Alex English thought he’d cracked the code. Six-figure salary in LA, steady job in marketing and comms, a cool startup, $125,000 a year. On paper, he’d done everything right. But life in Los Angeles never really felt solid. Something was always off, he told Business Insider.
Now he’s 38, and he’s been out of work for over a year and a half.
The layoff wasn’t expected. Five years at the company, then suddenly he’s out, no real warning, no real conversation. He didn’t have much saved—LA just eats money, fast. He realised he couldn’t afford to stick around. So he packed up and went home to Tampa, Florida, where he grew up.
“I was making good money, but I still felt poor”
Looking back, the job stopped meaning anything long before the layoff. Sure, the paycheck was nice and the company seemed to be doing fine, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that his work didn’t really matter. It wasn’t making anyone’s life better. It wasn’t solving real problems.
“I was well paid, but I didn’t feel fulfilled.” He never thought of the job as a stepping stone to something better. It felt safe, so he stayed—probably longer than he should’ve.
His money habits didn’t help either. Alex never really learned to save. He spent too much on eating out, shopping, and just surviving in an expensive city. When things fell apart, there was no cushion. Unemployment benefits and a short severance lulled him into thinking he had time, but it didn’t last.
By the end of the summer, reality hit hard.
As his bank account shrank and job interviews dried up, he knew he was out of options. The job market felt frozen. Recruiters weren’t calling. With his lease ending and money running out, he decided to move back in with his family.
The move was rough—packing everything up, shipping his car, hauling his two cats across the country. Stressful, but what else could he do? “I didn’t really have another option,” he says.
Tampa hasn’t made things easier. Finding work there is all about who you know, and after years away, he’s basically starting over. It’s a slow process. Still, being home has taken some weight off his shoulders.
LA had its perks, but the pressure was relentless. The competition, the cost, the loneliness—it all just stacked up. Tampa feels different. More supportive, even if the job market isn’t great.
Alex has reset his expectations
He’s not giving up, though. Alex has reset his expectations. Now, a job that pays $65,000—way less than what he used to make—would feel like a win if it meant stability and purpose.
These days, he keeps things simple. He writes down what he’s grateful for. He stays off social media as much as he can. “These things happen,” he says. “It’s not the end of the world, even if it feels like it at the time.”
Losing his job forced him to rethink everything—not just his career, but what success really means.