When it comes to inspirational people, the list is long. One woman who stands out to me the most is the Founder and CEO of The Financial Gym, Shannon McClay. Shannon started The Financial Gym after leaving a successful career as an advisor. I first heard her talk at an event in NYC and it truly changed my life. After listening to her speak, I began listening to her podcast. The company she has built, The Financial Gym has a mission to make financial accessible to all walks of life. Hearing her speak literally changed the path of my life. I eventually became a member of The Financial Gym and the first time I went for a meeting, Shannon was the one who greeted me and asked if I wanted a cup of coffee. How many CEO's care about their employees on that level, let alone customers who walk in their VERY FIRST DAY. She doesn't pretend to be perfect with money or have it all figured out. She openly talks about her personal struggles and the struggled faced while building the company. I am going through Life Coaching certification this fall and that would not be happening if I didn't see Shannon speak that summer day last June.
When people talk about me, I want to be known for being a great listener, open, kind, and a hard worker. There is nothing more important in life than the connections we make with other people. As a freelancer, I oftentimes only meet people once or twice, but because the industry is so small, everyone knows everyone. No matter what job I am doing, where I am, or who I am with, I always want to listen and show kindness and compassion. I've had many one-time conversations with people that have had profound change in my life. You never know just being yourself, unapologetically can help someone be their true self. When people remember me, I want them to remember how they could be truly open and there would be no judgement on my end. When it comes to money, relationships, and professional development, people often hold back for fear of being made fun of. I want people to live their best lives and help them anyway I can, no matter where I am.
Upon meeting me now, people would be very surprised to find out I grew up very Evangelical Christian. The kind of church that was full of scandals, pastors assaulting girls, and so much shame, guilt, and lying. From the time I was a kid until around age 17, I thought I was going to grow up and be a missionary. My whole life revolved around Jesus and the Church. I deconstructed from the church through college and am still unlearning in my adult life all of the damage the church. People would be surprised to know this about me because it is no longer apart of my life in that way at all. Looking back, it was very cult like. The stories from my childhood that seem completely normal to me SHOCK anyone who did not grow up in a church like mine or know someone who did.
When it comes to career goals, this year has shown me great shift in direction. This fall, I am attending Beautiful You Coaching Academy to become a certified coach. This program is a 6-month course with a lot of work and personal development within. My goal is to complete the class, apply for my certification, and launch my own business. I've been a freelance artist for 6 years now and it is an incredibly physically demanding career. Launching my own coaching business allows me to help people on my own terms, create programs, and create tangible change in people's lives. My goal with certification is to become a confidence coach. Ultimately, I want to help women become financially independent. I don't know exactly what this will look like, but I put the deposit down on the corse and start this October.
The first boss I ever had in the theatre industry told me this when deciding whether or not to take an art job. "There are three things to look for when considering a job. 1. Is the art good? 2. Are the people good? 3. Is the money good? If you have all 3, absolutely YES take the job. If you have 2/3, still seriously consider the job, if there's only 1/3 you can still take the job.. but it depends on the other two factors." This is something I think about every single time I consider a new gig or continuing in an existing one. It is such a simple piece of advice, but so helpful. It can be hard to say no to jobs when you're first starting out and I am forever thankful that boss told me that when I first started out. It has saved me from so many jobs that would have been a bad fit.
Ohio University
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