The fire inside me was alive. I knew I had to find a way to bring in more income and take care of my children.
After the jewelry company collapsed, my kids and I were living in a small basement apartment at my sister’s house. I was struggling to pay the bills. Then she told me I needed to go back on public assistance to pay the rent or go back to my ex-husband. Otherwise, I would have to move.
I was devastated. I had worked so hard to move forward, and now I was afraid of losing the roof over our heads.
But I knew how to sell. I knew how to work. And I had learned a lot from the cleaning company I had spent years helping to build.
So I decided to sit down with the owner. I asked whether we could work something out—a salary instead of just commission, or possibly some kind of partnership.
He laughed at me.
“I don’t need any partners,” he said. He told me to continue working on commission and leave it at that.
I reminded him that many times, he hadn’t paid me the commissions I had earned. I had helped grow his business by more than 70% during my time there. I had put my heart and soul into that company, and I was asking for an opportunity to grow with it.
His answer was still no.
I went home hurt and angry. After everything I had contributed, I felt there was no loyalty or consideration for me or my situation. But I was still determined to find a way.
Then my friend Joey stopped by. He was a good person and a good friend—someone who had always been there for me.
That day, he said something that changed my life.
