Jacquie grew up in a loving, hard-working southern family. Though money was often scarce, her close-knit family enjoyed the simple things in life and they got by well enough. However, due to her family’s financial situation, as the eldest child Jacquie knew college wasn’t an option for her.
So after high school graduation she married her high school sweetheart and started looking for a steady job. Like many people, she found that it was easier said than done, and over the next two decades she changed jobs several times, always aiming for greater opportunities and a larger paycheck.
Finally, thanks to a chance encounter with a chivalrous sales manager on a rainy day, Jacquie got her big break—a nice inside sales position at a steel company. With the strong work ethic and enthusiasm instilled in her by her parents, Jacquie worked hard to prove herself, and was soon promoted to outside sales. So began what turned into a twenty-five-year career in the steel industry.
As author Kristin Kaufman writes in her book, Is This Seat Taken? It’s Never Too Late to Find the Right Seat,
“[Jacquie] had achieved what her father thought was the ultimate job: working for a large corporation with benefits and the hope of a nice retirement. And the bonus: Jacquie loved what she did, and she was good at it. She was at the top of her game.”
But as you might guess, Jacquie’s story wasn’t over. Due to the economic recession of 2008 and other circumstances out of her control, Jacquie was laid off at the age of sixty-two. One little pink slip of paper caused her world to crash down around her. Widowed and unable to fully retire, she didn’t know what to do.
Just a couple months later, another chance encounter changed the course of her life once again. Through a conversation with a stranger on New Year’s Eve, Jacquie learned about a multilevel marketing opportunity in the direct sales industry. Skin care products were a far cry from the steel industry, but Jacquie had confidence in her ability to do whatever she set her mind to. She was determined to succeed.
And succeed she did. This time, as her own boss, she had a level of freedom and flexibility she had only dreamed about before. She made a conscious decision to give her new career at least five years to take off. It only took her two years to reach the same heights it had taken twenty-five years to reach in the steel industry. Now, thirteen years since she was forced into early “retirement,” from the steel industry, she is enjoying her freedom and a seven-figure income!
In chapter 7 of her book, Kristin Kaufman shares several excellent lessons to take from the life and success of Jacqueline Qualls:
- “Think differently. Change that little voice in your head and believe it is never too late to start over. Your mindset is everything.”
- “You can achieve greater things than you ever could have imagined if you are willing to work hard, be consistent with your efforts, and know that all things are truly possible.”
- “Give yourself permission to dream.”
How about you, are you giving yourself permission to dream? Are you ready to change your mindset and believe it’s never too late to start over? Are you willing to work hard, be consistent, and really pursue your dreams?
It’s never too late to change your story’s ending!
