Have you ever been in a place where you are enjoying success in your career, but you’re miserable? Or perhaps you feel like you’re stuck in your current work with no options. Maybe you just made a lot of changes to get to where you are, and to make another move so soon seems unwise or maybe impossible. Or maybe the success you’re enjoying has helped create a particular lifestyle for you and your family, that could be in jeopardy if you were to make a change now. And you feel stuck.
I’ve been there too, I really have. It can be a dark place, when you feel trapped with no apparent way out.
Today, I’d like to introduce you to a friend of mine, her name in Misty. I recently visited with Misty and she shared her story with me and now I’d like to share it with you.
Misty, grew up in Dundas Ontario. She was married and enjoyed being a stay-at-home mom with her daughter. Circumstances changed and eventually Misty went from stay-at-home mom, to being a single-mom, and being the sole provider.
Misty embarked on a job in the retail industry and enjoyed a lot of success. With her engaging, outgoing personality and strong work ethic it wasn’t long before she went from sales clerk to store manager to acting, regional director, responsible for an entire district.
This is alone is a great story. But there’s more I’d like Misty to share with you.
Me: Hi Misty, thanks so much for sharing your story with us today.
Misty: I’m glad to do it, thank you.
Me: Okay, let’s jump right in. Only a few years go, you went from being a stay at home mom to a career in retail. And things were going well for you there, correct?
Misty: Yes, I did enjoy the job and I did quite well. I moved up in the company and along with promotions came more responsibility and income.
Me: That’s awesome. What did you enjoy most about the job.
Misty: The people I got to work with, my immediate Team and my Corporate Team were some of the best people I have ever got to work with. I also love the competitive side of sales, it’s like adrenaline once you start seeing results you have to keep striving for even more.
Me: So you liked the challenge increasing sales and seeing the store surpass it’s targets and goals. Well, you certainly made a huge impact on the store and the company as evidenced by the feedback and promotions you received.
Misty: Yes, it was rewarding to see the store and the staff excel and to have Corporate recognize the effort, of the entire team.
Me: In recent months, things took a turn. Can you tell us more about that?
Misty: With a great team, sales were the easy part. But the increased sales and greater responsibility, lead to greater demands on my time and energy. The amount of operational tasks involved in running a business, I always ended up staying late or going in early and so my home life suffered. My time at home with my daughter was reduced and when I was there, I was often stressed and not really present. Small things could set me off and I started to realize that while I was “successful” in my work, other parts of my life were beginning to suffer. My personal relationships suffered and my social life became almost non-existent. Work was beginning to take over my life, even when I wasn’t at work. All of that along with a daily commute to the GTA made for long days and made being a good partner and mom difficult because I was exhausted. I was becoming the kind of person I didn’t want to be and that was very difficult to see in myself.
Me: I think a lot or people can relate to what you just said. So you began to make some changes?
Misty: I decided that I had to make a job change but of course there’s the obvious financial concern when leaving a job. It was a concern for sure so before I left I had to come up with a plan on how I was going to replace at least part of my Income. It takes some planning for sure. I reviewed my personal budget and expenses, trimmed things where I could and put a new budget together based on some of the things I was exploring.
Me: Can you say more about that?
Misty: Well, I love retail and the selling process with potential customers so I contacted a friend who was able to create a job for me that was closer to home with flexible hours that fit my life better. But I also decided to launch my own business from home. It in the early stages but I am excited about the potential it brings and the flexibility it provides already. Something I was not able to enjoy working in a retail/ corporate environment.
Me: That’s awesome Misty. I love to see people take action and make the changes that are more in line with their values and the life they want. Did you always consider yourself to be an entrepreneur?
Misty: No, not until I started thinking about my job in retail management. Even though I worked for a corporate company I was successful because I thought like a business owner.
Me: That’s a great point. The skills that made you successful in retail management, you are bringing into your new endeavours including the business you are launching. What has been most challenging in starting your own business?
Misty: Just getting going and growing my team, I have to be patient and honest with people. I have goals to get people to sign up as distributors also and that’s been challenging because most people don’t really know where to start when making life changes or they’re nervous about making changes themselves.
Me: So being consistent, honest and setting goals have helped you get your business going. Great. What advice would you give someone who is considering a career change or possibly starting their own business?
Misty: Just be patient and confident. You have to get over what other people may think about what you are doing. You have to think outside the box to do well, so consider how you plan on being successful. Consider how you are going to balance your new job and new business with time for yourself and plan it out so that you don’t loose sight of that.
Me: What have you learned about yourself in this process?
Misty: I didn’t think that I would be able run my own business. Of course you are nervous at first…excited but nervous so I guess I’ve learned some confidence. I think also I’ve learned that so many people are looking for opportunities to change their life. But you have to be patient. Most people are nervous and scared so I’ve learned to be patient too. In any business, if you love your product, love people and believe you can help them by bringing them together, you can have the confidence to keep going.
Me: You’ve obviously made some significant decisions and changes in your life over the past few months. Did you do this on your own or did you have others alongside you?
Misty: I had a a close friend who was there with me but my boyfriend Brent has been an incredible support. He’s taught me tons about business and retail.
Thank you so much for giving a glimpse into your life and for sharing your story. I’m sure it will inspire and encourage others. I wish you great success in all you do moving forward Misty.
If you would like to connect with Misty to learn more about the positive changes she has made in her life or learn more about her business, you can reach her by phone @ 905818 3052 or on her website mistyrose.myitworks.com
I appreciate Misty’s story and that she would share it with us. In part because she’s a friend and I’ve seen it unfold personally, but because I’m convinced her story reflects the story of so many others…maybe yours too.
Let me just mention a few takeaways.
- If your work isn’t working for you anymore, you may have more options than you think.
- If your work isn’t working for you anymore, don’t just quit. Get input from trusted people. Surround yourself with people who have your best interests at heart.
- If your working isn’t working anymore, put a plan together and take action. Take the first step.
- If success in your work is having a negative impact on your family, friendships and health, it may be time for a change.
- What has given you success in one job or career could serve you well in another entirely different job or business. Your strengths (personality, skills etc) are transferable. Think outside the box. I wrote more about this here.
Do you have questions about your work? Looking to make a career or job change? Life coaching can help. Contact me to arrange an initial free 30 minute Discovery Call. Let’s talk.
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