Rebuilding After Loss With Dr. Sharon Jones

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 03:30:00 -0400

Dr. Sharon Jones is the founder and CEO of The Dot Consulting and the founder of the Dottie Rose Foundation, an organization closing the gender gap in technology for young women. In this episode, she and Carla trace how a side hustle born out of a 2008 layoff, a pay cut back to a third-year teacher's salary, and the loss of her grandmother eventually grew into two organizations. Sharon shares the tree analogy that grounds her through every rewire: roots to come home to, and wings to go find out who you are. They also talk about the guilt of building a business while raising three kids, why she believes technology should never lose its human, hands-on core, and the one small daily habit that gets her through the hardest days.

Episode Navigation:

00:00 — Welcome to Rewiring with Carla and introducing Dr. Sharon Jones

01:40 — How the side hustle started: losing a corporate job in the 2008 crisis

04:48 — Losing her grandmother, Dottie Rose, and the foundation named in her honor

09:16 — Realizing the rewiring had already started inside the messy middle

12:40 — Turning in her notice: the moment she finally launched full time

19:43 — The tree analogy: roots to come home to, wings to go find out who you are

27:21 — Why she started Dottie Rose Foundation: the missing female representation in tech

34:51 — Dottie Rose Foundation by the numbers: 4,500 girls served and a 95% return rate

43:26 — Her go-to tool for getting through hard days: one small thing to look forward to

46:32 — Closing thoughts and where to get involved with Dottie Rose Foundation

About Our Guest:

Dr. Sharon Jones is a leader in computer science, an educator, a business owner, and a mom who has spent years making technology feel more accessible and more human. She is the founder and CEO of The Dot Consulting, where she helps organizations think differently about technology, education, innovation, and impact. She is also the founder of the Dottie Rose Foundation, an organization created to bridge the gender gap in technology and create access to education, mentorship, and opportunity for young women, named in honor of her grandmother, Dorothy Rose.

Tool to Use:

A family time non-negotiable, for Dr. Sharon it was family dinners; this is the space that gets priority and helps everyone recenter and reconnect amid the messy middle.

Connect & Resources:

Learn more or volunteer with the Dottie Rose Foundation: https://dottierosefoundation.org/

Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RewiringwithCarlaV

Website: https://5683justbe.com/

Follow Carla V. on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carla_variglotti_/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carla-variglotti-201b1736b/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095359890928

When Plan A Falls Apart With Carla V.

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 12:00:00 -0400

In this introductory episode, Carla explains what Rewiring with Carla is and why she's the one hosting it. She shares her own origin story: a marriage, a move to D.C., and a divorce in her mid-20s that left her without a life plan, a marriage, or many of her closest relationships. Carla introduces the concept of "the messy middle": the uncomfortable, disorienting space between the life that's gone and the life that hasn't arrived yet, and walks through the tools that carried her through it, including the exercise she calls "The Year of Carla." She previews what's ahead this season: conversations about friendship, family business, becoming a stepmom, and rebuilding identity after loss.

Episode Navigation:

00:00 — Welcome to Rewiring with Carla and what the show is about

01:05 — Defining "the messy middle"

02:41 — Carla's story: growing up in Cleveland and the plan she thought she'd follow

04:53 — Divorce in her mid-20s and losing more than just a marriage

07:14 — Throwing herself into work and facing health struggles in her late 20s

09:30 — Creating "The Year of Carla": a handwritten bucket list with a deadline

11:14 — The skydiving story and finding her best friend by his shoes

13:54 — What's ahead this season

15:52 — The hope tattoo and the daily reminder behind it

17:33 — Closing invitation: courage, love, and hope, and how to share your own list

About Your Host:

Carla V. is the founder of 5683 Just Be and the host of Rewiring with Carla V.

Her work centers on the moments that change us - the disruptions that shift our direction, the messy middle that follows, and the quiet work of rebuilding. She believes these moments aren't failures or setbacks; they're often the beginning of becoming who we're meant to be.

Through honest conversations with people who've lived it, each episode pairs real stories with practical tools, thoughtful insights, and tangible takeaways that help listeners navigate change with greater clarity, confidence, and connection.