Josh Bazyler

Member

PHOS Creative

Here at PHOS, I help purpose-driven SMBs craft inbound marketing strategies powered by trustworthy & robust brand systems. Looking to amplify your impact online? Send me a DM!

Client Growth Consultant

Brand30

Brand30 is a cohort-based course + 3,500 member community to:
• Master the fundamentals of personal branding
• Learn how to build an audience
• Scale yourself online

*Served 30+ enterprise clients by initiating conversations with Cloud & IT leaders daily.
*Uncovered opportunities for IT & business process improvement, assuring positive customer experiences while delivering 30% cloud savings.
*Crafted and delivered proposals to VPs for new partnership opportunities.

Enterprise Account Executive

Partnered with TD Synnex, one of the world's largest Technology Distributors, to help meet the technological and business needs of companies all around the U.S. through IBM's portfolio of best-in-class technology solutions.

Business Partner Specialist

• Recognized as the Top Performer in IBM's Global Sales School. 
• Completed 6-month training program as a "Gold Learner," an achievement reached by 5% of IBMers worldwide.
• Assisted development of IBM's proposal (RFP) for $50M+ opportunity.
• Specialization in IBM's business partner ecosystem.

Senior Solutions Specialist

Senior Solutions Sales Co-Op

• Completed 11-week internship with Fortune 50 company with $77B in annual revenues in 2019. Discovered opportunity for $2.4M of top-line revenue growth for Public Sector Market.
• Developed and proposed innovative “Digital Client Executive” Pilot Program to senior management, uncovering $2.4M of white-space growth opportunities across 9 states. Enabled full-portfolio exposure to clients in SLED organizations, creating new role type and internal career path within IBM.
• Created a Prospecting Campaign for 2 states, giving early career professionals the opportunity to drive revenue growth while in training. Identified an opportunity for a Business Partner and Virtual Assistant sale in the state of New Mexico after only 1⁄2 day of outreach.
• Selected to serve on IBM’s Intern Advisory Council. Synthesized intern feedback and proposed recommendations to improve internship experience to recruitment managers.

Senior Solutions Sales Intern

The Navigators

• Raised $340K from 4,300 total contributions over a 5-year period.  Developed benchmarks for new partner acquisition and successfully recruited 80 monthly financial partners. Grew monthly partnership accounts by 5% annually. 
• Directed a 6-member team over 8 months to execute a statewide fundraising conference for 400+ attendees. Negotiated pricing, directed social media/video marketing efforts, and identified 100% of conference speakers. Increased annual event contributions for the 3-day conference by 13%.	
• Executed 10+ recruitment events which generated 100+ new active organization members. Developed and implemented recruitment trainings, delegated to 8 staff members, and mobilized 30+ student leaders. Outperformed 95% of competing organizations by creating survey-driven marketing campaigns targeting on-campus student population.

Leadership Development Program 

Capital City Bank Group, Inc.

•	Managed relationships with 300+ office clients while pioneering remote banking client experience.
•	Analyzed client’s portfolios to generate sales leads, exceeding monthly sales goals by 33%.
•	Launched new technology and trained 2 peers on the job to unify client communications strategy.
•	Streamlined operational procedures for 300 weekly clients, reducing average transaction time by 50%.

Remote Banker

Non-Profit to Enterprise AE | I Help IT Ops Assure App Performance

Hello! I'm Josh. Glad you stopped by.

I help mission-minded SMBs create inbound marketing strategies that are powered by trustworthy branding.

Previously,
- Enjoyed 2+ years with IBM in a variety of technology sales roles.
- Earned my MBA, Marketing concentration from the University of Florida.
- Invested 5 years working with a faith-based non-profit.

P.S.
I’m a work-in-progress, husband, father, musician, and amateur coffee snob.
Top 5 Gallup Strengths are: Learner, Relator, Analytical, Restorative, Context.
Enneagram 6 wing 5.
Myers-Briggs: INTJ.

Josh Bazyler, MBA

Helping Product and Marketing teams 10x the value of their research—with the tools and team they already have | Used by Twitter, Indeed, Twilio, Aflac + more

Ignoring evidence is costly.

Early in my career—as a metropolitan police officer—I ignored evidence that was right in front of me. That decision almost cost me my life. I learned, firsthand, what happens when people don’t recognize signals, don’t integrate information, or don’t act on what they know.

Organizations face this same risk every day.

Not because they lack data or insight—but because they lack systems that help people learn, interpret, and act on evidence during change.

That insight has shaped my career.

Today, I design learning, enablement, and change systems that help organizations adopt new behaviors, tools, and operating models—without relying on heroics or one‑off efforts.

𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗜 𝗙𝗢𝗖𝗨𝗦 𝗢𝗡:

My work sits at the intersection of:

𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗢𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, & 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴

• Designing learning architectures that support adoption, not just awareness
• Building role‑based capability systems for frontline, leadership, and specialist roles
• Supporting organizational change during growth, transformation, and integration
• Translating strategy into practical learning pathways, standards, and performance support

𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗨𝗫 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵, & 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵

• Applying qualitative and quantitative research to reduce decision risk
• Building insight systems that scale beyond centralized teams
• Helping organizations move from “research outputs” to embedded decision support

𝗛𝗢𝗪 𝗜 𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗔𝗖𝗛 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗞:

I believe insight only creates value when it changes behavior.

That’s why I focus on:

• Making complex information usable
• Creating repeatable frameworks instead of one‑off deliverables
• Designing learning that is applied, reinforced, and embedded into daily work
• Treating change as a learning problem—not a communication problem

I often describe my approach as helping organizations think like investigators—not because everyone should be a detective, but because evidence must be collected, interrogated, communicated, and acted on systematically.

𝗪𝗛𝗬 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗞𝗦:

🎓 I hold a doctorate in cognitive psychology, focused on how people learn and perform under difficult conditions.

🌎 I’ve built and led enterprise insight and enablement functions at organizations like Twilio, Twitter, Panasonic, Indeed, and others.

🚓 My early career as a police officer and detective shaped how I approach evidence, risk, and real‑world decision‑making.

Dr. Ari Zelmanow

I had an interview yesterday.
 
And I crushed it.
 
Clear.
Prepared.
Confident.
Connected.
 
Walked out thinking, “That’s the best I could’ve done.”
 
And then came the hard part. 

The waiting.
 
That quiet space where your brain starts playing games:
 
“Should I have answered that differently?”
“Did I read their tone wrong?”
“What if I don’t get it?”
“Did I talk too much?”
 
This is where most people lose.
 
Not in the interview.
 
In the spiral.
 
Here’s the truth:
 
Once the interview is over, it’s out of your hands.
 
You can’t re-answer a question.
You can’t control the other candidates.
You can’t re-read their facial expression.
 
All you can do is leave it all on the field.
 
Preparation.  
Presence.  
Effort.
 
That’s it.
 
The outcome?  That’s not yours anymore.
 
Do your best.
 
Then let it go.
 
Because peace comes from knowing you showed up fully — not from controlling what happens next.

(btw... I suck at this)

---

👋 I’m Ari — the laid‑off dad behind 𝗟𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝗢𝗳𝗳 𝗗𝗮𝗱 𝗞𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻.
 
🏗️ Building a business in public, one small batch at a time—and sharing what getting laid off really teaches you (the stuff nobody talks about).
 
🙏 Grateful for the support, the conversations, and this community.
 
🌽 Hand‑made • Small batches • From my family to yours
🍿 2026 Goal: 658 / 100,000 bags
👇 Grab a bag (or three) in the comments below

Learning Scientist | Enterprise Training & Customer Education | Organizational Change | EdD, Cognitive Psychology

I don’t know exactly what’s next for me.
 
I do know this: I’ll be pursuing a full‑time role.
 
Does that mean I’m abandoning my side businesses?
 
Not a chance.
 
If the last year taught me anything, it’s this:
 
𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗮 𝗹𝘂𝘅𝘂𝗿𝘆. 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.
 
When the majority of your income comes from one single source, you’re putting an enormous amount of pressure on that one thing to perform.
 
And when it disappears?
 
So does your leverage.
 
Take Laid Off Dad Kettle Corn.
 
The last few months have been very, very stressful.
 
We put a lot of pressure on that business to replace our household income.
 
Candidly?
 
It won’t. Not yet.
 
Maybe with more time.  Maybe with more investment.  Maybe with a longer runway.
 
But I don’t need future income.
 
I need income today.
 
So yes—I’ll get a job.
 
And yes—I’ll keep building my businesses.
 
Just with a lot less pressure on them to save the day.
 
That’s the difference.
 
It does raise the bigger question:
 
Should you start a side business?
 
That’s personal.
 
I choose diversification.
 
You have to choose what lets you sleep at night.

---

👋 I’m Ari — the laid‑off dad behind 𝗟𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝗢𝗳𝗳 𝗗𝗮𝗱 𝗞𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻.
 
🏗️ Building a business in public, one small batch at a time—and sharing what getting laid off really teaches you (the stuff nobody talks about).
 
🙏 Grateful for the support, the conversations, and this community.
 
🌽 Hand‑made • Small batches • From my family to yours
🍿 2026 Goal: 617 / 100,000 bags
👇 Grab a bag (or three) in the comments below

Laid Off Dad Kettle Corn was never just about popcorn.
 
It was about that moment when the floor shifts under you.
 
The email.  
The meeting invite.  
The “we’ve decided to go in a different direction.”
 
If you’ve felt it, you know.
 
And if you haven’t?
 
You probably know it could happen.
 
That’s most of America right now.
 
AI is reshaping jobs.
Industries are shifting.
Economic anxiety is everywhere.
“Stable” doesn’t feel so stable anymore.
 
So here’s what I’m realizing:
 
Laid Off Dad Kettle Corn isn’t just a snack brand.
 
It’s a brand for people who refuse to be caught off guard.
 
Not just laid‑off dads.
 
Anyone who’s felt the floor move— or is smart enough to know it might.
 
You’re not just buying kettle corn.
 
You’re buying into a mindset.
 
“I’m preparing.”
“I’m building margin.”
“I see what’s coming.”
“I’m not asleep at the wheel.”
 
The kettle corn is the entry point.
 
It’s the thing you buy to say,  “I’m part of this.”
 
Just like a tallboy of water in a skull‑branded can says,  “I’m not like the Dasani people.”
 
This isn’t about popcorn.
 
It’s about ownership.
 
Preparedness.  Resilience.  Refusing to be blindsided.
 
Laid Off Dad Kettle Corn.
 
The brand for people who refuse to be caught off guard.

---

👋 I’m Ari — a dad who got laid off, built a business to feed his family, and is now sharing everything he learned about protecting yours.
 
🍿 Every bag of Laid Off Dad Kettle Corn exists because I refused to let my family go without. When you buy it, you're supporting a dad who's still building — and you're getting the best kettle corn you've ever had.
 
🙏 Grateful for the support, the conversations, and this community.
 
🌽 Hand‑made • Small batches
🍿 2026 Goal: 687 / 100,000 bags
👇 Grab a bag (or three) in the comments below

This has been one of the hardest years of my life.
 
Getting laid off alone is challenging.
 
Not finding a new role quickly…  It feels like Hercules rolling a rock up a hill for eternity.
 
There are the obvious stressors:
 
Feeding the family
Paying the mortgage
Keeping the kids in their activities
 
But the financial pressure isn’t the only weight.
 
The deeper question sneaks in at 2 a.m.:
 
𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗮𝗺 𝗜 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗺𝘆 𝗷𝗼𝗯?
 
For many of us, what we do isn’t just work.  It’s structure.  It’s community.  It’s competence.  It’s how we introduce ourselves.  It’s how we measure progress.  It’s how we prove we matter.
 
Our identity gets interwoven with our calendar invites, our Slack messages, our titles, our expertise.
 
So when the job disappears, it can feel like 𝘺𝘰𝘶 disappear with it.
 
One of the hardest-earned lessons from this season:
 
𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗷𝗼𝗯.
 
A job is a contract.  A title is temporary.  Your skills, your character, your curiosity, your ability to create value—those remain.
 
I lost myself for awhile after my layoff—and that's ok.

Come here about this as one of seven “Kernels of Career Resilience” that helped me rebuild.
 
Insights Career Network is hosting an event today, Kernels of Career Resilience:  What happens when the floor suddenly shifts under your career?
 
We’ll talk about:  

• Spotting signals early
• Adapting under pressure 
• Turning disruption into opportunity

And six other lessons this year forced me to learn
 
Not just bouncing back.  Building forward.
 
Today at 11 am MDT.
 
Real talk. Right here: https://lnkd.in/gvpbqzRU

Learning Scientist | Enterprise Training & Customer Education | Organizational Change | EdD

There are moments in life when an angel shows up.
 
Over the holidays, that angel was Thomas W..
 
I’ve known Thomas for a few years. 
Yet, we’ve never even shared a meal.
(we'll have to change that)
 
And yet—when my family hit one of the hardest stretches we’ve faced—he stepped in.
 
I had made a business investment that turned out to be devastatingly bad.  

The kind of mistake that keeps you up at 2 a.m.  
The kind that makes you question yourself.  
The kind that quietly puts a family underwater.
 
Thomas saw what was happening.
 
And without fanfare, without leverage, without expectation— he made a significant charitable purchase through Laid Off Dad Kettle Corn.
 
That act didn’t just generate revenue.
 
It gave us breathing room. It kept the business alive. And it allowed us to continue supporting others who were navigating their own hard seasons.
 
Laid Off Dad Kettle Corn was born out of a layoff.
 
Out of uncertainty.  Out of the floor shifting.
 
From the beginning, it’s been about more than popcorn.
 
It’s been about resilience.  
About refusing to be caught off guard.  
About community showing up when things go sideways.
 
Thomas embodied that mission without any expectation.
And for that, I owe him so much.
 
When people say the world is falling apart…
 
I think about moments like this.
 
The world can be brutal.
 
But it’s also full of people who step in when it counts.
 
Thomas—thank you 🙏
 
You didn’t just support a small business; you saved my family.
 
You also strengthened a community built on standing back up.
 
And that’s what Laid Off Dad is really about.
---

👋 I’m Ari — a dad who got laid off, built a business to feed his family, and is now sharing everything he learned about protecting yours.
 
🍿 Every bag of Laid Off Dad Kettle Corn exists because I refused to let my family go without. When you buy it, you're supporting a dad who's still building — and you're getting the best kettle corn you've ever had.
 
🙏 Grateful for the support, the conversations, and this community.
 
🌽 Hand‑made • Small batches • From my family to yours
🍿 2026 Goal: 701 / 100,000 bags
👇 Grab a bag (or three) in the comments below

A short time ago, someone I interviewed a few years ago messaged me on LinkedIn.
 
He told me I deserved to be laid off.  
He told me I deserved to struggle to find a job.
 
Why?
 
Because a few years ago, I didn’t hire him.

Facts:

✅ It was a competitive process.  
✅ He was treated fairly.  
✅ He just wasn’t the top candidate.
 
Apparently, he held onto that for years.
 
And when he saw I was going through a tough season, he decided that was the moment to unload.
 
Let me offer two lessons.
 
𝟭. 𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀. 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗮 𝗯𝗮𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸.
 
Kicking someone when they’re down doesn’t make you strong.  It makes you small.
 
People remember how you behave when others are vulnerable.
 
Your character shows up most clearly when someone else is struggling.
 
𝟮. 𝗜𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂.
 
Bitterness is heavy.
 
Carrying it for years doesn’t hurt the other person nearly as much as it reshapes you.
 
Professional reputations aren’t built on revenge.  They’re built on resilience, composure, and long memories—the good kind.
 
You won’t get every job.  You won’t win every opportunity.
 
Neither will I.
 
But how you handle rejection?
 
That follows you.
 
Rejection is part of the game.
 
Resentment is a choice.

---

👋 I’m Ari — a dad who got laid off, built a business to feed his family, and is now sharing everything he learned about protecting yours.
 
🍿 Every bag of Laid Off Dad Kettle Corn exists because I refused to let my family go without. When you buy it, you're supporting a dad who's still building — and you're getting the best kettle corn you've ever had.
 
🙏 Grateful for the support, the conversations, and this community.
 
🌽 Hand‑made • Small batches • From my family to yours
🍿 2026 Goal: 703 / 100,000 bags
👇 Grab a bag (or three) in the comments below

Ranking the worst things to read in a job posting.

Number 5. "Competitive salary." Competitive with what? Name a number. I'll wait.

Number 4. "Must be comfortable wearing many hats." That's not a job. That's three jobs with one salary.

Number 3. "Self-starter who thrives in a fast-paced environment." Translation: we don't have a onboarding process.

Number 2. "Unlimited PTO." Nobody has ever taken it. Nobody will.

Number 1. "Looking for a rockstar ninja who's passionate about disruption." Sir, this is a mid-level marketing role in Omaha.

Sh*t happens. Eat popcorn. Even during the job search.

---

👋 I'm Ari — a laid off dad who makes small-batch kettle corn and has opinions about everything.

🍿 Laid Off Dad Kettle Corn started because sh*t happened. So I made popcorn.

Turns out that's basically the right response to most things.

👇 Grab a bag. Link in the comments.

🌽 Hand-made • Small batches • From my family to yours
🍿 2026 Goal: 760 / 100,000 bags

I’ve been laid off for a year.
 
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. The best—because clarity comes when comfort disappears. The worst—because uncertainty has a way of shaking even the strongest foundations.
 
What happens when the floor suddenly shifts under your career?
 
Tomorrow, Insights Career Network’s 𝘒𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘭𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘳 𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 invites you into that very question.
 
Join me for a raw talk on discovering a new kind of resilience following a lay off. Not the glossy, motivational kind. The real kind. The kind forged in long nights, difficult conversations, and uncomfortable reinvention.
 
Let's talk about:

• Spotting signals early before disruption hits
• Adapting under pressure
• Turning unexpected challenges into opportunity
 
This is a candid conversation about building resilient careers and strengthening the mindset to bounce back stronger.
 
Not just bouncing back, but building forward.
 
If you’ve faced disruption—or sense change on the horizon—this conversation is for you.
 
Join us tomorrow. LFG 🌶️

Link to join: https://lnkd.in/gvpbqzRU

There’s a moment in hard seasons where you have a choice.
 
You can shrink.
 
Or you can build.
 
Not because you’re fearless.  
Not because you’re confident.  
Not because you have a perfect plan.
 
But because movement feels better than sitting still.
 
I didn’t start a kettle corn business because it was glamorous.
 
I started it because doing 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 felt better than doing nothing.
 
Progress doesn’t have to be massive.
 
It just has to be forward.

Start with one.
 
One application.  
One call.  
One new idea.  
One small batch.
 
You don’t need to see the whole staircase.
 
You just need the next step.
 
If you’re in a season where things feel uncertain—build anyway.
 
Even if it’s small.  Especially if it’s small.

---

👋 I'm Ari — a laid off dad who makes small-batch kettle corn and has opinions about everything.
 
🍿 Laid Off Dad Kettle Corn started because sh*t happened. So I made popcorn.
 
Turns out that's basically the right response to most things.
 
👇 Grab a bag. Link in the comments.
 
🌽 Hand-made • Small batches • From my family to yours 
🍿 2026 Goal: 802 / 100,000 bags

I’ve been thinking about something (and need some help).
 
Laid Off Dad Kettle Corn was born out of a layoff.
 
Out of stress.  
Out of fear.  
Out of “what now?”
 
And as the brand grows, I keep asking myself:
 
Should it do more than just sell popcorn?
 
What would it look like if this became a force for good?
 
If a portion of every bag went toward helping other people who were laid off?
 
Maybe it’s:  

• Resume support
• Interview coaching
• Emergency grocery cards
• A small “bridge fund” for families in a scary month
 
I don’t have the model figured out yet.
 
But I know this:
 
Layoffs aren’t just career events.  They’re life events.
 
They shake confidence.  
They shake identity.  
They shake finances.
 
If this business exists because of a layoff…
 
It feels right that it should eventually help people going through one.
 
I’m not announcing anything (yet).
 
I’m thinking out loud.
 
If you were building this into something bigger than popcorn…
 
What would you create?

---

👋 I’m Ari — the laid‑off dad behind 𝗟𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝗢𝗳𝗳 𝗗𝗮𝗱 𝗞𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻.
 
🏗️ Building a business in public, one small batch at a time—and sharing what getting laid off really teaches you (the stuff nobody talks about).
 
🙏 Grateful for the support, the conversations, and this community.
 
🌽 Hand‑made • Small batches • From my family to yours
🍿 2026 Goal: 664 / 100,000 bags
👇 Grab a bag (or three) in the comments below

Nobody talks about this part of entrepreneurship.
 
The part where you refresh your sales dashboard before you even brush your teeth.
 
The part where one good day feels like you’re unstoppable…
 
…and one slow week makes you question everything.
 
I started 𝗟𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝗢𝗳𝗳 𝗗𝗮𝗱 𝗞𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻 because I got laid off.
 
What I didn’t expect?
 
How personal every single sale would feel.
 
When someone buys a bag, it’s not just popcorn.
 
It’s: 

• “Keep going.”
• “I believe in this.”
• "You’re not crazy for trying.”
 
And when sales slow down?
 
It gets loud in your head.
 
• “What are you doing?” loud.
• Mortgage loud.
• Kids loud.
 
But here’s what I’ve learned:
 
Betting on yourself is uncomfortable.
 
Building in public is vulnerable.
 
And relying on customers instead of a paycheck?
 
That’s exposure therapy for your ego.
 
Still…
 
I’d rather fight for something I’m building  than quietly depend on something that can disappear overnight.
 
So yeah — I’m still here.
 
Still popping. 🍿  Still pushing. 🌽  Still figuring it out in real time.
 
If you’ve ever supported a small business — just know:
 
It means more than you think.

---

👋 I’m Ari — the laid‑off dad behind 𝗟𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝗢𝗳𝗳 𝗗𝗮𝗱 𝗞𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻.
 
🏗️ Building a business in public, one small batch at a time—and sharing what getting laid off really teaches you (the stuff nobody talks about).
 
🙏 Grateful for the support, the conversations, and this community.
 
🌽 Hand‑made • Small batches • From my family to yours
🍿 2026 Goal: 637 / 100,000 bags
👇 Grab a bag (or three) in the comments below

Sometimes a layoff feels like you're stuck in the pit of despair.
 
It's dark. 
The walls close in. 
And you start to believe you'll never get out.
 
I've been there. 

Nearly a year now:

Trying to keep my family afloat on savings
Building Laid Off Dad Kettle Corn
Re-skilling for what's next

Some days the pit feels deeper than others.
 
Here's what I had to learn:
 
This isn't permanent. Even when it feels like it is.
 
The pit doesn't last forever. You just can't see the ladder yet.
 
This too shall pass.

---

👋 I’m Ari — the laid‑off dad behind 𝗟𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝗢𝗳𝗳 𝗗𝗮𝗱 𝗞𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻.
 
🏗️ Building a business in public, one small batch at a time—and sharing what getting laid off really teaches you (the stuff nobody talks about).
 
🙏 Grateful for the support, the conversations, and this community.
 
🌽 Hand‑made • Small batches • From my family to yours
🍿 2026 Goal: 654 / 100,000 bags
👇 Grab a bag (or three) in the comments below

I spent years as a detective before I became a learning scientist.
 
People think those are unrelated careers. They're not.
 
Both start with the same question: why isn't this person doing what they're supposed to be doing?
 
In law enforcement, the answer usually involves motive and opportunity.
 
In organizations, the answer is almost always simpler—and more embarrassing.
 
Nobody showed them how.
 
Or worse: somebody showed them wrong, confidently, and it got repeated until it became policy.
 
I now investigate learning failures for a living. The methodology is identical. The crime scenes are just quieter.
 
If your team keeps making the same mistakes, it's rarely a people problem.
 
It's an evidence problem.
 
You don't have enough of it about what's actually breaking down and why.
 
That's what I fix.

---

👋 Hi, I'm Ari. I spent years solving crimes before I started solving learning problems. Same methodology, quieter crime scenes. 

🔬 Learning Scientist, EdD. 
🔎 Founder, Solved Learning Co. 
🍿 Also I make kettle corn. It's a long story.

The Laid Off Dad R&D department has been busy.
 
New flavor: Horseradish Vinegar kettle corn.
 
7 bags. This week only. Then it's gone.
 
We don't know if this is genius or a mistake. That's kind of the point.
 
👇 Link in the comments if you want one. First come, first served.
 
Sh*t happens. Eat popcorn. Sometimes it bites back.

Ranking the worst ways to find out you didn't get the job.
 
𝗡𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟱. The automated rejection email. At least they said something.
 
𝗡𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟰. The automated rejection email with your name misspelled. Sir. Ma'am. Come on.
 
𝗡𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟯. Seeing the LinkedIn post welcoming the person they hired instead. With a photo. And a quote from the hiring manager.
 
𝗡𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮. Silence. Just silence. You checked email 14 times today. Nothing.
 
𝗡𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟭. "We went with someone who was a better cultural fit." Describe the culture. I have time.
 
Sh*t happens. Eat popcorn. Even when you don't get the job.

---

👋 I'm Ari — a laid off dad who makes small-batch kettle corn and has opinions about everything.
 
🍿 Laid Off Dad Kettle Corn started because sh*t happened. So I made popcorn. And it turns out that's basically the right response to most things.
 
👇 Grab a bag. Link in the comments.
 
🌽 Hand-made • Small batches • From my family to yours 
🍿 2026 Goal: 745 / 100,000 bags

Ranking the most disorienting phrases in a performance review.

Number 5. 'Room for growth.'
In what direction. Toward what.

Number 4. 'Really values collaboration.'
You asked one question in one meeting. In March.

Number 3. 'We'd like to see more proactivity.'
You had eleven open projects.
Eleven.

Number 2. 'Meets expectations.'
Nobody told you what they were. But sure.

Number 1. 'We think you'd be a great fit somewhere else.'
That's a termination. With adjectives.

Sh*t happens. Eat popcorn. Even when you're a great fit somewhere else.

---

👋 I'm Ari — a laid off dad who makes small-batch kettle corn and has opinions about everything.
 
🍿 Laid Off Dad Kettle Corn started because sh*t happened. So I made popcorn.
 
Turns out that's basically the right response to most things.
 
👇 Grab a bag. Link in the comments.
 
🌽 Hand-made • Small batches
🍿 2026 Goal: 760 / 100,000 bags

Some weeks call for something extra.
 
This week?
 
Churro.
 
🔥 Limited drop
🍿 Small batch
⏳ When it’s gone, it’s gone
 
Laid Off Dad Kettle Corn was built on adapting, experimenting, and not being afraid to try something new.
 
So we did.
 
Sweet cinnamon.  Warm vanilla.  That fresh‑made fairground energy — but in a kettle corn bag.
 
No mass production.  No warehouse full of inventory.
 
Just a dad, a kettle, and a limited run.
 
If you’ve been meaning to try a bag — this is the week.
 
👇 Link in the comments.
 
---

👋 I'm Ari — a laid off dad who makes small-batch kettle corn and has opinions about everything.
 
🍿 Laid Off Dad Kettle Corn started because sh*t happened. So I made popcorn.
 
Turns out that's basically the right response to most things.
 
🌽 Hand-made • Small batches • From my family to yours 
🍿 2026 Goal: 767 / 100,000 bags

“𝘐’𝘮 𝘮𝘦𝘭𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨…” 🫠
 
That’s the GIF.
 
That’s also… kind of how this season feels.
 
The job search.
Keeping the business afloat.
Trying to be present at home.
 
Every day feels suffocating.
 
Another night running numbers.
Another slow sales week.
Another application.
Another follow‑up.
 
You start to wonder:
 
How long can I keep doing this?
Am I losing this battle slowly?
And the hardest part?
 
You don’t get dramatic failure.
 
You get erosion.
 
Quiet. Daily. Relentless.
 
But here’s the truth:
 
I don’t know what else to do except keep going.
 
There’s no backup plan hiding somewhere.
 
No safety net I forgot about.
 
Just effort.  Consistency.  And stubborn refusal to quit.
 
Some days that feels powerful.
 
Some days it feels exhausting.
 
Today?
 
A little more exhausting.
 
But I’m still here.
 
Still applying.  
Still building.  
Still fighting.
 
Melting?
 
Maybe.
 
Done?
 
Not an option.

---

👋 I’m Ari — the laid‑off dad behind 𝗟𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝗢𝗳𝗳 𝗗𝗮𝗱 𝗞𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻.
 
🏗️ Building a business in public, one small batch at a time—and sharing what getting laid off really teaches you (the stuff nobody talks about).
 
🙏 Grateful for the support, the conversations, and this community.
 
🌽 Hand‑made • Small batches • From my family to yours
🍿 2026 Goal: 662 / 100,000 bags
👇 Grab a bag (or three) in the comments below and keep me in the fight

It’s not 𝗶𝗳 things are going to go sideways.
 
It’s 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻.
 
Layoffs.  
Market shifts.  
A big client walking.  
An industry pivoting overnight.
 
Nobody thinks it’s coming for them.
 
Until it does.
 
Here’s what I’ve learned:
 
Preparation only works if you do it 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 you need it.
 
Before my layoff, I started building other income streams:

• A mobile donut business
• Laid Off Dad Kettle Corn
• Horse and Human Cryotherapy

Before things felt urgent, we tightened spending.  
Before the ground shifted, we built margin.
 
Was it perfect? No.
(far from it)
 
Was it enough to keep us standing when things went sideways?
 
Yes.
 
That preparation didn’t eliminate the hit.
 
But it softened it.
 
Too many people wait until they feel instability to start preparing.
 
By then, you’re reacting — not building.
 
The best time to prepare for uncertainty  is when everything feels certain.
 
Because when things go sideways—𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭—you won’t suddenly become disciplined.
 
You’ll rely on the systems, savings, skills, and relationships  you built when your footing was solid.
 
Calm seasons aren’t for coasting.
 
They’re for fortifying.

---

👋 I’m Ari — a dad who got laid off, built a business to feed his family, and is now sharing everything he learned about protecting yours.
 
🍿 Every bag of Laid Off Dad Kettle Corn exists because I refused to let my family go without. When you buy it, you're supporting a dad who's still building — and you're getting the best kettle corn you've ever had.
 
🙏 Grateful for the support, the conversations, and this community.
 
🌽 Hand‑made • Small batches • From my family to yours
🍿 2026 Goal: 673 / 100,000 bags
👇 Grab a bag (or three) in the comments below

Bumper to bumper. Nobody moving. No end in sight.
 
I have somewhere to be.
 
So does everyone else apparently.
 
I considered my options.
 
I ate popcorn instead.
 
Sh*t happens. Eat popcorn. Even when pedestrians are moving faster.

---
 
👋 I'm Ari — a laid off dad who makes small-batch kettle corn and has opinions about everything.
 
🍿 Laid Off Dad Kettle Corn started because sh*t happened. So I made popcorn. And it turns out that's basically the right response to most things.
 
👇 Grab a bag. Link in the comments.
 
🌽 Hand-made • Small batches • From my family to yours 
🍿 2026 Goal: 754 / 100,000 bags

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The Battle

Josh Bazyler, MBA

Dr. Ari Zelmanow

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The Battle

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Dr. Ari Zelmanow

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Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Dr. Ari Zelmanow's LinkedIn Performance

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