Passion & Purpose Vanessa I. Farrell

21 Inspiring stories from women in the U.S. Virgin Islands          

The Firing That Fueled Me

Vanessa I. Farrell

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

On the morning of March 20, 2020, I was awakened to the gentle whisper of these three words, “I GOT YOU,” and three hours later, I was FIRED!

I stared at my phone in utter confusion as I listened to the caller trying to reconcile her words. I thought I was having a bad dream, but the hot tears streaming down my cheeks reminded me that I was fully awake. My emotions were raw to what felt like a dagger piercing my chest as I struggled to catch my breath. At that moment, my sense of stability began to crumble.

I felt betrayed as I was heavily recruited by this company and had resigned from my “far from ideal” but stable government job 18 months earlier. Furthermore, the world was about to be turned upside down. We were on the verge of a global pandemic, with businesses closing, and the entire world population beseeched to stay indoors. LIFE- LITERALLY- STOPPED! What was I going to do? No one was hiring. How was I going to make money? I had grown accustomed to having direct deposit and stable employment for the last 30 years. I had always left jobs on my terms, so this shattered my confidence and sense of security. Getting fired is never easy, but being fired during a pandemic was distressing.

Since this all transpired on a Friday, I decided to use the weekend to recalibrate, then, on Monday, I could think about my next steps. Like any work day, on Monday, March 23, I got up, prayed, showered, dressed, and showed up to work in my home office. As my hand hovered over the mouse to power up my computer, a pang of emptiness consumed me, and tears welled up in my eyes. These tears, however, were different; they were melancholy and somewhat reflective. You see, today would have been my dad’s 75th birthday, and it was exactly one month shy of my milestone, much anticipated 50th birthday on April 23, 2020. I would never have predicted that I would be turning fifty and jobless. I felt broken, a bit scared, and unsure of the future.  

At that very moment, the words that stirred my sleep three days earlier echoed again in the silence of my home, “I GOT YOU.” followed by You are the CEO and Founder of VI Health & Wellness Coaching, get to work.” I lived alone, so it was clear that God was talking to me, and I needed to take Him at his word. I did not question His directive because in late 2018, while still employed, I was prompted by God to start my own health coaching and consulting practice, and to create a series of health tracking logs and journals. It was fuzzy at the time, but I kept journaling as the directives surfaced.

The prompting to start my own business became overwhelming and all-encompassing, so I completed the necessary paperwork to operate a business in the US Virgin Islands. Despite the hiccups along the way, I kept telling myself, “Vanessa, if you are going to do this, do it right.” I opened a bank account and got a credit card in the business’ name so as not to mix personal and business. I was clueless as to what I was doing, but I kept going. When the bank representative asked me for my business by-laws and the signature of the treasurer or secretary, I simply said we didn’t have those “yet.” Then I did my research, presented the necessary documents, and got my first set of checks and business debit and credit cards. Despite the necessary paperwork in place, my degrees, certifications and over 25 years of public health experience and training, I was scared and hesitated to step out on my own. Instead, I continued to nurture someone else’s dream while nibbling around the edges of mine. For this, God was not pleased, so He shook things up. 

My abrupt firing fueled the launch of VI Health & Wellness Coaching, LLC, and for the next nine months, while I and the rest of the world were quarantined, I showed up as the boss and entrepreneur and began creating and building from scratch. I researched and learned all I needed to know to create, design, and self-publish. I created a business plan, a logo, website, and other promotional materials. My first publication was a journal with a striking butterfly on the cover entitled EMERGE. The title and cover photo were emblematic of my feelings at the time - a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis. That journal is now 1 of a set of 14, each beating a powerful word on the cover. I also created tracking logs for persons with hypertension or diabetes so they can track their numbers and food intake. These logs can be found on Amazon, in doctor’s offices, pharmacies, and book and retail stores throughout the Caribbean and in the United States; the line has been expanded to include additional health and wellness products.

Core to the business are our consulting and health coaching services. We coach women leaders, especially those with hypertension, on the importance of prioritizing their heart health, while our consulting services help organizations advance their public health mission. These multiple streams of income have allowed the business to flourish and has afforded me as a business owner and entrepreneur a level of creativity, freedom, and flexibility, far beyond my expectation.

My advice to new business owners is to trust God; even when His directive seems crazy, unpopular, or even unattainable, stay focused on the task as you never know where it’s leading you. Finally, journal your journey by writing things down and staying alert to opportunities and those good people who consistently show up in your life - they are the light along your path to peace. 

I can joyfully say, “Being fired revealed my purpose and fueled my passion, and for that, I am truly grateful.”

Visionary Author Vanessa I. Farrell, was born on Montserrat and currently resides on St. Croix. She is CEO of VI Health & Wellness Coaching. She can be reached at: VFarrell@VIHealthcoaching.com.