Notice to Vacate
Moving out of the empty nest South of Market Street in San Francisco.
My lease is up in July and I have given my notice having no idea where I will live, but knowing I can not stay here. On my way to brunch yesterday morning I had to weave my way through a sea of tents. I’ve learned that these suffering people are harmless for the most part, but it is still heartbreaking to watch. I read the news and new plans are in motion to solve this humanitarian crisis, but it is supremely difficult to cure addiction and mental illness. A 16-year-old girl was found dead close to my building. In her body, they found a fatal combination of cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl. She was dumped on the street by someone. Her name was Victoria. As a mother of two daughters, there are no words…
You do not get to live in San Francisco and just see the city you want to see. There are many great minds behind trying to solve the problems here and I am willing to help. The death of this young girl is something that I can not accept.
I moved back to this beautiful city to start over and begin my next chapter. In the months that I have been here, the city has given me so much insight, knowledge, and grit. I am no longer the suburban housewife I once was. I knew that going in. One of the reasons I decided to move here from my safe and secure neighborhood is I think boredom can be dangerous. People who are bored can create some very interesting problems to keep themselves busy. I wanted to live fearlessly, but I also wanted to work, share my wisdom, and contribute to the world. San Francisco for better or worse is a place of opportunity. It is a city that is alive and full of companies that change the world consistently. They build things that change people's lives for the better (mostly). These are companies known around the world for innovation like Google, Uber, Twitter, Salesforce, Slack, Dropbox, DocuSign, and so on. Then we have Levi, Gap, Allbirds, Athetica, North Face, Stitch Fix, Everlane, and Rothy’s legendary brands all. San Francisco is also home to Charles Schwab and Wells Fargo and a host of investment banks. I wanted to be a part of that.
Last week I was a speaker at the Women of Silicon Valley conference. I met with women from around the world and talked about Leadership Branding and gave Career Advise. I may not be able to solve the homeless problem in San Francisco, but I can help women to become better leaders. I can help them achieve their goals and dreams. This is something I can do. I can use my experience in corporate marketing and working in tech startups to help and guide them to success.
My number one piece of advice for anyone at any stage in their career is to employ agency. By this I mean you have to take charge and guide your own future. I met with two young women who have been in the same job for two years. Their bosses tell them they aren’t ready for more responsibility and advancement, but they tell me this is not true, that they are ready. One of them works for Apple and I told her to find a mentor and start applying for other jobs within the company. Also, to up her game on all levels, how she dresses, how she carries herself and to reach out and ask for advice and help no matter how hard and embarrassing that can be. I advised that she throw a blazer over her T-shirt as well. For the second woman, I advised that she look outside her small startup and find another job. To have agency is to take action and direct your own life. We have more power to improve our lives than we think we do. Small actions on our own behalf to encourage growth adds up to a bigger happier future. A future that the 16-year-old girl found dead on the street will never have.
I have one month to find my future.