From Fired to Inspired: How Rock Bottom Sparked a 1,300-Employee Mission

From Fired to Inspired: How Rock Bottom Sparked a 1,300-Employee Mission

From Code 3: Life. Reinvented. by AJ Jones, Founder, MORE® — Aligned Reinvention Guide

March 16, 2026 · 40 min

About this episode

Merry Korn shares her journey from being fired to founding a successful company that employs marginalized individuals.

In this episode of Code 3: Life Reinvented, I sit down with Merry Korn, whose story is a powerful reminder that sometimes our greatest breakthroughs begin with our lowest moments. Merry’s “Code 3 moment” came when she was suddenly fired from a job she had held for just two months. As a single mother with two kids preparing for college, she woke up one morning with no income, very little savings, and no idea how she was going to move forward. What followed wasn’t a perfectly mapped-out plan — it was a series of bold steps fueled by determination, courage, and a refusal to stay stuck. Instead of retreating, Merry started calling everyone she knew and scheduling informational interviews. Those conversations eventually led her to launch a business that would become Pearl Interactive Network, a company that grew to employ more than 1,300 people across 30 states. But what made her company truly remarkable was its mission. Merry intentionally built a workforce made up of people the world often overlooks: disabled veterans, people with severe disabilities, military spouses, and individuals living in the most economically challenged parts of the country. Through meaningful work and…

People in this episode

Host: AJ Jones

Guest: Merry Korn

Topics covered

  • career change
  • overcoming adversity
  • entrepreneurship
  • employment for marginalized groups
  • personal growth

Keywords

  • career transition
  • informational interviews
  • disabled veterans
  • purpose
  • community building

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Pearl Interactive Network

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