Owning Your Career Amidst Uncertainty and Layoffs

Before I was a speaker, author, and coach, I was a data analyst at a large insurance company, staring at Excel spreadsheets all day. I was an extrovert trapped in a cubicle, and I finally gathered the courage to ask my boss for a change. His answer? A blunt, "No, get back to work." In this episode, I share why that rejection was the best thing that ever happened to me, and the two critical lessons it holds for both individual contributors and leaders in 2026.I hope you enjoy it! As always you can learn more and connect with me on my website (andystorch.com) or LinkedIn. And you can find my books - Own Your Career Own Your Life and Own Your Brand, Own Your Career - on Amazon.

It’s Thursday, March 26, 2026, and I have a confession: If I tell myself I’m going to write 500 words, there’s a 50/50 chance I’ll end up scrolling LinkedIn instead. But if I tell my friend Leanne? Those words are getting written. In this episode, I break down the psychological "hack" of accountability—from my outreach group for speakers to a recent 45-minute "writing sprint" that helped me finally knock out my newsletter.I hope you enjoy it! As always you can learn more and connect with me on my website (andystorch.com) or LinkedIn. And you can find my books - Own Your Career Own Your Life and Own Your Brand, Own Your Career - on Amazon.

It’s easy to treat AI like a glorified search engine, but after a meetup in Barcelona last night, my eyes are wide open to what’s actually possible in 2026. From "Claude Cowork" managing LinkedIn prospects to "Claude Code" helping me build my very own app (yes, really!), I’m diving deep into how these tools are shifting from "thought partners" to "action partners." If you feel overwhelmed by AI, this episode is your permission to just play, fail, and build something anyway.I hope you enjoy it! As always you can learn more and connect with me on my website (andystorch.com) or LinkedIn. And you can find my books - Own Your Career Own Your Life and Own Your Brand, Own Your Career - on Amazon.

It’s something we’ve done for thousands of years, but in 2026, with social media at our fingertips 24/7, it’s become an epidemic. Today, I’m diving into the concept of comparison. I share a personal realization I had on the Padel court about my cycling "status" and why we are almost always looking the wrong way when we measure our progress. If you’ve ever felt like an "amateur" despite years of hard work, this episode is a reality check on your own success.I hope you enjoy it! As always you can learn more and connect with me on my website (andystorch.com) or LinkedIn. And you can find my books - Own Your Career Own Your Life and Own Your Brand, Own Your Career - on Amazon.

It’s Monday, March 23, 2026. Usually, I’m someone who likes to live in the moment, but I’ve realized that if you don't own your schedule, your schedule will own you. This morning, I sat down with my new "Chief of Staff"—Claude—to map out the week. Since switching from ChatGPT a few weeks ago, I’ve been leaning heavily into using AI not just as a search engine, but as a high-level personal assistant that knows my business, my goals, and my quirks.I hope you enjoy it! As always you can learn more and connect with me on my website (andystorch.com) or LinkedIn. And you can find my books - Own Your Career Own Your Life and Own Your Brand, Own Your Career - on Amazon.

It’s Friday, which means if you're looking for me, I’m probably on a Padel court. If you haven’t seen it yet, Padel (or Paddle) is taking over Europe and Latin America, and it’s starting to make waves in the U.S. too. Think of it as the high-energy lovechild of tennis and racquetball—played on a smaller court with plexiglass walls that you can actually hit the ball off of.It’s fast, it’s competitive, and most importantly, it’s built for connection.I hope you enjoy it! As always you can learn more and connect with me on my website (andystorch.com) or LinkedIn. And you can find my books - Own Your Career Own Your Life and Own Your Brand, Own Your Career - on Amazon.

Yesterday was my 46th birthday, and I gave myself the best gift possible: I cleared my calendar, hopped on a train to the end of the line in Terasa, and spent six hours on my bike. I tackled a 103-kilometer route with 1,500 meters of climbing—my longest and most challenging ride to date. In this episode, I share the mindset shift required to do something that felt "unfathomable" just a year ago, and why we need to stop living in "reaction mode" and start getting outside.I hope you enjoy it! As always you can learn more and connect with me on my website (andystorch.com) or LinkedIn. And you can find my books - Own Your Career Own Your Life and Own Your Brand, Own Your Career - on Amazon.

What do you do when you’re invited to go 50mph in a gas-powered metal frame, and your natural instinct is to say "No thanks"? Last weekend, I traded a relaxing lunch at the beach for an indoor go-karting track in Barcelona to celebrate a friend’s son’s 13th birthday. In this episode, I share my journey from being the slowest driver on the track to shaving 10 seconds off my lap time—and why being "bad" at something is the first step toward having the most fun you’ve had in years.I hope you enjoy it! As always you can learn more and connect with me on my website (andystorch.com) or LinkedIn. And you can find my books - Own Your Career Own Your Life and Own Your Brand, Own Your Career - on Amazon.

Today is March 17, 2026, and I am officially turning 46. I wanted to take a moment to step away from the "hustle" and the constant drive for the next goal to simply say thank you. Thank you for listening, for being part of my network, and for allowing me to share my journey with you. I’m recording this from my home in Spain, with my dog at my feet and my family nearby, feeling incredibly lucky—but also incredibly proud of the progress I’ve made. I hope you enjoy it! As always you can learn more and connect with me on my website (andystorch.com) or LinkedIn. And you can find my books - Own Your Career Own Your Life and Own Your Brand, Own Your Career - on Amazon.

I’m finally back in the swing of things! After a brutal fight with the flu that started in Boston and followed me all the way home to Spain, I’ve had a lot of time to sit with my thoughts. It’s easy to feel stuck when you're trapped in a hotel room or bedridden, but a morning dive into Stoicism gave me the exact reality check I needed.I hope you enjoy it! As always you can learn more and connect with me on my website (andystorch.com) or LinkedIn. And you can find my books - Own Your Career Own Your Life and Own Your Brand, Own Your Career - on Amazon.