Back to the Basics
Saturday, April 3, 2021 • career, Career Coach, Life Coach, Side hustle
Here we are 3 years later and I don't intend to leave. I've planted some roots. But what do you do when you're not forced to slow down? When you're not forced to relax.
Unfortunately, due to some health concerns and just some life events that have happened in the last month, I've been forced to really think - What belongs in my life? What can I shed? I want to hold onto something for as long as possible.
But when I thought of what things should go and what should stay, one I grappled with the longest is my Coaching business. I have been serving as a Life/Career Coach for 14 years, but 4 years as my own business. I have worked with over 500 clients as of this January ranging from professional athletes, fashion designers putting their lines into NYFW, politicians, pageant titleholders, and anything under the creative sun. This life even inspired me to bring my podcast dream out of hibernation. Life has changed and so have my priorities. When I was single, or when Aaron worked longer nights, I had no issue doing resumes, mock interviews, and cover letters late into the night or on my Lunch breaks on Wednesdays. But now? I just want to focus on my health, my marriage, and the other responsibilities that are more long term.
This really hurts. 14 years of my life, I have been cultivating relationships with people I have become friends with, they're not just clients. I've danced at their weddings, held their babies, watched them go through the darkest parts of their life and career transitions as well as their peaks.
I've spent almost half of my life Coaching. It's what helped me buy plane tickets home, that extra tank of gas at the end of a long pay period. It even helped pay off my old car 2 years earlier than expected. This side hustle has held me physically together and emotionally, it has been part of my identity for so long.
But in this season, I hear God calling me back to the basics. The fundamental things that make me whole, and a few, yes just a FEW things that are fun and meaningful. For someone like me, for people like me. We want to think we can do it all and all at once, but we can't. I can't. Admitting that in this season of life is SO difficult. Unfortunately it took a series of events for me to even make this decision to say goodbye for now to Coaching. I was nervous and have a lot of imposter syndrome thinking - But what if I want to come back? Will my clients still be there? Will new ones think I am relevant? And honestly, it doesn't matter. I have become more drawn to the idea and action of reinventing myself. I've done it more than a dozen of times, and I am sure will continue has I gain more time on this earth.
My life has changed dramatically in the last 3 years, and who knows where life will take me (us) next. All I know is that I plan to focus on the basics...Plus the things I know I am meant to carry out 2021 in.
This includes re-shaping this blog. It's almost humorous I am still on Blogger. But it's so simple. It's an extension of my journal typically, and as I go back to the Basics, that includes more writing, more journaling. All the things that make me whole.
I sent an email to my clients - Thank you so much for allowing me into your lives. When I started coaching, I wanted to impact people's transitions, reminding folks that transitions are supposed to be wild, unsettling, and makes you feel like you don't want how to get from point A to B. I loved the getting "unstuck" part of the journey they were on.
But it's time to focus on my own journey. This feels good, this feels peaceful.
From Miss to Mrs. Name is Really Long
Tuesday, August 25, 2020 • America United Pageant, career, Career Coach, Culture, Marriage, Mrs. Washington America United, pageant
Hire Higher Ed: FREE Conference
Wednesday, August 5, 2020 • Advice, Advising, Advisor, career, Career Coach
Jayme Alexis LLC - In Review 2018
Sunday, December 23, 2018 • Advisor, Athletics, Business, career, Career Coach, companies, Competition Coach, For profit, Life Coach, Non profits, pageantry, pageants, Relationships, Start Ups, transition
No matter what you saw on social media...transitioning a business to a different state and retaining clientele that are willing to do virtual communication over face to face was a major loss for me in motivation and in income...Let alone re-building a network of locals I could connect with about our specialized niches - I am still going through the growing pains of this process. I also hired an advisor to help me with the transition, because well, just like the 10 free growth strategies post, I knew I couldn't do it alone.
But today, I'd like to report that today's tears were happy tears, because despite starting over, I had a reminder tonight when my last client for 2018 texted me their job offer to a respected silicon valley tech company (Zuora)! They were one of the athletes transitioning to civilian life, and I couldn't be more proud of them! I needed to be reminded that no matter how rough this transition has been in many areas of my life, one of my favorite things is celebrating other people's wins, especially ones I'm working with!
And as I am learning to share more about me and what I do, instead of giving vague, awkward statements about higher ed, my side hustle, and what not, I thought I'd do a re-cap of client celebrations in 2018!
I feel very honored, and positively overwhelmed tonight getting the opportunity to celebrate these incredible people:
*indicates volunteer/partner/sponsor role & due to client confidentiality, you may inbox me for details, but unfortunately cannot give out identity details unless given permission.
- Coached 2 side hustlers that made their side hustle come to real life
- Coached 4 athletes transitioning from D1 sports to civilian life
- Coached 1 semi pro league athlete transitioning careers; including a player rights agreement
- Coached 3 clients in career changes; consultations and resume/cover letter make overs
- Coached 4 pageant titleholders in interview prep work (All 4 placed in top 5, including 1 divisional winner in ANTSO and 1 winner winning a full scholarship to Virginia State University)
- Advised 1 pageant titleholder transitioning into a full time career while remaining a Miss titleholder for a major system
- Recruited pageant judges for 3 MAO locals*, 2 TEEN USA state pageants, AP Nationals*, AEM Nationals*, 2 NAM state pageants, & 1 INTL Jr Miss state pageant, SUNBURST
- Advised 1 fashion designer for committee assembly & line production
- Coached 1 fashion journalist in a 2018 journalism contest - received job at TEEN Vogue
- Advised 1 non profit board about values and diversity; Hired their college ambassadors
- Advised mayoral candidate and College President on talking points of college graduation attainment through career options in their city and state post graduation*
- Advised 1 start up CEO on talking points of K-12 to higher ed pipeline
- Advised 2 non profit board/CEOs on talking points of K-12 to higher ed pipeline
- Advisor in Seattle Fashion Week - Hiring of production staff; Selection committee of fashion designers and runway production teams
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