DO ANY OF THESE SOUND FAMILIAR?

My life was great. Really.  It was.  I didn’t go to college after high school, I was naive, and didn’t really know how to make it happen. My parents offered no assistance in this.  So I was on the “secretarial science” path in high school.  I did really well. I typed super-fast (and still do, it’s the greatest skill I’ve ever learned as it enabled me to communicate faster than anyone else on earth.)  I learned stenography (shorthand) which was always way cool – secret writing that very few people knew how to read.  That was a super fun skill to have too. 😉

As I was such a good student, I was offered an internship at AT&T – back then, it was The Phone Company.  It was a big deal.  I landed that job and worked there part-time while I was in high school.  I went to school in the morning and then I worked at AT&T from 1 pm until 5 pm.  After that, I left there and went to another job at a local newspaper – The Courier News, from 5:30 until about 10:30 pm at night.  I lived at home but had rent to pay so the two jobs were kinda necessary.

After graduation from high school, I was offered a full-time, permanent job at AT&T, which I accepted at the grand salary of $13,500 per year.  And so my life went for the next ~30 years through projects, great work and friends, long hours, several promotions, and eventually 1 husband, 2 houses, 2 babies, and one cat.

Then, one day, out of the blue…. 2 months before my 49th birthday, I got a phone call on the w2ay to the office.  I was told that my job was being eliminated.  

That’s code for “we’re laying off the older workers.”

Huh?  I was literally ENTICED to stay at this company for 31 years through promotions, stock options, retention packages, and awards, and now, on the eve of my “retirement benefits” eligibility my job suddenly disappears?  Funny, but I managed all the paper print and postage for the company and by my account, they still today are using paper print and postage for customer communications.  That job still exists.  Just sayin’.

At this point, my kids were not even out of high school yet.  And let’s not even think or talk about college!  

First I was terrified. Then was super pissed off.  Then I was terrified some more.

Sure, I dusted off my resume.  I have skills and expertise and tons of experience.  I’m tech savvy, tough and can debate any topic with the best of them.  But I never really ever had to actually interview anywhere, I was so coddled in the corporate world.  People you work with know you and when you want a new job, you just ask for one.  As long as you’re good, it’s yours.  I really never HAD to do a strong resume before either.  But I did it.  I got interviews, they practically offered me the job on the phone. Until I met them in person, and I’m interviewing with someone who hypothetically could be my kid.  They look at me like I’m their mom.  Who wants another middle-aged woman sitting in the corner with three fans on her desk?

It doesn’t matter how good, smart, experienced or talented you are. You aren’t young.  You’re old and expensive.

But that was a moment of clarity.

Over my 31 year corporate career, I amassed great skill and knowledge.  I had the knowledge and skill that takes a lifetime to build.  I decided to take charge of this opportunity and start my own business.  Selling what?  My knowledge.  My talent. My skills.  And selling it to real people in businesses of all sizes, who needed and wanted my help.

I started a service-provider business — a small agency if you will — helping entrepreneurs and businesses with various technical needs — web design and development, graphic design, project management, sales funnels, email marketing, etc.  I’ve done tech coaching for other people who aren’t super fluid with computers or software.  I’ve taught people how to use stuff I’ve never used myself.  I’m just good at learning stuff.  I also did various sewing projects, photography projects, you name it, I kinda know how to do it.