This week of April 12, 2026, Disney laid off 1000 employees. My LinkedIn filled with 86,000 impressions in my written response to lazy AI slop about “streaming failure.” Disney+ is a streaming success. But 1000 careers were cut. I see you. You have value. You’re not done and your success will land anew.
I’ve been out of work 18 months. That’s not a trauma dump: that’s my receipt. I’m still here. I’m still making things. And if I am, you are. The layoff ended your job. It didn’t end your career.
This episode is for Disney employees and any worker in the world who just lost their job and can’t see the horizon right now. How could you? It’s fresh. So, here’s what I’ve learned in 18 months: no timelines, just truth.
Process it. Give yourself permission to feel it before you fix it. The shock is real.
Get referrals. Your network remembers how you treated people, not your badge number. Kindness outlasts credits. Message or talk to people you work with since referrals are at a premium in this current job market.
Know your metrics. List the things you did at Disney that exist outside Disney. Streaming launches. Franchise management. Global rollouts. Subscriber growth. Churn reduction. Marketing successes.
Your three biggest achievements are your passport. Not your title. Not your tenure. The wins you drove. Write them down. Those go on every call, every email, every intro. That’s what travels.
Create a sandbox resume. Everything you’ve done and know how to do. Every show, every deal, every fire you put out. Plug it into AI engines you trust to contextualize it. Next, frame it in your own voice. AI can organize. Only you can own it. Don’t let it write you; let it reflect you.
You could even start a podcast like I did. Mine runs on donations. They’re modest and all appreciated and the podcast will grow. I don’t have ads. It’s not my job. But if you build it, the community will grow around you. The point isn’t money, the point is building and connecting with your audiences who trust you.
This isn’t hustle happy talk. It isn’t “just network harder.” It’s reality. You’ll be okay, even if the horizon isn’t in sight right now. Regroup. Recalibrate. Ready. Not on my schedule. On yours.
Let’s Talk About Hollywood™ is written and produced by Karl Gibson. New episodes on Thursdays or Fridays. 621 downloads. 31 countries and counting.
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