Aftermath.com“Don’t be afraid to go out on a limb. That’s where the fruit is.” ~ H. Jackson Browne via Tiny Buddha
Our vibrancy as a nation is an unsung casualty in this latest economic downturn. I’ve seen too many people hiding their well-founded opinions, particularly if they aren’t “aligned” with senior management, for fear that they’ll be candidates for the pink slip and cardboard box line. I completely understand the fear. Over the past 3 years I’ve watched a lot of truly phenomenal friends and colleagues walk out the door, and not by their own choosing. Good people who put their hearts into their jobs and made enormous sacrifices of their own personal time for the sake of what was best for the companies that employed them. And then they had to suffer through the company talking about their release as a cost savings. It was de-humanizing to say the least, and I want us to productively use our anger over the situation to rise above our fear.
Are we becoming a nation full of people who keep their heads down? What an enormous step backwards. Take a trip over to Ellis Island and it’s easy to see (and feel!) that our nation was founded by some serious risk takers – people who came here with few possessions beyond the clothes on their backs and unable to speak the language. They had no employment, no place to live, and many of them didn’t know a single soul here. How frightening that must have been, and yet they persisted. I’m here because of that persistence. We all are.
To honor their legacy, the legacy of people who risked it all for our sake, we have to take up that same spirit. Start small. Take one tiny step out of your comfort zone. Attempt some audacious project that seems just a bit too big for you. Look around you for the most beautiful dream you can find, gather up your courage, and go out on that limb to get it. It’s waiting for you, and you’ll be better off for throwing the dice to see what happens. We all will be.
The short of it:
Writer. Health, education, and art advocate. Theater and film producer. Visual artist. Product geek. Proud alumnae of the University of Pennsylvania (BA) and the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia (MBA). Inspired by ancient wisdom & modern tech. Proliferator of goodness. Opener of doors. Friend to animals. Fan of creative work in all its wondrous forms. I use my business skills to create passion projects that build a better world. I’ve been called the happiest New Yorker, and I try hard to live up to that title every day.
The long of it:
My career has stretched across Capitol Hill, Broadway theatre, education, nonprofit fundraising, health and wellness, and Fortune 500 companies in retail, media, entertainment, technology, and financial services. I’ve been a product developer and product manager, theater manager, strategic consultant, marketer, voice over artist, , teacher, and fundraiser. I use my business and storytelling to support and sustain passion projects that build a better world. In every experience, I’ve used my sense of and respect for elegant design to develop meaningful products, services, programs, and events.
While building a business career, I also built a strong portfolio as a journalist, novelist, freelance writer, interviewer, presenter, and public speaker. My writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, PBS.org, Boston.com, Royal Media Partners publications, and The Motley Fool on a wide range of topics including business, technology, science, health, education, culture, and lifestyle. I have also been an invited speaker at SXSW, Teach for America, Avon headquarters, Games for Change, NYU, Columbia University, Hunter College, and the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. The first book in my young adult book series, Emerson Page and Where the Light Enters, was acquired by a publisher and launched in November 2017. I’m currently working on the second book in the series.
A recovering multi-tasker, I’m equally at home in front of my Mac, on my yoga mat, walking my rescue dog, Phineas, traveling with a purpose, or practicing the high-art of people watching. I also cut up small bits of paper and put them back together as a collage artist.
My company:
I’m bringing together all of my business and creative career paths as the Founder of Double or Nothing Media:
• I craft products, programs, and projects that make a difference;
• I build the business plans that make what I craft financially sustainable;
• I tell the stories that matter about the people, places, and products that inspire me.
Follow my adventures on Twitter at https://twitter.com/christanyc and Instagram at https://instagram.com/christarosenyc.
View all posts by Christa Avampato
2 thoughts on “Beginning: Honor Your Ancestors, Pick Up Your Head, and Go Out On a Limb”
Christa,
Thank You. This is a great post, but I have a different take on this issue.
The fact is, the “social contract” is dead. In other words, you can be the “best” employee in your company. Yet, the next day, you may still receive a pink slip.
In other words, you are out of a job and have just joined the swelling ranks of the unemployed. This is now a reality for millions and millions of employees–and counting.
Cost cutting means it is no longer feasible for companies to pay an employee in dollars and other perks. They would rather “outsource” your job to a developing country. After all, a “local” there would be happy to work for that company at only a fraction of your salary and no benefits. And no perks.
Your company can still get the work done and pocket the difference. In terms of a cost-benefit analysis, this makes sense–but it has a human cost which is rather unfortunate. Imagine the impact on American families–over the years.
There is no job guarantee. You could also lose your job tomorrow. In that context, it makes more sense to start your own business and become an entrepreneur. You will follow in the footsteps of millions of people who have already taken the plunge. You will make a savvy entrepreneur. Cheers.
Hi Archan,
What’s been an amazing realization for me over these last few years is that starting my own company, while somewhat of a scary endeavor, is not nearly as scary as putting my future in someone else’s hands. Perspective is an awesome thing!
Christa Avampato 
Christa,
Thank You. This is a great post, but I have a different take on this issue.
The fact is, the “social contract” is dead. In other words, you can be the “best” employee in your company. Yet, the next day, you may still receive a pink slip.
In other words, you are out of a job and have just joined the swelling ranks of the unemployed. This is now a reality for millions and millions of employees–and counting.
Cost cutting means it is no longer feasible for companies to pay an employee in dollars and other perks. They would rather “outsource” your job to a developing country. After all, a “local” there would be happy to work for that company at only a fraction of your salary and no benefits. And no perks.
Your company can still get the work done and pocket the difference. In terms of a cost-benefit analysis, this makes sense–but it has a human cost which is rather unfortunate. Imagine the impact on American families–over the years.
There is no job guarantee. You could also lose your job tomorrow. In that context, it makes more sense to start your own business and become an entrepreneur. You will follow in the footsteps of millions of people who have already taken the plunge. You will make a savvy entrepreneur. Cheers.
LikeLike
Hi Archan,
What’s been an amazing realization for me over these last few years is that starting my own company, while somewhat of a scary endeavor, is not nearly as scary as putting my future in someone else’s hands. Perspective is an awesome thing!
LikeLike