"I never thought I'd be 37, unemployed, and living with my parents in Ohio again. A year ago, I was working at an AI startup in Los Angeles. I was making good money and had a one-bedroom apartment and a pretty stable routine. My salary was just enough to pay the bills, rent, and take care of my dog. Then, almost overnight, it all fell apart."
"I took a pay cut in exchange for equity, hoping it would pay off in the long term. But then the company decided to stop licensing software and instead acquired its clients. It made sense on paper, but it wiped out the need for my role. When I asked the CEO what would happen to my position, he reassured me that my role would be retooled."
I built a 15-year career in tech and startups focused on customer experience and interface design, making systems usable through onboarding flows, user journeys, and client support processes. I joined a healthcare AI startup to establish a client-facing team, accepting a pay cut for equity. The company pivoted from licensing software to acquiring clients, eliminating the need for my role. Leadership initially reassured me the position would be retooled, but three weeks later I was laid off without warning, severance, or performance issues. I had savings for about three months of rent and returned to Ohio, facing unemployment and financial uncertainty.
Read at Business Insider
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