The Morning His Daughter Started High School

Terry didn't plan on staying at Oracle long. He came in as a product manager after a previous layoff, figured it would look good on a resume, and thought he'd move on in a couple of years. That was almost a decade ago. On the morning his daughter started high school, a Slack message changed everything. One chapter was just beginning, and another had just ended. Terry shares what it felt like to be let go without warning, including access cut off within minutes, no time to download his own performance reviews, and a severance process so chaotic that basic questions went unanswered for weeks. He talks about the financial reality of losing stock he was promised instead of raises, and what it's like to job hunt when remote work isn't a preference; it's a medical necessity. But Terry didn't go quiet. Within days of the 2025 RIF, he was building community, calling out what he saw, and helping grow a support network that now has over 3,000 people. He's not looking for sympathy. He's looking for accountability What does he believe? That performance shouldn't be punished. That stock promised in place of a raise shouldn't disappear overnight. *This podcast reflects the personal experiences and opinions of its guests. host: Erin Harris executive producer: Gillan Ritchie co-producer: Podcast Mechanic #humansbehindtheheadcount #hbth #tech #corporate #layoffs #realstories #oracle #netsuite #severance