Why I Started Juno
I started Juno when I was at a professional crossroads. I knew it was time to move on from my last job and I was exploring what I wanted to do with the next chapter of my life. I met with countless women who were expressing a similar theme - they wanted more out of life, they were ready to focus on their dreams and/or discern their calling/purpose, but they sought direction and community in this endeavor. Some felt isolated, some felt untethered, some expressed a feeling of unsettling forward momentum… cruising professionally with little to no intentionality about their next steps.
One woman I met with, a former lawyer with a degree in and passion for education, told me her kids were getting older and she was seeking something for herself. There was a stirring inside her for “something more.” As she told me about her professional and personal journey, she said, “and then I took time off for the kids, and, you know, WOMP WOMP.” I laughed loudly in the coffee shop, because it was something almost every woman I spoke to expressed in some way or another – I pursued this path because my husband was in medical residency; I took time off to have the boys; I decided on this flexible job from home because the kids were young; I got a job at their school because my husband traveled for work….. and WOMP WOMP. Another woman I met with had been a consultant at a prominent international consulting company before stepping back to spend more time with her young kids. She had been taking independent consulting projects whenever they fell in her lap, but she was eager for structure and a deliberate plan. She was considering starting her own shop, or maybe finding the right job. She said she felt like she had a lot of life left to live.
Other women I met with hadn’t taken time off or paused careers, but they made career choices they otherwise wouldn’t have because it was best for their families. Perhaps they would have moved to another city to accept a dream job, or pursued a path that required more late night hours. I had a similar experience – I’m a former attorney turned attorney-career-coach, but when my youngest was born I decided to take a job at my kids’ school. The hours were in line with the needs of my young family, and we got a tuition discount and good health insurance. I never in one billion years would have decided to work in a high school if it weren’t for the fact that the job benefitted my family. Seriously - I wasn’t trained in education, and I didn’t even really like teenagers (at the time! I came to love them). As a career coach, I can say that when considering the arc of my career alongside my training and experience, that was not “a wise career move” for me – meaning, it would take effort to get me back on my former chosen career path. The up-ramp would be steep if I wanted to go back to what I was doing before. So, you know, WOMP WOMP. But, it was great for my girls, and ended up being a beautiful chapter in my life. And I was able to continue consulting with my clients on the side, so I kept those skills sharp.
The women I met were describing a period of life I call the Selfless Season, in which a woman – of her own volition, mind you, this is not about coercion or patriarchal pressure – prioritizes the needs of others and might even place her dreams, passions, and desires on the backburner. These ‘others’ are often kids, aging parents, or partners. This is a noble deed, to be sure, especially because she does not need to do it, but chooses to. These seasons can be short or long, and they can actually be fulfilling and beautiful in so many ways. And yet, being selfless implies a loss of self. Many women truly lose touch with what they actually want in life. Not what’s best for their families, or what their husbands or kids might prefer for them, but what they want. When these women have a stirring to do something more, to leave this season for another one, it can be difficult to determine what that “more” is, to formulate goals, and to plan to execute them, especially on their own.
A few years ago, my husband joined an organization geared to entrepreneurs. John, an independent lone-wolf type, immediately thrived in the small-group setting. He was able to share his professional and personal struggles with like-minded business types and also benefit from the networking events and educational components of the broader organization. I watched how the group had a huge impact on him, personally and professionally.
As I explored my own professional next steps, I was envious of John’s experience. It dawned on me that most women don’t have a space like this and yet would thrive in one. Most of the women’s groups I researched, outside of faith-based organizations, are professionally- focused networking groups with a significant barrier to entry. They are geared towards self-proclaimed “professionals” often in an insular industry, business owners or spouses of business owners, and/or require a corporate income/revenue threshold to qualify for membership. As I looked around me (and squarely in the mirror), I saw women with so much potential to thrive who were seeking connection, support, and encouragement. A place to come together to be intentional about their next chapters.