Life of an Entrepreneur
Hey Everyone my name is Stacey Barber I am 47 years old entrepreneur, wife and mom of two boys ages 14 and 17. Over twenty years ago, I finished my marketing degree and started a career as a professional insurance broker. It was a career that I enjoyed for a number of years but with all the changes in the industry and company mergers it was time for me to make a change as I no longer enjoyed what I was doing. I was stressed to the max everyday and it was starting to affect my health and family life. Coming home everyday in a bad mood and dreading going into the office is no way to live life!
I will never forget what my father has told me a number of times in life “You are in life where you choose to be, if you don’t like it you are the only one that has the power to change it” a wise man. He could see that I was not where I wanted to be and reminded me in a non judgemental way to look inside to what I want.
Last year I left my career as a Professional Insurance Broker and purchased a franchisee GetintheLoop for the North Okanagan and Salmon Arm area in BC. This was not an easy decision by any means and leap of faith to a new way of life. My parents are entrepreneurs and have been my entire life so I guess partly it is in the genes to go for it and see what happens. So that is what I did. My family was supportive of my change in careers which helped in making the leap of faith. One year later I cannot tell you the number of times I hear you are a different and happier person. I am not saying it has been an easy first year but so far it has made me back to the person I once was happy!
Ever hear the term as a mom work life balance. Have you ever obtained this life balance that everyone speaks about as a working mom and wife? Well I have to say I am close to achieving this but I am not sure one can ever have the perfect balance.
This is why I set out to write this blog and to say to all the women out in the professional world or working from home don’t feel bad if you don’t have this work life balance. I think as a working mom that we all feel at some point the mom guilt or the work guilt. The mom guilt you have that important meeting can’t get out of it will make or break you so you have to miss a school play. The work guilt you have to take your lunch at 2:00 to get your son to drive him to hockey and you are 15 mins late back to the office. We have all been in these two similar situations. Give yourself a break as you are doing all that you can for work and family. My generation X is the hard-working generation, we want it all and always have. We believe you can have it all if you work for it, how is that going so far! I think we learn a thing or two from the millennial's as they do put health and family above work. I am starting to see the importance in this during the last year.
How important is that new car or house? Can you keep your current car for a bit longer? Is your car or your health more important? The stress these days we put on ourselves is so great! These are all the questions I asked myself before I made the leap of faith.
As a new Entrepreneur Mom, I find I am so close to having it all! It is not going to happen overnight but I am so close to being able to have the time for my family and my company. Love the Grind is a motto that GetintheLoop has and it is so true. Do you love what you do and will you keep on grinding? That is what my success looks like! I am loving what I do and wake up ready to take on the day. Do you love what you do? What does your success look like? What part of your day gets you fired up and motivated?