Taking the Plunge

So, after living in California for almost two years now, I've decided to take the plunge and instead of continuing to apply and interview for positions, I am taking matters into my own hands and starting my own business. When we first moved here, I started applying for non-profit counseling positions, because the state of California does not grant reciprocity to licenses from other states... for any certification (or so it seems). So, that pretty much put a damper on the whole school counseling arena... Not to mention that because the state is in such financial strain, most counselors, librarians, art teachers, PE teachers, and athletic programs have been cut in the last two years. Long story short, after a few interviews I came to realize that it didn't matter how well the interview went or how great I felt about it. No one was going to hire an employee that was 7 months pregnant and would need some maternity leave within a few weeks. Also, based on my job history and resume, it doesn't take an employer long to determine that I am a military spouse that will eventually move. Pregnant or not - the military spouse status always presents a red flag, because most employers do not want to spend the time or resources to hire someone, train them, and then risk losing them within a year or two. So, I decided that it would be better just to wait. Wait until the baby was born, then wait until he had his surgery, then wait until I had my ACL reconstruction, then wait until Nic got home from his long deployment and Cole and I returned from our summer in Michigan. So, the career search was put on hold. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE staying home with Cole and I still love it. But, I'm also a very driven person and want to have my own successful career. So, ideally, I have been looking for something that would give me the opportunity to thrive in doing what I love to do - which is help others - while spending most of my time being a great mom to Cole! Well, last fall, I started applying for positions again and did pretty well at landing interviews and second interviews. However, because the economy is so bad and the state funding is being cut, the hiring process from resume submission to the 2nd interview took around 4 months!! Yes - 4 months!!! So, getting frustrated because we only have a little more than 1 year left in this program and then may be moving out of California, I effectively threw my hands up and said "I quit". To me, the process became a waste of time. I was sick of scouring the employment listings and completing cover letters and resumes, when I only have a finite time left in California. Besides, at this point, the reality is that most of these places will not hire me anyways, because we live by the base - they know the game - and they know if you tell them that you've been in California for two years... you won't be here too much longer. So, that was the end of my job search, but I still felt guilty for not contributing financially, because we could defiantly use two incomes - I'm still paying off my graduate school loan and California is just an expensive place to live. Low and behold, along comes a friend who has just decided to start her own business and after 3 months is doing amazing things! Her husband was 2 years ahead of Nic in his program. She is also an Air Force Academy grad and is still in the reserves. She has owned her own successful business, which she started in California and has worked incredibly hard at for 3 years, but once she decided to start working with Rodan + Fields, she sold her other business to concentrate on this because it has such a wonderful product, philosophy, and structure. After researching the business and product and it's successes, I decided that this is not an opportunity that I want to pass up. It offers the flexibility that I was looking for, I am able to set my own hours, work with a great, supportive team of individuals, and offer job opportunities to others that may be struggling with the same dilemmas as me. Dr. Rodan and Dr. Fields are dermatologists that graduated from Stanford and continue to work in the East Bay. They are well known for creating ProActive, the acne treatment. Recently, they created a new line of skincare products that address Anti-Aging, sun spots, and minor blemishes. The products are amazing and the results are astounding. The company has been continually recognized the last two years because of how fast it is growing and the popularity and effectiveness of the products! These are the facts that caught my eye, but what really hit home were the personal success stories of other consultants in the business. In as little as three months, people are turning their lives around, paying off debt, avoiding foreclosure, and securing their financial future. One of the first steps as a new consultant is to find your "why." Why is it that you want to become successful at running your own business and gaining financial freedom. Well, in our training the other day, it hit me. I knew that I wanted to stay home with Cole and still be able to contribute, but that is not a concrete goal or reason - that is a feeling. Then it hit me... what do I really want right now that I can't have because of financial constraints? Well, two weeks ago, my ob doctor told me, that we should look into In Vetro fertilization in order to add to our family. My immediate response was that we can't afford it. The insurance will not cover it and although we are financially secure on one income, throwing tens of thousands of dollars at a procedure that has no guarantees is not an option at this point. So, that is my goal. I am aiming high and if we have not gotten pregnant by the start of 2012, I will be able to afford In Vetro and hopefully add to our family!!