Dear Friends,
One year ago, my side hustle became my main hustle.
It was probably one of the scariest career moves I’ve made since I’ve been in the workforce but it has definitely been one of the most rewarding.
I never set out to be a consultant and was pretty sure that being an entrepreneur wasn’t in my DNA – too much risk and pressure.
But I had been looking for a job and simply wasn’t inspired by anything that came my way. I had a clear picture of the type of role I wanted and the industry and work environment I wanted to be in, and I wasn’t seeing it.
I wondered if I was being too selective and then I realized “Nope. I’m thirty years into my career so I shouldn’t settle for less. If I’m going to grind it, then it needs to be fulfilling, dreamy and on my terms.”
I’ve learned so much in the last year and am still learning every day. I love the diversity of my clients, the flexibility in my schedule, the autonomy and setting my own pace.
Of course, it’s hard too. It’s just me and it can get lonely. It takes a lot of steady swings to finally make contact and that can be defeating at times.
But being an entrepreneur is about pressing forward and not giving up.
I’m eternally grateful for my inaugural clients this last year that gave me a chance to be a part of their vision and to make their organizations a better place for their customers, employees and business: Stretch 22, Seattle Parks and Recreation, Vida Integrated Health, Orca Running, Pivotal Ventures and Work Well Northwest.
I still do executive and career coaching work for select clients but I’ve discovered that my true love is to do this while working within the leader’s organization to drive broadscale change.
And there’s no way I would have been able to forge ahead without my amazing support network. A special shout out to my Mastermind group (Patricia Bravo, Cortney Jacobsen, Lara Hansen and Kore Kourboulis) and fellow entrepreneurs Doug Koob, Linda Glass and Chris Anibarro for graciously sharing their knowledge and best practices, especially when I was first getting started.
I’m also grateful for the generosity of all that participated in the "In My Network" blog series. Over thirty experts shared their gifts with my community on a wide range of topics. Click HERE if you want to get caught up – my guests have all been amazing and you will benefit from their infinite wisdom.
So what would I like to get accomplished in the coming year? My number one priority is publishing my book! Currently titled "From Barista to Boardroom", it's a memoir of my life and leadership lessons learned during my time at Starbucks. I'm still in awe that I went from a blank page to 70,000 words. I didn't know I had it in me. I’ve been screening publishers the last couple of weeks and expect to make a decision soon. From there, it could take up to six months to actually get it in print.
As for my business, I’d like to stay steady and with some incremental growth. My ideal consulting contract is as a retained executive and/or staff augmentation because this lets me get into an organization and understand the culture while working with a team to drive change.
I know 2020 has been a tough year for so many of us but I’m trying to look at the sliver linings. Health, peace and community are what keep me grounded and I’m grateful that you are part of my team.
Warm regards,
Christine