Why Corporate Is No Longer For Me and How It Impacts How I Run My Business

I used to be the perfect corporate woman. Right out of university many years ago, I got an office job and I was good at it, exceeding expectations, picking things up quickly and being assigned more work as a "reward" for all my hard work. I steadily climbed the corporate ladder, getting the temporary assignments, becoming the Subject Matter Expert, training the new hires, taking on stretch assignments and generally, going above and beyond my job description. Because I was told that was what I had to do to succeed and boy did I want to succeed.

Fast forward a few years and someone near and dear to me became terminally ill and had literal weeks left to live. I requested a temporary accommodation to work from home 4 days a week instead of the standard 2 so I could spend as much time as possible with them and help care for them in their final weeks. It was denied. They were more concerned with the optics and how it would look to other employees if I was suddenly in the office only 1 day a week instead of 3. I was devasted. Someone incredibly close to me would soon cease to exist and I was not shown any empathy. That was when I had the shocking realization: I am a cog in a corporate machine. Expected to execute, no emotions allowed, don't be human. I never wanted to feel like that again.

And so, today I run my business with a true people first mindset. Come as you are. Whether in sweats, with a baby in your lap or a dog barking out the window behind you. How you dress, who is around you, where you are working from - none of those things matter. They don't impact the kind of job you can do, the difference you can make. If you need to reschedule or take time away to breathe so you can show up as your best self, I highly encourage it.

Together, we can show up, support one another and succeed together by viewing business relationships through a compassionate, human first lens.