It's Been Awhile

Hello to all my LinkedIn cohorts. It has been about 2 years since I last posted and I’d like to tell you why. 

Big Changes:

After my husband Ken was laid-off from Qualcomm (along with a few thousand of his co-workers) we wanted to start a business offering his expertise in Fortune 500 style training and development to medium and small businesses. Despite all the market research and enthusiastic encouragement from business owners and the industry at large, we were not successful. At the end of 2018, we knew we needed to close the business and move on. We “Officially” closed Spokes Learning Solutions in 2019. 

Moving On:

Being go-getters it was time to drop-10 and punt. When we met in 2001 we were both looking to move out of California. It was finally time. In October of 2019, we officially left California behind for our new adventures in Colorado Springs. It was a baptism by fire. We pulled into town on a sunny 76o day. The low that night was 11o. We awoke to a snow-covered landscape. We Loved It! 

Time to get settled:

Having spent 6 months looking online at homes for sale, we were finally in a position to buy. Let the hunt begin and the compromises abound. We purchased a house in November 2019 and immediately started to tear it apart. Let the renovations begin! 

• Here’s a tip: Don’t start a renovation in November! It’s tough getting trades that late in the year. 

We lived in a construction zone for 6 months. No kitchen sink for 2 months. We were thrilled when we got our last moving containers in January and found the Crock-pot and induction cook-plate. YAY, I could at last fry, sauté, and stew. The microwave got a break and I even learned to make bread in a crock-pot. Who Knew?

It was worth it! We love our new home and city. We did most of the remodeling ourselves. We hired-out the electrical, plumbing, and installation of the new counter-tops. We did everything else. Design, installation, and finishings. To see some before and after images go to the gallery page of our handyman website: www.KenNJen.com

OOPS! Bad Timing:

We started our job search and had interviews set-up two-weeks prior to the country shutting down. Interviews were canceled and job openings evaporated. We were getting to the desperation point when a contractor friend was passing through town and stopped in for a visit. He was amazed at what we had accomplished in our home renovation and said, “You should be doing this for other people.” With some additional advice, we started doing handyman work. Never to be held down we are using any and all of our skills to stay afloat. We’re not thriving but surviving. 

No Help for the Needy: Having just moved to a new state we don’t qualify for any assistance programs. We just fall through the cracks. We have had to fight and petition to receive the stimulus checks most people affected by COVID get automatically. With the help and support of our family and friends we are able to keep the lights on and food on the table. Everything else is a luxury. 

Struggling but surviving:

It’s been TOUGH! But we’re survivors. We look for opportunities wherever we can find them. Since December handyman work has been hard to come by so once again we are looking for opportunities to use our diverse skillset to be contributing members of society. Ken’s using his expertise in training technologies to facilitate Zoom meetings. I’ve built our handyman website and am working on a Photography/Videography site to try and capitalize on those skills. We have a complete studio set-up. We might as well try and earn a little income with it. We have even started videography and video editing for a YouTube cooking channel. I love to cook and am doing it anyway, why not try and make some money there too!

Coming Soon to YouTube “Jen’s Comfy Kitchen”

Looking-up and Moving Forward:

While we do all we can to continue finding independent revenue sources, we both would love to find steady employment. I endeavor to find an opportunity where my extensive skillset will facilitate a business’ success and growth.

Bottom Line: 

Sometimes life is all lemons. We’re making lemonade. 

Keep-on, Keeping-on

Best wishes to you all.

—Jennifer Davis