352: When Your Career Gets Blindsided: How Sarah White Turned a Job Loss Into Opportunity

Send us Fan Mail One unexpected phone call can change everything. Sarah White thought she had stability as a restaurant partner.  Then she learned her partners had voted without her, planned to sell the business, and were eliminating her role. Instead of scrambling to find her next job, Sarah made a bold mid-career move. She bought them out and took ownership of Westover Taco in Arlington, Virginia. In this episode of The Mid-Career GPS Podcast, I talk with Sarah about what career resilience really looks like when your professional life gets messy. Her story is not just about restaurant ownership. It is about confidence, relationships, decision-making, and building a plan before you need one. Sarah shares the behind-the-scenes reality of running a neighborhood restaurant in a challenging post-COVID economy, including rising food costs, staffing challenges, permits, zoning, licensing, tariffs, and changing wage rules. She also explains the misunderstood reality of tipped wages and how policy changes can affect service, retention, and the customer experience. We also explore how Westover Taco became a women’s sports bar almost by accident. What started as Sarah’s love of women’s sports turned into something bigger: a community gathering place where fans knew the game would be on and where girls could see representation, possibility, and belonging. This conversation is a powerful reminder for mid-career professionals who feel stuck, blindsided, or unsure about their next move. You do not have to wait for disruption to start building your next chapter. **In This Episode, You’ll Learn:** - How Sarah responded after being pushed out of a restaurant partnership - Why ownership became the right move to protect her staff and vision - What mid-career professionals can learn from business uncertainty - How relationships and networking helped Sarah move quickly - Why being “people rich” can create more career options - How introverts can build stronger professional relationships - Why women’s sports representation matters in business and community - How to start building your career pivot plan before you need it **Key Takeaway** Career resilience is not built in the crisis. It is built before the crisis happens. Whether you are navigating a job search, preparing for a promotion, or questioning what is next, your relationships, reputation, and readiness matter. **Listen Now** If you have ever felt blindsided, stuck, or uncertain about your next career move, this episode will help you think differently about ownership, resilience, and building a network before you need one. Follow Sarah White on LinkedIn. Follow Westover Taco on Instagram. Support the show If this episode resonated with you and you want more support in how you SHOW UP for your career and life, I want to invite you to join the SHOW UP Leadership Lab.  This is my group membership program where you'll get the clarity and support you need to SHOW UP more impactfully and effectively in your life and career.  Visit https://johnneral.com/showup to join.   Please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts here. Connect with John on LinkedIn here. Get John's New Mid-Career Journal on Amazon here.  Follow John on Instagram @johnneralcoaching. Subscribe to John's YouTube Channel here.