Why I left Refinery29 and how Alexandra Gater popped off after being laid off

Alexandra Gater was 25, riding high as the Home Editor at Chatelaine magazine, and creating a hit home makeover YouTube series until the morning she walked into work and got laid off. What could have been the end of her story turned into the beginning of something entirely her own.

In this episode of The Real Stuff, Alexandra shares how she went from feeling devastated and directionless to launching her YouTube channel, landing a $25,000 brand deal that changed her life, and growing a full-fledged media company with 11+ employees. She opens up about the dark personal chapter she was navigating behind the scenes, the pressure of trying to “fake it ‘til you make it,” the mean-girl trolling she endured from fellow editors, and how she slowly built the self-confidence to bet on herself.

Alexandra and Lucie also bond over their shared history in the digital media world and dig into what it felt like to leave behind a job that once felt like everything. Lucie opens up about her own exit from Refinery29 and how she knew it was time to move on from “Try Living with Lucie,” sparking a deeper conversation about identity, ambition, and trusting your gut.

It’s a candid conversation about losing your dream job, building something better, and what it really takes to grow through discomfort, even when you don’t have it all figured out.

Follow Alexandra

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexandragater/?hl=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/alexandragater

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@alexandragater?_t=8goJbfFKKBR&_r=1

00:00 Lucie’s opening thoughts

01:44 how Lucie & Alexandra got connected

03:13 our similar career paths

06:20 Alexandra’s layoff story

08:14 the complications of being a corporate creative employee 

13:09 the slow success of Try Living with Lucie

14:25 why Lucie left Refinery29

20:42 early brand deals

23:32 the work it takes to start a YouTube channel

27:24 a dark chapter in Alexandra’s life

35:02 dealing with negative comments from people you know

52:10 deciding how personal to get online

55:20 imposter syndrome & faking it until you make it

Watch this episode in video form on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjmevEcbh5h5FEX0pazPEtN86t7eb2OgX 

To apply to be a guest on the show, visit luciefink.com/apply and send us your story. 

I also want to extend a special thank you to East Love for the show's theme song, Rolling Stone. 

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealstuffpod 

Find Lucie here: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luciebfink/ 

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@luciebfink 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/luciebfink

Website: https://luciefink.com/ 

Executive Producer: Cloud10

Produced by Dear Media.

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