Hi all, I am Alex from Things That Sparkle and I am so honored that Julia asked me to be a part of this exciting new series.
What did you major in college/what was your first job out of college?
I majored in Communication at University of Colorado. Within 3 days of graduation I started my job at OgilvyAction as an Assistant Account Executive.
How long did it take to realize it wasn’t for you? What were the initial signs of “help! get me out of here!”?
I think I realized more quickly than I was willing to admit that it wasn’t the right fit for me. It really had been my “dream job”, or at least I thought. There were components of the job I loved. The client interaction and the team environment, but overall, I wasn’t fulfilled. It wasn’t the dream job I thought it would be. But I also thought, “well that’s reality things aren’t always perfect, keep pushing through”. A month shy of my two month anniversary, it clicked. I couldn’t do it anymore. I was crying in conference rooms and telling myself it was normal. So I left. Got up one morning and quit.
What was the first thing you did after you left your job? scream? cry? take a trip?
All of the above. Seriously. Thankfully, I had already booked a trip to Mexico with my girlfriends. So that was a nice escape. But I was really lost. I left my job thinking I was taking another job in the same industry and while in Mexico I realized that was SO not what I wanted to be doing.
What sort of “homework” did you do before turning your passion into a career? (masters program, networking, online research etc)?
I met with some people who had gone through the same post-graduate program I was looking into. I got an internship in the interior design field. And then enrolled in the associates program at Harrington College of Design. I also worked really hard at expanding my blog during this time as I quickly realized what an amazing asset it would be for me.
How long have you been working for yourself?
About 5 months! Very new still.
What is the scariest thing about doing what you did?
Everything. Leaving the job security, benefits and a salary. I mean, really, what was I thinking??
Do you ever regret leaving your day job?
Not for one minute. I know it was the best thing I have ever done for myself.
What is your #1 piece of advice to people scared to follow their dreams in fear of failure?
It is scary. You should be scared. But I really, really, deeply believe that if you are 100% invested in something you can find a way to make it work. Maybe not in the exact way you envisioned, but it will come together. I think it is important to be realistic, understand your industry but still be optimistic. It is well worth it.