Success left clues

As a child, I thought I would grow up to be a teacher, a lawyer, a meteorologist. I never dreamed of becoming a marketing professional. As an adult, I built my career slow and steady; proving myself one opportunity at a time. I learned different industries, jargon, and ways to connect with people. I helped organizations translate ideas into connection points. I genuinely enjoyed corporate life. Building something on my own was never on my bucket list. And yet … here I am.

When I look back on the road that brought me here, I can see there were clues.

I’ve always been a book lover. As a military kid, moving every few years became a way of life. New schools, new neighborhoods, and new friendships required me to adapt quickly. Books became a constant when everything else was changing – always changing.

What I didn’t realize then was that those books were teaching me more than reading comprehension. They were teaching me empathy, perspective, storytelling, and communication.

𝙎𝙪𝙘𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙡𝙚𝙛𝙩 𝙖 𝙘𝙡𝙪𝙚.

Later in life, I found myself drawn to public relations because writing felt natural. While many of my classmates dreaded writing assignments, I jumped at the idea to put pen to paper. Then, in graduate school, I chose to write a thesis because, to me, this seemed like the easier choice.

𝘼𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙘𝙡𝙪𝙚.

Over the next two decades, I built a career in marketing and communications. I wrote press releases, executive speeches, communication plans, social media content, website copy, and countless other works. 𝙈𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙘𝙡𝙪𝙚𝙨.

Then life threw me a curveball.

A career change I didn’t see coming forced me to ask hard questions about what I wanted next. It was unsettling but not paralyzing. I realized the things I’d spent years doing for employers had put me in the best position to build something for myself.

My business, Authentic Impressions, was born from these decades of clues.

📚 Books
✍🏽 Writing
👂🏽 Listening
📖 Storytelling
💬 Communication
🤝 Relationships
🌱 Success and challenges

It all prepared me. My steps were ordered, and I was, indeed, made for such a time as this.

Sometimes we’re so focused on where we’re trying to go that we miss the breadcrumbs showing us who we’re becoming. And sometimes the things that feel disconnected in the moment make perfect sense in hindsight.

Today, I’m grateful for the clues, and I’m forging a new path forward.

✨ Looking back on your own journey, what clues were pointing you toward the work you’re doing today?