This is StRest! Kerstin Lindquist sits down with longtime QVC fan-favorite Carolyn Gracie for a blunt, personal look at what happens when a corporate machine cuts you loose—especially when you’re 64, still working, and not even close to “ready to retire.” Carolyn explains the surreal day she and Dan Hughes were laid off in March 2023, why she still doesn’t know the reason despite strong sales, and how the backlash from customers forced QVC to rethink how exits are handled.

From there, Carolyn lays out the real difference between being a QVC host versus coming back as a brand partner—and why returning made sense: loyal customers, trust built over decades, and a way to reconnect with viewers who aren’t on social media. She shares how the layoff became the push that launched “Girl Next Door by Carolyn,” built around pet-friendly, pollinator-friendly plants and whimsical home décor—and why “paw print” items keep selling out.

Then the episode turns raw: Carolyn opens up about losing multiple pets, why pet grief is real grief, and the rituals she and her husband use for closure—from a pet mortuary visit to personal notes and memorial garden spaces. The through-line is clear: loss can crack you open, but it can also force the next chapter—if you choose to move.

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CHAPTERS

(00:00) Why she was picked

(00:08) “Off air—have the talk”

(02:09) Kerstin tees it up

(05:41) First podcast ever

(06:36) Freelance life: more chaos

(10:19) Radio to QVC audition

(16:15) 2004 move with 40 pets