Client Case Study Cheryl Watson Cooney - When I Grow Up

Client Case Study Cheryl Watson Cooney - When I Grow Up Um, do you know that Ive coached hundreds of women since I started offering dream career guidance in 2008? And that these women are freakin rock stars, leaving soul-sucking jobs and traveling the world and launching creative, grown-up businesses and simply doing work that fits their lifestyle goals? Well ya do now and youll hear their stories firsthand in my  Client Case Studies series!  Cheryl Watson Cooney is another former Career Camper of mine who has since launched her own site and online shop. I love how her answers dont sugar-coat the journey it takes to be fully self-employed, and how she found a part-time bridge job that fits in her own personal mission. Enjoy! Why did you decide to work with a creative career coach in a group program? I didnt feel like Id chosen the right career path and wanted to switch to something more fitting for me: something hands-on as a maker or designer of small goods. I was already gearing up for taking a leap, leaving my job and moving to Montana, so the Career Camp came at the perfect time since it was the three months just before the move. What were you doing work-wise when we started our sessions? I was working for an international interior design firm, drafting architectural plans for retail and corporate spaces. It was a decent job, but I wasnt as passionate about interiors as Id hoped, and didnt like the long hours that were my present and inevitable future. I wanted a job that would allow me to make a difference in my community and allow me time to spend time with friends and family. What was your biggest takeaway from our work together? It was super helpful to see that there were tons of examples of people out there making money working for themselves, contributing to the world in ways that brought them and others joy and contentment. I loved the regularity with which Michelle would underscore that concept and address my concerns about becoming an entrepreneur. Was there anything else you tried to do as a career between the time we stopped our program  and what you do for work now? If so, how did it inform your current business? Sooo I dont know if Ive got a career going at the moment per se I did move to Montana and, just as Id hoped, I focused on taking different trade classes, like welding, tiling, ceramics, upholstery, cooking, etc. I designed a couple meditational board books for children [for which I still need to find a publisher] and launched a website and online shop for inspirational greeting cards and posters. As far as making goes, I feel like Ive come a long way and, at the same time, not far enough in the last year. I love pretty much everything Ive created. I forged Montana-shaped ceramic cheese plates, beaded gem necklaces for the local handmade shop, developed a bunch of graphic design products for my site and familiarized myself with the local print shop. However, the transition from stellar employee to successful entrepreneur was a bit slow-going for me with my cautious personality, so at 10 months in, I got a part-time job to ease my anxiety around covering health insurance and student lo an payments. The part-time gig is at the local Food Resource Center, where I oversee the commercial kitchen and preserve vegetables for distribution in the food pantry. I love that I was able to find something that tied into my end goal of being a source of good in the world. Now I just need to be better with my free time and making more goods for my site and marketing them to brick and mortar shops. What would you tell someone now that was in your shoes when we first started working together? Whats your best tip to allow them to make a grown-up living doing what they love? Make the most of the resources available to you. If youre going to hire a coach or participate in an online class or buy a study-guide, carve out some dedicated hours to do the (home)work and become more effective faster. Whats on the horizon for your business? Wed love to hear about any upcoming offerings or goals! Im currently finishing up my 2016 KALEndar [w/ drawings of 12 kale varieties], which will hopefully be on my website in the next couple weeks. Career Change Masterclass, my next group program, opens tomorrow (!) but only to the peeps on this list!  Sign up there for my free webinar this Thursday and youll get all the deets about Career Change Masterclass in your Inbox tomorrow. Scary/exciting my fave!