“The juicy stories are the ones where we have to make your way back from hell.”  Monica Kretschmer, Founder, CEO Canadian Business Chicks.

Our crash and burn stories shape who we are as people.  Really, who would inflict that much pain and torture on themselves, or on those who love them?  

I’ll just say this, I made some poor choices, I ended up married to the wrong partner.  I was 35 and really wanted to be married.  I had signs that maybe this wasn’t the right partner for me, but I really believed in his goodness and went down that road anyway.  Just to be kind, I’ll leave it at he wasn’t the right match for me, but a baby came out of that marriage.  I ended up leaving that situation after 15 months, it was very sudden, there was no thinking about it, the words were very clear; it was like leave now.  

I think women can really relate to that because it’s not until we’re truly tested that we look inwards to figure out just how strong we really are.  Then, you either turn away and go backward, or you focus and go forward.  For me, the only way was forward.  

I think anyone who’s been tested knows they are being called to a higher purpose, and if you’re going to go through hard lessons why not inspire others.  Help others make a change, otherwise, what’s the use; you’ve gone through all that for nothing?

My values have always been deeply personal, and my seven-year journey helped me step into those core values.   Had I not started a business I probably wouldn’t have done any of the soul searching necessary.  It’s only from doing the work that I realized what really got me through those seven tough years were my core values: courage, confidence, commitment, and integrity.

When I started my business I didn’t realize how unique it was to have core values established up front.  I have an advisor who went to the Harvard School of Business, she said to me, do you realize how unique it is to have your core values established, at Harvard the very first class they teach students is on core values.

Once a business coach asked me, why I do what I do and all I could think of was that I’m a little bit crazy.  I’m crazy for life, crazy for opportunities, crazy on potential, and crazy about building dreams and making an impact in the world. I’m really crazy about that stuff.    I think you have to be a little crazy to start a business… but that’s what fuels the business.  Embrace your crazy I say.

More crazy in our full conversation with Monica.  Episode #34

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