The Career-Integrated Entrepreneur™ Podcast

Ep30. Redundancy, Restructure & Reality Checks: Why Starting a Side Hustle Is No Longer Optional

• Cindy Excell

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Redundancy isn't just a career curveball.

It's a wake-up call.

In today’s episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on what really happens when job security disappears overnight - and why building a side business is no longer a “maybe one day” move. It’s the smartest way to take back control of your income, your career, and your future.

You’ll hear:

  • The emotional + financial spiral most people fall into after redundancy
  •  Why your next job might not be the right move - and what to do instead
  •  What a financial runway really is (and how to build one fast)
  •  The mistake most people make when trying to start a business in crisis mode
  •  Why a side hustle is the new job security
  •  Exactly where to start - whether you’re still in your 9–5 or already in between jobs


Whether you’re still in a job or facing unexpected change, this conversation will help you rethink security, explore your next step, and start building your own income options with clarity and strategy.

Plus, I’ll walk you through what to do (and what to avoid) if you’ve just been made redundant, and how to use this moment to build long-term career freedom.

Resource: 

>> Take the free quiz: “What’s the best side hustle idea for you?” [Note there is a one-week system delay in publishing this Free Quiz - if you want to access it as soon as it’s available, please DM me on LinkedIn or Instagram directly]

>> Connect with me on LinkedIn 

>> Follow me on Instagram 

 Restructures redundancies and hiring phrases. They are no longer rare headlines. They're actually happening everywhere right now. And if you still believe your job is your safety net, your only source of security, I want to gently challenge that today. Here's the truth, most people avoid getting another job might feel like the safest, most natural next step, and for many it probably is.

But if you've ever found yourself wondering, what if this happens again? Or if this redundancy has triggered a deep knowing inside of you that you cannot keep relying on just one income stream anymore, that this moment could be something more than a setback. It could be a turning point. That's why in today's climate, having a side business is no longer just a smart move.

It is non-negotiable in my view. Welcome to The Hustle with Heels podcast, the show for high achieving corporate women who want more than just a paycheck. I'm your host, Cindy Excell, financial advisor, 10 business coach and I help high achieving corporate women. Turn Your expertise into an online coaching business that brings freedom, income, and impact without quitting your nine to five job or burning out.

On this podcast, I'll share everything you need to redefine your career success, create your financial runway, and build your side coaching business on your terms. Now let's get started. Hey friend. Welcome back to House with Heal podcast. Today we are going to talk about something no one wants to think about until it actually happens, which is redundancy or layoffs.

Whether it is a voluntary or not, redundancy can leave you failing exposed financially, emotionally, even mentally. I've seen this play out so many times. I've been in corporate for over 19 years now. For the first nine years of my own career, redundancy was like a foreign world to me, but the last decade redundancy is literally everywhere in this episode.

I will walk you through what happens when redundancy hits, what most people do wrong and what you can do differently. So you are building from strength, not fear. Now let's dive in. In today's world, no one is safe in their jobs. Not the loyal employees, not the high performance. Not the ones who hit their targets every quarter and win the internal awards, not even those sale level executives.

Remember, in the corporate world, most of those executives, they're also employees and can be replaced by the board. I spent nearly two decades in financial services industry. I was a. Top performer. I mentored others. I did all the right things, and I have always been a good employee, working hard, being a high performer, and still I took the redundancy in 2018.

Here's what I've learned the hard way. Job security is no longer actually tied to your performance. Redundancy used to be something that you only heard about when a company was in trouble, but in the current economic environment, redundancy has become far more common, and the pandemic played a huge role in that shift as well.

Before covid redundancy was something that people associated with company failure, or even division on the performance. Since 2020, it has become a strategic business decision. We have seen entire industries were forced to shut down or restructure overnight. Companies learned how to operate linear, automate more, and cut costs faster.

And unfortunately, that often means cutting roles even after things returned to normal. The ripple effects still remained. We've seen mass layoffs in tech, finance, and even professional services industry, not because people weren't doing great work, not because they underperformed, but because the way we work has fundamentally changed.

Redundancy is no longer rare. It is actually part of the modern career landscape. What can make many of us feel uncomfortable is that there is often no warnings. There is no red flags. There is no bad performance reviews before the redundancy news drop. That is why building your own income stream is no longer a luxury.

It is a necessity. It doesn't mean that you quit your job tomorrow. It means you stop putting all your eggs in somewhere else. Basket because the old definition of job security, it is outdated, and that's why building your own income streams isn't just a nice to have anymore. It is absolutely essential.

Real job security comes from having something no one can take away from you with a single letter or a single meeting. When redundancy hits, it is not just about losing income. Sometimes it is also about losing your footing. While it happens, it feels like a punch in the gut. One day you are on track in control.

The next day you are holding a letter or you are called to a meeting. That changes everything for you and for most people, the shock isn't just financial. It is emotional and psychological, and its can be personal as well. For many of us high achieving women in corporate, our careers often become part of our identity.

The structure, the routine, the role, the status, and when there is suddenly taken away, it can shake your sense of worth in a way no one really talks about. Then survival mode kicks in, how am I going to pay the mortgage? What about the school phase? Should I start applying for jobs? Right now, it is completely natural to want to fix things quickly to get straight into action, and the most common next step is to find another job.

Because that's what we've been conditioned to do. Seek stability fast. But if you've ever paused and asked yourself, what if this happens again or what if I want more control next time? Then I want you to listen closely. This redundancy might be more than a crisis. It might be your wake up call, a wake up call that stops putting your career in somewhere else, hands and a wake up call to explore opportunities for you.

To take back control of your income and your own career path. Because if you treat this moment as a turning point instead of just something to get through, to fix it quickly by getting another job, then it might just become the moment that finally puts you back to the driver's seat and assert that with love and respect.

Because I've lived it. What I have seen over and over again is that the moment redundancy hits, people started doing without thinking. There is this urgency to move, to act, to fix it. Now I've done it to myself, so your brain is literally screaming, I need income, I need security. I need to figure this out.

But what often happens next is people rush into the first thing that comes along. They said yes to roles they probably don't actually want or don't align with their goals. They start building businesses they are not ready for just because they feel like they have to, or they try to turn a vague idea into a business overnight without the space to test or to validate anything.

And look, I'm all in for, you know, using redundancy as a launchpad to build something off your own, if that's something you want to do. But if you've never built a business before and you are still processing the emotional heat of losing your job, jumping into a brand new business from a place of panic is not the right move.

Because when you are in survival mode, it is really hard to be creative. It. You're not in the head space to strategize. You are in the head space to survive in the moment. If your goal is to continue climbing the corporate ladder, then that's great. Follow that direction. But if your goal is to explore opportunity to take back control of your career and start creating career options on your terms, then what do you actually need to do?

Here is a pause, a real one. Take a deep breath, step back and ask yourself, what do I actually want my next chapter in my career or even my life to look like? I'm not talking about how do you replace your salary. I'm talking about what kind of work do you actually want to be doing in the next five, 10, or even 15 years?

What kind of life do you actually want to build for you and for your loved ones? What would that look like to take back control and do that with intention? Because from that place, from that clarity, your next step isn't just about making ends meet. Isn't it just about rushing into anything? It is about building something solid, sustainable, and something that actually lasts.

If this is the path you want to take, then let's talk about what I actually recommend in moments like this, because it's not quit your job and then build a business overnight kind of thing. In fact, the smart move, especially if you've been just made redundant, is to do the opposite. Find the job that pays the bill, even if it's not your dream job, even if it feels like a step sideways or a step back.

You need to be very clear what the role of this job do for you in your career. Because that job, even if it's not ideal, it could be funding your future and funding your business. It gives you the breathing room to make better decisions. It gives you the capacity to build something solid without the pressure to make the all work this week or right now.

Now, while you've got that income coming in, this is the one you start building your financial runway. And if you've ever heard of that term before, here is what that means. A financial runway is a combination of time plus money, plus strategy. It is having enough income through a mix of savings and a side income to give yourself options to create stability on your terms and to move forward without needing to jump into the next job out of desperation.

And one of the most powerful way to build that runway is to have a side business, not just for the cash, although that's definitely helpful. But because it gives you the income optionality, and it is the opportunity to learn high income skills and to create a business that can generate consistent income while you are still in your nine to five job, and that is the real safety net.

When you have your own thing, something you can build and grow, your sense of security is no longer dependent on what your company decides in the next board meeting. And this is why I always say you actually need to start before you are ready. The worst time to figure things out is straight after redundancy without a plan.

The best time was six to even 12 months ago, but the second best time is today. I started my study business while I was still in my corporate role. I. Not because I was desperate, not because I hated my job, because I didn't, but because I knew I never wanted to be in the position where somewhere else could have pulled the plug and take away my income in a single moment.

I knew that I never want that happen to me ever again. That's the difference between panic and the power. It's not about quitting and risking everything. It is about taking smart steps now so you can have options later. Because when you have options, you are not just reacting to life anymore, you are designing it.

So let's clear something up about having a started business because I think this gets misunderstood all the time. When I talk about starting a side hustle, I'm not talking about a little hobby or passion project or just in case kind of backup plan. I'm not saying you should drop everything and go all in a dream business tomorrow either.

That is not realistic for most people and honestly not even necessary. What I'm saying is this. A side hustle, a side business went down, right? Is no longer your plan B. It's actually becomes your plan A, if your goal is freedom, choice, and not being at the mercy of somewhere else business decision. And when I say freedom, I don't mean sitting on the beach working four hours awake.

Of course, if you can do that, that's great. What I mean is. To have the option to say no to a job that doesn't align anymore. I mean, not freaking out If a restructure happens and knowing you have something that's yours, that you are building in the background with intention. That's what a startup business and startup hustle gave me.

I started a mine while I was in my full-time job five years ago. I still loved my job back then when I first started my startup business in 2020, I never thought of leaving my corporate role at all. I still had so much to give to my nine to five job, but I did want options. I wanted to know that if the rug got put again, I wouldn't be starting from the scratch.

I would have already known what I was doing with business building. I built my side of business behind the scenes while still showing up for my nine to five, no pressure to go all in, and eventually it gave me something I never got from my corporate career, which is choice. The choice to work differently.

The choice to set, yes to opportunities that fit and to work away to the job and the company that I don't share the same value with the choice to transition on my timeline, not somewhere else. It didn't happen overnight, but having that thing growing on the side, that was everything. It gave me the confidence, the momentum, and the income outside my paycheck.

It also taught me what's working and what's not in my business for the last five years. And the most importantly, it became my path to choice my choice. So if you've been thinking about starting something, or maybe you've already started, but you are unsure if it counts. Just know that this isn't a backup anymore.

It is not a fallback plan. It is your way forward. Now, I want to bring this down to the practical because whether you are still employed or you've been, just let go. This is the part that matters most what you do next. If you are still in your job, that's a gift. You've got income coming in, you've got the stability for now, and that gives you something most people don't have when they are in a career crisis.

Time to be intentional if you've just been let go, I also want to know that you are not behind. You are not too late, but you do need to ground yourself and move forward with clarity. So here's what where I suggest starting, no matter which camp you are in, start with the word you know. Not what you want to go back to school for, not what you are passionate about in theory, but what's already within you, your skills, your personal experience or corporate expertise, your zone of genius.

Think about the problems you know how to solve. Think about the personal transformations you have experienced, but others are still struggle with the things people have always come to you for at work in life or in your past roles. You don't have to look far. It is usually right in front of you. Once you've identified that, the next step is to package that into something simple.

Not a course, not a giant program, just a simple offer, one offer that helps one type of person solve one specific problem. It doesn't have to be fancy, but it does have to be clear, clear enough that someone would say, yes, that's exactly what I need. How can I work with you? From there, start making the offer to people who need it.

Start making the offer to people in your network and building a simple income stream. That face your current reality. If you are working full-time, you probably don't have hours every day to build your business, but you do have an hour there, 90 minutes here. You do have enough to start small and start right, and if you are out of work right now, the tempation will be to throw yourself into 10 different things at once.

But trust me, focus on one offer for one type of person to get one specific result is the fastest way to build something solid, something sustainable. This isn't the moment for doubling impassion projects or chasing 10 ideas. This is the moment to take strategic action because the goal here isn't to just make money.

It is to build your financial runway. The wrong way. That gives you the breathing room, gives you leverage and the ability to choose, not just react. So wherever you are right now, still employed, recently, let go or somewhere in between, this is your opportunity to create something for you. Not someday, but right now.

Now here is where I want to leave you today. When facing redundancy, it can go one of the two ways. It can be the thing that completely throws you off course, where you scramble to recover and spend months trying to regain your footing, or it can be the thing that wakes you up. I don't say that lightly because I've lived through that and I know how hard it hits, but I also know how powerful it can be when you decide not to just react, but to respond with intention.

If you are listening to this and if you're still in the job, that's great. That's your window. Don't wait until something happens to start thinking about your next step. And if you are in the stake of it right now, maybe you've just been let go or you are sitting in the aftermath of the restructure. Take a breath.

You still have time, you still have options, and you don't need to figure out everything today, but you do need a plan. And for corporate professionals, especially women who've spent years building deep skills, managing people, delivering real results, coaching is one of the most aligned, flexible, profitable, and easiest way to turn all of their expertise.

Into something that's yours. It will not happen overnight. It will take some work, but with the right strategy and the support, it is absolutely possible and it can become the thing that gives you more freedom, more stability, and the more say over what your future looks like. Because when you are building from power, not panic, everything changes.

And if anything I've shared today is stir something in you, or if you've been wondering whether now might actually be your time to do something on your own terms. And if you're wondering what that hustle should you actually start, I've created something to help you to take that third step. It is a quiz called What's the best side hustle idea for you?

It'll match you to your best fit business model based on your strength and the schedule. So you can stop overthinking and start building something that works for you. It only takes two minutes to complete. The link is in the short note below and take that quiz there. Let this be the moment you stop waiting and start building something that's yours and that's hope for today.

And I'll see you here next week. Bye for now. Thank you so much for listening to the Hustle with Heels podcast. I hope this episode has inspired you to take action towards your side hustle dream. If you en enjoyed this episode, please take a second to rate and review it. Each review helps me help more corporate women and early stage entrepreneurs.

Just like you, don't forget to take a screenshot, share it in your Instagram stories or on LinkedIn. And check me at Cindy Excell. I will see you next week.