When I graduated college with a degree in business and writing, I was overwhelmed with the various paths that I could pursue.

Did I want to go into corporate America? Did I want to pursue my passion for health by going to medical school? Did I want to start my own company?

I was paralyzed by this sea of options.

Faced with uncertainty, I figured the best thing to do was get started down one path and see where it took me. I became a Wilderness-EMT, receiving emergency medical training in the snow-capped mountains of Northern California. I learned how to react with confidence, execute with leadership, and focus my efforts on only the important details. This experience became the bedrock for how I look at the world. Having a framework for operating and processes for dealing with situations is an essential skill in any area of life and business.

After spending time as an EMT, working on an ambulance, and experiencing things I never imagined, I wanted to test myself in another field.

I pursued my passion for business and finance in the corporate sector. I did not have a degree in finance, so I spent a few months in personal study, not just in finance, but the softer skills as well: interviewing, negotiating, navigating the business world.

This paid off in the form of an offer from the largest asset management firms in the world, which oversees trillions of dollars.

It was here that I learned another work ethic that has remained with me. The CEO had a saying, “Always be a student of the market”. He was referring to the financial markets; however, this is applicable to everyone in every field.

Regardless of what you’re doing, you should always have your finger on the pulse of what’s going on around you. What are the latest trends, who are the influencers, what are the undervalued areas that you can exploit? Gaining that fingertip feel for the changing currents is one of the most valuable skills you can develop.

After spending time in this world, learning from it what I could, I decided to move into my third area of interest, start-ups. I used the same process that I did to enter the financial world. I spent months reading everything I could get my hands on, taking copious notes, studying the influencers, and building my skill-set. From there I took a more active role, reaching out to the people I wanted to work with and beginning to establish relationships.

This effort led to multiple job offers from best-selling authors, successful entrepreneurs, and multi-million dollar companies.

This gave me the ability to learn from some of the best people in the industry and continue to expand my skillset, doing work that I love and living life on my terms.

This is just the beginning...

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I am currently working as a marketing consultant with technology and food startups around the United States.