Wait... What's Next?
🎙️ Wait… What’s Next?
Pull up a chair. Sip your Americano. And breathe.
Pull up a chair. Sip your Americano. And breathe.
Wait… What’s Next? is the podcast that feels like running into two friends at your favorite coffee spot, except the conversation goes places most people are too polished to go. We’re talking career pivots you didn’t plan, relationships that changed you, and the version of yourself you’re still figuring out, all with a cafecito in hand and zero judgment.
Hosted by Laura Alba, a Colombian-born marketing professional who built her life from scratch after moving to the U.S. at 15, and Amanda Brilhante, a former national news anchor turned event host, two women who’ve navigated more than a few “wait… what now?” moments of their own.
Every week, they pull up a seat either to talk through their own in-between moments or alongside guests who’ve shaped their paths through real transitions in career, relationships, health, and identity. They dare to have the honest conversations you wish someone had with you sooner, getting real without the filter.
Join us every week. New episodes drop on Thursdays.
Come for the deep talks, the occasional gossip, and the safe space where you’ll feel a sense of belonging and leave with a little more clarity, at the very least, in your heart.
Happy sips ☕
with Laura (@l_alba_z) & Amanda (@amandakbril)
Intagram: @waitwhatsnextpod
Tiktok: @waitwhatsnextpod
Wait... What's Next?
Learning to Swim With Sharks: She Walked In and Owned the C-Suite
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How do you build a career when no one hands you the blueprint?
This week, we sit down with Jennifer McAlpine, whose story takes us from a blue-collar childhood in the Central Valley to leading marketing and education across luxury brands, real estate powerhouses, and national companies. Her rise wasn’t linear or lucky; it was built on curiosity, grit, and the kind of early jobs that people often underestimate.
Jennifer shares how running a store at 18 became her leadership bootcamp, how motherhood sharpened her instincts in ways no MBA ever could, and what it really takes to walk into a C-suite meeting as the only woman in the room and swim with the sharks.
We talk about:
• why your first job (retail, waitressing, operations) is actually your strongest foundation
• how to build a career without mentors or a roadmap
• what swimming with sharks actually looks like in corporate America
• the power of diversifying your life, not just your portfolio
• leadership as a practice, not a title
• the courage it takes to reinvent yourself… again
Jennifer’s story is proof that you can build a meaningful, impactful life, even if you start with nothing but curiosity and a work ethic that won’t quit.
This episode is for anyone choosing themselves, rebuilding from scratch, walking into rooms not built for them, or trying to define their own version of success.
Wait... What's Next?
Host: Laura Alba
Co-Host: Amanda Brilhante
Executive Producer: Lauren Atkinson
Instagram: @waitwhatsnextpod, @lauraalbaz & @amandakbril
Email: waitwhatsnextpod@gmail.com