The Reboot Era

Layoffs. Burnout. Reinvention. Welcome to the messy middle of career change — and the community that's not afraid to talk about it. Hosted by Dray Jankowski, a former tech program manager laid off in 2025, The Reboot Era is part unfiltered storytelling, part emotional support group, and part career comeback plan. Through weekly solo episodes and candid guest interviews, we explore what it really means to rebuild your life — professionally, emotionally, and financially. We’re not here to sell you hope. We’re here to tell the truth — with humor, heart, and a little chaos. Each episode dives into one of our seven pillars: • Layoffs & Unemployment • Motivation & Momentum • Strategy & Income • Redirection & Reinvention • Mental Health & Renewal • Closure & Reflection • Identity & Calling If you’ve ever screamed into a throw pillow after reading a rejection email — this is your

The Reboot Era is a business podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 35 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Unknown Host hosts The Reboot Era, a business show with 35 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #8

  AI, Networking, and Career Growth: What Actually Works Today

  Apr 22, 202626 minS2

  <p>Send us Fan Mail</p><p>In this episode, Dray sits down with Sharon Markowitz, founder of Your Career Wings and former product marketing leader at Zoom, to unpack what it really takes to navigate today’s job market.</p><p>From experiencing layoffs firsthand to coaching professionals through career transitions, Sharon shares practical strategies that cut through the noise.</p><p>You’ll learn:</p> Why layoffs are often not about you and how to reframe them  How to avoid the “spray and pray” job application trap  A smarter, more intentional approach to job searching  How to use AI tools like G...

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  Episode #7

  Rooted in Reinvention: A Layoff Story with Flavor

  Apr 15, 202645 minS2

  <p>Send us Fan Mail</p><p>What happens when a 17-year career comes to an unexpected end?</p><p>In this episode, I sit down with <b>Steve Fiore</b>, who shares his journey from long-term corporate leadership into an unplanned chapter of reflection, creativity, and reinvention after being laid off.</p><p>We dive into:</p> What it’s like to spend nearly two decades at one company and how it feels when it ends  The financial and emotional realities of navigating a layoff  Why Steve chose to “practice retirement” and what that actually looks like  The creation of his lifest...

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  Episode #6

  From Microsoft Layoff to CEO: The Human Side of Reinvention

  Feb 18, 202639 minS2

  <p>Send us Fan Mail</p><p>In July 2025, 9,000 employees were laid off in a single day.</p><p>Quentin Cobb was one of them.</p><p>After 17 years in the gaming industry — working across studios owned by Sony, Bethesda, and Microsoft — Quentin suddenly found himself asking the same question thousands of professionals face:</p><p>“What now?”</p><p>Instead of returning to another AAA studio, he decided to build something of his own.</p><p>In this episode, Quentin shares the raw, emotional, and practical realities of:</p>Navigating your first layoffDetaching identity from job titlesCompeting in a brutal r...

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  Episode #5

  From Forbes to Founder: Turning a Layoff Into a Podcast Booking Business

  Feb 11, 202644 minS2

  <p>Send us Fan Mail</p><p>In this episode of Reboot Era, James shares the emotional aftermath of being laid off, the uncomfortable silence of job applications going nowhere, and the pivot that led him to launch <b>Wonderfish</b>, a podcast booking agency built around one core belief: <b>helping people share their stories is the fastest way to build trust and influence—especially in the age of AI.</b></p><p>We talk about what James actually did at Forbes on the integrated marketing/revenue side, why podcasts are an “always-on” distribution channel compared to sporadic press hits...

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  Episode #4

  Laid Off After 30 Years: What Corporate Leadership Still Gets Wrong

  Feb 4, 202647 minS2

  <p>Send us Fan Mail</p><p>Layoffs may be framed as business decisions—but for the people impacted, they’re deeply personal.</p><p>In this episode, Dray sits down with <b>Mark Nickerson</b>, a leadership and management coach with 30 years of experience in the tech industry, who was laid off for the first time in his career in 2025. Mark shares what it was like to navigate that moment, how compassionate leadership made a difference, and why so many companies fail to handle layoffs with transparency and humanity.</p><p>Together, they unpack:</p>What companies get wrong (and...

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