What comes next? Rebounding After a Mid Career Setback
Covid was a life-altering experience for almost everyone on the planet. Some people struggled while others thrived. Early, mid to late professionals used Covid as the catalyst to reevaluate their lives and careers because their companies started to downsize, jobs were put on hold, job offers rescinded, and loss of business revenue were all catalysts for change. Jon, a mid-career professional, didn’t escape from having to pivot and rebound.
When Jon came to us for support, he had shut down his preschool business after 11 years due to Covid. But, within those two years since, he took on a driving job to fill the employment gaps. Simultaneously, trying to transition into the education world in higher education but couldn’t get past the gatekeepers. So, he abandoned that approach, and from there, he was all over the place.
He was looking for coaching to give him a framework to be his best self. He needed help to focus, understand what drives and motivates him, narrow down a career path that gives him satisfaction, enjoyment, respect, and admiration from peers, coworkers, and family, and fill the financial void.
Working with Kori has been a unique, life-changing experience for me. I should have been doing this type of work much sooner at different points in my life.
Before the pandemic, I was the owner and director of a preschool in West Hartford, Connecticut, for approximately 11 years. Unfortunately, because of Covid, I had to close down the school. Being a business owner and losing a business shook me to my core and forced me to dig deep and look at my next steps.
Am I going to work for somebody else? Am I going to work for myself again? What does the future look like?
During that time, I hit a low point while looking for the next step. I took on a temporary driving job to cover the employment gap while providing stability for my family. It was daunting and overwhelming, which I’m sure many people can relate to when trying to figure out their next move and not exactly where they’re going.
I spent a lot of time with Kori through this soul-searching and career exploration process. When going through the Positive Mindset training, I drew a head opening up with all the negative critical thoughts about myself. Then we discussed changing those dark thoughts into positive affirmations. I called it magic bubbles, a picture of lips blowing these bubbles in the air, and they were all the flip side: the positive, the glass-half-full view.
I didn’t want to wallow in my misery anymore, thinking about where I was but instead say that it’s okay to fail. I think it’s important for everybody to understand that there are times when we want to succeed, and we do, but there are times when we fail. We can learn from our failures and turn those into successes. So that initial soul-searching drawing was a real a-ha moment for me.
As I dug deep, I could see some common themes popping up, like “wanting to help people,” “wanting to make an impact,” “leaving a stamp on the world,” and “being a good example for my family, my wife, and my children.” It was like we were in the process of weaving a web together.
But it was digging deep, continuing to move forward, seeing connections, and understanding my value system. As I began narrowing down my scope of focus, I realized my priorities of being happy in what I do, putting myself in the right position, and understanding who I am as a person and that success will come. So this exploration helped me continue to narrow my focus and get closer and closer to the path.
When I finally got to the moment of clarity, it was scary and daunting to think I would start my venture, but needless to say, I’ve started my own company! It’s called Trusted Companion Senior Concierge Care. It’s how I want to help people and make my mark and my family proud.
My new business’s mission is to help seniors thrive and provide family members peace of mind. We offer many services to the senior community, family members, or older adult children. Services like transportation, companionship, move management services, bucket list vacation ideas, and help to fill in the gaps where there might be overwhelming feelings of guilt or the inability to be at a particular location with a loved one.
Through our coaching sessions and research about different paths, I also got a real estate license, which was a significant accomplishment! This, under my belt, will open up other doors and avenues to complement Trusted Companion Senior Concierge Care and help people move and downsize.
My advice to somebody thinking about doing this program is to research and ensure it is the right fit. Everybody has a different personality, and over the years, I worked with other coaches, and my connection with Kori was critical in my growth process.
Allow yourself to dream a little bit and find out what makes you happy in the job. This program can help you figure that out, and to have a mentor and a coach to guide you and keep you accountable was a critical piece of the puzzle for me.
I also recommend embracing the challenge. You will be scared, but do not let fear paralyze you. There were times when I was allowing fear to hold me back. I would take a step forward, two steps back, and then continue pushing forward. It helped to think about things in a micro as much as a macro way and break down each day and each task into individual tasks, so looking at the big picture of where I wanted to go.
As I move forward, I’m excited. I’m nervous. I’m making progress, picking up more clients, and learning from the case-to-case nuances of what I’m doing. The exciting part is the unknown of where it can go!
