Lea Pandozzi is a Career Breaker.

She’s also my oldest friend—we go way back to 3rd grade!

Lea began her career in higher education before making a bold pivot into big tech. At Amazon, she didn’t just follow a set path—she carved out her own, moving from recruiting into an executive business partner role where she could put her strengths to work.

When the work no longer felt fulfilling, she chose to step away without a job lined up.

That pause created space for new opportunities, including a career pivot into business operations at Boeing. When company-wide layoffs hit—through no fault of her own—Lea once again found herself facing uncertainty and leaned on what she’d learned to choose her next step with intention.

In this episode, Lea shares how embracing both pivots and pauses helped her get clear on what she wants from work and life. We talk about working through the guilt of not having a job, making space for rest and joy during a job search, and staying grounded when plans change.

Lea’s story shows how stepping away can give you the clarity and confidence to move forward on your own terms.

Listen in as she reflects on her career journey and the choices that helped her find a better path—and follow for more stories from bold Career Breakers redefining how we work.

Notes:

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/ Lea on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lea-pandozzi-1b945531/

/ Connect with Adriane | Email: ⁠adriane@adrianeejones.com⁠ or LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrianejones/⁠

Thank you for listening! ❤️