What if the greatest leadership decision you’ll ever make is one no one else sees?

What happens when the career you’ve built your identity around suddenly disappears?

In this episode of the Root, Realign, Rise™ Podcast, Mairin Moore Cane sits down with career strategist, executive coach, TEDx speaker, and former entertainment executive Laverne McKinnon to explore a topic that rarely gets discussed openly: career grief.

After rapidly rising through the ranks at CBS and becoming a respected entertainment executive, Laverne experienced a devastating professional setback that left her questioning her worth, identity, and purpose. What followed was a years-long journey of understanding that she wasn’t broken- she was grieving.

Together, Mairin and Laverne explore the hidden emotional impact of job loss, layoffs, career setbacks, leadership transitions, chronic illness, and the loss of professional identity. They discuss why so many high-achieving people struggle after major career disruptions and how to rebuild a sense of purpose when the role you held no longer defines you.

In this conversation, you’ll learn:

• What “career grief” is and why so many professionals experience it

• The difference between visible losses and hidden losses after a career setback

• How identity, belonging, and purpose are often tied to our work

• Why professional heartbreak can feel just as painful as other forms of grief

• The dangers of workplace codependency and over-identifying with a role

• How to reclaim agency after a layoff, firing, business failure, or major life transition

• Laverne’s RISE Framework for moving forward after loss

• Three powerful questions that can help you reconnect with your purpose

Whether you’re navigating a career transition, rebuilding after a setback, questioning what’s next, or supporting someone through a season of change, this episode offers practical wisdom and hope for the road ahead.

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ABOUT OUR GUEST

Laverne McKinnon is a career strategist, executive coach, TEDx speaker, producer, and former entertainment executive who helps professionals navigate career transitions, identity shifts, and professional heartbreak.

A former senior executive at CBS and EPIX and former Head of Development for Charlize Theron’s production company, Laverne spent more than two decades helping bring major film and television projects to life before turning her focus toward helping others rebuild after career setbacks and life transitions.

Connect with Laverne:

Website: https://lavernemckinnon.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lavernemckinnon

LinkedIn: Available through her website

TEDx Talk: Available through her website

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CONNECT WITH MAIRIN MOORE CANE

Website:

https://www.mairinmoorecane.com

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/mairinmoorecane

Root, Realign, Rise™ Podcast:

https://www.instagram.com/rootrealignandrisepodcast

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/mairinmoorecane

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mairinmoorecane

Speaking & Booking Inquiries:

connect@mairinmoorecane.com

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If you enjoyed this conversation, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone navigating a season of transition.

Remember:

You don’t have to be whole to lead.

Leadership doesn’t begin once everything is resolved. It begins when you root yourself in truth, realign with what matters, and choose to rise with responsibility—right where you are.

JC Chamberlain has spent a lifetime studying resilience long before he ever needed it to survive.

A five-time national champion in cycling and rowing, JC has competed in more than 1,100 races, earned over 250 podium finishes, and logged more than 429,000 miles on the road. He has also led billion-dollar commercial real estate portfolios, helped scale a global nonprofit serving students in more than 40 countries, and co-founded multiple organizations focused on human development and well-being.

But everything changed when a devastating cycling accident nearly took his life.

In this episode of the Root, Realign, Rise™ Podcast, JC shares what crisis revealed, how recovery reshaped his understanding of leadership, and why emotional resilience must be intentionally built before adversity arrives.

Together, we explore the connection between emotional capacity, endurance, loneliness, recovery, and sustainable leadership in a world that often rewards constant output while ignoring internal depletion.

In this conversation, we discuss:

• Why resilience is built long before a crisis occurs
• The difference between resilience and emotional hardening
• How emotional depletion becomes leadership depletion
• The growing impact of loneliness on leaders and high performers
• Why recovery is essential for long-term endurance
• Daily habits that strengthen emotional resilience
• How to create sustainable success without burning out

One of JC's most powerful reminders:

"Intensity can create momentum. Endurance creates legacy."

If you're carrying significant responsibility, navigating pressure, or seeking a healthier way to sustain your leadership, this conversation offers practical wisdom that applies far beyond moments of crisis.

Connect with JC Chamberlain:

Website: https://antidotethebook.com

Learn more about:
• Antidote
• Emotional Wellth
• Upcoming work around Will Power & Core Power

Connect with Mairin Moore Cane:

Website: https://www.mairinmoorecane.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mairinmoorecane
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rootrealignandrisepodcast
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mairinmoorecane

If you're navigating pressure, transition, burnout, or leadership fatigue, subscribe to Mairin's newsletter at https://www.mairinmoorecane.com for weekly leadership insights and practical tools for leading well through demanding seasons.

Before we wrap, remember:

You don't have to be whole to lead. Leadership doesn't begin once everything is resolved. It begins when you root yourself in truth, realign with what matters, and choose to rise with responsibility- right where you are.