{Editor’s note: For the past two weeks, I have been laboriously preparing for our annual company meeting held in lovely Sonoma, California.
I wanted to make a shining impression so I did all my homework, studied untold amounts of data and created several presentations to share with our company heads – the owner, the general manager, chief operation office, as well as my boss, and colleagues.
I was a nervous wreck.
Suffice to say, with the week now behind me (and much-lauded success I pleasantly add!) I am sharing an old post – and the reason I have this terrific opportunity in the first place.
I owe it all to karma, and keeping close ties with former colleagues turned friends.}
I love when the stars, moon, and universe seem to align and create magical opportunities. In other words, good things happen. And they happen effortlessly and seamlessly, just the way we like it.
Toss in some karma and my giant love affair with Social Media (yep, it gets capitalized for this one!) and it’s just one big, fat hoggish piece of gratitude that leaves me {nearly} speechless.
Rewind: One decade-ish
I was working for Lasercraft in Santa Rosa, California – a manufacturing company with two divisions. One that crafted delicate laser-cut paper greetings and a second division responsible for the now-famous laser-cut wood picture frames. It was a company like none other that I have ever worked for or since. Of the 300+ employees, the company culture felt more like a college club, “Team Lasercraft.” It was a fantastic place to work.
I was hired as Sales Manager to support the Director of Sales while she was on maternity leave. Sadly, I joined the company “past its prime” and after experiencing huge growth and explosive expansion there wasn’t enough “in the pipeline” to sustain either.
After nearly two years, I was forced to seek employment elsewhere, and within six months, Lasercraft closed its doors. Forever.
Circa Spring-ish 2000
A few short stumbles later (one job working for a bitter foreign-female owned winery and a natural products company with no marketing plan), I landed a position with Dowling Magnets, a Sonoma-based magnet manufacturer with an industrial division and a toy and game division, whose tag line says it all - The Attraction is Obvious!
I was hired for the toy and game division – and what fun it was!
I seemed to fall right into place and was making my way in the “magnetic field” when an opportunity arose. Our purchasing manager was retiring and we needed to hire a replacement. Immediately, I thought of my former Lasercraft colleague, with whom I’d worked closely on new product development. She was also a purchasing manager. Since Lasercraft was now defunct, I made the call to see if my friend was looking for a new place to land.
Turns out, she was!
After the interview “formality,” my former-colleague-turned-friend was hired at Dowling Magnets – not because of me, but because of her easy-personality and incredible talent. I was simply the catalyst needed to resolve two issues with a single introduction.
The Attraction is Obvious
Fast forward four years, and our life was in upheaval. Sexy Hubby discovered the wiles of Montana, and was disenfranchised with the Golden State, and that year, Dowling Magnets was purchased by another magnet company based in Chicago.
I knew things would shift, as they usually do when companies merge, but because we were already planning to move, I said goodbye to all my friends and colleagues at the Magnet Factory. It was an incredibly sad time for me. I loved my job, loved the company, and loved my colleagues. Had we not already planned a major life change, I would not have willingly left Dowling Magnets.
In my final months, I helped orient and train the existing Director of Marketing from the new magnet company. She was very kind and I did my best to show her the ropes before we set off for the wild west and our new – yet unknown – life.
Flash Forward: Spring-ish 2011
Things in my Montana life were moving along at a fairly positive clip, with a few major life adjustments thrown in for good measure.
After living here for seven years, I’ve worked for about as many employers. It’s a tough job market and solid, fulfilling jobs are hard to find. I flitted from one thing to the next, never feeling like I’d found anything that truly sang to my soul.
Then, an amazing thing happened. {And it “happened” via an email on “LinkedIn” – an online social media career circuit.}
The message was from the kind gal whom I trained prior to leaving Dowling Magnets. Seemed that things were shifting within the company, and they were exploring their options.
But the key to this entire post – and my life as it sits today – is due to one thing.
Actually, one person.
The former Lasercraft, now Dowling Magnets Purchasing Manager.
I did something positive for her (sharing the opportunity with Dowling Magnets), and she was “paying it forward” to me.
The Purchasing Manager suggested that the Director of Marketing contact me. And she did.
And after several months of discussions, a deal was made. A deal filled with karma, friends-turned-colleagues and relationships that are sustained via social media channels.
Once again, I’m working for the company I loved, doing a job I adored. And because Dowling Magnets is progressive and innovative, I am able to work from my home in Bozeman, Montana – travelling to trade shows and the Sonoma office as deemed appropriate.
{Not to worry, gentle readers, I made sure to tell them about this gig, so it’s all out in the open!}
Moral to the Story:
- Always do solid and complete work. People will remember you for it.
- When appropriate, keep in touch with former colleagues and superiors.
- Even in jobs you don’t find satisfying, there is a lesson in what doesn’t work for you.
- There is power in karma – especially the good kind.
- There is tremendous power in social media.
- And most importantly, keep your account settings current on the numerous social media circuits. You never know who’s trying to reach you. Or what they have to offer!
This photo was taken at my going away party seven years ago – the purchasing manager and me.
Isn’t karma a wonderful thing?
