WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — A few women gather together and talk at a Warner Robins home.
But it is more than just a little chit-chat: They want to help other people better navigate the tough situation of being laid off.
Leslie Marshall said they've been through it themselves.
“My vision was to make sure people who were laid off never go through what we went through we had zero guidance.”
Insurance company GEICO laid off Marshall, Holly Peavy, and Mellany Archie last year. Marshall worked for them for more than 34 years when she got the call her position wasn't needed anymore. Peavy says she couldn't believe it.
And with the pair's lived experience, they started a podcast to help others who have been laid off.
"Very upsetting because I knew how long she'd been with the company. We'd never laid off before. Geico promised never to lay off. We always excessed and found people other positions," Peavy said.
Archie worked with the insurance company for nearly 20 years.
“I cried for a moment but I knew me crying about it that wasn’t going to do anything at that point," Archie said. "It was just that day because hey life goes on.”
Once co-workers now friends the group started a podcast hoping to help others through losing a job. They released their first two episodes about a month before the October layoffs at GEICO.
"We knew there would be other rounds of layoffs, so we wanted to give the people something out there to say you’re not alone," Peavy said.
They hosted a Q&A Zoom session too. Marshall thought it was the right move.
"The feedback and the response has been overwhelming at times, but it’s great it’s really good," Marshall said.
You can access the episodes on their YouTube channel Shades of Conversation.