Leadership, Loss & Reinvention from Within with Lyndsay Dowd

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What happens when you leave a 100-year corporate legacy… and then get fired six months later?

In this honest and energizing conversation, Kathy Love sits down with Lyndsay Dowd — leadership expert, speaker, and founder of Heartbeat for Hire — to unpack reinvention, resilience, shame, confidence, and the power of intentional community.

From 23 years at IBM to being unexpectedly fired, Lyndsay shares how that painful pivot became the catalyst for building a purpose-driven business focused on modern leadership and culture. Together, Kathy and Lyndsay explore how true self-care includes nurturing your network, surrounding yourself with belief-builders, and learning that visibility is a skill — not a personality trait.

This episode is for anyone navigating a career shift, recovering from a setback, or realizing that the circle you’re in may not be the only one available to you.

Lyndsay Dowd is a leadership expert, speaker, author, and founder of Heartbeat for Hire. After spending 23 years at IBM building high-performing teams and cultivating culture, she transitioned into entrepreneurship to help organizations develop emotionally intelligent, modern leaders. Lyndsay specializes in refining leadership behavior, elevating executive presence, and creating irresistible cultures that drive results.


After 23 years at IBM and a 100+ year family legacy with the company, Lyndsay left on her own terms — only to be fired six months later from her new role. She shares the emotional impact of shame, identity loss, and starting over.

The Three Self-Care Questions That Changed Everything

When everything fell apart, Lyndsay asked herself:

What am I really good at?

What do I love to do?

How can I help people the most?

Those three questions became the foundation for her business and a roadmap for anyone navigating reinvention.

From Shame to Power

Losing her job initially felt humiliating — but it became the most relatable and powerful part of her story. We discuss how setbacks often become the very thing that makes us accessible and impactful.

Can Bad Leaders Be Taught?

Yes — and many of them are simply insecure or never shown another way. Lyndsay talks about “reformed assholes,” leadership awareness, emotional intelligence, and why good leadership is absolutely learnable.

Building Your Personal Board of Advisors (PBA)

Why surrounding yourself with people who believe in you, speak your name in rooms you’re not in, and remind you who you are is essential self-care. Community isn’t optional — it’s fuel.

Visibility as a Skill

If you struggle to be seen, start by celebrating others. Shouting out the people who inspire you builds confidence, connection, and authentic visibility.

Reinvention Is Ongoing

Lyndsay shares why she’

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