Throughout my long and rewarding career, I’ve come to realize how rare it is for someone to truly follow their dreams and pursue the path they were born to follow. I consider myself lucky to have ended up where I belong – especially because the route to my chosen career was anything but conventional!
“Looking back, I sometimes wonder to myself, ‘How did I go from a bank teller to a patternmaker at a global sports brand?’”
I started my professional life in a bank and remained in that field for over 15 years. I think, at that point, most would settle on such a strong foundation. It’s hard to imagine starting over after solidifying a career for that long.
“But sometimes you have to be willing to take a leap of faith to find your true path, and that’s exactly what I did.”
My dream from an early age was to be an artist – but everyone around me discouraged that goal. I was told that the level of my work needed to be at that of Michelangelo’s and, as an impressionable teenager who lacked confidence, this was the final verdict.
With that door slammed shut in my face I decided to take on a more ‘conventional’ path, entering the banking field in what became a 15-year stint in various positions. My career lacked the creativity I craved but I never let my artistic aspirations wane in my private life: sewing, painting and jewelry making served as my ‘escape’ from the real world.
“After years of a growing creative divide between my work and personal life, I began to think, why did creativity have to be my escape? Why couldn’t it be my life?”
Sometimes you need to break out of your comfort zone to pursue your individual path.
That’s when I began to take real steps to make it happen. I enlisted one of my best friends at the bank to start a business with me. Our daughters were young and loved Cabbage Patch Kid dolls, so we decided, why not make a little business of it! We began designing, sewing, labeling, packaging and even marketing our line of dolls’ clothes. I absolutely fell in love with the process.
“Taking on this small, creative and fun business gave me the courage to take another leap forward to make my passion my career.”
I enrolled in college for fashion design and pursued the job I knew I was meant to do – the one that completely wiped away the creative disparity of my former life.
I left banking and never looked back!
Now a patternmaker at Reebok for eight years, my experiences have taught me that it is never too late to change lanes.
“It is more than possible to turn your hobby into your craft if you have the drive to do it.”
“You can be whatever you want – all you need is the right combination of passion, desire and dedication to design your perfect fit.”
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