The police officer challenge - preparing my equipment for the climb:
At the age of 21, I was asked if I would like to become a police officer. I had attended a couple of years of college, gotten confused on what I wanted and decided to get a job for a while and think things over. The job I got was clerical in a Sheriff’s department. There were no women officers at this time and I would be the first to try it.
Fear could have overcome my life but I blindly said “Why not?”
I was newly married, starting a new career and breaking ground in a male dominated industry. I think from that time forward I began to look at change as exciting and challenging. Well, the bottom line is I survived all of this transition and enjoyed 13 years in law enforcement.
All days were challenging. I worked at arresting people, testifying in court, driving a police car, speaking in front of large groups, wearing a uniform, shooting a gun, directing traffic, drug counseling and training others in an environment that was all male except for me. Imagine the inner growth from age 21 to 34. I could write a book about those years but the important part is that I did not stop learning and growing as a person.
While I was an officer, I found myself teaching in a 2 year degree law enforcement program at Columbus Technical College. I taught veteran officers and young high school graduates in the same classes. This was during the 60’s with all the riot issues, hatred of authority and reexamination of law enforcement ethics. Was I afraid the first day of the first class? Yes! But it helped me grow as a person.
The most important lesson that I learned is still with me today. Life is about using your intelligence and experience to handle situations – not brute force! Officers who relied on force to do their jobs found controversy, charges and disciplinary action. Funny how it all goes back to “Do unto others as you would want others to do to you.” I came away from those years with respect for others and integrity to do the right thing. Invaluable!
While standing in a snow storm, directing traffic around a school bus accident with a temperature of 4 degrees below zero, I said to myself – It’s time for a new challenge in a warmer climate!
A new environment – Climbing up the mountain a little farther:
I packed up my 6 year old child and moved to Largo, Florida as a newly single parent. Law enforcement did not recognize transferring credentials at that time and any police job would be starting over in seniority. That meant I would have to earn all the respect over again and prove myself by achieving the same accomplishments. Since that would have been like re-living my life, although it was safe – it was boring and had no challenge to it.
I took a job with Eckerd Drug stores in security. I started at a bottom level, promoted and ended up training and traveling the corporation insuring security compliance. The owner of the chain was my best mentor and although he was wealthy and successful, he always had time for people. Again, as always happens, the company changed as he retired and left the daily functions to a new team of executives.
One day Eckerd Drugs offered a scholarship to Eckerd College to any employees who wanted to complete their degrees. I was the first to enroll. In spite of traveling the corporation, having a nine year old daughter and being single, I took on the degree process and went back to school. The company stopped the scholarship program but stated that as long as those already in it stayed enrolled, maintained a “B” average and did not take a break, they would continue the promise. In 1982, I graduated from Eckerd College with a degree in Management and Business Administration. Cost = $ 169. One book I had to buy myself! Now you may say that was lucky…I think not. It was hard work, focus and determination!
A Private Investigative Agency – Hanging from the mountain but enjoying the view:
I next started my own business evaluating employees secretively for companies who needed to know what was happening when management was not present. This required that I get my Private Investigative license and form a full service agency. Here we go again, learning new things, new accomplishments, traveling the State of Florida and growing a new business. While I knew how to do the evaluations and investigations – I did not know anything about marketing my business! I grew the business and worked for such companies as Burger King, Kash n’ Karry, Universal Studios, Florida Choice, Midas Muffler Shops, The Apartment Guide, Contempo Casuals, Rave, Saddlebrook Resort and various restaurants and bars. I learned valuable information about franchising, service businesses, amusement parks and resorts. Lucky again? No - hard work, no fear and focus.
TV Retailing – Caught on a ledge but still a great view:
During the time of owning my own business, I missed the corporate social interaction. I started working part-time with Home Shopping Network as an order taker at night on weekends to earn some extra money to go on a cruise. Because of my work ethic, soon I was being asked to go full time and go into management. It was such an interesting and challenging business that I decided to add another chapter to my life challenges. I closed my business – Didn’t want someone else to buy it and use my name and reputation without my assurance that they were ethical.
I was a Supervisor at HSN working in the Amway Department. We contracted with Amway to take and support their distributors. This was an eye opening and enlightening
learning experience about Network Marketing. I got to know many of the corporate people with Amway such as Lil Vroma who headed their Customer Service. The people involved in Amway were wonderfully friendly and nice. What a pleasant working experience. HSN decided to move this function to a TicketMaster location in Louisiana and I spent several weeks training the new people with Lil from Amway Corporation. Very interesting and challenging.
Next I because a Customer Service Supervisor for HSN’s main operation and then Customer Service Manager. I led a team of 8 Supervisors with about 300 people under them. I worked with escalated issues, HSN.com and maintenance of customer accounts.
One day after 12 years, I was called in to my boss’ office and given a severance package of 24 weeks. So here I was at age 60, without employment for the first time in my life – not my choice!
I will hire myself – 40 feet from the peak, enjoying the view and balancing myself:
After trying to find a comparable management job, I discovered that many thought I was too old to hire! I knew I was a great employee, very loyal and a great work ethic. So I began my own business in Network Marketing. OK, new learning experience – forget the corporate attitude and re-program my approach to business. After many learnings and studying of approaches, I discovered that my sponsor had much of the right approach and I could have saved a great deal of time by listening and doing what I was told. Wow. And guess what, I’m still learning and still facing change on a daily basis.
