An Accidental Entrepreneur: How I Got Clarity in My Life After Facing the 'Big C'

Mindy Thomas
Fri, 20 Oct 2017 12:58:49 +0000

It’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and I've decided to weigh in on this frightening topic and how it intersected with a business idea.

Yes, I am talking about being diagnosed with cancer and launching a new business. I never imagined going into business for myself at the age of 52 against all odds. Fresh off a life threatening illness like breast cancer . . . who would have thought?

In fact, I swore I would never attempt this, having been married to a serial entrepreneur and divorced by my mid-30s. The never-ending ambiguity and feeling of being in the Wild Wild West during those stressful years was enough for me, and I didn't want to ride that rodeo again. One minute, the cash flow was solid; then next thing you knew, everything had to be put on hold.

To put this lifestyle in context, I grew up as a child of a Marine Corps officer, inspired by the traditions of the U.S. Marines and supported by its extended community. In my entrepreneurial experience, planning for the worst-case scenario simply didn't exist. The focus was on calculating the next chess move in hopes of winning the game.

After the businesses literally killed the marriage, I began the reinvention process with four kids at my hip. Through graduate school, low-paying internships, and multiple jobs to learn my craft, I discovered my passion for helping others find satisfaction in their careers. My path became clear, and I dreamt of running my own business. But the negative thoughts persisted: No way. Never. I can't possibly leave my day job as a legal recruiter and venture out into the unknown.

My "aha" moment

There's a quote by Ram Dass that I have always loved: "The quieter you become, the more you can hear." It was during a quiet moment, in the deep recesses of a life-threatening illness, that I embraced the possibility of being self-employed as an executive resume writer and career counselor.

In a nutshell, I woke up one morning in the fall of 2008, battling cancer during the darkest recession we've seen in years, and, crazy as it sounds, I knew EXACTLY what to do with the next chapter of my life. The economy was crashing, and the company I was working for was on its way down. But I found my gift, my path, within the core of my being.

For me, I believe I experienced a divine intervention that morning. I had just finished six rounds of chemo and 31 rounds of radiation. And BAM, I woke up to my "aha" moment. Frankly, I had never been surer of anything in my life.

My new-found clarity and confidence propelled me forward. I had a vision. I knew my craft. The question then was, is there a market? Of course! An unprecedented 2.6 million people lost their jobs that year; someone would want to hire me to write a resume.

I took a leap of faith and decided to run with what I loved: doing resume makeovers and helping people become clear about career direction. In fact, I proposed heading up a new resume writing division to the founder of the firm I worked for and she promptly opted out. I walked out that day and dug my high heels in. I knew exactly what I needed to do and how I was going to do it.

Slowly but surely, I built up my business over nine years and have enjoyed tremendous success in both resume writing and career counseling. Based on my personal experience, I truly believe that remarkable things can happen even late in the game.

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You hold the key to your own success

At different times, we all get stuck at times in our lives. We can get stuck in traffic. Or we might feel stuck in a dead-end job or unhealthy relationship. And often, we feel stuck with the choices we make.

So what do you do about it? In The Book of the Awakening (my favorite day book), there is an answer:

The chief obstacle to talent is a lapse in being. It is NOT that people have no talent, but that we lack the clarity to uncover what it is and how it works."

We all have gifts inside us. They are ever present, but often unrecognized as such. I encourage you to hire a pro to help you sort things out if you are still struggling. For me, the awakening happened in the darkest moment of my life.

So, before you throw in the towel, consider that your answers lie within you. My breakthrough came swiftly, like lightning speed. And, for once in my life, I trusted my intuition and made this decision to go all in.

So open up your heart, get quiet, and notice what is present. You might just receive the clarity you are looking for. Remarkably good things can happen even late in the game.

Believe that You can prevail. Believe that You can live in peace, joy, and victory by taking actions. Aim higher, even against all odds. Stumbling blocks have a way of advancing us forward.