Why I Left with Brian Aquart

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Gretchen Andrew left Google with just $5,000, no art degree, and no clear roadmap. Years later, her work, Facetune Portraits, now lives inside the permanent collection of the Whitney Museum of American Art.

In this episode of Why I Left, Gretchen shares how she walked away from one of the most prestigious jobs in tech, taught herself painting online, and pioneered “Search Engine Art” by manipulating digital systems as artistic expression. Along the way, she confronted rejection, grief, gatekeeping, and the pressure of building an identity completely outside traditional institutions.

This conversation is about far more than art.

It’s about reinvention, self-belief, visibility, and the courage to pursue something that feels impossible before anyone else validates it. If you’ve ever questioned the path you’re on or wondered whether it’s too late to rebuild your life around what actually matters to you, this episode is for you.

Enjoy!

Stay connected with Gretchen Andrew
Website: https://www.gretchenandrew.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gretchen-andrew/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gretchenandrew/

Work with Brian
Storyline by Kingswood helps leaders and professionals make sense of career transitions, identity shifts, and the stories they’re telling about their work.

Learn more: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yWlc-4M5JIaTMPurQlcccQ8gZF5lEabY/view?usp=sharing

Stay connected with Why I Left
Visit: https://www.WhyILeft.co 

Subscribe: 
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMgQI4X0kEp8-o7Z9D3tRmg Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/why-i-left/id1613667100 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0TE4Y626idPxNeewpCG6Ef 

Follow:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialwhyileft/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/why-i-left/
Connect with Brian: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianaquart/ 
Rate us 5 stars and share feedback: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/why-i-left/id1613667100 

Your story deserves to be told with clarity and impact. That’s why I created Storyline by Kingswood, an executive branding and narrative strategy service for high-impact professionals who are stepping into a new chapter. Elevate your leadership. Command your story.

Support the show

Interested in sponsoring Why I Left?

Learn more about partnership opportunities here: https://whyileft.co/sponsor-why-i-left-podcast/

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At the height of a successful career in Hollywood, Steven Puri was working on some of the biggest film franchises in the world. The path forward was clear. Bigger titles. Bigger budgets. More recognition. But something didn’t sit right.

What happens when you realize the system you’re succeeding in no longer reflects your values? For Steven, that moment came when he saw firsthand how success could be disconnected from meaning. The work was profitable, but it wasn’t purposeful.

In this conversation, Steven shares how a health diagnosis, impending fatherhood, and growing disillusionment with the attention economy pushed him to step away from Hollywood and return to building something different. 

Today, he’s focused on helping people reclaim their focus through his company, The Sukha Company.

This episode explores the hidden cost of distraction, the discipline of deep work, and the courage it takes to choose alignment over achievement.  You’ll walk away with a clearer understanding of focus, flow, and how to reclaim your attention in a world designed to take it from you.

Enjoy!

Stay connected with Steven Puri
Website: https://thesukha.co
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-puri/

Work with Brian
Storyline by Kingswood helps leaders and professionals make sense of career transitions, identity shifts, and the stories they’re telling about their work.

Learn more: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yWlc-4M5JIaTMPurQlcccQ8gZF5lEabY/view?usp=sharing

Stay connected with Why I Left
Visit: https://www.WhyILeft.co 

Subscribe: 
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMgQI4X0kEp8-o7Z9D3tRmg
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/why-i-left/id1613667100 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0TE4Y626idPxNeewpCG6Ef 

Follow:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialwhyileft/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/why-i-left/
Connect with Brian: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianaquart/ 
Rate us 5 stars and share feedback: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/why-i-left/id1613667100 

Thanks to our partners & sponsors: 
BetterHelp: This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://betterhelp.com/whyileft and get 10% off your first month  

ApodcastGeek: Use Code BA10 to 10% off your first order at https://apodcastgeek.com/  

Your story deserves to be told with clarity and impact. That’s why I created Storyline by Kingswood, an executive branding and narrative strategy service for high-impact professionals who are stepping into a new chapter. Elevate your leadership. Command your story.

Support the show

Interested in sponsoring Why I Left?

Learn more about partnership opportunities here: https://whyileft.co/sponsor-why-i-left-podcast/

Send a message to the show

She had the career people chase. And still chose to leave.

Karlyn Kieffer spent years in television news before realizing the work no longer aligned with how she wanted to live. What followed was a shift away from visibility and toward impact.

Now an executive coach and founder of Pro Tip Partners, Karlyn helps leaders communicate with clarity, think on their feet, and lead with intention. But getting there required redefining identity beyond the spotlight.

This episode is for anyone questioning whether their current path still fits. If you’ve ever felt the tension between external success and internal alignment, this conversation will resonate.

Enjoy!

Stay connected with Karlyn Kieffer
Website: https://protippartners.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karlyn-kieffer-cptm/

Work with Brian

Storyline by Kingswood helps leaders and professionals make sense of career transitions, identity shifts, and the stories they’re telling about their work.

Learn more: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yWlc-4M5JIaTMPurQlcccQ8gZF5lEabY/view?usp=sharing

Stay connected with Why I Left 

Visit: https://www.WhyILeft.co 

Subscribe:  

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMgQI4X0kEp8-o7Z9D3tRmg 

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/why-i-left/id1613667100 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0TE4Y626idPxNeewpCG6Ef 

Follow: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialwhyileft/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/why-i-left/ 

Connect with Brian: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianaquart/  

Rate us 5 stars and share feedback: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/why-i-left/id1613667100 

Thanks to our partners & sponsors:  

BetterHelp: This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://betterhelp.com/whyileft and get 10% off your first month  

ApodcastGeek: Use Code BA10 to 10% off your first order at https://apodcastgeek.com/  

Your story deserves to be told with clarity and impact. That’s why I created Storyline by Kingswood, an executive branding and narrative strategy service for high-impact professionals who are stepping into a new chapter. Elevate your leadership. Command your story.

Support the show

Interested in sponsoring Why I Left?

Learn more about partnership opportunities here: https://whyileft.co/sponsor-why-i-left-podcast/

Send a message to the show

He had stability, leadership, and influence inside one of the largest healthcare systems in the country. And he still chose to leave.

Dr. Adam Carewe is a practicing physician and clinical informaticist who built a reputation for driving innovation from within. But over time, he realized the system couldn’t move at the pace he believed healthcare needed.

In this episode, Adam shares what led to that decision, what it cost him to walk away from stability, and how he’s now working at the intersection of medicine, AI, and digital health.

If you’ve ever felt the tension between staying where you’re successful and leaving to grow, this conversation will challenge how you think about risk, identity, and what it means to build what’s next.

Enjoy!

Stay connected with Dr. Adam Carewe
Website: https://rewski.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-carewe/ 

Work with Brian

Storyline by Kingswood helps leaders and professionals make sense of career transitions, identity shifts, and the stories they’re telling about their work.

Learn more: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yWlc-4M5JIaTMPurQlcccQ8gZF5lEabY/view?usp=sharing

Stay connected with Why I Left 

Visit: https://www.WhyILeft.co 

Subscribe:  

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMgQI4X0kEp8-o7Z9D3tRmg 

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/why-i-left/id1613667100 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0TE4Y626idPxNeewpCG6Ef 

Follow: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialwhyileft/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/why-i-left/ 

Connect with Brian: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianaquart/  

Rate us 5 stars and share feedback: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/why-i-left/id1613667100 

Your story deserves to be told with clarity and impact. That’s why I created Storyline by Kingswood, an executive branding and narrative strategy service for high-impact professionals who are stepping into a new chapter. Elevate your leadership. Command your story.

Support the show

Interested in sponsoring Why I Left?

Learn more about partnership opportunities here: https://whyileft.co/sponsor-why-i-left-podcast/

Send a message to the show

Aundrea Cline-Thomas spent 15 years as an Emmy-winning journalist in top markets like New York and Philadelphia before making the decision to walk away. Because she realized she was operating far below her full capacity.

In this episode, Aundrea shares what led to that realization, the internal conflict of leaving something she worked so hard for, and how she approached building a new path through entrepreneurship. From financial preparation to redefining identity beyond a job title, this is a grounded look at what real career transitions require.

This conversation is for anyone questioning whether success still fits, navigating misalignment, or thinking about what comes next. It’s not about quitting. It’s about clarity, strategy, and choosing differently.

Enjoy!

Stay connected with Aundrea Cline-Thomas
Website: https://aundreact.com/mountain-court-media/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aundreact/

The Next Nuggets Newsletter: https://aundreact.com/NEWSLETTER/

The Next Best Thing Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFkxUkBZcqCcmc9T5heyg9w

Work with Brian

Storyline by Kingswood helps leaders and professionals make sense of career transitions, identity shifts, and the stories they’re telling about their work.

Learn more: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yWlc-4M5JIaTMPurQlcccQ8gZF5lEabY/view?usp=sharing

Stay connected with Why I Left 

Visit: https://www.WhyILeft.co 

Subscribe:  

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMgQI4X0kEp8-o7Z9D3tRmg 

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/why-i-left/id1613667100 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0TE4Y626idPxNeewpCG6Ef 

Follow: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialwhyileft/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/why-i-left/ 

Connect with Brian: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianaquart/  

Rate us 5 stars and share feedback: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/why-i-left/id1613667100 

Your story deserves to be told with clarity and impact. That’s why I created Storyline by Kingswood, an executive branding and narrative strategy service for high-impact professionals who are stepping into a new chapter. Elevate your leadership. Command your story.

Support the show

Interested in sponsoring Why I Left?

Learn more about partnership opportunities here: https://whyileft.co/sponsor-why-i-left-podcast/