What is your career path?

[Hybrid Mom]

What is your career path?

College -- Job --- Baby --- Maternity Leave -- Job -- Opted Out -- Started Own Business?

Share the path you took to get where you are today.

[Mary]

My interest (and eventually my 'career path') of graphic design began while I was a junior in high school (tons of years ago!). I actually started in typography because of my love of type/letterforms and my inability to illustrate (the brain sees it, but the hand can't get it on paper). As the industry grew toward the "electronic age" I was able to share my creative ability by manipulating the various pieces of proprietary equipment and eventually my computer. My knowledge and lack of fear relating to things 'electronic' allowed me to use the illustration/photo softwares and finally design, rather than set type for & work alongside other designers... allowing my business to blossom full-circle. I started my typography, then design business in 1985 and have loved every minute of it.

My design abilities allowed me to create another business in 2006. It's the business that brought me to Hybrid Moms and Moms-for-Profit. It's Wish & Celebrate, where I sell Baby's First Birthday (birthday party & time capsule kits), and where I hope to create then sell other products for celebrating life's milestone events. Although the 2 businesses might seem unrelated, both of them springboard off of each other in my day-to-day life. I am proud of and thrilled with how and where my career path has taken me.

[Amy Middleton]

After almost 9 years as a police officer I have opened a children's consignment boutique! As a wife and mother of six (5 still at home) and grandmother of one, I found myself longing for time to spend with my family that wasn't stolen or broken up by constant shift changes and special details. I learned so much during my time as a public servant but the most important was that I HAVE VALUE! I actually possess qualities that people like and admire...when I started liking and admiring those qualities in myself, I decided that it was time to move on. That and a line-of-duty injury...has me headed for retirement. Serving so selflessly the citizens of my fine city was completely rewarding, but my level of creativity became stifled. I didn't enjoy people as much as I used to and dealing with them always felt like work. I will miss being an officer, serving the public and teaching new recruits. I am looking forward to this next chapter of my Hybrid life with excitement, wonder and goals of achievement. I've been a great boss and instructor to so many over the past 9 years, it will be wonderful to finally reward myself and my family with the same!

[Bayou Twin Mom]

This is a loaded question, but I thought I'd take a shot at it.

I was a successful college drop-out. I was studying Hotel, Restaurant & Tourism and after a summer working at Disney World, well, I decided to stay! After five great years of experience with the 'mouse', who needed a college degree? That experience alone on a resume equaled to a college degree in any "service industry" type job.

So, when I returned home to New Orleans, I was focused on landing a management position in a hotel. And so I did, and continued my hospitality career working from the Front Desk to Convention Services to Convention Sales. I was enjoying my career until I had a wake up call after my cousin lost her battle to breast cancer. I decided that my skills and talents would be much more useful in raising funds for those in need. Ironically, during this epiphany I was experiencing, I became engaged and decided to move an hour west to Baton Rouge. It was the perfect time to make the career change since I could not continue my current job from my new home.

Lucky for me, I found a wonderful job as a Special Events Coordinator for an international non-profit organization. It was the perfect fit for me and their organization. I continued non-profit for a couple more years, but as my family grew, I found it a struggle to give the my time and energy to everyone. Working for a non-profit is 24/7, at least for me it was. So, I needed to take a break.

Fast-forward to today, where I am an Executive / Personal Assistant for a President of a software company AND now owner of my company, Gemini Greetings. With three young children, I simply could not do more than I am without losing my mind. I am very driven and by the time my kids are in school, I am sure I will selling my products internationally and launching more products in my business.

I have always seen myself as an entrepreneur, just never knew what I wanted to do until now. If only I could add a few extra hours in my day, I'd could do it all. Right?

[Bethany]

This could get long... here it goes:

College - Job - More Job - Another Job - Baby 1 - Maternity leave - Job - Part Time Job - Full Time Job - Baby 2 - Maternity Leave - Job - Writing Novels with Job....

Man! That doesn't look to adventurous does it?

[Lisa Jones]

I have spent most of my working career in medical background covering 20 years. I left the medical arena because of burnout and went to school for a bit and did some temp work as an admin asst because of all my software skills and loved it. Here I am 12 years later stepping out to build my own clientele with my own virtual admin business. I am enjoying building this business for myself and networking with all the new people that support each other in our business/career paths.

Lisa J.

[Dannie]

Let's see -- quick route:

military - marriage - kid 1 - job 1 - kid 2 - maternity leave - one year off - job 2 & college - job 3 & college - job 4 & college & blogging

[Lynleigh B.]

High school--Air Force--a little college (online) 3months shy of bachelors in business management--married--pregnant--separate from military--1st baby--stay at home mommy--part time job--stay at home mommy--2nd baby--still 3 mo. shy of degree and at home planning and researching to start business at home......

[Petula Wright]

Oh it seems like such a long path. After one year of college I went into the military then back to college so I guess it would look something like this:

college - military - mommyhood - college/work/baby - job - opt out - freelance editing and writing - marriage - baby #2 - freelancing - baby #3 - freelancing - pregnant - separation/no marriage - another baby (#4) - blogging/freelancing!

In between all of that I have been a substitute teacher and I am about to see my first child graduate from high school. I've done some technical editing, ghostwriting, magazine article writing and a bunch of writing and editing in between. I love blogging and hope that it - along with my other writing skills - will lead to more than a freelancer's wages. I recently submitted my children's book manuscript to an agent and I am very excited (and nervous!) about that.

The reason I took a path of freelancing for most of my adult life is so that I can be available for my children. ... and it really works for me to be able to have the option to be hands on during the day.

[EJ Suh]

For me it was college, job, kids, college, job, kids, career. I didn't follow a traditional path. I walked with my diploma when I was 9mo pregnant with my second child. I valet parked cars through the end of my second trimester to pay for school.
I took a job to help the household income but realized I was missing out on my kids while paying someone else to care for them and it just didn't make sense. So for a while, I opted out. I had always thought about creating my own business and I did manage to get some copywriting work while raising my two small children but I had to go back full time after my divorce. I learned and caught up with my career trajectory finally after that and I'm so happy to be in a profession that I love. Marketing, PR, copywriting and design are all my passions, but I am also a soloist writer at heart.

I plan on having a "day job" until I can exceed my salary purely with my writing.

[Teresa Bodnar]

I've taken the home-based business path. I enjoy learning from the many people of all ages that have chosen the adventures of a home-based business. I learn of new businesses just about every day. Such creative people and I think it is fantastic we have so many choices. You have to really want to succeed, be determined and focused, set goals or have a plan of action. It's work- but fun-it can be exhausting and exhilarating. I have many ways I can run my business and that is a plus. I help my clients do storybooking. I may be crazy but I am thinking of adding another home-based business to my life. I am thinking of getting into a beadwork/jewelry making business, sounds like fun! There is a company I may choose to represent. I would have jewelry making workshops. Anyone do beadwork out there?
" Design the life and business you want" -unknown