On paper, my story seems to jump around quite a lot. I've had several career chapters, with odd bits and bobs filling in the gaps. However, when it all comes together, you can see there are consistent threads woven throughout: hospitality, creativity, adaptability. I believe in the story. I work with small businesses now because I know they each have their own story to tell but need someone else to pull out the threads.
My first career was in restaurants. I learned how to think on my feet, read people, and create an experience that made people feel taken care of and nourished. I reached a point where there was not enough growth potential and security for it to be sustainable. I wanted something that would give me more autonomy and the mobility of a trade. So, I went to massage school.
I spent 5 years building an inclusive, trauma informed, evidence-based practice that met people where they were and helped them by listening to their stories and creating a unique, custom experience where they felt supported and safe.
Then- a pandemic hit. Suddenly I was faced with the vulnerabilities of my close quarters, in-person business and needed a pivot that would allow me to be location independent and create something that I could adapt and grow with for the foreseeable future. I took the experience I've gained from running a business, creating my own web presence, and advising colleagues and pursued technical education through the GeekPack WordPress training and LaunchCode (a fullstack developer training in Java and JavaScript) to create Calliope Insights.
Over the last 2 years, this business has formed into its current version where I help overburdened small businesses create an authentic, unique, web presence by building their websites, writing their stories, solving their tech problems, and providing them trustworthy, personal support.