Dear Lisa,
We’ve known each other for many years, and it’s been great seeing your business grow and you moving into new directions. Thank you for sharing your journey with our readers.
Could you please tell us about your background prior to starting Careers Advance?
I had dreams of becoming an art director in the advertising world, which were derailed when my family moved to Florida in my senior high school year. After two years of community college, I returned to NY with 36 credits and landed my first office position with Seiko Hattori Corp. When that company decided to relocate to NJ, I took an entry level position at a money market brokerage firm (way off my career path, but an opportunity to earn a progressive salary and put myself back through college). I advanced to broker liaison while attending Baruch College at night. Two weeks after I graduated with a BBA in Marketing, I was fired. Yes, fired. I took an internship at a local parenting newspaper and jump started my marketing career (at a 60% pay cut). After one year I was offered a Marketing Assistant position with Golden Books Children Entertainment and progressed to Art Director. Unfortunately, the company went into a bankruptcy and I jumped ship before the pending buyout. My next job search led to a squeeze play between the well known, multi-billion dollar Phillip Morris, and a small, woman-owned educational marketing firm. I chose the latter for personal and professional decisions and managed their Colgate account. Eight months later, I resigned due to pursue freelance writing.