Lipstick on the Rim — Episode Summary

Episode Title: What No One Tells You About Getting Fired — with Laura Brown & Kristina O'Neill
Hosts: Molly Sims & Emese Gormley
Guests: Laura Brown & Kristina O’Neill
Date: November 25, 2025

Overview

This episode of Lipstick on the Rim delves into the taboo and sometimes shame-filled world of getting fired. Molly Sims and Emese Gormley bring on fashion media legends Laura Brown (ex-InStyle) and Kristina O’Neill (ex-WSJ Magazine) to discuss their new book, All the Cool Girls Get Fired, and to explore the realities, emotions, and ultimate reinventions that can come after being let go. With humor, honesty, and classic cool-girl candor, they bust the myth that being fired is the end—showing instead how it became a powerful turning point in their lives and careers.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Power of a Forced Reset

• Both Brown and O’Neill describe the shock and pain of being let go from the top of their field—but also how it offered the chance for self-discovery and reinvention.
• Quote [03:01]: "I think there's something really powerful about starting over...sometimes life forces us to reset. And boy, have we reset." – Emese Gormley

2. Personal Histories & Career Highs

• Laura talks about her humble beginnings on a farm in Sydney, her love for magazines, and moving to NYC shortly before 9/11 ([05:42–06:52]).
• Kristina charts her journey: a decade each at Harper’s Bazaar and WSJ Magazine ([08:49–09:04]).
• The hosts credit Laura and Kristina for modernizing iconic brands and reflecting real cultural shifts ([07:22–08:41]).

3. The Reality of Getting Fired

• Laura recounts being let go with her entire print team at InStyle over Zoom—with just 20 minutes’ notice ([11:08–12:24]).

• Kristina describes her firing from WSJ as a targeted move under a new editor—feeling both blindsided and singled out ([12:39–13:48]).

• The process is clinical, impersonal, and gutting—recounted with both humor and vulnerability.

  • Quote [11:49]: "You wouldn’t look at this woman and go, this is a statesman. I tried to be. And I got everyone back on this particular zoom link...and I said to the team...your work is yours. What you've learned is yours. You take this with you. Don't give it up to them." – Laura Brown

4. Shame, Shock, and the Shame Spiral

• The hosts and guests open up about the initial shame and secrecy around being fired, especially in high-achieving environments ([18:00–19:18]).
• Quote [18:26]: "You're gonna learn from this. You're like, okay, I'm gonna choke you." – Emese Gormley, about the advice people give when you're fired

5. Taking Control of the Narrative

• Laura and Kristina chose to own their stories publicly—posting a now-iconic Instagram photo with the caption, “All The Cool Girls Get Fired”—sparking a deluge of support and shared stories from women everywhere ([21:39–25:16]).
• Quote [23:44]: “It’s like reading beautiful eulogies about yourself, but you’re still alive.” – Laura Brown
• Embrace honesty—spinning or hiding the truth just delays healing ([24:05–24:21]).

6. Logistics & Survival: Practical First Steps

• Immediate challenges: loss of income, insurance, and personal identity.
• Tips: get real about finances, cut discretionary spending, ask for help, and be upfront with friends and family ([25:16–27:16]).
  • “The chapters in the book are in the order of panic: money, health insurance, get down to brass tacks,” says Laura Brown ([26:03]).
  • Find empowerment in small wins—like saving on groceries or cable bills.

7. Advice for Reinvention

• Give yourself time—grieve and reflect, then move forward. Don’t let shame or fear stop you from telling your truth ([22:29], [36:23]).
  • Quote [36:29]: “Give it time, own it. Like, speak up, tell people that you’re going through it.” – Kristina O’Neill
• Understand that even household names (featured in their book: Oprah, Jamie Lee Curtis, Katie Couric) have been fired—and it was the making of them ([28:12–29:53]).
  • “Every single woman we spoke to had an incredibly distinct, almost muscle memory of the day they got fired and what people said.” – Laura Brown ([28:33])

8. The Big Picture: Changing the Narrative About Failure

• The book aims to normalize job loss as part of life—even for the “ultimate cool girls”—and to encourage resilience, honesty, and solidarity ([39:23–40:22]).
  • “We don’t have that many role models that are publicly out there being like, ‘Hey, I got fired. I’ve been through it. It sucked. But I came out better, stronger, smarter.’” – Christina O’Neill ([40:00])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the shock of getting fired:
  • “I don’t want to brag, but I was fired first.” – Laura Brown ([10:53])
  • “My job was really—I was wrapped in it.” – Christina O’Neill ([23:26])
• On social media & commiseration:
  • “It’s very much like reading eulogies about yourself, but you’re still alive.” – Laura Brown ([23:46])
• On money and practicalities:
  • “Navigating the COBRA website literally moved us to tears.” – Christina O’Neill ([26:00])
• On honesty:
  • “The minute you start to spin or obfuscate or lie, you are just delaying your recovery, you know? And for what?” – Laura Brown ([24:05])
• On legendary contributors and shared stories:
  • “Every single woman we spoke to had incredibly distinct, almost muscle memory of the day they got fired...Oprah remembers the beverage the person firing her was drinking.” – Laura Brown ([28:33])
• Quickfire Q&A Highlights:
  • “First big fashion splurge?”
    – Laura: “A Miu Miu maroon mesh handbag...stolen from me in a pub in Sydney.” ([32:15]) – Christina: “Chanel bag.”
  • “Go-to beauty product?”
    – Christina: “Mascara.”
    – Laura: “Eyebrow pencil. I gotta make this up first.”

Important Timestamps

| Time | Segment/Highlight | |------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:01 | Theme introduction: Power of starting over after losing a dream job | | 05:42 | Laura’s career origins (Australia to NYC) | | 08:41 | Making legacy magazines “cool” | | 10:53 | Laura’s account of being fired via Zoom | | 12:39 | Kristina’s account of being fired at WSJ Magazine | | 18:00 | Discussing shame and secrecy around getting fired | | 21:39 | The Instagram “cool girls get fired” moment | | 24:05 | Importance of honesty and not spinning the story | | 25:16 | Real-life logistics: money, healthcare, and practical survival | | 28:12 | How it felt interviewing icons like Oprah for the book | | 32:15–36:23| Fun quickfire Q&A: fashion splurges and beauty must-haves | | 36:29 | #1 advice: Give it time, be honest, change the narrative | | 39:23 | The book as a tool for younger women to understand resilience | | 40:00 | Why we need fired, public role models |

Actionable Takeaways

• If You Get Fired…

  • Don’t hide it. Be honest with yourself and others—it’s more common than you think.
  • Handle the basics: finances, insurance, daily routines. Don’t be afraid to ask for guidance or help.
  • Take time. The hit to your identity is real and recovery isn’t overnight.

• For Reinvention:

  • Find power in small wins as you rebuild.
  • Use the experience as a launchpad for something new. The most successful women you know have been here, too.

Closing Words

• Advice to younger selves:
  – Laura: “Calm down.” ([37:34])
  – Kristina: “Oh, it’s going to be okay. It all works out in the end.” ([37:40])

• Final Sentiment:
  “Let’s change the narrative. Let’s go. Let’s reinvent. But at the same time, it sucks. Doesn’t suck forever. It takes time and then it will be glorious. We promise.” — Laura Brown & Kristina O’Neill ([36:59–37:07])

For More:

Follow Laura Brown (@laurabrown99), Kristina O’Neill (@ristinaoneill), and check out All the Cool Girls Get Fired on Instagram and in bookstores.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone facing unemployment, feeling lost after a forced reset, or searching for inspiration to own their story and come back even stronger.