What if the thing you’re trying to hide is actually your greatest asset? In this powerful episode, Erris Klapper shares how leaving law—and the identity it gave her—unlocked a life rooted in purpose, voice, and true impact.

🎧 Episode Summary:

“That gap is really the time you take for yourself to figure out who you are, what your identity should be, what you value, what you care about. That’s the place where we can dare to dream.” — Erris Klapper

Erris Klapper’s career pivot wasn’t clean, linear, or approved by others—and that’s exactly why it worked. This episode is a bold reframe of the resume gap, imposter syndrome, and the invisible grief of walking away from who you were supposed to be.

Follow Jessica on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicacumming/

Connect with Erris → ErrisKlapperCoachingAndConsulting.com

LinkedIn → Erris Langer Klapper, MS, Esq.

⏱ Timestamped Chapters:

• [0:00] — Welcome + Meet Erris

• [1:20] — From Law to Purpose: The Courage to Walk Away

• [5:01] — “Law school was pushed on me”: Owning Your Path

• [9:01] — The Resume Gap is Not a Problem—It’s a Portal

• [11:26] — Don't Be Afraid to Dream. Be Afraid to Stagnate.

• [17:17] — The Trench is Where Transformation Happens

• [24:01] — From Writer to Coach: The Power of Transferable Skills

• [31:18] — What Imposter Syndrome Actually Is

• [35:03] — High Achievers Are Not Immune

• [36:53] — Burnout, Boundaries & Building a Support System

• [43:58] — The Conversation Everyone Needs to Have

✨ Key Takeaways:

• The resume gap isn’t a weakness—it’s evidence of reinvention.
  

• Imposter syndrome isn’t solved by slogans—it requires strategy.
  

• You don’t have to explain your pivot to anyone who isn’t living your life.
  

• Purpose doesn’t always start with a plan—it starts with a pause.
  

• The most transformative seasons rarely look impressive on paper.
  

🔥 Power Move of the Week:

Stop explaining the “gap.” Start naming what it gave you. (And if you don’t know yet—get curious. That’s where reinvention begins.)

Books Recommended by Erris (Writing Resources):

• The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron
  

• Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
  

• Still Writing by Dani Shapiro
  

• Thrill Me: Essays on Fiction by Benjamin Percy
  

• What About the Baby? by Alice McDermott
  

• On Writing by Stephen King
  

📥 Download the Official Transcript here

🔥 Ready to reframe your “what’s next”? Grab the Shift Happens Power Pivot Toolkit — built for bold women in the in-between. →Download here

Executive coach and former HR powerhouse Lauren Leftkowitz shares how chasing a Roomba (yes, really) became the metaphor—and the moment—that changed her life. After breaking both shoulders in a freak accident, Lauren was forced to stop doing what she’d always done: over-function, over-give, and overachieve.

What followed was a journey of rehab, recovery, and radical honesty. In this candid conversation, Lauren opens up about what it really takes to shift from high-performing burnout to a life that doesn’t require recovery. If you've ever been the “fixer,” the “go-to,” or the woman holding it all together—this one’s for you.

Connect with Jessica on LinkedIn

Chapters and Time Stamps

00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction

00:56 Lauren's Journey: From Burnout to Breakthrough

02:37 The Turning Point: Breaking Both Shoulders

05:25 Realizations and Changes: Embracing Coaching

09:23 Balancing Work and Personal Life

13:07 The Importance of Asking for Help

23:02 Defining What You Don't Want29:12 Understanding What You Truly Want

30:13 Exploring Career Transitions

33:28 The Importance of Transferable Skills

38:52 Navigating Workplace Boundaries

54:00 Building a Support System

56:44 Final Thoughts and Advice

📈 Key Takeaways:

• Burnout doesn’t always look like collapse—it often looks like high achievement.

• Boundaries aren’t selfish. They’re sacred.

• You don’t need a perfect plan—you need a clear “no.”

• Over-functioning is not leadership.

• You’re allowed to change without knowing every step first.

• Recovery starts when you stop pretending “fine” is good enough.

Download the full transcript here:

Lauren Leftkowitz is the founder of Fine is a Trap Coaching, a leadership development firm helping high-achieving women break cycles of burnout and build careers rooted in clarity and courage. After two decades in corporate HR, Lauren now empowers women to own their “no” and reclaim their leadership on their own terms.

🌐 Connect with Lauren

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In this powerful episode of We Are Women, Unapologetically, host Jessica Cumming sits down with Alison Young, aka The Blissful Hiker, to explore the raw truth behind forced reinvention, invisible loss, and the courage it takes to keep walking — literally and figuratively.A classically trained flutist who lost her ability to play due to a rare neurological disorder, Alison didn’t just survive cancer and job loss — she hiked 5,000 miles solo to reclaim her identity. From the New Zealand Te Araroa to the Pacific Crest Trail, Alison’s story is a testament to choosing curiosity over certainty, growth over comfort, and thriving over simply surviving.If you’re navigating transition, grief, or a loss of identity — this conversation will walk right beside you.

💡 Connect with Jessica→

Follow Jessica on LinkedIn

→ Book Your Complimentary Strategy Session 🔑

📅 Episode Chapters & Timestamps:

00:00 – Intro
Welcome to We Are Women, Unapologetically. Meet Alison Young, trained flutist turned long-distance solo hiker.

01:33 – Musical Roots & Unexpected Loss
Alison reflects on her early music career, playing with legends and touring the world—until a neurological condition halted everything.

03:34 – Career Pivot to Radio
She transitions into public radio, becoming a music storyteller on-air for 13 years.

04:45 – The Trail Beckons
Alison begins hiking as emotional healing, leading to a leave of absence to hike New Zealand's 3,000 km Te Araroa trail.

06:00 – Lessons from the Sandflies
Symbolism from New Zealand's infamous insects: keep moving, stay present, and embrace impermanence.

11:19 – Demotion & Identity Crisis
Upon return, Alison is demoted at her radio job. She opens up about grief, reinvention, and the power of support systems.

14:47 – Asking for Help & the Gift of Nourishment
Her breast cancer diagnosis and the life-saving simplicity of asking for help—starting with food.

16:21 – Being Pushed, Not Punished
Alison shares the emotional gut-punch of forced transitions and how she reframed it with support and strategy.

24:00 – The Doomsday Clock & Pacific Crest Trail
Her husband builds a spreadsheet. She plans her next 5-month solo hike across the U.S. west coast.

27:41 – Voiceover, Podcasting & Reinvention in Real Time
Post-hike, Alison launches a new creative life as a voice artist, podcaster, and speaker.

34:02 – Lessons from the Trail
From "embrace the suck" to "the trail will provide," Alison shares thru-hiker wisdom and spiritual truths.

38:08 – Final Message

📈 Key Takeaways:
"I choose to thrive." Why Alison prefers "thriver" over "survivor" and her call for others to step out, 52 weeks a year.

• You don’t need to see the end to take the first step. Reinvention starts with presence.

• Loss (career, identity, health) can be a portal to purpose.

• Community is survival gear. You don’t have to hike alone.

• Ask for help—especially when you think you should be fine.

• Thriving means choosing forward motion, even in uncertainty.

  Download the Official Transcript Here

  
  

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