Laid Off: Art Director at Popsugar
"I lost a lot of trust in corporate stability after that, and realized why the girls are breaking up with the nine-to-five."
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In today’s issue, I talk to Priscilla Brinshot, a former art director at Popsugar who was laid off right before Covid hit in 2019. She never went back to the corporate world, by choice.
Priscilla Brinshot describes the day she was laid off as a beautiful, sunny fall day in New York. It was September 2019, and she was headed into the Popsugar offices in Midtown with her usual cup of coffee. She had been working there as an art director for 10 months.
A month earlier, she had met with her manager to hash out some concerns with her position — Priscilla felt like she was shoved into a marketing design role versus the art director position she applied for. She says she walked away from that conversation confident that she spoke up.
But then she stopped getting invites to team meetings, and a one-on-one meeting was put on her calendar a few weeks later. She was headed on vacation the next day and assumed it was just a project handoff. When Priscilla walked into the meeting, though, she quickly realized it was a layoff.
“To be honest, I blacked out from the conversation, so I don’t remember all the details, but what I do remember is how I felt,” she said, describing a mix of disbelief, shame, and “why me?”
She was asked to quietly walk back to her desk, accompanied by her manager. She mouthed “I GOT FIRED” to her coworker when her manager wasn’t looking, and describes the office as “eerily quiet,” with just the sounds of clicking and typing. She could feel everyone staring at her, but afraid to say anything.
“This experience made me never look at corporate the same way,” she said. “I never want to be in a position where I have to be afraid to speak up and advocate for myself.”
You said the creative director that hired you got laid off the first week you got there. Did that give you any sense of job insecurity? Anxiety?
Absolutely. I also had a vision for when I got hired and accepted the job, and wanted to learn from this specific person, so to have all of that shaken up the first week I got there was ill-fated. After she was let go, I never felt comfortable enough to feel like I could settle at the office. I was always on edge.
What reasoning did they give for laying you off?
“Lack of funds and reorganization.” Group Nine Media (which acquired Popsugar that year) ended up laying off 7% of staff a few months after I left due to fallout from the pandemic.
Perhaps some of their reasoning was true, who knows. I think that the former Creative Director that hired me had a vision for her team that I fit into, but the new one had something else in mind, and it definitely wasn’t me.
You said the layoff felt especially personal.
When I brought up my frustrations about not being able to perform the job I applied to, they told me there was no room to perform the role in the areas that I was originally hired for. I was told the only way I could be involved with the photo team was if I lowered my job title to a position I was overqualified for. If I wanted the job I was originally hired for, I would have to do better at the role I was now assigned to, to prove that I’m hardworking. It was really messy. At the time it felt really personal because I was the only person of color on the team, and I felt they expected me to work harder to show that I was worth it.
You also described the actual layoff as "pretty humiliating" - did it being in person versus virtual play a role in that?
This was late 2019, so literal weeks before Covid hit and everything went virtual. It was also my first layoff ever. I think it did play a huge factor. I would say that being let go in person versus virtually is a more sensorial experience. Your whole body feels it, whereas being laid off virtually is more of a mental battle because one minute you're staring at a screen that holds access to your livelihood and the next it gets completely cut off.
You called your layoff a "pivotal moment" in your life, especially when it comes to your relationship to the corporate world. How did it impact your desire to find another 9-to-5?
I still have yet to go back. I don’t know if and when that will be. I lost a lot of trust in corporate stability after that, and realized why the girls are breaking up with the nine-to-five. It made me hate the feeling that someone else holds your bread and butter in their hands. I had one stint where I tried it again, and it didn’t work out. Listen, it doesn’t mean every corporate job doesn’t have your back, there are a lot of fantastic companies that do take care of their employees. But as we’re seeing today with all the layoffs happening even at a government level, the way that most companies operate in the US is usually not with workers in mind.
Once you're awakened to how easily you can be replaced, you can never look at corporate the same way.
What are green flags for you when looking for new jobs?
It really is like dating. I realized after this layoff that I’m a different type of creative person, and I have to find the right company or people that want someone like me. I think a lot of the time when we get laid off we blame ourselves and can get into a really dark place, but I trust that everything happens for a reason. As much as I wanted it to work out, I don’t think that was the environment meant for me.
I used to value the whole 10-step interview process, but now I value a quick meeting. Let’s go over my work, what we like about one another, and get going tomorrow! I don’t even mull over job descriptions anymore, I’d rather talk to a Creative Director directly versus going through a recruiter. Anytime a CD has reached out or vice versa, it’s always been the best experience.
What about red flags or dealbreakers?
Creative tests or projects for free. Don’t do the design or creative test! They have your portfolio, what else do they want to see? Anytime I’ve done a creative test, I’ve regretted it. The job ends up functioning like a sweatshop or I later find out why they’re asking for a test — to gather ideas. If they want to pay you for your work and sign a contract, that’s a different story. Yellow flag.
Have you noticed your friends and peers rejecting the corporate experience more? What alternatives are they seeking out?
Right now, I see two things: people are either hanging on to their jobs whether they like them or not — fair. And two, people are seeking opportunities outside of the US. I'm in my 30s so a lot of us are having conversations about genuinely seeking a life abroad to pursue entrepreneurial and creative dreams.
Do you feel like your self-worth is tied up in your job?
Not anymore. I did, but I think that’s the life lesson from getting laid off if you allow it to teach you something deeper. I think that’s why I’ve grown closer and closer to understanding artists and entrepreneurs because work is not just 9-to-5 for them, it’s about having a greater idea or purpose and relentlessly working towards it because you know that it’s doing something to help you feel more in tune with yourself, and in turn help others. I’ve always been someone who has multiple projects happening at the same time that feed the different parts of myself, and that works for me.
What have you been up to post-layoff?
I’ve joined the Substack fam with my sister — also a creative baddie — where we host our weekly podcast GITN2IT on creativity and breaking the rules. It absolutely gives me so much life. We edit, do sound, and have so much fun using our voices freely. GITN2IT exists under our larger project HSW (Hey Sis World) which is a dedicated and earth-conscious creative global consultancy and network for conversation and collaboration.
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You're not alone in this! I'm also an art director/senior graphic designer and I've been laid off twice. You feel like you've been targeted for speaking up when it's important to communicate. Corporate creative teams can be so toxic and I've become so cynical about it. I hate freelancing and taking temp jobs, but like you said, there are so many red & yellow flags after going through something like this. It's awesome that you've found something that you love now! Enjoy it!
I wanted to underline so many quotes in this piece!! Such a good edition. Priscilla, by the way, can we be friends?????