Over the past few months, I’ve told most of my story. Yet, I have not talked about my obsession with connecting the dots of people services and ideas. That’s where my expertise lies.
Early on in my story, I asked myself:
“Can I go to school for this?”

Yet, an important focus of my story is the 73.5 jobs I’ve had in my life.

Full disclosure, I am a meagre 37 years old so this is quite an intense roster of gainful employment.
 
Something you should know about my story is that I dropped out of high school in 1999. Because I was a loose cannon who learned early on that grades don’t matter. I also lacked career goals and financial direction to go to college.
So, I couldn’t care less at the time. All I wanted to be was a wife and mother. Still working on part one of that goal by the way. But I was beyond the structure required to complete post-secondary degrees, and I didn’t have it in me.
 
I am a firm believer in following my life’s open doors.
 
  • So I wrote my GED
  • Got a diploma before my graduating class
  • Enrolled in a local college
  • Got a few certificates under my belt
  • And decided to break free of Niagara Regional tourism and hospitality based roles.

But I wasn’t sure what that would be.

Then, one night in August 2000, I applied to some Toronto jobs that seemed to fit my background:

  • Reliable
  • Honest
  • Entry Level
What changed my story was what happened overnight. I received a call about an Executive Administration role. This involved working at the Fitness Health Clinic in Downtown Toronto. That day, I drove to the “Big City” for a face to face interview. When I was driving home I got paged with news that I got the job.

This is the part of my story where, over the weekend, I moved up to the unknown.

Then I promised myself I wouldn’t look back was my start in the working world, away from all I knew and grew up around.
 
No plans, goals, money, or acquaintances. All I had was my 19-year-old determined self, who was about to embark on a journey that still, sometimes doesn’t make sense.
 
Having faith above all else is the mantra I embrace to this day.
 
I met a great crew of like-minded people the first week on the job, who dubbed me  Mojofukr. It’s a nickname based on a poem by a well-respected physician (Dr. Kevin Medland):

She has settled in to her new city trying to stand alone

Bouncing around a bit finding shelter in ‘The Zone’.

Touching many people with combined attitude and charm

If familiar with the game … this one sets off an alarm!

Time together is interesting, for lack of a better word

Some moments are quiet serious while others are more absurd.

We have some shared memories and some memories not recalled

And on occasion some of her problems … on my back were hauled.

Seeming to be a fellow player in this known game we love

We feel the party ‘below’ is better than the one ‘above’.

Stirring up the energy of whomever’s path she crosses

Never looking back … as over shoulder her hair she tosses.

Of all the nicknames given to her soul over the years

Mine is the most accurate and that deserves three cheers.

She not appears to tire and never does she tucker

Beware if she’s about … she is the Mojofukr!

This provided enough ammo and encouragement to keep my momentum blowing forward for the next 5 years of:
 
  • Settling in
  • Finding my Toronto hub
  • Attracting new contacts
  • And getting my feet wet (and dirty) along the way.
Before I get into the constant job starting, fair to note, I was only let go from 4 jobs throughout my professional tenure. And in the early, “pre-Toronto” days, I had many seasonal roles and part-time fillers. In fact, I still don’t understand why people stay at a job they hate that don’t fuel progression.

But at this point, for me it has always been: “no growth or mentorship? No way!”

pillow fighter

One of the jobs I’ve had: professional pillow fighter

To fast forward a tad, I can describe some of the most unique roles I’ve had over the years:
All these come with epic, unbelievable stories, but I am still tied to all former employers to this date. Because some jobs reach a mutual tenure with time and expectations. One must move forward, and with great intention to take all learned and apply it towards the next role.
Don’t burn any bridge along the way, because you never know who knows who. It’s about what you know and who you know.

The past 10 years have been much more stable as I stuck to an industry that I strived to learn all the ropes in.

Experiential Marketing:
  • An industry full of unpredictable challenges
  • Solution led brainstorming
  • And ongoing staff sourcing for gigs and ambassador profiles across North America.
In the XM world – sleep comes when the activation is over.
my story that job I had where I was an assistant to a real life care bear
If it weren’t for a handful of reasons, you can trust I would still be crushing it at the helm in that world of marketing. Yet, life had new plans and direction for me, towards healing.

The last 3 years before I reached that ceiling of change involved:

  • My child’s diagnosis of a genetic syndrome, Fragile X
  • Two non-fault car accidents
  • Sexual assault at a public event
  • Deaths of my grandparents and best friend
  • Malicious attacks on my profession/home life from a woman I admired
It took several doctors and a lot of pain incurred before I took the leave of absence recommended to me. More on this story is available right here.

A single mom, with mental and physical burdens, forced to take time off to heal?

It seemed impossible and not welcome to the life of go-go-go and always overcoming BS.  But I couldn’t fathom dealing with the years of stress I had brought on myself by changing things up to move forward.
The time was then. It was now. It is my new way of life and utmost mission. I wanted to form a position from passion, healing and connectivity to others. Because we need to love, shed free from competition and embrace collaboration.
So I slowed down, created a vision board, and started writing. This made it possible for me to connect with my network in a selfless way.

That’s when I got a phone call from a connection of mine who wanted to see what I was up to these days.

This was a call from one of the partners at Dean Blundell Show,  but at the time I had no idea!
After a short call, and divulging where I was at, and I was unsure of my next steps. Then, he mentioned:
“You have a story that a good friend and partner of mine would love to hear.”
I’d like to say that the rest is history but it is not! It has only begun!
The connectivity I gained in the Cannabis space during my “off” time moved along well. Although I always wanted to be a public speaker and contributor to the media world, I had no experience.
So of course when Dean asked:
“Could you be a blogger on my site and appeal to parents and women? And could you do it by being real and shedding light on the female side of Cannabis?”
I said:
“Of course!”

Yet, this was not a path I had envisioned.

I never thought that I would:
  • Team partnership with the Dean Blundell team
  • Provide sales consultancy for several corporations
  • And launch a digital forum for women to tell their stories
I’m always striving based on where I have been, and I’m grateful to all those who have taught me along the way. Because settling was never an option. Since we’re meant to wear many hats and design responsibilities that match ourselves, I don’t count the jobs I have had. 
In the past year of this career restart, people have called me:
  • A Swiss Army Knife
  • Dot Connector
  • Introduction Specialist
  • And Relationship Expert
I can’t say for sure it is that I do exactly or what you would call it. All I know is that I want to align myself with anyone who can teach me. Then, I want to bring others into that conversation, which is my calling.
Knowing what you’re good at fosters good business strategy and relationships. It’s also about filling in the blanks with what you don’t know by adding others into your life.
Blessed for all work experiences to date. But I’m even more blessed to have found them all through the right attitude. In fact, I’m always ready to answer a knocking door in life.
Because you never know who is knocking!