Second careers

Women tend to have more careers than men.  It goes with the territory.  Women bear children men do not.  Nothing will change that.  Although there are men who are partners and sometimes one of them decides to stay home so although the times have changed, there is generally one person who bears the major responsibility of the children and home. Some women continue to work and raise children at the same time, others go for the part time gig, others just stay home and never go back to work again while others stay home and then come up with second careers or just return to their original career. 

I have gone through a variety of careers.  Some I have been paid for, others I have not.  I'd say the majority of my careers have been interesting opportunities that have worked for me at that time. 

I am intrigued with people who start second careers, or third careers.  The majority of entrepreneurs I know have many careers but at the heart of the manner they are entrepreneurs just with different ideas they are executing on at the moment. 

I have two friends who have done an incredible job at second careers.  I give them huge kudos.  Funny enough, they are married. 

They are two incredibly smart people who have solid street sense which to me, accounts for the most smarts.  She started a clothing store on the Upper East Side which was very successful and sold it once they moved their family to the burbs.  For years she stayed home and did the Mom thing but she always had a serious passion for the theater.  She got involved in creating a theater program, after school, in the middle school and the in the High School.  Eventually she produced her own play locally.  This past year, her play was picked up by Fringe Festival to bring to New York City.  That is a huge accomplishment.  She is loving what she does, more than anything she has probably ever done.  She was able to follow her heart on the second time around.

Her husband, one of my all time favorite people, owned a chain of stores with his family.  He worked like a dog.  He has always dabbled in real estate, successfully I might add.  So many of his stores were in the buildings that he owned.  He sold the stores, kept the real estate and retired.  He is a pacer.  I can't imagine him retired and neither could he.  He became a fireman.  Every young boys dream, right?  He loves it.  He loves the people, the camaraderie and the life style.  His first year, he won Firefighter of the Year in his district.  Gotta love it. 

When I think of a second career ( or for me maybe it is my 5th ), I think about my two friends.  They are loving what they do.  Balancing their lives.  To me, it is no surprise the success they have found in their second careers because they are driven people who always reach for the top no matter what they do.  I give them huge credit for figuring it out.  On some level they are always trying to figure it out because I just think that is human nature.