Sometimes your story just falls into place
Do you ever look back on your life and wonder how you got to where you are?
Our state’s work-from-home order had me doing just that. And it wasn’t in a bad way. I wasn’t having a WTF moment. I was looking back, knowing that I ended up in an amazing, yet unexpected, place professionally.
The early days
You see, I always thought I’d be a teacher. I went to college firmly believing that I’d get a degree and teach young, inquisitive minds. I made it about a year and I was off to something else. Retail was first. Next came human resource management and later marketing and HR for a local financial institution. During this time, I was pursuing a Masters Degree in Human Resources Management. I was three classes shy of my degree.
And then, I became a mom. Adopting my two incredible kids at the same time was a life altering event! We picked up our 6-month old son from a hospital in Moscow first. Then we drove to a local orphanage and met our 3-year-old daughter. We went from zero children to a family of four in less than two hours.
When my daughter got cancer a year later, life changed again. I took a hard look at my path and decided to take some time off to be a mom. I retired from my full time job and stopped taking classes. Even then, I worked part-time. I spent evenings and Sundays leading worship at a local church. But, as is often the case with moms, my primary focus was my children.
Time to grow up
Kids grow up and when they do, they need a mom to be less of a mom and more of a guide. The kids no longer needed their personal chauffeur and chef. and that left me trying to figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up! I didn’t stop working during this time of transition. I continued to work part-time for the church and for a friend. I considered resuming my course work towards my Masters. Nothing felt quite right, though.
Almost a year into my personal journey of discovery, I had lunch with someone I knew casually. She owned her own commercial real estate business and needed a part-time admin. That, I could handle! I started working for her in August of 2012 and my life changed once again!
My new job
Initially, I made copies, filed paperwork, typed and printed letters and collated booklets for clients. Gradually, I took on my responsibility, learning the business a bit at a time. At some point, though, I could no longer do enough. In Pennsylvania, commercial real estate professionals can not have any contact with a client, unless they are licensed. At least that’s what my boss and now friend, Kim Ford, claimed when she asked me to get my license!
Getting my real estate license was not ever on my radar, but if it would help Kim, I was willing! My class work was an accelerated, two-week program and I was ready to take the test pretty quickly. Wager to begin scheduling tours and meetings on Kim’s behalf, I met with a tutor who helped me prep for the test. Shortly thereafter, I passed and drove to Harrisburg to collect my license.
No drama
The next thing I knew, I was working with clients, setting up tours, helping them reach their goals by helping them find the perfect space for their business. Looking back, it wasn’t instantaneous. Nothing dramatic happened.It was more of a gradual slide into my current role — a bit of bookkeeping here, a bit of client work there, and a bit of office management in between. But truly, it feels like it was meant to be. This is what I was supposed to do and where I was supposed to be doing it. I just had to figure it out!
