How About a Career Change to a Circus in Japan?
When people find out I am a flying trapeze artist turned career advisor, they always want to know how I got here.
I love answering this question because my career trajectory has been anything but traditional. By sharing, I hope to encourage people to pursue the career path burning in their soul rather than what they feel they “ought” to do.
“That Kid’s Not Going Anywhere!”
At age 15, I’m sure people had their doubts about me. My hair was purple. My clothes were way too big. And I switched from high school to home school to be a professional snowboarder. It was the ’90s, and home schooling was weird.
My promise to my parents was that I would go to college when I was done with snowboarding, which I more than kept by achieving four distinct degrees, including a master’s in human resources.
For about 6 years, I traveled the world on my sponsors’ dime, earning passport stamps from New Zealand, Chile, Japan, Canada (do they even stamp US passports?), and several European countries. I was supposed to be an alternate for snowboarding’s half-pipe debut in the Olympics, but that’s a sordid tale for another day.
One snowy day on a photo shoot in France, I found myself afraid for my life and wanting to go home. The dream had died, but luckily I had survived it! It was time to move on.
The “Learning Curve” Years
After obtaining two bachelor’s degrees in marketing and Spanish translation, I tried out several different fields. A short list of highs and lows includes:
· Founding, growing, and exploding an organic, low-sugar, gluten-free snack food company (we were in 200 stores in 20 states before we realized our cookies gave people the runs!).
· Surprising male-dominated architecture firms with my little ole’ knowledge of concrete as the National Sales Manager for a rock-climbing wall company.
· Expanding an American children’s technology education franchise all the way to Hong Kong before discovering the company was insolvent.
· Publishing thousands of stories about adopted dogs and cats and producing a multimedia show with aerial acrobatics to encourage fostering, volunteering, and adoption.
· Being recruited to teach Sales Management at the University of Colorado after writing my master’s thesis on the lack of sales education in undergraduate business programs (they must have missed my point that I would have liked to learn sales).
But Then I Took a Flying Leap…
It’s important to mention here that during the ’00s, I was doing flying trapeze and adult gymnastics as a hobby…
As I flipped and flew my way through each week, I felt an urge swelling inside me. Wouldn’t it be great to perform in a circus for a day? As a “grown-up” in my 30s, I was reticent to admit this to anyone, but the idea was climbing swiftly from my loins to the tip of my tongue. Finally, unable to ignore it any longer, I told a few friends that I wanted to join the circus and begin traveling to different trapeze rigs around the country in hopes of meeting someone who could propel me into a show.
At age 32, I met a woman who would change my life completely. I was visiting Trapeze High, a school in San Diego, when Harmony French Chute watched me fly, cringed at my form, but applauded my tenacity enough to say, “I’m joining a team in Japan next month, and we need another girl. Want to come?”
Um, yes!
That three-letter word hurled me into a seven-year adventure! I performed thousands of shows in Japan, the United States, and Germany; made countless life-long friends; learned vegan cookery; and met my husband, with whom I recently had an angry octopus. 😉
Leaving my teaching gig to join a flying trapeze troupe in Japan involved endless obstacles, but it also empowered me to be the leader of my life. Through blood, sweat, tears, and teamwork, I transcended months of pain, suffering, and disappointment to gain respect, confidence, and mastery generally reserved for people much younger and more experienced.
When I look back on trapeze, I think of two career landmarks:
1. I had the flu during Golden Week, the busiest week of the year with 24 shows. But, the show must go on, right? I had been working with the same catchers for so long, and I trusted them impeccably. I told myself, “Your only job is to put your hands out steady. They will do the rest!” I followed my advice and didn’t miss a trick all week, even though I was so sick that my husband had to carry me home after every show.
2. At 40, I learned a triple salto (3 flips before the catch). Although my shoulder gave up before I did, and I never quite made the catch, I’m proud I could throw this safely to the net. There are very few people in the history of time who learned this trick after the age of 40.
Risks and Rewards
My circus experience taught me the power of taking risks and pursuing what truly matters. It also inspired me to help others do the same.
I moonlighted as a resume writer while working in Japan, so it was natural to build on that skill when I returned to North America. Since then, I have engaged in endless trainings to remain on the cutting edge of the career advising field and have used my knowledge to help more than 4,000 people advance in their careers.
I am a Certified Career Transition Coach through Career Thought Leaders, and some may even call me a “Career Alchemist.” (OK, maybe it’s mostly me who calls me that — I like it better than the alternatives.)
In truth, I don’t perform magic or miracles.
Over the years, I’ve created a formula to elicit information and produce a clear, concise value proposition for people from all walks of life, industries, and career levels. I’m particularly empathetic to career changers, as I know firsthand how daunting it can be to transition from one career to another. I understand the fear, uncertainty, and self-doubt that can accompany such a change, but I also know the rewards that come from taking that leap and pursuing work that aligns with our passions and values.
Which Brings Us to Today.
I’ve replaced trapeze with writing, coaching, mothering, wife-ing, and pet parenting. Though sometimes it feels like I’m walking a tightrope, I love the challenge of balancing work, family, and fun. I appreciate that my clients allow me to live well, and I get to help them do the same; our collaborative efforts create a winning circle that perpetuates prosperity. In addition to writing resumes, crafting LinkedIn profiles, and providing job interview coaching, I enjoy sharing knowledge through writing.
My motivational note on my refrigerator to myself says, “You’re going to change someone’s life today!” and that’s what I genuinely aspire to do.
If you need some “life changing,” let’s connect! Check out my free resources and learn more about how I can help you here.
