Making Lemonade When There are No Lemons
Welcome to My Blog
I’m so happy you’re here!
I would not be where I am today in my career without the challenges I experienced in my life. And I would not be where I am today in my life without the challenges I experienced in my career. I have never used the challenges as a crutch, and they have never dictated my life. They live deep down within me and privately, I let them play the role they need to as I continue to learn and grow. The same can be said for all of the incredibly happy experiences I have been lucky enough to enjoy.
Until now, I have internalized my personal and professional journey, but I believe that by sharing my experiences, this will become a space you can depend on to uncover takeaways that will translate into your own personal journey, in life and in business.
Where it all started…
I have been out on my own since I was sixteen years old. Being in that situation when you don’t know who you are yet is extremely difficult, terrifying, and incredibly isolating. You end up in situations you may not find yourself in had you been in a traditional environment. I could have easily gone down a very dark path. But I developed a curiosity, and confidence to try things I was interested in. I have been able to create the life I’m living and I’m grateful for what I’ve learned by going through this experience.
“As an executive, people perceive me as someone who has always lived at the top. But for a great deal of my life I have felt very small”.
Since I didn’t have the traditional teenage experience, I was forced to attend the university of LIFE before I was ready, and while no one my age was adulting yet. I landed in the hospitality industry by default, because at the time it was a way for me to afford to get myself my own apartment. A way to put an end to the couch surfing and finally start living my own independent life without being under the microscope of others. Just before I turned 20, I moved to the city because I wanted more, I was determined to be successful and hold my own. I had a drive to get beyond the judgement of my past and prove that I wasn’t a misfit.
I climbed up the ladder and from there I continued to lead teams at the Executive level. As an executive, people perceive me as someone who has always lived at the top. But for a great deal of my life I have felt very small. So, as a woman who has experienced and overcome many difficult challenges, I feel deeply about my accomplishments today.
Photographer, Wendy Alana. Special thanks to Brush Beauty Bar, YOURTAN, LUV + i, Laundry Design Works, OH Sierra Creative, Matthew Kelland, Francis Jun, and Riley Hogan.