💼 The Corporate Shake-Up No One Saw Coming
Sallie Krawcheck — one of the most respected women in business — just got the pink slip. Again. This time, it’s courtesy of Bank of America, where CEO Brian Moynihan tightened his grip and showed her the exit. If this sounds familiar, it’s because she faced a similar exit at Citigroup not too long ago.
But don’t count her out just yet. Power players don’t stay down for long — they pivot, rebrand, and bounce back bigger. Here are 10 bold, brilliant, and slightly cheeky steps Sallie (or anyone facing a career curveball) could take to stage the ultimate comeback.
1. 🔥 Crash the Power Party
Join the White House Jobs Council.
Imagine Sallie bringing some hard truth to GE’s Jeffrey Immelt and the rest of the economic elite. She’s got the experience and the edge — plus, it beats being the subject of a “Whatever happened to…?” article a decade from now.
2. 📞 Dial Up the Dealmakers
Call that recruiter.
Time to ring up the headhunter who got you the BofA gig and cash in on some new opportunities. If they ghost you? Reach out to Ken Lewis and see if there’s still a golden handshake lying around.
3. ✍️ Write the Book: Failing Up
Turn your setbacks into your storyline.
Share the highs, lows, boardroom politics, and everything in between. Then land a guest host spot on CNBC’s Squawk Box and rewrite the narrative, live on air.
4. 🏦 Score a Boardroom Power Seat
Join a rival’s board — HSBC, anyone?
Show the world what real leadership looks like. Forget non-competes; nothing screams “revenge glow-up” like helping the competition level up.
5. 💸 Tap Into Private Equity Paradise
Because PE is where second acts are made.
Your connections are golden. Use them. There’s always a private equity firm ready to turn yesterday’s headlines into tomorrow’s billion-dollar moves.
6. 👑 Launch: “Recovering Divas of Industry”
The ultimate VIP power circle.
Imagine this: a virtual sisterhood for fierce female execs in transition. Founding members? Carol Bartz (ex-Yahoo), Barbara Desoer, Carly Fiorina. Group chat? Iconic.
7. ✈️ Go Global, Strategically
Travel + Networking = Comeback fuel
Boardroom blues? Cure them with a world tour. Meet top CEOs, get new perspectives, and make power moves from Tokyo to Zurich. Bonus points if BofA’s jet is still available.
8. 🏡 Reconnect & Recharge
Because balance is the new hustle.
Cheer on the fam, show up to school events, and support your partner’s dreams too. Re-read those Most Powerful Women features and live it out — with peace and purpose.
9. 📲 Stay Phone-Ready
The next big gig is calling.
Keep your phone on vibrate, your inbox refreshed, and your LinkedIn fire. In the meantime, let Psalms soothe the soul and guide the grind.
10. 🏦 Make a Grand Re-Entrance
Run a regional bank, flip the game.
Picture this: You lead Regions or SunTrust, move the HQ to Wall Street, partner with Goldman Sachs, and drop the mic with: “The era of big bank consolidation is over.”
Iconic.
✨ Final Word: The Power of a Pivot
Setbacks don’t define power players — their response does. Sallie’s story isn’t over. In fact, the sequel might just be better than the original. For anyone who’s been blindsided by the boardroom, let this be your reminder: you’re one big idea away from your next breakthrough.