Action Academy: "Amazon Just Fired 30,000 People – Where Are We Heading Next?"

Host: Brian Luebben
Date: November 21, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Brian Luebben addresses the massive layoffs sweeping across tech giants like Amazon, Oracle, and Nvidia, focusing on what individuals—especially high-income professionals—should do if they're worried about job security in a shifting economy. He shares practical strategies for protecting your financial future and seizing new entrepreneurial opportunities, especially through business acquisition and real estate, drawing on lessons from his own experience and those of Action Academy members.

Key Discussion Points

1. The New Reality: Layoffs and Economic Uncertainty

• Massive Tech Layoffs: Acknowledges the firing of over 30,000 employees at Amazon and significant layoffs at Oracle and Nvidia, setting the context of instability in the tech and corporate space.
• Changing Landscape Since COVID: Reflects on how the market post-pandemic went from booming (real estate appreciation, remote work, easy access to job opportunities) to fraught with uncertainty and disruption by automation and AI.

  "Fast forward to today, with Amazon firing over 30,000 people in a day... It's happening across the board, especially in big tech companies." – Brian (01:55)

2. Inverse or Inversion Thinking (Charlie Munger Principle)

• Focus on Avoiding Worst-Case Scenarios: Instead of planning only for best-case outcomes, plan proactively for what could go wrong (job loss, market downturn).
• Memorable Quote:

  "Charlie had this quote which says, 'I want to know where I'm going to die so that I never go there.'" – Brian (03:10)

• Inverse Planning: Prepare defenses now—know what could "take you out," then prepare accordingly (finances, skills, network).

3. Financial Defense: "Survive, Arrive, Thrive" Framework

• Track and Control Spending: The foundation is absolute clarity on expenses and lifestyle requirements.
  • Survive: Bare minimum for essential bills (housing, food, utilities).
  • Arrive: Adds moderate discretionary spending—some enjoyment but not excess.
  • Thrive: Comfortable spending, full savings, and ability to invest freely.
• Personal Example with Numbers:

  "My original survive number was $4,000 a month... arrive for me at that time was $6,500 a month... my thrive number was $20,000 per month." – Brian (08:22)

• Action Step: List out and understand monthly fixed and discretionary expenses to define your personal survive, arrive, and thrive numbers. (07:00)

4. Immediate Debt Management Moves

• Eliminate High-Interest Debt: Ruthlessly attack credit card debt (20-25%+ interest), while being more lenient with lower interest obligations (like student loans). (10:30)

5. Liquidity: Building an Emergency Fund

• Cash Buffer Rule: Maintain 3–6 months of "survive" expenses in liquid savings—ideally 90–180 days. (11:30)
• Helps weather any sudden loss of income and buys time to transition.

6. Playing Offense — Investing in Yourself

• Skill Sets and Networks Over Stocks: Emphasizes that the two assets that can't be lost in a layoff are your skill set and your relationships.
  • Even when income was down, Brian prioritized masterminds, courses, and networking, which paid off in future opportunities.
  • Quote:

    "They cannot take away your skill sets, they cannot take away your connections, your skill sets and your network. They cannot take away from you." – Brian (16:45)

• Real-World Case Study – Kyle:
  • Kyle, an Action Academy member, was laid off from a six-figure job, but had already invested in skills, network, and had savings.
  • Used his severance—and the network—to acquire a business instead of returning to a traditional job.
  • "Now we run that company along with Ashley, one of our other business partners, and some other Action Academy members." – Brian (21:13)
  • Moral: Investing in education and connections can rapidly transform a layoff into ownership and opportunity.

7. Ownership Is Security

• Why Become an Owner: The only job where "you can't be fired" is one you own.

  “Because the only person that cannot fire you is you on earth. All right? Even your wife or your husband can fire you. But you can't fire you, baby.” – Brian (24:05)

8. Action Academy: Responding to Market Needs

• Lifetime Membership Model: Announces a change in Action Academy’s membership—a switch from annual to lifetime access, responding to the increased uncertainty and the need for lasting community and resources.
  • All-in access to coaches, deal rooms, partners, and resources for a single fee.
  • Urgency: The lifetime offer is a limited Black Friday deal through November.
  • "As soon as it hits December 1st...the lifetime offer is gone and we're going back to annual." (25:30)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On layoffs:

  “I want to talk about maybe a checklist that I would have in place...if you're the recipient of one of those emails from HR that all of a sudden says, boom, you're part of the 10% of the company that's let go today.” – Brian (03:00)

• On tracking spending:

  “You get in the game by making a lot of money. You stay in the game by knowing how much you spend. That's what matters.” – Brian (06:00)

• On building financial defenses:

  “These are defensive metrics. This is just Dave Ramsey boilerplate stuff that we're talking about so far.” – Brian (12:40)

• On investing in yourself:

  “The two things that they cannot take away from you, no matter what, they can take away your title, they can take away your position, they can take away your salary. They cannot take away your skill sets, they cannot take away your connections.” – Brian (16:45)

• On business acquisition as a path forward:

  “If you want ownership, that is why we changed the offer for Action Academy for Black Friday...So that way, when you join, you get everything. You get access to the coaches, you get access to the deal rooms, you get access to the capital partners, you get access to the operating partners, every single person in the group forever.” – Brian (24:58)

Timestamps for Major Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |------------------------------------------------------------|---------------| | Tech Layoffs and Market Context | 00:00–03:00 | | Inverse Thinking – Planning for “How to Die” | 03:00–05:20 | | “Survive, Arrive, Thrive” Cash Flow Model | 06:00–09:30 | | Debt Elimination & Building a Cash Buffer | 10:30–12:40 | | Investing in Skills & Network (Offense Strategy) | 13:30–16:45 | | Kyle’s Acquisition Case Study | 20:00–22:30 | | The Security of Ownership | 24:00–25:00 | | Action Academy Lifetime Membership Announcement | 25:00–End |

Tone and Language

Brian’s style is practical, direct, and motivational, with a mix of personal anecdotes, concrete steps, and a healthy dose of humor (“Even your wife or your husband can fire you. But you can't fire you, baby.”). The message is geared toward high-performers anxious about job security—offering actionable optimism, not fear.

Summary Takeaways

• The job market—especially in tech—is volatile and unpredictable.
• Prepare by deeply understanding your financial needs and controlling spending (“survive, arrive, thrive”).
• Eliminate high-interest debt and build at least 3–6 months’ emergency fund.
• Double down on developing transferable skills and expanding your network—they provide true resilience.
• Ownership is ultimate security: acquiring a business can transform adversity into control.
• Action Academy is adjusting to these realities by offering a lifetime access model to help members weather any economic storm.