Heather, what did (You) do, Before opening Southern Life?
- Picked Peas on Mr. Feemster’s farm – when told at 7, you’d make your first $1, but could dictate your own schedule, one learns VERY quickly, that to be a paid pea picker, you need to get up early, and pick when its not 110 degrees outside.
- Wrapped jewelry on Main Street at Christmas – talk about fun! This store was a like a dream come true for any girl. You got to wear all the jewelry but then, put it back!
- I played golf, and swam (laid out by the pool) – kidding, but not really… I had the BEST babysitting job, keeping two boys -anyone could ever ask for! This was my summer gig for 3 years … learned all kinds of life lessons, including the power of sunscreen, and how to make nachos 10 different ways!
- Became a jack of all trades at York Gary! That one took me 6 years…I took people home if their car was in for longer than an hour, I checked people out, rented cars, cleaned the parts room, went to the bank, and learned the art of parking cars in tight spaces, rescued a kitten (my parents still have him today), painted a banner (or 2), answered phones, OH the list goes on, and on, but gained the most insight to how hard it was to own, and operate a business – the lessons from those 6 years will always be the best. I am immensely grateful to that family!
- Alas, I graduated college, and became an Accountant at GMAC Financial. That lasted a short time; I didn’t feel, challenged.
- So I became an Auditor for Moore Stephens Frost, audited my way through a few Poultry Plants, and quickly realized, I could spend as much time as I wanted to, in a chicken house back in Nashville – I did not go to college for this job. SO….
- Decided the Legislature would be home for a while. I was an Auditor, for City / County Municipalities, I specialized in Sheriff’s offices and Police Departments! I would eventually work my way into School Districts. During this stent, I lived in Little Rock, Fayetteville, Nashville, and everywhere else in between, before I said, enough is enough, no more travels for this girl!
- So I went to another Legislative division -became an Analyst over Education, Lottery, and Tax. This was probably the best “job” I’ve ever had. It was fast, and fun (most days).
- But, I left, and ran over to the Attorney General’s Office for a hot second. I learned more than I ever want to about the Tobacco Settlement …. But I loved being there, until Politics got the better of me… So I left… I left before they could ask me to leave! *If you didn’t know, I come from a politictical family background, who did NOT coincide with the party winning that year…
- So, I got my Real Estate License, (I’m still active), flipped 1 house all by myself… It was During this time, I worked through the plan to open Southern Life! That story, we’ll save it for another day!