Diane Faulkner: Choosing Him First
At the height of her corporate career, Diane faced a decision no leadership role had prepared her for: walk away or abandon her father in crisis. With no legal protection and no clear path forward, she chose responsibility—and stepped into total uncertainty.
Bio
Diane Faulkner is an author, speaker, and executive HR advisor serving small businesses across Florida. With over 40 years of experience in employment law compliance, she helps business owners navigate federal and state labor regulations without maintaining full HR departments. Diane earned her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Michigan State University, where she focused on industrial/organizational psychology and labor law—the foundation of her career. She earned her Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certification with a perfect score in 1998 and maintains it through continuous professional education in employment law.
Topics
- Starting over without a safety net
- Career disruption and forced reinvention
- Navigating layoffs and uncertainty
- Moving without guarantees
- Caregiving vs. career advancement
- Leaving corporate leadership behind
- Building a consulting business from scratch
- Becoming a writer unexpectedly
- Learning to ask to be paid
- Redefining professional success
Guiding Questions
- What went through your mind when the job offer was rescinded the day before you moved?
- How did it feel starting over in a state where you knew no one?
- What pattern did you notice as layoffs kept repeating in your career?
- How did caring for your father force another reinvention?
- What made you decide to start your own consulting business?
- How did writing unexpectedly become your main career path?
- What was it like going from zero speaking experience to large stages?
- When did you realize your career no longer needed to look “traditional”?
- What did asking to be paid teach you about your own value?
- How has rebuilding multiple times changed how you handle uncertainty now?