My story is not linear. And change / transition was ever present.
I started my career in consulting at a company that became Accenture. I was a hyper-achiever who worked hard and played hard. In looking back, I was probably a bit restless and that is why consulting was so appealing to me. I could be in different cities / countries solving different problems with different people. And I took advantage of it. I worked in five cities in three countries during my consulting career. I learned how to make friends wherever I was and make the best of my situation.
Transition #1 - Taking Risks
When I had a chance to leave this big consulting firm and go to a spin-off firm, I leapt at the chance. I took some comfort in that people I knew were also going to this new firm as well. And yet still, it was an adjustment. It was a smaller firm and I was introduced to new levels of responsibility and expected to perform!
Transition #2 - Finding Something More Fulfilling
At some point I felt like my purpose was unclear and I wanted to leave. Consulting seemed a bit sordid and I wanted something more meaningful. I thought I wanted to get an MBA and go into the non-profit world. I asked my mom what I liked to do when I was 5 years old and she said something that in looking back was so telling.
1) She couldn't keep me interested. I was bored by her and clearly needed to go to school. A definite example of my low patience and restlessness.
2) When she could get me interested, I liked to do puzzles. Problem solving. Clearly I was generally in the right job already.
But I felt consulting wasn't in my long term interests, so I quit without a job (something I tell others never to do). Then I got married and had dreams of buying a house and having kids. Hello corporate job, good bye non-profit!
Transition #3 - Drudgery in Bureaucracy to My Comfort Space
The sliver of time I spent in "Big Corporate" was not my favorite. Not enough shared goals. People were only out for themselves and progress was slow. While I was working full time and commuting two hours per day, I also built my own house. My restless took over again and I jumped to the software industry. I found my place in product management. I loved solving problems and it scratched my itch for strategic thinking. I worked for two companies in the legal technology space and enjoyed my time there. Meanwhile, I adopted two kids and was trying to be a virtual superwoman. I switched to part time, but still worked a full time job.
Transition #4 - Entrepeneurship
After leaving legal technology, I started my own software company while I was going through a divorce, bought a house, and was 3 years from sending my oldest to college. I went almost 3 years without pay, trying to scrape by with some odd consulting gigs and AirBNB-ing my house. I have some great stories from that. It wasn't easy, but I learned a lot and the end result was more than positive.
Transition #5 - Back To The Grind
I sold the business with a positive exit and made two attempts at working at software companies as an employee, one of which took me into an entirely new space - FinTech. Having been my own boss made working at these companies difficult. I clearly needed to be in charge. So I left to ponder what I was going to do with the rest of my life. I didn't want to start another company at this stage. I didn't want to be an employee. But I was not ready to retire, nor dip into my retirement savings.
Transition #6 - Empty Nester
I left the suburbs of Chicago and the friends I had built over the years and moved downtown. My kids were out of the house (as it turns out temporarily) and I wanted to move to the bustling city. I learned to sail, signed up for a lease-share to sail Lake Michigan, went to plays, sampled some great bars and restaurants, caught up with friends that now lived closer to me, and had a great time. What a great choice! Many people thought I was crazy, but I love the city and would do it again in a heartbeat!
Transition #7 - Coaching
After mentoring at a Chicago-based incubator and with a company providing financial education, I decided coaching was my new calling. So I did some research and signed up for a coaching program. This completely changed my life. I get so much energy from coaching and thoroughly enjoy the process. How did I know? It was very instinctual.
Transition #8 - Coaching And House Flipping
I moved in with my boyfriend of 7 years. We moved into a house that needs a bit of updating. Oh the challenges we faced. This house has become my part time job for the next year.
Transition #9 (Future) - Living My Best Life
After a year in this house, we plan on moving to different places around the world for a year at a time. I might just start a blog, so stay tuned for more adventure.
I tell you this because I've been there. Moved up the corporate ladder, started a new venture, received severance packages, worked part time while raising my kids, married and divorced, questioned my career, etc,...
So that leads to who I am and how I work as an entrepreneur coach, career coach, and business coach.
- Lead with empathy and sometimes a little humor
- Work hard and will apply that work ethic to your coaching or mentoring needs
- Will focus on you and your goals
- Assessments all reflect hyper-achiever tendencies. I lovingly refer to this as a recovering hyper-achiever.
- Am supportive and non-judgmental, remaining flexible to try different approaches as needed or desired
- Pattern-finder extraordinaire identifying patterns to help you uncover what might be holding you back
- Strive for authenticity, remaining true to myself and values, regardless of any outside pressure
- Act professionally in thoughts and actions, knowing when to speak and when to listen, when to challenge and when to submit, and when to lead and when to be a team player
