Jobless at the Start of a Pandemic

March 2020

Interesting times.

An ambivalent introvert, I enjoyed alone time in my little sun-filled apartment in Mystic Pointe, a lay-back community in the west end of Toronto. My purple cast-iron teapot is never dry since the discovery of a Bengal Spice tea from Celestial . In case of a shortage of supply caused by the coronavirus, I hoarded six boxes of this very kind.

Everyone around is anxiously watching the spreading of the virus, a meltdown of the economy, and government announcements on pandemic controls or relief policies.

Friends frantically pass around funny memes. Most work from home, and parties are hosted virtually, aka “social distancing.”

Streets are empty. Non-essential services, the definition of which is yet to be determined, will be shut down starting tomorrow.

I’ve responsibly self-quarantined since SheEO , a conference in Toronto a couple of weeks ago, attended by female entrepreneurs and founders from around the world.

I read about behavioral economics and marketing. Finished Daniel Kahneman’s Thinking, Fast and Slow and started Rory Sutherland‘s Alchemy . I couldn’t help but squeeze in Think Like a SheEO by Vicki Saunders, a serial entrepreneur, after hearing her speak as the founder/CEO and meeting her at SheEO. This women-crowdfunded organization invests and helps early-stage women-founded enterprises.

I intend to take the time to find my tribe and passion. I had such a great run at my recent job. In the past year, I was one of a few people that started and built out a digital incubator and an early-stage venture fund. During that time, my tribe disappeared. Over 15 people left the group, including my closest friends and dear mentors, who hired me, sponsored my growth and advocated for me for stretch assignments. The new managers abruptly assigned me to a role with little growth. I knew I outgrew that place.

I believe that one door closed means another door will open. Life is precious. I want to work on projects that I care about with people I respect. I’m grateful for having financial means to afford the runway to explore options amid the economic crisis.

Joblessness has made exciting changes to my priorities, as the golden handcuffs unfastened. I reached out to companies with an inspiring culture to make myself known. I evaluated each possible career path with utmost honesty, whether I would enjoy a type of work and fit into a group and culture. I helped some Founder/CEOs who I met along the way and started a consultancy focused on Toronto upstarts. In my free time, I read and learn about new subjects and help my parents with retirement planning.