#18 – Via Tendon: Redundancy, Job Hunting with Honesty, Developing Agency and Community Generosity

What happens when you are suddenly made redundant and need to rebuild confidence, momentum, and direction?In this episode, Sam Bell speaks with Via Tendon about redundancy, rebuilding confidence, and the generosity that can unite and support people during uncertain career moments.After being made redundant, Via began openly sharing her job-search journey on LinkedIn. What started as a simple act of honesty quickly resonated with many people navigating similar experiences. Her posts became a way to reduce isolation, share practical insights, and help others regain momentum in their careers.Drawing on over a decade leading brand and content teams across global agencies and in-house organisations, Via reflects on the emotional realities of job searching, the value of community support, and the importance of developing personal agency when navigating change.This is a conversation about kindness, professional courage, and how people can develop their career agency.This episode explores• Redundancy and the psychological impact of unexpected career disruption• Why honesty during a job search can create connection and community• Developing personal agency when navigating career uncertainty• Practical approaches to networking, learning, and rebuilding momentum• Paying forward the generosity of mentors, peers, and communitiesGuest links• Via Tendonhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/vtendon/ “I'm here to support early to mid-career people navigate their careers, especially post-redundancy. My four resources and network for careers:”• Amelia Schubach (Via’s Career Coach)https://www.linkedin.com/in/amelia-schubach/• Gaurav Valanihttps://www.linkedin.com/in/gauravvalani/• Hilary Gridley - Be a Supermanager (with AI)https://maven.com/hilary-gridley/ai-powered-people-management• Wes Kao – Executive Communication and Influencehttps://maven.com/wes-kao/executive-communication-influence• Via's Metta Playhttps://www.instagram.com/mettaplay• A great job-hunting video Sam has shared a lot: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0L02GcDC76I&list=FLD0D7bPli784tcwmLIaYbQg&index=20Chapters00:00 What Happens When You’re Made Redundant02:55 Why Via Shared Her Job Hunt Publicly on LinkedIn06:40 The Community Support That Changed Everything10:30 Rebuilding Confidence After Losing a Job16:40 Networking and Learning During a Job Search22:00 Developing Career Agency During Uncertainty28:30 Paying Forward Help to Others Navigating RedundancyExplore furtherBook a Lab: https://naturalgenius.com.auLearn more about Sam: https://samanthabell.com.auSubscribe to hear future episodes.CreditsHosted by Samantha (Sam) Bell in Peregian Beach and Melbourne, 27 February 2026Produced at the Violet Town and Peregian Beach offices, 27 February - 10 March 2026Natural Genius Podcast https://naturalgenius.com.au