Lessons from Leading Large v. Small Teams — Felicia MacDonald's Story

Have a story or inflection point to share? Tap here to message us — we’d love to hear it.A layoff list can change how you see leadership forever. I sit down with Felicia MacDonald, a steady, thoughtful leader who spends years in big corporate publishing, navigates a major digital transformation, and then hits the moment many professionals fear: being asked to plan layoffs. What happens next is a sharp career pivot into small business leadership, where the org chart disappears and the real work gets personal fast.Felicia shares what it’s like to go from leading a 120-person team across locations to joining a nine-person e-commerce company and eventually running the day-to-day. We talk change management, technology’s “it’ll be easier” promise, and why new tools often create new complexity. That thread naturally connects to today’s AI anxiety, job security questions, and the leadership skill of learning the work well enough to guide others through it.We also get tactical about the small business reality: wearing multiple hats, cross-training, communicating without heavy process, and making decisions without HR or layers of approval. Felicia explains why she protects her people when mistakes happen, how she balances “we” versus “I” accountability, and why her definition of success is not unlimited growth but a good living wage and meaningful impact. If you lead teams, coach leaders, or are navigating a corporate-to-small-business transition, you’ll walk away with practical leadership insights rooted in curiosity and critical thinking.Subscribe for more conversations like this, share it with a friend who’s in a career transition, and leave a review so more leaders can find the show. What part of corporate life would you never want to take with you again?Connect with Beki on LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/BekiFraserLearn more about her coaching: TheIntrovertedSkeptic.comFollow Short Story Long's LinkedIn Page: Linkedin.com/showcase/shortstorylongpodGet her book, C.O.A.C.H. Y.O.U.: The Introverted Skeptic’s Guide to Leadership - AmazonShort Story Long is produced by Crowned Culture Media LLC