A Founder’s Journey from First-Gen Grit to Building in Public
A Founder’s Journey from First-Gen Grit to Building in Public
Written by: Angel Cruzado
We don’t just do outplacement; we reinspire transitions.
We don’t just do outplacement; we reinspire transitions.
I’m Angel Cruzado... first-generation college grad, proud Latino, girl dad, HR leader, and founder of Respiris, a company built on deep empathy, community, and artificial intelligence. We don’t just do outplacement; we reinspire transitions.
And lately, I’ve been on a mission... connecting with companies across industries, across time zones, across belief systems to share that transitions don’t need to be shameful or isolating. They can be transformational. But only if we build the right systems of support around people.
This is personal for me.
From First-Gen to Founder
I didn’t grow up thinking I’d be a CEO. My mother was a house cleaner. My father worked in a factory. College wasn't guaranteed... it was a fight. But I walked on to the SATs, funded my education, and earned degrees from Bentley and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. I made it to companies like Medtronic, Fidelity, Microsoft, and T-Mobile.
I’ve worked in organizations of all sizes... from Series A startups to global enterprises with 100,000 employees. I’ve helped scale venture-backed companies like Empowerly and EverOps. I’ve supported leaders through M&A, layoffs, restructuring, and rapid growth. And I’ve been laid off too.
So I know what it feels like to navigate the unknown.
Why Respiris Exists
I started Respiris not as a business idea, but as a response to something deeply human.
Too many people were going through layoffs and career loss feeling like they didn’t matter. Like they were alone. I knew how to write a resume, fix a LinkedIn profile, and activate a job search plan... but more importantly, I knew how to be present. To say, “You’re not alone. Let’s walk through this.”
Today, Respiris is a Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) certified, Delaware-registered company that helps VC-backed, PE-backed, and public companies minimize litigation risk, protect their culture, and support impacted employees with outplacement services. We’ve supported candidates from entry level to executive roles and enabled coaches, who are full-time professionals.
We’re a marketplace powered by people and AI.
Building in Public
Every week, I put myself out there.
I pitch at conferences like Berkeley SkyDeck and Microsoft for Startups.
I show up at events like Transform, Lattiverse, Sequoia Grove, and Plug In Ventures.
I host “Stranger to Friends” gatherings and learning circles to foster community.
I do cold outbound on Apollo and Orum, and I’m not afraid to follow up 5, 10, 20 times.
I test scripts, record podcasts, build landing pages, and draft playbooks in the open.
I listen... to the HR leaders who are scared to lay off even one person. To the job seekers who feel invisible.
This isn’t a polished founder story. This is me, showing the receipts.
What We’ve Done So Far
We’ve signed MOUs with multiple companies.
We’ve generated revenue through partnerships and outplacement support.
We’ve grown active partners and 25+ testimonials from job seekers.
We’ve created a marketplace where coaches can earn side income and help others.
We’ve built a CoachOS - our internal platform for managing job seeker progress.
We’ve integrated HubSpot to scale.
We’re live on LinkedIn with over 10K followers (my personal account) and 2K on Respiris.
And we’re just getting started.
Why It Matters
Transitions are deeply emotional. Layoffs can trigger trauma... especially for first-gens, underrepresented groups, and those without a safety net.
I’ve felt that personally in family court. I’ve felt it as a single dad. I’ve felt it in HR rooms where decisions about people are made by spreadsheets.
That’s why Respiris is more than a service. We are the best friend an impacted employee never thought they’d have during a job loss. We provide coaching, community, and clarity through what we call the Career Prayer™.
We help people go from “I can’t see the light” to “It’s a beautiful day and I’m ready.”
What’s Next
I’m still showing up. Still pitching. Still listening.
And if you’re a Chief People Officer, a Head of Legal, or a VC partner looking to support your portfolio companies through transition—reach out.
We’re here to support your team, protect your culture, and reinspire your people. One transition at a time.
Let’s talk.
angel@respiris.com
www.respiris.com
LinkedIn
I’m Angel Cruzado... first-generation college grad, proud Latino, girl dad, HR leader, and founder of Respiris, a company built on deep empathy, community, and artificial intelligence. We don’t just do outplacement; we reinspire transitions.
And lately, I’ve been on a mission... connecting with companies across industries, across time zones, across belief systems to share that transitions don’t need to be shameful or isolating. They can be transformational. But only if we build the right systems of support around people.
This is personal for me.
From First-Gen to Founder
I didn’t grow up thinking I’d be a CEO. My mother was a house cleaner. My father worked in a factory. College wasn't guaranteed... it was a fight. But I walked on to the SATs, funded my education, and earned degrees from Bentley and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. I made it to companies like Medtronic, Fidelity, Microsoft, and T-Mobile.
I’ve worked in organizations of all sizes... from Series A startups to global enterprises with 100,000 employees. I’ve helped scale venture-backed companies like Empowerly and EverOps. I’ve supported leaders through M&A, layoffs, restructuring, and rapid growth. And I’ve been laid off too.
So I know what it feels like to navigate the unknown.
Why Respiris Exists
I started Respiris not as a business idea, but as a response to something deeply human.
Too many people were going through layoffs and career loss feeling like they didn’t matter. Like they were alone. I knew how to write a resume, fix a LinkedIn profile, and activate a job search plan... but more importantly, I knew how to be present. To say, “You’re not alone. Let’s walk through this.”
Today, Respiris is a Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) certified, Delaware-registered company that helps VC-backed, PE-backed, and public companies minimize litigation risk, protect their culture, and support impacted employees with outplacement services. We’ve supported candidates from entry level to executive roles and enabled coaches, who are full-time professionals.
We’re a marketplace powered by people and AI.
Building in Public
Every week, I put myself out there.
I pitch at conferences like Berkeley SkyDeck and Microsoft for Startups.
I show up at events like Transform, Lattiverse, Sequoia Grove, and Plug In Ventures.
I host “Stranger to Friends” gatherings and learning circles to foster community.
I do cold outbound on Apollo and Orum, and I’m not afraid to follow up 5, 10, 20 times.
I test scripts, record podcasts, build landing pages, and draft playbooks in the open.
I listen... to the HR leaders who are scared to lay off even one person. To the job seekers who feel invisible.
This isn’t a polished founder story. This is me, showing the receipts.
What We’ve Done So Far
We’ve signed MOUs with multiple companies.
We’ve generated revenue through partnerships and outplacement support.
We’ve grown active partners and 25+ testimonials from job seekers.
We’ve created a marketplace where coaches can earn side income and help others.
We’ve built a CoachOS - our internal platform for managing job seeker progress.
We’ve integrated HubSpot to scale.
We’re live on LinkedIn with over 10K followers (my personal account) and 2K on Respiris.
And we’re just getting started.
Why It Matters
Transitions are deeply emotional. Layoffs can trigger trauma... especially for first-gens, underrepresented groups, and those without a safety net.
I’ve felt that personally in family court. I’ve felt it as a single dad. I’ve felt it in HR rooms where decisions about people are made by spreadsheets.
That’s why Respiris is more than a service. We are the best friend an impacted employee never thought they’d have during a job loss. We provide coaching, community, and clarity through what we call the Career Prayer™.
We help people go from “I can’t see the light” to “It’s a beautiful day and I’m ready.”
What’s Next
I’m still showing up. Still pitching. Still listening.
And if you’re a Chief People Officer, a Head of Legal, or a VC partner looking to support your portfolio companies through transition—reach out.
We’re here to support your team, protect your culture, and reinspire your people. One transition at a time.
Let’s talk.
angel@respiris.com
www.respiris.com
LinkedIn