We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Paige Olvera a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Paige thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.
I went to work right after high school. But even before then, I would babysit my little cousins for money and sell food and candy at school! For my 15th birthday, my mother bought me a Canon Camera, and I took pictures of people around the school for portfolio experience. LOL. I also enjoyed my Web Design/ Digital Media class and worked on projects to add to my school portfolio. That said, I always enjoyed working and doing something creative!
However, when I entered the workforce, it was a slap in my face when I realized my dream job would not be waiting for me. I had jobs where I was put in a cold, sad office sorting medical documents, I sorted mail and got paper cuts all over my hands, I answered phones for grumpy customers and got cursed out, I was disrespected and talked down to, and much more! I had my fair share of jobs as a temp in my early teens and twenties. Even though they all had their faults, they prepared me for real life. I met wonderful people with beautiful souls at these jobs. People I still tell stories about to my spouse and remember wise things said to me.
As time passed, I guess some would say, I went “job hopping.” Even though I saw it as never settling. My few jobs that weren’t through a temporary agency greatly impacted my career. I learned so much, professionally and personally, from people I worked with in my mid-twenties. I matured so much that I look back at myself and don’t even recognize the person I was before. But one job, in particular, made the biggest impact.
I walked out of a job. I felt like I had “trial and error” so many jobs and thought I had landed a position at a company that I could grow with. I was overwhelmed with disappointment when I realized that was not the case. I was going to be twenty-five years old. I did not have my degree yet, because, at every job I was at, I would put the job’s needs before my own. I was always promised promotions that were never given, but I was still expected to do the position’s duties. Then I was talked down to when I asked for help. All of this, and I would always remain grateful, hardworking, and determined, but my mental health had finally reached its limit. I invested 110 percent, yet I had nothing to show for it but the feeling of being disrespected. So, I left! I had no idea what I would do, but I had a possible job offer lined up, but still, it was a huge risk to walk out of a job, especially because it was during the pandemic. Sadly, I was correct.
The possible job offer fell through, and I felt as if my life was over. I thought, “This is it. I am a failure. I have no job and no degree. Everything that I never wanted to happen is happening.” I had zero confidence in myself. My first Voyage article came out pre-pandemic. It made me feel so excited for my future, and now with this happening, I felt like a giant loser.
For the next couple of months, I fell into a deep hole of depression where I would cry almost every day. My closest friends and my beloved spouse would come and sit by my side and let me know it was all temporary and great things were coming.was didn’t want to believe it because I was tired of getting my hopes up just to be disappointed. I would pray that I would find a career where I could work from home, constantly learn something new, attend school and just grow as a person. I didn’t know if I would ever find it, but something inside me was telling me to keep holding on. And one day, I came across a job posting.
“Executive Administrative Assistant (Work from Home) – Part-Time” was the title of the job ad. I read the job description and thought, ‘Wow. I’ve never been an Executive Assistant, but boy, have I done all of these duties and more!’ The entire post sounded so good that I even thought it was a scam! I decided to save the post and went about my life for the next few days, but something kept calling me back to it. As I said, I had never been an Executive Assistant, much less a virtual one, and no clue what this company was. I was super nervous about submitting my application, but I thought, ‘Take the risk, and if they don’t call, oh well, if they do, see what it’s about.’ I applied, and within a few days, I was asked to complete a one-way interview, which I have NEVER done before. From there, I received an email asking about my availability for a Zoom interview! I booked a time, and I still thought it would be a scam, even to the point where I almost canceled 20 minutes before the Zoom was scheduled. I was freaking out but told myself to take the chance and hear them out. I had no idea that what was waiting for me on the other side of that call would change my life forever.
I was introduced to Superpowers HQ. Superpowers HQ helps entrepreneurs reach new levels of freedom and growth by placing a highly-skilled Executive Assistant to assist them. I was proud to be one of their Virtual Executive Assistants. Superpowers placed me in the Marketing field to assist Digital Marketing Agencies in DFW. There is where I found my career calling, Marketing. I was blown away by the field and the people in it that make it possible. I realized that this job was everything I had hoped for. I got to work from home, attend school, and constantly learn new things because the Marketing world is always changing!
It’s an overwhelming feeling thinking about the risks I had to take to get to the position I am in now. I hit a low point in my mental health and felt hopeless. I had so many fears and doubts about what I would do and if I was ever going to find my calling. But the feeling and voice inside of me that kept encouraging me to get back up and take the chance is what was stronger in the end. I am proud I stood up for myself, my goals, and my dreams, even when others told me they were impossible. I am glad I took the risk, stayed true to myself, never settled, established my boundaries, and never morphed into something I was not.
Paige , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
For those who have not met me, my name is Paige, AKA Mama Oinkers! I was born in Dallas, Texas, and raised in Irving, Texas. Growing up, I always knew I wanted to do something creative, share my story, and help others! I blog through my Instagram and love promoting small Businesses and offering small graphic design projects/ services. Check out my first Voyage article to learn more about my back story and how I got into the field!
As mentioned before, I have always given 110 percent in whatever I do. I embraced that I am a hard worker, maybe even a bit too much. I am proud that I am dedicated to myself and my goals. Seeing how far I’ve come despite the ups and downs, especially the downs, brings me joy.
What people might not understand about creatives is how much their personal life can affect their ability to produce quality work. It wasn’t until I began my journey with Superpowers HQ and the Marketing Agency they placed me with, Rose Marketing Solutions, that I realized how nice it is to have someone check on you and make sure you are not getting burnt out. They taught me that taking days to recharge is not a bad thing or a sign of weakness. It is a normal thing to rest your mind and body when you have been working hard. I am proud to say since I have embraced this new way of thinking, my quality of life and mental health has improved greatly.
My brand, Mama Oinkers, is all about positivity and staying true to yourself. My whole life, I always thought I had to behave in a way that others wanted. I always thought I had to compromise in life to be happy because that is all I saw around me, but when I drew the line and took the risk of believing in myself and my goals, I flourished in a way I would never have thought was possible. For someone who came from little to nothing, that makes me the proudest.
Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?
FOR SURE! In high school, it was all about attending a university or going to community college for two years and then transferring to a university and getting a degree. That was the most common way of getting into your career field.
I was completely unaware that Dallas Community College has certification courses that are a few semesters’ worths of classes, and that’s it! Also, there are tons of FREE online certifications that one can obtain to list on resumes, such as Hubspot, Mailchimp, Google Certifications, and more! Another thing is YouTube! The power of the internet gives you the ability to learn everything online, meaning there is more than one way to get started in a new career field.
Also, Dallas Community College has amazing degree plans for people who are returning to school. They also have tons of online classes that are great, pricing is not bad at all, and they have wonderful resources to assist with payments. As someone who pays out of pocket for school, knowing about the resources above is a game-changer!
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
As mentioned before, at the time, I was a Virtual Executive Assistant with Superpowers HQ. Superpowers placed me with the Digital Marketing Agency, Rose Marketing Solutions, to assist their outstanding CEO and founder, Ruth Ann Rose.
At this agency, I was asked what my goals were for my future and what I wanted to do in life, and to be honest, I was taken aback by the question and had NO IDEA how to respond. As you can see, being in a role where someone asked about me and what I wanted in life was something I’d never experienced. I was told I was a talented individual and the sky was the limit for whatever I wanted to do or try. To be able to tell others what I want to do in life, and they believe in me enough to try to make it happen, is such an overwhelming, empowering, appreciative feeling.
I’ve been with the company for over a year now, and I am happy to share that I have moved from an Executive Assistant to a full-time Marketing Account Manager with Rose Marketing Solutions. My life has completely changed, and I am surrounded by support, knowledge, and positivity in my current role. I hope with this new journey, I can gain as much experience and knowledge to grow my knowledge in the Marketing field and possibly one day be an Executive. We shall see what happens! 🙂
Contact Info:
- Website: https://mamaoinkers.wixsite.com/mamaoinkers
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mamaoinkers/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paige-olvera/
- Other: Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/MamaOinkers/ SuperpowersHQ Info: https://superpowershq.com/ https://www.instagram.com/superpowershq/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/superpowers/ https://www.facebook.com/Superpowershq Rose Marketing Info: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rose-marketing-solutions/ https://www.instagram.com/rosemarketingsolutions/ https://www.rosemarketingsolutions.net/ https://www.facebook.com/RoseMarketingSolutions/
Image Credits
Ashley McDonald and https://www.instagram.com/paigebeitler_photography/?igshid=OTJlNzQ0NWM%3D