I was laid off by Google, then asked to come back. I gave up a 6-figure salary and unvested stock to bet on my startup.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Rob Waters, a former Google employee who was laid off last November. The 42-year-old cofounded Kanawai AI and lives in San Francisco. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

In November 2025, I was on a flight to Los Angeles to meet with a customer when my laptop screen suddenly went black.

My laptop rebooted, but when I tried to log back in, it didn’t work. Then I felt my personal phone buzz. I had an email from Google HR saying I’d been impacted by a layoff and my role was no longer necessary. I had no notice. My access was cut off immediately.

I had to email the customer I…