Those were the days...

I'm so excited...my first entry on my own blog!! I sat for along time thinking about where to begin, what might I say that would be of interest to others? It all came back to me...those same feelings I had when I began to explore reentering the work force after 12 years of time off raising my three boys. After walking away from a successful career owning an employment agency, they now call them staffing agencies, in Manhattan, I was now ready to redefine myself, jump back into life, into the buzz and excitement of work. I reread my journal to relive some of the excitement I had experienced back in my working days and want to share those thoughts with you.I am creating this blog because I see the need to help women who want to reenter the workforce, mostly on a part-time basis, discuss their issues, concerns, interests and fears.

After leaving my home in New York City at 17 to get away from an oppressive home environment, I took a year off between high school and college and then completed my undergraduate degree in three years. When I returned to New York having very little money and solely supporting myself, I soon realized that I needed to find a job track where I could create my own income. It didn’t take long for me to realize that sales was the way to go.

I was hired by a sweatshop (employment agency) then sweated through the first six months of cold calling, rejections, and living on PBJ’s. Then I had my breakthrough. In one week I established a relationship with four Fortune 500 companies, and went from trainee to star producer overnight. Wow! I can remember that life altering moment. Six months later I was offered an opportunity to start my own employment agency. I stepped into the role of manager, owner and producer and entered a world of high anxiety and stress, but I was young and resilient and driven, and success followed. The business quickly became successful after hiring my best friend to co-manage. Within three years we had 13 female employees working for us and were producing close to $1 million in sales. The money was flowing, times were good, and I couldn’t imagine anything more exciting than what I was doing.

After 15 years of co-owning “Impact Recruiting”, and with my 3^rd son on his way, I quit my career to raise my three boys. I had so desperately wanted to be a full time mom, but also had a difficult time giving up my high six figure income. But my mind was made up, family first.

Now, 14 years later with three very tall and wonderful teenage boys, I have decided it was time to get my career back on track. My free time these past 14 years has been spent working on my dysfunctional upbringing and getting into the healing arts. Now I was clear I wanted to find my life’s path. With money no longer my main focus, I spent a lot of time exploring what my talents were, and what I might be able to give back to the community. I remember vividly when the idea of creating a website that supports women who have put their families first, came to me. The passion and excitement were palpable. It was clear I had just discovered my calling.

So, with the huge support of my two sisters and their husbands and my husband, we are now in the process of developing what we hope will be the most effective website for women who are families first or women that have given up their careers to raise their families and are prepared to return.

#1) Do you see business as being receptive to hiring women on a flexible basis? Do you think women have to give something up to work flexible hours? If so, what?