by Joy Fox

Nowadays, when you hear the phrase "I'm in transition" it means that person is job hunting or between jobs. I could have said that several times over the years. It would not have meant I was job hunting, only changing my direction, sometimes within the job, sometimes in a new direction.

In 1993 I took an early retirement from a large corporation. While working in the bosom of a fairly large company, one tends to feel secure, although not necessarily happy. Thus it was for me. I had a good job with a lot of responsibility, but it wasn't enough. I hated the rules and policies that went along with the job. It was time for a change, making my own rules, being my own boss. It is a major transition, as any entrepreneur will tell you.

There were several independent meeting planners operating successfully with their own clients and since I had been involved with meeting planning for several years, that choice was a natural direction to take. It comes as a shock, to find out you are the business! You do everything. It is a challenging position to be in.

It can also be lonely, as I quickly found out. I had to learn to sell myself, not an easy task.

Working in the community as a business volunteer gave me the company of other professionals. Founding the Independent Meeting Planning Association of Canada gave me a peer group of like-minded people. I served as their first President. Being an active member of Toastmasters International gave me speaking skills. Writing my successful marketing points and presenting them to other small business people gave me a community profile. Volunteering my time within the hospitality and business industry helped me immensely and increased my level of confidence.

The biggest challenge of being in business is staying abreast of the game. Sometimes the only way to do that, is by diversification within your own business. Adding more strings to your bow! When things are tough, you need to look at what else you can add to your business, or what else you can do.

During my corporate years, I had been involved in protocol and wanted to do more on this topic. That desire brought me to the Protocol School of Washington in 1994 to acquire my Certification in International Protocol, Etiquette, Dining Skills and Children's Etiquette. This gave me more credibility and another direction to pursue. An interview with Canadian Press brought me a lot of media coverage and a lot of business. I became a Protocol Consultant/Trainer with occasional contracts for meeting planning. A transition was taking place.

The timing was right for International Protocol. People were beginning to think seriously about the Global Village and more meeting planners were looking at far shores for their meetings. Some had problems dealing with international clients. Before long my business changed from meeting planning to Protocol and Etiquette consulting.

I still loved independent meeting planning and in 1996 I acquired the designation of Certified Meeting Professional. I was already enrolled in a correspondence course to take my B.Sc. in International Relations and acquired that also in 1996.

Writing has always been a something I enjoy and before long I was writing about my topics. This led to quite a lot of media coverage over the years.

Another transition was in the wind though….a move across the country. In 1997 my husband of 45 years was retiring. We were looking for a better climate than Ontario. We decided on a move to Victoria, British Columbia. It was love at first sight.

I realized that the time had come to loosen the reins of IMPAC and let others take over. I was also ready for another transition. More and more consultants were entering the profitable etiquette industry and while I kept a few major clients, I wanted more leisure travel. Chance put the Globe and Mail in front of me at the library and I noticed Tour Design and Development training taking place in Vancouver. After being a meeting planner, small group tours appealed, so I signed up for the training and got my Certification in Tour Design and Development from The Travel School of Toronto. I am currently using this training to work with a travel agent to develop unique small group tours. I had moved away from being a meeting planner to becoming a tour group leader.

All well and good, I thought, but how could I bring my great passion for knitting into the picture. There was no local knitting guild or club, so I made up some flyers and delivered them to all the yarn stores in the area. This brought me to a small group who were meeting once a week. There were 6 of us.

After 5 years, we are a Guild with a constitution, and we meet every week. We have grown from 6 to nearly 80 members, all passionate knitters. I write and publish a newsletter for them 6 times a year and organize their educational events and outings. Recently I brought a group of knitters into Victoria for a yarn-shopping treat, followed by a Knit Fashion Show and Sale, soon to become an annual event. I was able to combine knitting with a small group tour!

After reading the Guild newsletter, a local yarn store asked me to publish an on line newsletter for them once a month. I was happy to oblige. I also write for knitting industry magazines and often submit articles. I give advice to the industry through the on-line newsletter, which has over 3500 subscribers.

I believe that my career as a meeting planner is a thing of the past. I am ready to let go of Protocol and Etiquette Consulting. It is time to leave it to others, younger and keener than I.

Writing newsletters and articles, organizing knitting events and tours, keeps me busy enough now. I still volunteer for two or three organizations and somehow just can't stop organizing their events! I still upgrade my education by attending events, but now this is within the fiber arts industry. When I travel I write about my experience with wool and visit local yarn shops and guilds. When I look at a site, I wonder how it would suit fiber artists, not meeting planners!

I've gone through several transitions before arriving at this place in time. It's a good place, enjoying my passion, travelling, writing, planning and organizing, and living by my own rules. Works for me!

The transitions I have made seemed natural at the time. There may be others in the future, I am open to that possibility.

If you are not completely happy in what you are doing, look at your talents, take a chance, learn a new skill, upgrade your education, get involved in the community and look for ways to bring in those components that give you pleasure. You may be able to make a successful transition towards your passion.

Joy Fox. Biography
A former Independent Meeting Planner, Joy founded and is an Emeritus member of The Independent Meeting Planners Association of Canada. She is also a Professional Member of the International Association of Protocol Consultants, a member of Vancouver Island Meeting Planners and Suppliers and the Canadian Institute of Travel Counsellors. In addition, Joy is a member of several knitting related organizations. She currently works as an editor in the knitting industry, writing two industry newsletters and organizing events and tours. She holds a B.Sc. in International Relations and is a Certified Tour Manager as well as a Certified Protocol and Etiquette Consultant.

Clients have included Fortune 500 companies, all levels of Government, Associations, Corporations and individuals. She has been featured many times by both TV and print media.

An active volunteer for many years, Joy has served in many capacities in the hospitality industry and local business.