The Real Deal about Career Possibilities
Posted By Donna Fisher on August 26, 2009
My segment of the upcoming Women Who Rock Event is on “The Real Deal about Being Your Own Boss” so I’ve been thinking back to my 20 years of being my own boss and the years prior to that when I worked in the corporate world.
Right out of college I worked for Beech Mountain ski resort (accounting), then Exxon (accounting). I remember that I left there because I wanted something more people oriented. . . and where I would have more freedom and could make more money!
So I went in to sales with McDonnell Douglas and loved the opportunity and made more money, met more people and had more freedom. And then, after several years, a similar urge came up again . . . wanting something more people oriented.
This time I went into the non-profit arena and worked as Director of Volunteers and then Executive Director of the Center for Attitudinal Healing. The center provides emotional support for families with children with a catastrophic or life-threatening illness. This definitely satisfied that desire to have a job that was very people oriented.
And it was there that I learned how to network – because in the non-profit arena you have to ask for everything, you have to be resourceful and then I saw the value of the relationships that developed as a result of the networking.
It was also while I was there that I found my love of speaking and training. Part of my job was to facilitate the volunteer training where we mainly taught listening skills, emotional healing and attitude enhancement. And part of my job as executive director was to go out and speak to groups about our programs and the support that we provided to these special families.
And then several years later, I started my own business speaking and leading personal development programs for women. My business evolved as I focused on teaching communication skills, business development skills and relationship marketing skills under the umbrella of “networking” and started working with corporations nationwide.
I now see that all the jobs I’ve had helped me get to where I am today (isn’t that always the case!) And now I see that I’ve actually always been “my own boss”. Yes, I worked for other people and yet I chose jobs that satisfied some “urge” that I felt or desire that I had.
During those early years when I was changing jobs approximately every 4 or 5 years, I do remember thinking that I should “settle down” and stay with a job for the long term (my parents both worked for one corporation basically their whole adult life). But my “internal boss” told me otherwise.
So whether you “work for someone” or “work for yourself” find your “internal boss”, follow your “internal boss” and be a good boss to yourself!
P.S. This is my 20th year anniversary of my speaking/training business – all because I followed “my path” one step at a time!
Here’s to you Donna! Thanks for following your “inner boss” resulting in powerful, joy-filled service to so many people. Imagine if you listened to your parents career guidance vs. your own? I for one would miss all that you have become and have contributed to the world. Makes me wonder what the world would look and sound like if everyone followed their inner boss….Patty Shull, Coach