The Confession of My Career

Most of you know me here as a high performing friend, peer, and employee.

I have switched gears a few times in my career, leading me to some really cool new things that I will share with you soon.

But before I share those things, I have to make a confession to each of you. I’m telling my network this now because if we are connected, I worked with you at some point in my life. I probably did a project with you and we had a really great time doing it.

However, I feel like I have been dishonest by not sharing this story sooner. These are the things I didn’t talk about at work. Heck, most of this I didn’t tell my friends. No one likes drama. Drama does not breed success.

I have only told this story one other time and I had a panic attack for 3 days after.

I spoke to an old friend recently who knew me when I survived my dad. He reminded me I had nothing to be ashamed of.

My name is Charlena Berry and I come from humble beginnings.

It has taken me 25 years to find those words.

For a period of time early in my life, I was homeless.

My dad was an alcoholic. When I was 13 or 14 he held my stepmom and I up with an AK47 then tried to kill me a few days later. This moment removed fear from my heart. While tragic, I believe that has been the secret to much of my success. I am not afraid. 

I started working when I was 14 for $4.85/hour.

I worked 2-3 jobs at a time to make my own money. The farmer’s market, fruit stand, gas station, as a janitor, tutoring, at the hardware store, bartending, a waitress. Literally, everything.

I couch surfed for a really long time trying to find home.

When I was 16, I became an Emancipated Minor. This is a legal divorce from your parents and allowed me to sign my own documents so that I could go to college.

When I was 18, I graduated 11th in my class, was Senior Class President, awarded the Green and Gold Award, and earned $100,000 in scholarships from places like Discover Card, the Rosa Parks Foundation, and Tiscornia Foundation.

I graduated from MSU in 2004, I was 22. I did this WITHOUT ONE RED CENT FROM my parents.

Two months after I graduated, my dad committed suicide. I didn’t tell anyone who didn’t need to know. My brother became a heroin addict and I watched him withdraw on my couch. Again, I faced these battles in silence. How do you tell people that?

I worked. I worked really hard and did some really cool things at a great company in Southwest Michigan.

When I was 27, the family matriarchy was handed to me by my grandmother. She developed dementia and Alzheimer’s. I watched my hero, mentor, and friend deteriorate then arranged for her care. Before she lost her ability to speak, she was angry with me that I didn’t bring her a handful of pills to make it quick. I couldn’t. Then I had to live with and pay for that guilt.

She had no cash. I had to liquidate her estate and come up with enough money to pay her nursing home bill. She had 13 properties that I was responsible for, including a bar and liquor license. While this sounds like a lot, all of the properties were dilapidated. It covered many of her bills, but not all. For the balance, I personally paid it. I took a loan out on her bills and just paid it off last week. I still pay her husband’s cell phone bill and taxes.

I relocated to Florida for a new career.

I signed my grandmother’s DNR and was responsible for her celebration of life. I was only 30. As matriarch, I led this charge. I made that hard call that the rest of the family couldn’t make. How do you tell people that?

I didn’t take a single bereavement day. It was easier to work.

I finished my Master’s Degree.

I did many more really cool things at work. I found a great neighborhood and am raising a really awesome daughter here.

I was stuck in an abusive relationship but got out.

As a result of all these things, I suffer from, but effectively manage, depression and anxiety. But I get up every day to work hard and do my best.

With all of this, 95% of the time, I didn’t break my composure. But sometimes I did.

Fast forward, I quit my job and started my business. Through a series of connections, I started consulting in cannabis.

I didn’t believe in cannabis when I started.

I conducted my own social experiments and became a believer.

Then one day – a lightbulb went off that cannabis could really replace opiates as a mechanism for pain management.

5 years later, I’m about to start doing some really cool things in the industry.

I share this information today to get this off my chest and hope that you understand me a bit more.

Even more than that, when I do these cool things – I hope that you hear me out and understand I’m coming from a place of purity. I survived all these things by choosing to always do the right thing. This continues to be my guiding light. 

I’m a science loving, introverted geek who loves animals, and should have been in band. In my life, I have had pet newts, axolotls (bonus if you can pronounce it), blue crayfish, rats, hamsters, prairie dogs, and love my regular dogs. I hand raised 3 squirrels and 2 years later, I still visit my little girl Idgy in the park. I raise monarchs in my yard, have an orchid collection, and sew my own curtains.

I’ve been to 45 of the 50 states and try to visit every museum, national park, monument, waterfall, natural beauty, and any other relic of history. I take pictures and read all of the info-plates.

Why am I putting this on LinkedIn? I need to cast out my shame.

Plus, there is still a lot of shame associated with cannabis and ask you to consider hearing me out when I start doing these cool things in the industry. My motives are pure and with good intent.

I found my purpose and I’m going to start talking about some very tough things – professionally. You needed to know my background in advance.

So for the first time in my life, my truth is on the table.

I’m an open book.

Ask me anything.