Tiffany Payne recently attended the American Society of Mass Spectrometry meeting—just two weeks after being laid off—and received a badge with "NONE" printed in giant letters under “Company.”She could only laugh to keep from crying. It’s sometimes hard to separate our job from our identity. Tiffany turned it into a conversation starter: “I’m the CEO of None Industries—offering nothing to no one, anywhere.” Humor not only helped her deal with the sting of unemployment but also opened doors to conversations with peers at the event who had faced the same experience. Her badge was now a symbol of honesty and resilience.Here is Tiffany’s perspective: Layoffs are hard, but the fear of being laid off can be even worse. Once you’re on the other side of it, you have control again—you can decide what you value, what work means, and how you want to show up in the world. For Tiffany, this led to founding Veris Marketing, rooted in clarity about what marketing really is.Defining MarketingTiffany’s definition of marketing is far from the “Mad Men” clichés of catchy slogans and glossy brochures.“Marketing isn’t about convincing people to buy something they don’t need. It’s about understanding their real problems and matching them with the right solution.”She shared a story about working with a lab that developed a faster drug test. Instead of focusing on technical specs, she framed the story around the human stakes: the child protective services administrator choosing between a lab that returns results in weeks versus one that can respond in days. If you are a child in a home with someone abusing drugs, that matters. Good marketing starts with empathy and storytelling.On Being an UpstanderTiffany is also vocal about values. She celebrates companies that stay committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), even when it’s not mandated or trendy, calling them “upstanders.” Inspired by her daughter’s experience at San Francisco Pride, she encourages companies to lead with integrity, not fear.“If you drop your DEI policy when the pressure is off, what does that say about what you really believe?”I tend to agree. You can choose to have a policy or not, but the companies that dropped their initiatives as soon as it became convenient revealed something about themselves.Advice for Job SeekersTiffany has heard some people advising some job seekers to “hide” their age, gender, or identity on resumes. While it’s certainly understandable in the current environment, she says:“If you have to hide who you are to get the job, is that the place you really want to work?”In addition, do we want to give more power to the companies that are doing that?I appreciate Tiffany’s vision for the world. She is passionate about building alternative paths—small, connected businesses that can thrive without relying on corporate gatekeepers.“Imagine creating a company where you get to pick all your coworkers. That’s the dream.”If you or someone you know has been dealing with the struggles of unemployment, this episode is worth listening to and sharing.Your deepest insights are your best branding. I’d love to help you share them. Chat with me about custom content for your life science brand. Or visit my website. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cclifescience.substack.com

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