Creating Invictus Communications

This website and blog is a long time coming - though technically I did have a WordPress site for the last number of years. However, I was never able to commit to the journey of blogging as I didn't quite have a focus beyond adjusting to my new job. Even after a little bit of time, professionally I was scattered - the job has ended up very different and evolving in a completely different direction.

Trying to get a handle on where this job has been going the last number of years has left me pretty scattered personally as well, and to feel such upheaval for so long has me re-evaluating where I'm headed. The last few years has been a challenge, but the last number of months has been a turning point in my job and I've finally decided to put up some solid boundaries in my work life balance and commit to freelance work to help me feel connected to what I love doing - helping, teaching and connecting with people.

So here's a little background on my life since college that has given me a unique set of experiences and led me to where I am: I graduated from Florida State University in 2011 and was working at a local TV news station when I was diagnosed with Endometriosis.

(Sidebar - Yes, I will be talking a lot about Endo, healthcare and women's reproductive rights in my personal posts - if this makes you uncomfortable, well good luck in the world because women make up half the population on this planet and guess what? Most of them in their life time will have a period! *gasp* Crazy right? No. It's not actually. Its human anatomy and science, and it's a beautiful thing.)

I was told by that employer that I could not schedule my surgery when my doctor recommended or anywhere near where I needed - so I quit. I was in immense pain that was controlling my life - something had to change. I had no back up plan, but I was not willing to put my health in jeopardy so soon in my young career. Luckily, I had been working part time at a law firm; they helped create a full time job for me and I graciously worked there for another two and a half years trying to figure out what to do next. I tried my hand at grad school; it wasn't a huge success between choosing the corporate reputation management tract in the business school that ended up being dissolved (and of course it was the only program in the business school I wanted to pursue) at the same time I was experiencing different health issues. I medically withdrew and decided to start fresh. I moved up to Atlanta to try my hand at getting into a corporate agency from the ground up. It was quite an adventure and I learned a lot, like I enjoyed connecting with the community and people. I learned that I enjoy helping people tell their stories - and I wasn't doing that. I took stock of what I wanted and realized IF I could break into this corporate company, it would take a long time and a lot of good luck, so I switched gears and focused on finding a job centered around storytelling. It took months and probably thousands of job applications, but I landed back at my alma matter, Florida State University. I finally felt like I found my place. My job included telling stories about research, people and places at the university through radio, TV and digital content - it was thrilling and stimulating! I met a lot of people (including my husband) and grew a community I still love reconnecting with when I can. After a few years I was offered a job at another local TV news station - something I told myself I would never do again after my first experience. But, never say never. Times had changed. The world had changed, and I still believed in journalism and the dissemination of information through radio and TV. I also didn't want to settle - while I loved my job at FSU and could make it my whole career, there were professional road blocks that I wasn't OK with in the long run. So, my husband and I took a chance and headed to Jacksonville where I've spent the last two and a half years as a Digital Content Producer for a local TV station. And well - I know it will take a LOT for me to continue working in news. Do I still believe in journalism and the importance of disseminating information in the most strategic fashion? Yes, but I am not willing to again sacrifice my health, which is why I am starting to do freelance work again. A year ago, I had my second laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis and I vowed to make my health my main priority. I did succeed at that for a majority of the last year, but the balance has once again been thrown off kilter and I'm working to right it. I'm not sure what all that entails at this moment, but I know I need to find a creative outlet outside of my current work.

When I worked at FSU I freelanced for income supplementation, but it proved to be a fun, creative outlet. I worked with our friends at Isabella's Pizzaria Napoletana, Club Seminole Swim and FSU's College of Communication and Information's FITC Program. So I am once again stepping into the freelancing realm to combine my love of connecting to people and communities with my nearly ten years experience in brand management, content creation, digital strategy and marketing to help disseminate authentic content by businesses and entrepreneurs in order to connect them with the audience.

All that being said, this is such a small portion of my journey - I hope to tell you more about these experiences and what I've learned as time goes on.

If you have any questions about any of them, please feel free to contact me.

I look forward to including you in my journey and being able to help you tell your story!