As a first-generation American and college graduate, I had to carve my own path that just wasn't in the books for my parents. A lot of my career growth and fulfillment has to be accredited to trial-and-error, hard work and tears, seeking business coaches and group support corners, and assessing when it's time to pivot and experiment. 

Here I was, a student who received a full-ride scholarship to a Big Ten university, and my confidence and mental health was at an all time low. In 2014, I was awarded the Junior Quinn fictional writing award. I was known among my circle of friends as "the writer." I went on to receive my B.A. in Creative Writing from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. 

After graduation, my then fiancé (now husband) and I moved to Los Angeles. We drove out west in a mini-van sporting a "Cali-or-Bust!" decal on the side door. I had $600 in my pocket. We had subleased an apartment in Brentwood. 

I worked as a social media specialist for an emerging e-Commerce brand and later took on a role in proposal writing to support marketing and sales growth. On the side, I was coaching and helping many people around me land their next gig by helping them craft a compelling résumé and nail their elevator pitch. I was good at what I did for a living, but I had bigger plans. Something in me told me to keep going. 

In Fall 2019, I took the leap and started coaching job seekers and/or entry-level professionals. A huge part of my former identity was fear. I was afraid to do poor in school, afraid to take on a path less traveled, and wanted to see success modeled for me. Fear kept me from doing what I always wanted to be doing because I was afraid of failure and being perceived a certain way...

Failure is part of the journey, though. I'm a firm believer in taking risks and documenting your growth journey. You'll be proud you did and can laugh later...

2017

2018

2019

2020

Let's Recap, shall we?

2016

grow through what you go through...