Finding Your Passion and Living It
This is a guest post from Laurel Mintz, CEO of Elevate My Brand
Often I hear people say that they wish they could do more, they wish they can make a meaningful contribution to society. They might say something “Maybe I should quit and work for a nonprofit.” Another popular one is “I just want a job where I can make a difference.” If you find yourself agreeing then I have a little secret for you, a little secret that can change your whole perspective and help you make a difference. You might have not heard this before, or maybe you heard it a bunch of times but it didn’t stick. Either way, here is the secret: Your very existence is meaningful and a huge contribution to society. You don’t need to be a rocket scientist or invent an anti-pollution machine to help save the world. It’s the choices you make in everyday that are an inspiration to your personal network.
When I started my business, I didn’t have a goal of beating statistics (only 30% of private companies are women-owned). I wasn’t looking to be a role model or to help nonprofits with their goals. After graduating college, my father became ill and I stepped in to run the family business for two years. We had 40 employees across a handful of furniture stores. I didn’t have time to think about what I was doing, there were families depending on me, including my own. It was the quickest crash course in business management ever. I am happy to say my father made a full recovery after two years and I was able to go back to pursuing my dreams.
Laurel Mintz
What I discovered is that my dreams changed and I decided to start my own business. I started networking and utilized my relationships with local retail shops to begin business and marketing consulting. A good portion of my clients are nonprofits with missions that I respect and admire. I didn’t specifically outreached to them but I have always been authentic to myself and expressive about my interests. I researched organizations I wanted to work with and started outreaching. I began working with organizations such as Girls in Tech Women Empowered because I was passionate about their causes. Things grew organically and in 2014 I received the Los Angeles Business Journal Women Making a Difference Award.
We all have unlimited potential in our lives, but often we get distracted by trying to fit ourselves into a certain mold. You don’t need to quit your job to make a difference, if you start acting on your passions, you’ll find that they will come to you. Sometimes we don’t realize how important it is to convey the type of energy and values that we want to attract in life. The world is your mirror and the energy you put out into the world is what you get back. Start by believing in yourself and you’ll be surprised to discover how infectious that energy is. You don’t become a role model by wanting to be one, you become one by doing what you’re truly passionate about.
About Laurel Mintz:
Laurel Mintz is CEO of Elevate My Brand, a digital marketing and live events firm. Visit www.elevatemybrand.com to learn more.
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