What a year 2020 has been. But, more unsettling than the pandemic would be for you to let 2020 go by without learning the lessons a tragedy can show us. December has been a month of reflection but also excitement for the new chapter of my life. I hope my journey will inspire you to grasp the challenges and forge a new path.
As you may know, I have owned a European Wax Center franchise for the past 8 years. In 2020, I weathered a 7-week shutdown, employees not coming back to work because of unemployment benefits, and the ever-mounting and ever-changing set of rules and regulations. Then, two days before Thanksgiving, corporate decided to shut down my location. No notice, just me and 12 employees immediately put out of work. Just when you think you own your own business! All because I voiced my opinions on mandates and rules that made no logical sense. It was a loud and clear message of “do what I say.”
Since then, I have been pondering what I want to do for work. Previous to being involved in the beauty industry, I spent 20 years in financial services and insurance. Before being hired for my first underwriting position, I had to first pass a math test! If you passed the math test and were hired, you were issued a pencil, rate sheet, and a huge calculator. No computers around. I happened to be the only female who was hired. In those days, women were thought as not being good in math.
I loved the industry and really enjoyed explaining to customers just what their costs would be and why. I really like explaining the “why” to customers. Then computers and the government got involved. In the last years, you were to only sell the rates the computer spit out. No need to use your brain. Then government mandates took over, and the costs for these mandates were never discussed. Another loud and clear message of “do what I say.”
For the past 10 years, I have focused exclusively on health and wellness. I got my esthetics license, my graduate certification in nutrition, and a personal trainer certification. I wrote a book on skincare. I owned a business and enjoyed teaching other estheticians. One big lesson for me of 2020 is not to focus on just one area of life. Being healthy is a most wonderful thing, but if your financial life is not in order, you will not survive an economic shutdown. And, the same is also true that if you have your financial house in order but you are chronically ill, you might not survive a pandemic.
In 2021, Deborah Poland Health will become Deborah Poland Health and Wealth.
The “wealth” part of my coaching services will concentrate on helping individuals, families, and small businesses get out of debt and secure an emergency fund account. The “health” part of coaching will still focus on diet. You can follow my diet recommendations on the Kosher for Gentiles website and look for a book by the same title coming in 2021.
Let us pray we never have to go through another year like 2020, but the world is becoming increasingly dark. The probabilities for future troubles are fairly likely. My goal is to help as many people as possible be prepared for the next economic or health disruption.
I will leave you with one last lesson learned from 2020. You must take responsibility for your own life – both financial and health. We have found that depending on the government is not a plan for your future.
I hope this has inspired you to take charge, no matter your circumstances, and make 2021 a year for getting on track with both your health and your wealth.
