring Our Heroes and helped reshape veteran employment in America. At the height of its success, he walked away. Behind the hiring fairs, White House partnerships, and corporate coalitions was a leader working 80-hour weeks and running on empty. Kevin shares what it cost to build a national movement and what happened after he left. Depression. Identity loss. A search for purpose beyond the title. This episode is for leaders who have tied the...

Send a message to the show When your boss finds your side hustle, what do you do? Nicaila Matthews Okome received the “We need to talk” email while working at NPR. HR got involved. Screenshots were printed. Her ambition was suddenly under scrutiny. That moment forced a decision: shrink or build. Nicaila is the founder of Side Hustle Pro, a top-ranked entrepreneurship podcast with over 10 million downloads. But before the Hall of Fame recognition, it was a strategic side hustle. She did not qu...

Send a message to the show Stephen A. Hart left a six-figure corporate leadership role after doctors warned him about the physical toll of chronic stress. What looked like success on paper was quietly becoming unsustainable. In this conversation, Stephen shares how burnout, high blood pressure, and a cardiologist’s warning forced him to confront what his career was really costing him. He opens up about turning down a six-figure safety net, betting on himself, and building a purpose-driven bus...

Send a message to the show Loneliness at work is rising. And it is a structural issue. In this episode, Tracy Brower, PhD, returns to Why I Left to unpack the growing disconnection inside modern organizations. Fifty percent of people globally report feeling lonely. Leaders feel stretched thin. Teams feel unseen. Tracy is a sociologist and Vice President of Workplace Insights at Steelcase. She has spent years studying happiness, belonging, and the future of work. In this conversation, she expl...

Send a message to the show Most people think quitting is the story. It isn’t. Before people leave their jobs, something usually happens first. A pause. A realization. A moment that makes it impossible to keep going the same way. Five years ago, Dr. Anthony Klotz coined The Great Resignation. But the real story was never about quitting. It was about clarity. In the Season 5 premiere of Why I Left, Anthony returns to unpack what actually drives career change. Not slow dissatisfaction. Not calcu...