Twenty

Twenty years.

I’m excited to celebrate the 20th anniversary of my company, as it’s given me pause to reminisce, and feel much gratitude as I turn the page to a new chapter...

Let me explain:

When I started out on the adventure of being self-employed back in 2002, the future was unclear, but my intuition guided me (and my husband) to take the leap and offer the services we somehow knew I was meant to provide. I was so very lucky. Yes, I worked hard and learned many lessons along the way, but I acknowledge the luck of being in the right place at the right time, so many times. (Thank you, Bob, Candis, Owen and the bleacher incident, and that fateful evening at a charity softball game that set the ball in motion…)

I couldn’t have predicted the many rewarding and memorable experiences that would come my way.

On community:

With a roster of diverse clients, I had a glimpse into many industries and the opportunity to witness:

· expertise that would build and operate great landmarks, from hospitals to runways and airport and sea terminals, bridges and overpasses, mines and wind turbines;

· compassion that would provide top quality end of life hospice care, addiction treatment, low-income seniors housing, and charities and

· commitment that would ensure quality customer, and employee experiences for so many.

These professionals continue to pour their hearts, souls and elbow grease into making work rewarding and fulfilling, ultimately for better communities of which we are all members.

On learning:

From craft beer to global affairs, I’ve learned we all share one thing – the joy in connecting and learning together.

The common thread among my clients was their keen interest in continuous improvement, their commitment to “doing the right thing”, and their courage to be vulnerable enough to learn and grow. In turn, I learned from every client and colleague, and for that I am grateful.

On collaboration:

I have been fortunate to meet and work alongside the best! Our networks are valuable, as sometimes the great clients and great opportunities also require great creativity and collaboration. Working with other consultants, coaches and facilitators has been one of the real joys for me. We’ve had a lot of fun over the years, and have delivered meaningful experiences to many clients, which has been the best reward, along with the opportunity to now call many of these professionals my friends.

On sharing:

With clients, colleagues, and my valued support team, we shared tears of laughter, tears of enlightenment, and sometimes tears of pain and frustration.

We shared deep thoughts, great insights, and the smallest yet significant wins that moved people along on their unique journeys.

We shared long waits in sketchy airports, restaurants, and hotel lobbies, and found the humour in each situation.

We shared our hopes and fears, our worries, stories and aspirations, and little bits of ourselves along the way.

On family:

None of these rewarding experiences would have been possible without the encouragement, patience and support of my family, and I love them to bits for it.

What’s next?

Well, that’s another blog post coming soon. (Spoiler: back to where it all began…)