My spiritual guide, Oprah, says everyone has a purpose in life and it’s your job to find it. I’ve scoured my soul, meditated, looked so deeply inside myself that I was a bit grossed out and found nothing. No gift of music, no ability to draw, I do not have the legs of a dancer or the brains of a Hollywood Housewife.
Here’s what I have: I talk a lot, I’m excruciatingly empathetic and I’m funny. Career choices: Chatty Cathy doll, the Dalai Lama or a small business coach. Thanks a lot, whoever is in charge of handing out skill sets.
I’ve never liked dresses so I headed to door #3 – Small Business Coach.
Advertising was my first stop on the Toronto College scene followed by Radio and Television Production (focus on scriptwriting and marketing). The internet threw everything we knew about advertising and messaging on its ear so I joyfully had to become a chronic and crazy researcher and reader. I’ve also completed the Creative Writing program at George Brown which includes writing for the web.
Image and branding experience started in Public Affairs at the Toronto Transit Commission and then onto a glorious sales and promotions career at various radio stations working directly with creative people, ad agencies and business owners.
My hubby and I lugged our kids to a smaller community an hour outside of Toronto in 2001 and I started More Business Advantages. I realized quickly many people started their businesses without doing the necessary early grunt work. I couldn’t be one of the money grabbers out there taking marketing dollars when they knew there wasn’t a workable business story or strategy in place so I set out to educate on business development.
I instruct marketing and business plan development for the Ontario Self Employment Benefit Program; instruct How to Start a Small Business online and in class for Loyalist College plus have presented my Real Life Business Series for LC; have presented workshops for the Small Business Centre, Chambers of Commerce and a slew of organizations looking to give entrepreneurs a helping hand. I consult with small business operators directly and I’m a mentor for many youth entrepreneurial programs.
So while I’m packed to the hilt with small business knowledge, if the universe feels bad about the whole ‘no legs for dancing’ thing, I would find forgiveness in my heart if it found me a spot on a team writing for a Canadian sitcom. Just saying…..