Addi M

What is the one piece of career advice you wish someone gave you when you were younger?

It does not have to be one or the other - your path is going to change many times, and each change is a chance to learn something new. In high school the impression you're left with is "What you decide to focus on in college is going to be your path for the rest of your life, so choose wisely!" I majored in Studio Art, but when my first jobs out of college were in retail management, I feared I would be trapped there forever... Now that I've been in the workforce for 10 years, I've come to realize that my journey took me in many unexpected directions, and what mattered more was what skills I learned along the way. My retail management and customer service skills gave me an edge as a receptionist at a software company, and that grew into a more administrative role within the office. That administrative role then gave me the tools and confidence to start my watercolor business on the side - I'm able to communicate and engage with my clients in a sincere and professional manner, my work is extremely organized, and I'm comfortable dealing with many different types of clients. I love creating art, and I also love my day job. If I had the chance, I would go back to my younger self to say "It's not one or the other...you can do more than one thing, and you can always change direction! What matters is what you learn along the way!"