Home stagers come from so many different careers before getting into staging. Often the change is prompted by a midlife “is this all there is?” decision to do something more fulfilling. For others, it’s the kids going to school, a divorce, or a health crisis.
Such was the case for Staging Diva Graduate Marcia Levitz.
As a stressed-out insurance agent in Boynton Beach, Marcia’s creativity and passion for interior design were totally stifled. Selling life insurance and variable annuities wasn’t her dream job by any stretch, but it paid the bills.
She stumbled upon Staging Diva one day and knew immediately that she wanted to become a home stager. But instead of acting on her intuition, she listened to that loud, negative inner voice that told her to push the idea aside.
It wasn’t until a sudden heart problem put her in the emergency room that she realized it was time to rethink her career options. Shortly after, Marcia started her Florida home staging company, Design Doctor, LLC.
“I am sorry I didn’t start sooner,” writes Marcia. She adds, “I love being creative and helping people see the potential asset their home can be! Whether it’s the home they’re trying to sell or the one they’re moving into, my clients enjoy and appreciate the expert advice I can give them. This is because of the superior training I took in my own home with the Staging Diva courses.”
If you’re in a situation like Marcia was— a stressful corporate career that doesn’t give you any joy— is it really worth sacrificing your health?
Back in the 1980s I was responsible for Gold Card marketing for American Express. The job itself was interesting, but what was tearing me apart was all the corporate politics.
There were so many power plays and manipulations, that it was next to impossible to focus on the actual job at hand. When I finally quit, I was well on my way to an ulcer and was totally dependent on antacids to get through the day.
I didn’t have another job at the time, which meant I’d have no way to pay the rent, so it felt very risky. Looking back years later, I can see that what felt like a dive off a steep cliff was actually one of my better career moves. If I’d stuck it out and become too sick to work, who would have taken care of me then?
At the time, if I’d had my own home staging business on the side I wouldn’t have felt so dependent on my employer. All of my financial “eggs” wouldn’t have been all in one “basket” which would have given me far more freedom and a sense of control over my own life.
Related reading in these free articles: