For the past couple of weeks, we’ve been discussing the research surrounding survival and resilience. Among other things, the research suggests that about 35% of unemployed persons will come out of their ordeal stronger and more physically healthy as a result of their hardship.
If you’re going through a difficult time, it may be difficult to imagine yourself as one of these individuals. Research is great, but wasn’t all that data collected in the past? Maybe the economic circumstances have changed to the point where very few are going to survive under today’s economic circumstances. Certainly these are the doubts that go through my head.
With this in mind, I came across an article this week that I think is worth sharing. The article is from a new publication that Business Week began recently, called Small Biz, and it details the survival of a resilient few.
From Wall Street to Main Street, highlights five individuals who have been laid-off from major Wall Street firms. All five of these people saw their lay-off status as an opportunity to start something new…and they did.
My favorite story of the five is about Jessi Walter who was the Vice President of Credit Strategy at the now defunct Bear Stearns. Ms. Walter is now the proud owner of New York's Cupcake Kids!, which facilitates hands-on cooking events for birthday parties, schools, and corporate functions. The company also offers teacher training. Ms. Walter employs five part-time cooking teachers.
“I learned what was happening to Bear Stearns [they were in deep financial trouble] last March by watching TV. Friday your life was one way; Monday it was nothing like that. So I took a step back to consider what to do next. I love food, I love kids, I love business. I cooked for my boyfriend’s nieces. They asked me to host cooking birthday parties, which generated a lot of word-of-mouth interest. After losing my job in June, I decided to go for it.
Birthday parties are our largest revenue source. Whole wheat pizza is popular and everything is from scratch. Kids learn learn how the main ingredient is grown and why dough rises. It’s a whole new adventure.”
Will Jessi survive? I think so. The business she recently opened may fail, but she seems to have the knack for picking herself up and looking for new opportunities. If she does this enough, she will eventually win. There is also a good chance she’ll “win bigger” than if she stayed in a corporate job.
Posting Comments: Have you ever posted a comment on a blog? If not, you should try it. It’s a fun way to get involved in the discussion and find out what others are thinking. If you’re a shy person or want to maintain a higher level of privacy, just use your first name or a screen name. Your email address will not be visible under any circumstances. We’ll all benefit from hearing your thoughts. To post a comment, click the comments tab below this posting.
