A Good Idea Needs Passion. Part I

Since finding out that I'm moving to Edmonton, I've been in a unique situation. Unemployment. In a weird way I've been asking for it. "I wish I didn't have to do this so that I could pursue my own thing." After a million times said while shedding tears in the shower... the #manstar gets transferred and I have no job for the second time in my life. Apparently, universe figured the best way for me to pursue my own thing was to give me time. Lots and lots of time. This isn't the first time I've been given the opportunity, it's just this time I'm listening.

It started a few years back, when I suffered one of my biggest regrets: In 2009 I made the decision to move back to Ottawa after figuring out Mina! was going to be a lot harder than I thought, and raising my daughter while having my husband on the other side of the country just wasn't working for anyone. When I go here, I applied for whatever job because I was scared. What I should have done was go back to school. I should have taken more time to really pursue what I wanted. I should trusted that we would be okay, if not better, if I really buckled down and made a 'proper' decision on the direction of my life.

These are all the things I should have done, but instead, I did what I do best. I freaked out, panicked and did what I thought I was required of me as a mother and a wife.

FWD: 2013 I've spent the last 4 years working in the hospitality and tourism industry. An industry I never thought I would ever get into. Ever. And over the past 4 years, amazingly these two jobs have been able to cross over: Print/Design/Distribution. Ironically, I've become of a bit of an expert in this area and have learned so much about what clients really need vs what my employer(s) want them to need.


It didn't occur to me until a meeting I had recently when a client I was working with asked I knew someone that could do XY & Z. If only I could charge $5 for every time I've been asked this and a commission for all the 'unsolicited' advice I've given. This particular day, I decided to ask my client why it was so hard for the industry to get 'said' job done. His answer didn't really surpriseme:

• It's not a glamorous job
• It doesn't pay well
• It's hard to know if the job's been done, which could cost a fortune on the backend
• Print is expensive, and very easily wasted/disposed of

As I was driving home, I'm not sure if it was the universe or the sun that blinded me with a serious #magicmoment.

• I'm pretty good at being unglamorous
• Multiple clientele with a sustainable revenue model ~ what's my job again?
• I've created inventory reports for brochure distribution before, I can do it again
• In the print world it's called a gang-run, and I can make that happen

For all of their problems, I have a solution!

Since then, almost every appointment I've had, my clients have been lamenting on their challenges. Instead of brushing them off and focusing on why I was there, I'm listening. I taking in every they're saying because I know these nuggets of info are gold.

Their questions for betterment, are my answers to success.

Only one problem, and this is a big problem. While all of this seems easy and do-able... it just doesn't seem to have that it factor. Menu and print distribution doesn't make me want to "go tell it on the mountain".

And then I struck me. If I did this and it worked out to the point of expansion, I would need help. As mentioned above, this is an industry where reliable people are a rarity. Who could I ask for help that I could rely on... SAHM.

Stay At Home Moms. I wanted to be one, but my situation didn't allow for it... nor did the job market. And it broke my heart, clearly it still does. I would have given anything for one more year at home with my little monkey, anything! So the question begs to ask... did I just find my passion?

To be continued...

Dreaming of the Red Carpet,
Love and Light,
Amanda