I know the job market is pretty tough at the moment for everyone, especially for young people. Some of you might be considering changing careers or you’ve just started your first job and it’s not what you were expecting.
Most of you won’t know this, but I started my career as an architect and spent five years working at a great firm. However, as with anything in life, there comes a time when you need to pivot.
Some people are afraid of pivoting. This might stem from a fear of failure, concerns about what others might think, or insecurities or lack of confidence about their abilities.
Ironically, for me, my pivot began with a fear of lack of stability.
I lived through a recession where our firm went from 300 people to 200 in a single day. That experience, combined with low compensation and job insecurity, frightened me.
So, I decided to go back to business school. During my time there, I realized I had to make a choice: continue in architecture or pursue something else. It dawned on me that the architectural world at the time wasn’t ready to utilize financial skills in the ways I believed they should, so I made a career pivot.
I don’t think I realized at the time how much risk I was taking, but hindsight is a beautiful thing.
Advice I would give to anyone – young or established in their career- debating whether to start that business or take that career leap: sometimes you just have to go for it. Trust that gut feeling.
It was in business school that my then boyfriend-turned husband opened my eyes to the world of valuation and advisory.
Lisa Snow,
CEO, Snowbridge Global Advisory, LLC
I discuss advisory, careers and mentorship
