My Latest New Beginning

Like 'The Twelve Days of Christmas,' I'm counting down the next twelve days until I embark on my next adventure (minus the partridge, the pear tree & the rest of the motley crew).

On October 23rd, 2018, I posted the photo above on Instagram with a caption that said “New Beginnings.” It was my first morning as a Parisian, and while my family and friends had known I was moving, I was excited to “make it official.” Paris was the third stop on what my friends called my “world tour” following previous moves to London and Sydney.

I remember wandering the streets of the Marais (the quaint, artistic neighbourhood that I’d eventually call home) in awe of the beauty around me. I was grateful to be there and brimming with excitement to start my new job and get settled.

I’d moved to Paris somewhat spontaneously after newly imposed visa restrictions left me unable to stay at my job in Australia. I’d been living in Sydney for a year and had agreed to take on what would have been a newly created role with a team I adored. But the Aussie government called “time of death” on my promotion when they suddenly cut their list of eligible sponsorship roles. Knowing full well by then that I would eventually settle in Montreal, I figured I may as well make one last stop on my “tour.”

Paris.

Fast forward a couple of months, and there I was on the morning of October 23rd, meandering around the Marais—excited to start my gig at Ubisoft two days later.

My redirect from Australia to France was one of several instances in my life where a door closing initially felt sad and obstructive but ended up putting me on a path to something even better. Gut feelings about a need for change are similar catalysts.

Despite the prevailing opinion on X (formerly Twitter), that self-employment trumps having a 9-5, I’ve realized most people—myself included—are better off not confining themselves to absolutes. I’m a big believer that “the only path to follow is your own,” and in doing so, you need to trust your gut about when to take a job and when to leave one. After all, your path isn’t defined by your employment status. To think otherwise is to limit your options—and thus your potential.

Here’s a great Tweet from content writer and editor Erica Schneider that sums up what I mean:

I knew back in August 2021 that it was “time” to leave my job to realize my potential through self-employment (and the steep learning curve it provided me). But fast forward two years and two months to October 2023, and I knew it was “time” to get a job to ignite my next phase of growth.

I shared the following in a recent newsletter I sent on October 11th titled ‘A Major Crossroads in My Solopreneur Journey’:

“I’ve realized that after two great—and gruelling—years of working independently, I’ve learned a ton and exercised as much freedom as I could. I’m grateful I had the guts to chase my dream of self-employment. It’s something I knew deep down I had to do.

And I did it.

But while I’d anticipated being completely fulfilled on the solopreneur path, I’ve discovered it doesn’t suit me. The leadership aspect and continuous learning are straight up my alley, but the lack of teammates to collaborate with, get feedback from, and socialize with is something I’ve found myself increasingly missing since I left my 9-5.

So now I’m keen to find the best of both worlds.”

Four weeks later, I’m excited to share an update.

My Latest “New Beginning”

I’m excited to share that I’m starting a new job with an incredible company in t-minus twelve days.

The Company

I mentioned in my newsletter on October 11th that I was set on joining “a team that strives to be the best at what they do,” and how I couldn’t imagine anything less after freelancing with companies like Maven, Write of Passage, and Actionworks. So I’m thrilled to have found that embodiment of excellence—this time within the space of well-being.

As of November 20th, I’ll be joining Dialogue, “a leading virtual care provider that extends personalized high-touch care to each individual at scale.” Everything from the company’s heart-shaped conversation logo to its name and slogan, the most empowering and considerate hiring process I’ve undergone, and the warm welcome I’ve received from everyone I’ve met in the process, has exuded the utmost professionalism and care. Not to mention, they have a culture of continuous learning (including an internal “university”) which is hugely important to me as I’m always striving to level up.

The Role

I’ll be joining as a Project Specialist doing a mix of program and project management as the company continues to grow. You’ve likely gathered by now that my passions are helping people realize their potential and taking ideas from 0 to 1, so this will be a great opportunity for me to facilitate well-being, create structure around new initiatives, and ultimately drive cross-functional teamwork. I can’t wait to get started.

Something I’m particularly looking forward to is the hybrid work environment. I’ve been working remotely since March 16th, 2020, when Ubisoft was forced to close its offices in the wake of the Pandemic.

I love remote work, and I’m so grateful for all the opportunities it’s afforded me—99% of the clients I worked with over the past two years were based in the US and Europe. But now, I’m excited to connect deeper with my local community as a hybrid worker at Dialogue’s Montreal office.

Even better, I’ll be working in the neighbourhood I’ve always dreamed of working in—Old Montreal—a charming area characterized by its European feel and beautiful buildings along cobblestone streets that date back to the 17th century. It also happens to be by the water, which makes it even more dreamy.

Some shots of Old Montreal from Google images

I’ve mentioned in the past that Crew Collective & Café has been my favourite co-working space throughout my solopreneur run, largely because of its location and architecture, so I’m jazzed to announce my new office is right around the corner in a similarly beautiful build.

Finally, I’m excited about the office being open-concept and minimalistic with big windows, natural light, and plenty of plants. Also, it just so happens to be a block over from my friend’s new gym. So I can easily meet my friends to workout together. Amazing, right?

What’s Different

Despite the fact that I’ve been an employee before, joining a company feels completely different now. And that’s because I’m different. Before I ran with self-employment, I saw my job and career as one. But now I appreciate that while a job is a hefty part of your career, your career is a bigger and wider identity—one that, unlike a job, can’t be taken away from you. That’s an empowering realization that many people learn the hard way after a sudden—and painful—job loss.

The reality is you can be the hardest worker at your company, but it doesn’t make you irreplaceable. Companies are designed to be resilient and unless you’re a co-founder with equity (a rare scenario if you’re a woman), you’re not as “safe” as you think. Economies change, layoffs can happen unexpectedly, and a wide variety of other factors can contribute to you having—or wanting—to leave a job. So whether you’re the CEO, an entry-level employee, or anywhere in between, don’t tie your identity to a job. Instead, tie your identity to your name.

Here’s a two-minute video by author

Polina Pompliano

that sums up what I mean:

Polina @polina_marinova

I don’t know who needs to hear this but it’s not too late to tie 👏 your 👏 identity 👏 to 👏 your 👏 own 👏name.

Here’s a recap of key takeaways if you want to skip the video but still get the gist:

“Nothing is more powerful than tying your identity to your own name, because nobody can take that away from you. You can get fired, you can lose your job, your status, your everything, but nobody can take away your name.

The reason that’s powerful […] is your name becomes your brand. [So] make sure you’re working on some sort of passion project or something on the side [of your job] that you do for yourself—you don’t have to figure out how it will make money or whether it will make money—just do something for yourself, so that if you ever [lose your job unexpectedly] you have something to fall back on that you do with your own name.”

Tying your identity to your name is a way of bulletproofing your career. And funnily enough, when I announced I was looking for a job last month, two creator friends immediately responded urging me to channel

Amanda Natividad

.

Kevon was one of them:

Amanda Natividad

is a Marketing Executive employed full-time by a company she once dreamt of working for, and has simultaneously built a personal brand as a credible expert with over 168K followers across X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn. Her scenario is win-win because a) if for some unforeseen reason, she had to leave her job, there would be an army of people ready to hand her her next opportunity, and b) she’s built skills, an audience, and a reputation that are guaranteed to enhance her performance as an employee and a leader within her company—not to mention she’s generated more awareness around the company simply because people know she works there (and thus it must be top-notch).

Amanda has bulletproofed her career. And I imagine a lot of people will try to emulate her in the years to come. That includes me, which brings me to my next point.

The Future of My Newsletter

I plan to keep publishing my newsletter every Wednesday for the foreseeable future—regardless of my employment status. When I kicked off this “passion project” slightly over two years ago, I mostly wanted to write for the joy of writing (and hoped consistent practice would help me improve at the craft). But my newsletter rapidly became a weekly reflection prompt and picture window to share my journey with you, and in putting myself out there, I’ve allowed readers like you to reciprocate with lessons of your own. I’m profoundly grateful for that.

Case in point, back in October, when I announced I was looking for a job, I was touched by the outpouring of support from readers. Whether it was sending me job ads or words of encouragement, making introductions, hopping on calls to discuss potential opportunities, or even that failed attempt to help me revamp my CV using ChatGPT (I’m still working out how to do that), the power of sharing my journey through my newsletter is undeniable.

If that wasn’t enough, I’m excited to share that I’ve now welcomed five paid subscribers to my reader list. Five generous souls have pledged a combination of monthly and annual subscriptions to support my writing and I’m incredibly touched.

My first $419 generated through pledges

I never imagined anyone would pay for my newsletter when I started it. So it’s hugely rewarding to delight in surprise pledges with touching messages like this:

I want to take the opportunity to say a HUGE thank you to everyone who has supported me with this passion project. Whether you’re reading, replying, commenting, sharing, or pledging your support, I appreciate you. Thank you so much.

Reflection Exercise

Okay, I’ve shared a novel’s worth of where my head is at today. But now, I’d like to invite you to shift gears and think about yourself. Are there any passion projects you’ve been wanting to get off the ground? Forget about making money or other complexities. If you were to get started doing something simply for the joy of doing it, what would that be?

Chances are whatever you pick (whether it’s fitness-related, technical, creative, etc.) you’ll draw connections that will serve you professionally. (Teaching note: this is the basis of “interdisciplinary thinking”—when you study separate topics and inevitably begin drawing links between them. Hence you only stand to gain from picking up a new hobby.)

Thanks for reading and have a wonder-full week,

Alexandra

P.S. If you enjoyed this edition, please like, comment, or reply to let me know.

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