Hey guys, I know it’s been forever since my last update. I’ve been working on a series of posts in the same theme as my last two, but I thought now would be a good time to take a break and give a general life update. A lot has been changing lately– it’s quite clear that a new chapter is opening.
After a 1 1/2 year-long incredible journey, I’m leaving my bar and starting a new job. Let me say how wonderful this experience has been. It came at the perfect time in my life and gave me precisely what I was looking for: a refreshing change of pace, a new skill/experience gained, a goal fulfilled. A new family made, with connections that could last a lifetime. It also gave me a serious confidence boost. (Not to mention income boost). Because I had set my mind to a clear goal, within months I was able to go from a food runner/busser to picking up shifts as a bartender– a job with one of the highest barriers to entry in the entire hospitality industry. In New York City’s Midtown, no less. It has been such a wild ride, and I loved every second of it. (OK not EVERY second, that’s a bit hyperbolic. But I did love it 😉 )
Now I’m excited to open a new chapter. I was seriously considering a “coding bootcamp” for a while– even got accepted to one– but after looking at all my options and discussing with my incredibly tech-savvy brother, I decided to go another direction. I still want to learn code in order to have another creative tool in my belt, but there was another opportunity in my lap that I couldn’t pass up.
Ken, the managing director from my old corporate job (the one that first brought me to New York) reached out to me some time ago about joining his other company, a high-end Asian-inspired bakery chain. It was floated as a “what if” scenario at first, but as his need for a right hand man became more serious, so did our discussions. I had grown quite fond of my free and easy bartender life, where I really only needed to work a few days per week to pay my bills and still have a good chunk left over for savings and fun. But a job with Ken offered ample opportunities for travel, and I’d essentially be able to custom-tailor my job description to fit my greatest strengths and interests. Plus I knew working with Ken would bring about exciting new experiences, connections, and opportunities like no tomorrow– that’s just par for the course when you’re around this guy. He’s an incredibly gifted businessman and networker who is truly relentless in his work. I felt we could do great things.
So, I took him up on his offer. I did my last shift at the bar a week ago, and I flew out to Honolulu to meet with Ken and kick off the new job just a couple days ago. This all still feels a little surreal, but I am extremely excited to see what the future brings. Thanks to all those who helped me on the way, and I wish my friends and family all of the best in 2017.