Hello, friends and partners of Meghan’s, and of Detours&OnRamps. I’m Lisa;  I have been working with Meghan on the D&O events since late last summer. It has been such a pleasure working on important issues such as balancing our work and family lives, gaining flexible work options, and getting back into the workforce.

Meghan has asked me to blog a few times for “the audience”, but I have been reluctant because I have felt that I did not have anything to share. I never want to write just for the sake of writing. But about a week ago I realized I do have some stories and insights to share.

Before getting into those stories, background:  I am similar to many of you. I have had my stint in the corporate world, had kids, and felt the need to change things up with my career. My corporate background began in human resources, moved into training and development for human resource systems vendors, then to sales engineering still in the HR software world at Lawson Software, then eventually into internet business development at Lycos and most recently Monster.com.

While I was at Lycos I had my first of two boys and after being laid off, I needed to determine next steps for work or a new career. I struggled about going back full time, knowing that my husband and I would try to have another child within 3 years, God willing. So I did various part time jobs and had a wonderful mother-in-law that was willing to watch David while I worked a few hours a week. Then I moved onto a working from home gig, 20 hours a week. Shortly after starting this job, I became pregnant with my second, Drew. So I did this part time gig for the next year or two. When Drew was a year old and David was three my husband I decided it was time for me to head back to my profession and to be earning something more substantial than what these part time roles were paying. We were planning on my husband going to back to finish his master’s degree full time within a year and we needed to be prepared financially.

So I headed back to work, fours days a week and having fun with it. It was a great role in a great company with wonderful people. Then again, life threw us some changes and I decided to depart Monster.com to be home with my boys after my husband finished his degree. We made it through two long stressful years of juggling two jobs, a family, and an intense masters degree program in theology, not a light subject. I and the kids needed to be spending more time together so my husband and I agreed it was time for me to get out of “corporate”.

I began a new career path in what I feel is my calling, to help others in their search for work that first, works with their lives and secondly, is something they are passionate about. Since my transition out of “corporate” in July, I have had many interesting insights and stories. One to share with you next time. Until then enjoy life, today, and thank you for letting me introduce myself to you.

- Lisa “A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.”