Growing up comes with layers no one really prepares you for.

In this episode, we dive into the emotional side of life transitions and how the ups, the downs, and everything in between start to shape the way we think and feel. We talk about anxiety and how it shows up uninvited, even when life looks “fine” on the outside.

We reflect on how the way we navigate life has shifted over time. Who we were in college, how we handled stress back then, and how different it feels now as more responsibility, awareness, and fear enter the picture.

We get into the fears that start to surface as we grow. The fear of losing the things we love, the fear of death, and even the fears we’ve carried with us since childhood. We talk about what anxiety actually does to the mind and body, and how our bodies try to process and release what we don’t always understand.

This is one of those conversations that reminds you how human this experience really is. The vulnerability of being alive, the discomfort of not always having answers, and the work it takes to look inward and understand what’s really going on beneath the surface.

If you’ve been feeling this way, you’re not alone.

We hope that this conversation makes you feel seen, supported, and part of a community that is navigating it all together.

Wait… what’s next?

Wait What's Next? Hosts: Laura Alba &

Instagram: @waitwhatsnextpod, @lauraalbaz &

Email: waitwhatsnextpod@gmail.com

Skincare can feel overwhelming fast.

In this episode, Laura and Amanda dive into skincare routines from a real-life perspective. No complicated 10-step routines or unrealistic expectations. Just honest conversations about how to take care of your skin in a way that actually fits your lifestyle.

We talk about building a simple and intentional skincare routine, taking a more holistic approach by understanding your body and how your skin changes over time as you move through different stages of life.

This episode is for anyone starting their skincare journey, feeling overwhelmed by the number of products and advice out there, or simply wanting a routine that feels better aligned and more manageable.

Wait… what’s next?

Wait What's Next? Hosts: Laura Alba &

Instagram: @waitwhatsnextpod, @lauraalbaz &

Email: waitwhatsnextpod@gmail.com

Facing a big decision? Sometimes the biggest leaps we take in life are also the ones that lead to the most growth.

In this episode, Laura and Amanda talk about what it really looks like to make bold decisions before you have everything figured out. From moving to new cities to leaving behind the comfort of the familiar, they explore the uncertainty, fear, and excitement that come with choosing a new path.

Because the truth is, most life-changing decisions don’t come with guarantees.

So we learn to trust ourselves when the future feels unclear, and to recognize that growth often starts the moment you step outside your comfort zone.

If you’ve ever wondered whether you should take the leap, make the move, or trust your next chapter… this episode is for you.

And we leave you with one question.
If you knew the outcome of your life would turn out beautifully, how differently would you choose to live it?

Wait… what’s next?

Wait What's Next? Hosts: Laura Alba &

Instagram: @waitwhatsnextpod, @lauraalbaz &

Email: waitwhatsnextpod@gmail.com

Relationships tend to shape us and how we date.
In this episode, Laura and Amanda dive into the growth that comes from the relationships we experience throughout life. The heartbreaks, situationships, and more.

They talk about heartbreak, relationship standards, boundaries, and how expectations have evolved over time.

Most importantly, we talk about accountability. The personal reflection that sometimes needs to happen before finding the kind of love you’ve been yearning for. Looking inward, understanding your patterns, and realizing that growth in relationships often starts with growth within yourself.

Wait… what’s next?

Wait What's Next? Hosts: Laura Alba &

Instagram: @waitwhatsnextpod, @lauraalbaz &

Email: waitwhatsnextpod@gmail.com

This week we went deep into Amanda’s career story… how did things evolve over a decade?

Reconnecting as adults showed us we all go through the same motions in different seasons of our lives and even when the industries look completely different. Amanda shares what it was like chasing broadcasting dreams in her early twenties and living in the public eye, where everyone thinks they know your story. She opens up about life behind the scenes of working in news and what being a public figure meant for both her career and her personal life. The pressure, the pivots, the moments when you realize the thing you worked so hard for might not be the thing anymore. Walking away from what looked like a dream job ended up being one of the boldest and best decisions she’s made, even if it didn’t feel that way at the time. A whole era of life packed into one conversation.

In this conversation, the girlies get real about career transitions and what job searching actually looks like. We even digress and take an unexpected turn. Are job interviews like a season of The Bachelor? Basically waiting for another rose ceremony and making it to the next round?

It’s a conversation about reinvention in real time. About taking the leap before you feel ready. About making the move before life makes it for you.
Somewhere between the laughs and the honesty, you realize how many of us are figuring it out as we go.

Wait… what’s next? Our only constant.

Wait What's Next? Hosts: Laura Alba &

Instagram: @waitwhatsnextpod, @lauraalbaz &

Email: waitwhatsnextpod@gmail.com

Season Two just walked in, and she looks good.

If you are navigating a career change, questioning your relationship, moving cities, rebuilding after burnout, or quietly reinventing yourself… welcome. You’re in the right place.

This season is for anyone in a life transition. The in between. The messy middle. The “I thought I had it figured out” era. We talk career pivots, identity shifts, wellness during change, starting over, and what growth actually feels like while it’s happening.

In this first episode back, Laura sits down with a guest whose story is layered. National news reporter. Big New York City move. Dream job. Job loss. Career transition. Moving back home. Moving in with her boyfriend. Reinvention in real time.

It’s honest. It’s real talk. It’s not a highlight reel.

If you’re in the middle of figuring out your next move, redefining what success actually means to you, or rebuilding your confidence during a major life transition, this conversation is going to land and push you back into your power.

And stay until the end. We’ve been keeping something from you. The surprise makes this season even bigger.

Wait… what’s next?

Wait What's Next? Hosts: Laura Alba &

Instagram: @waitwhatsnextpod, @lauraalbaz &

Email: waitwhatsnextpod@gmail.com

It’s here. The season finale of Year 1. 🥹

We started this podcast with nothing but Amazon microphones, chaotic voice notes, and a shared delusional dream… and somehow — we’re wrapping 2025 with 1,000+ downloads and a whole community of in-betweeners who get it. Like… are we micro-celebs now?? (Soft yes. Humble brag yes.)

In this episode, Laura & Leni look back on a year of glowing up in real time, motherhood shifts, career 180s, mental detours, identity questions, and the art of holding it all together with a messy bun and holiday cheer.

We’re talking:
✨ From burnout to breakthroughs
💼 Career pivots & choosing ourselves
👶 Mom life + personal ambition
🌧 Seasonal motivation (or whatever that is)
🌎 Culture, language, and figuring it out in Spanglish
💕 Community, vulnerability & cute tears only

And of course, what we’re leaving in 2025:
🚫 Waiting for permission
🚫 Decision paralysis
🚫 Comparing ourselves to strangers on the internet
🚫 “I’ll do it when I feel ready” energy

Then we’re stepping full-force into our Delusional Era in 2026:
🌟 Bigger conversations
🌟 Bold risks
🌟 Joy that’s real, not curated
🌟 More “Wait… WTF just happened?” moments
🌟 More growth, even if it’s messy

Thank you for listening, sharing, posting, DM’ing… for choosing to spend time with us and making this space feel like home. You made us feel seen, supported, and a little less unhinged, in the best way. 💗

So pour the cafecito, eggnog, or champagne…
Take a deep breath
And celebrate how far you’ve come this year.

Season 2 loading. See you in 2026.
Happy Holidays and remember to ask yourself…
Wait… What’s Next? 🎙💕

Wait What's Next? Hosts: Laura Alba &

Instagram: @waitwhatsnextpod, @lauraalbaz &

Email: waitwhatsnextpod@gmail.com

How do you build a career when no one hands you the blueprint?

This week, we sit down with Jennifer McAlpine, whose story takes us from a blue-collar childhood in the Central Valley to leading marketing and education across luxury brands, real estate powerhouses, and national companies. Her rise wasn’t linear or lucky; it was built on curiosity, grit, and the kind of early jobs that people often underestimate.

Jennifer shares how running a store at 18 became her leadership bootcamp, how motherhood sharpened her instincts in ways no MBA ever could, and what it really takes to walk into a C-suite meeting as the only woman in the room and swim with the sharks.

We talk about:
• why your first job (retail, waitressing, operations) is actually your strongest foundation
• how to build a career without mentors or a roadmap
• what swimming with sharks actually looks like in corporate America
• the power of diversifying your life, not just your portfolio
• leadership as a practice, not a title
• the courage it takes to reinvent yourself… again

Jennifer’s story is proof that you can build a meaningful, impactful life, even if you start with nothing but curiosity and a work ethic that won’t quit.

This episode is for anyone choosing themselves, rebuilding from scratch, walking into rooms not built for them, or trying to define their own version of success.

Wait What's Next? Hosts: Laura Alba &

Instagram: @waitwhatsnextpod, @lauraalbaz &

Email: waitwhatsnextpod@gmail.com