Nationwide — Houston native Dr. Velma Trayham, President and CEO of the Black Chamber of Arizona and owner of a portfolio of companies, has opened preorders for her new book, Unfireable: You Can Be Fired From Your Job, But You Can Never Be Fired From Your Purpose, ahead of its April 18, 2026, release. The book shows readers why purpose is the only real job security in a world of layoffs, AI, and political uncertainty.
A nationally recognized entrepreneur and economic empowerment leader, Trayham rose from poverty in Houston’s Third Ward to become a multi-company founder, award-winning CEO and national influencer who advises corporations, governments and faith-based institutions on inclusive economic development and small-business growth. Her journey—from being raised by a praying grandmother and breaking generational cycles of poverty to building and selling companies and training more than 8,000 entrepreneurs—anchors the book’s central message: your past and the systems around you may try to define you, but your purpose cannot be fired.
Trayham wrote Unfireable as a practical roadmap for executives, business owners and professionals—particularly Black leaders and communities—facing mass layoffs, artificial intelligence reshaping roles, and increasing pressure on diversity and workforce initiatives. Drawing on her experience as a CEO, founder and advisor to public and private companies, she outlines how to build “unfireable” careers and companies anchored in purpose, not just position, while speaking candidly about navigating racism, bias and being underestimated in rooms of power.
“You can lose a job, a title or even an entire department to AI, but you can never be fired from your purpose,” Trayham said. “I know what it feels like to be counted out, to start with nothing, to face closed doors and still be called to lead. This book is designed to help leaders and professionals—especially those our systems were not built to protect—make better decisions in uncertain times about their own careers, about the people they lead, and about the communities and next generation they influence.”
In just two years under Trayham’s leadership, the Black Chamber of Arizona has expanded its statewide impact, deepened corporate and public-sector partnerships, and launched initiatives focused on access to capital, contracting opportunities and workforce development that directly benefit Black-owned businesses and underserved communities. Companies are already placing bulk preorders to use Unfireable with employees, students and stakeholder groups, while individual readers across the country are reserving copies to support their own purpose-driven transitions.
PRE-ORDER HERE: UnfireableOfficial.com
What Business and Community Leaders Are Saying
Advance praise for Unfireable includes powerful endorsements from a cross-section of business and community leaders who have witnessed Trayham’s impact in boardrooms and in the community.
Dr. Sharon D. Smith, vice president, Outreach and Partnerships, Arizona State University, writes: “Dr. Trayham is a prolific leader who will help you reconnect with what you were born to do—work shaped by your passions, the problems you feel called to solve, and a purpose no job title can take away. If you’ve ever felt that quiet but persistent pull to move in a new direction, this book will give you clarity, alignment, and the courage to act during transition. I believe this book is a must-read for leaders and professionals who are ready to stop waiting and start building lasting impact.”
Erin Floyd, senior vice president at Truist Bank, says: “You Can Be Fired From Your Job, But You Can Never Be Fired From Your Purpose is a bold and necessary message for leaders who refuse to let disruption define their destiny. Dr. Velma Trayham powerfully shows how to separate identity from title, rise with clarity after loss, and lead with authority beyond any single role—igniting executives, entrepreneurs, and mission-driven leaders to rebuild, reimagine, and move forward with unshakeable confidence. This book doesn’t just speak to transition—it fuels transformation and lasting impact.”
Shamia Lodge, a purpose-driven leader working at the intersection of systems, leadership and economic access, shares: “Purpose is the one thing systems cannot repossess. Titles can be stripped. Contracts can be canceled. Roles can be eliminated. Entire industries can be disrupted overnight. But purpose, when it is real, rooted, and lived, cannot be fired. That truth sits at the heart of Unfireable… This is not a book you read casually. It is a book you wrestle with. It asks you to stop outsourcing your identity to organizations and to start honoring the assignment that has been with you long before the title and will remain long after it. … You may lose a job. You may lose access. You may lose a platform. But if you are walking in purpose, you are not finished. You are unfireable, and this book reminds you why.”
Dr. Mónica S. Villalobos, Ed.D., President and CEO of the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, affirms in the foreword that Unfireable “is more than a message—it is a mandate,” adding that while jobs and platforms can be lost, “purpose is permanent… It cannot be downsized, outsourced, or eliminated by any system on earth.”
Additional endorsements include Jessica Pacheco, founder and managing partner of Pacheco Ventures, who calls the book “a powerful roadmap for anyone who has faced adversity—or wants to understand how others have risen from severe setbacks,” and Cameron Robb, senior economic development consultant at Arizona Public Service, who notes it “speaks directly to anyone who feels shaken by a changing job market or a shrinking sense of security.”
Inside Unfireable
Unfireable is aimed at:
• Business owners and founders who need to pivot, scale or restructure in the face of changing markets and technology.
• Corporate and nonprofit leaders responsible for talent, culture and change management during disruption.
• Professionals navigating layoffs, career transitions or stalled advancement who want a strategic, purpose-driven path forward rooted in faith, resilience and community.
In the book, Trayham addresses topics such as:
• Identifying the problem your organization and career are uniquely positioned to solve—and using that as the foundation for growth.
• Protecting purpose while implementing necessary cuts, automation or restructuring.
• Rebuilding after business failures, layoffs or reputational hits without shrinking or retreating from leadership.
• Designing systems, companies and roles that are resilient in an AI-enabled economy.
• Equipping the next generation of leaders—with a focus on Black and Brown communities—with a framework that integrates purpose, performance and impact.
“I see Unfireable as the foundation for something much larger—a platform that helps leaders build companies, careers and ecosystems that can weather disruption,” Trayham said. “It’s not just about surviving the next round of layoffs. It’s about scaling purpose-driven impact in a way that benefits shareholders, employees and communities—and making sure Black communities are not left behind in the process.”
About the Author
Dr. Velma Trayham is an entrepreneur, portfolio business owner and economic empowerment expert who has built and sold companies, designed national accelerator programs and trained more than 8,000 entrepreneurs in business, leadership and mindset. She is the founder of ThinkZilla, a consulting and community engagement firm, and the visionary behind Millionaire Mastermind Academy, a nonprofit dedicated to ending poverty through entrepreneurship with a particular focus on women and entrepreneurs of color.
As President and CEO of the Black Chamber of Arizona, Trayham leads efforts to expand economic opportunity for businesses across the state, working closely with corporate, public-sector and community partners. She has received a Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award and frequently collaborates with national brands, public and private companies, and civic institutions on initiatives that strengthen small businesses, advance supplier diversity and prepare the next generation of purpose-driven leaders.
Preorders, Events and Opportunities
Unfireable: You Can Be Fired From Your Job, But You Can Never Be Fired From Your Purpose will be released April 18, 2026.
Preorders are available now at UnfireableOfficial.com
Bulk orders for companies, associations, universities, churches and other organizations can be paired with keynotes, executive briefings, workshops or virtual sessions. Sponsorship opportunities are available for organizations that want to align with the Unfireable movement and support events, tours and impact initiatives centered on economic empowerment in Black and underserved communities. Official book-signing dates will be announced soon, with signings planned in Phoenix and in cities around the country, including Trayham’s hometown of Houston.
For media inquiries, sponsorship opportunities, bulk orders or speaking requests, contact Marjorie Sabido, marjorie@thinkzillaconsulting.com, 480-631-4982