Normal 40: The Podcast #66 The Layoff: How Google Exit Sparked Personal Transformation — With Nicholas Whitaker
Jun 20, 2025
59:58
What if success didn’t satisfy you the way it was supposed to?
Lon sits down with Nicholas Whitaker, former Googler, entrepreneur, and founder of the Conscious Lead Collective.
Nicholas shares his journey from punk anarchist to Google executive and the unraveling that began in a hotel room in Japan. At the peak of a global career, Nicholas found himself crumbling under the weight of performance, loneliness, and anxiety, living a version of success that felt more like survival.
They talk about burnout, reinvention, and the quiet, powerful decision to build community over competition. This is for anyone who feels called to build something more intentional and honest and is brave enough to start.
WHAT TO EXPECT:
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
What’s Next?
Whether you’re chasing clarity, community, or calling, this episode is your permission to get started. Follow the movement on Substack if you haven't already. Lon shares his best work over here.
Links & Resources:
🔗 Find it all right here: https://linktr.ee/lon.stroschein
Connect with Nicholas here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholaswhitaker/
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit normal40.substack.com/subscribe
Lon sits down with Nicholas Whitaker, former Googler, entrepreneur, and founder of the Conscious Lead Collective.
Nicholas shares his journey from punk anarchist to Google executive and the unraveling that began in a hotel room in Japan. At the peak of a global career, Nicholas found himself crumbling under the weight of performance, loneliness, and anxiety, living a version of success that felt more like survival.
They talk about burnout, reinvention, and the quiet, powerful decision to build community over competition. This is for anyone who feels called to build something more intentional and honest and is brave enough to start.
WHAT TO EXPECT:
- How Nicholas went from punk rock to the boardrooms of Google and why he walked away.
- The secret cost of “success” and why chasing status eventually leads to burnout.
- Building the "Conscious Lead Collective" and what it means to lead with awareness.
- Why collaboration beats competition every time.
- The power of healing through community, storytelling, and shared purpose.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Reinvention doesn’t start with a résumé. It starts with curiosity.
- Real leadership is rooted in compassion, not control.
- You don’t need to “burn it all down,” but you do need to build something that aligns.
- Your past doesn't define you. If anything, it prepares you.
- Sometimes the next chapter starts with a layoff and ends with legacy.
What’s Next?
Whether you’re chasing clarity, community, or calling, this episode is your permission to get started. Follow the movement on Substack if you haven't already. Lon shares his best work over here.
Links & Resources:
- Follow Lon on Substack: https://normal40.substack.com/
- Book a Free Ramble with Lon: normal40.com (Click “Talk to Lon”)
- Grab Lon’s book—The Trade: Amazon
- Get the 14 Questions That Changed My Life: normal40.com
- Follow Lon on LinkedIn: @LonStroschein
🔗 Find it all right here: https://linktr.ee/lon.stroschein
Connect with Nicholas here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholaswhitaker/
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit normal40.substack.com/subscribe