Heather Aimee Geroux

Heather Aimee Geroux: Speaker: Heather Geroux, Owner - Heather’s Pet Sitting HavenWhat does being an Influential Woman mean to you?Heather Geroux: What does it mean to me to be an influential woman? When I look back on 25 years in the travel industry, I realize I didn't just build a career, I built a reputation. My journey didn't start with an open door. When I was a teenager, I asked my stepgrandmother, a travel agent herself, how to get into the business. She told me to mind my own business, and she told me I was rude for even asking. I was 16 on my own and learning quickly that independence doesn't come cheap, but I had a dream and survival instincts. I didn't let that no stop me. I worked through every corner of this industry, from the tarmac as an airline employee to the high stakes world of international freight, and finally to the travel agency side. I actually showed up to an interview 25 years ago to be a travel agent, but the HR manager saw something in my resume that I didn't see in myself. She handed me a brand new role in contract programming. That changed the trajectory for the next 2.5 decades of my life. For the longest time, I was the only person in the company handling those massive hotel and air contracts. People often talk about survival of the fittest. To me, that doesn't mean being the loudest or the most political. It means having the ethics to outlast the drama and diligence to outwork the doubt. It means maintaining a healthy reputation with your peers even when they don't return the favor. Today I balance the corporate legacy with my other great love, my pet sitting business. In this economy, we all know the grind is real, but I've found that when you manage your time wisely and stay connected to what brings you peace, everything falls into place. My message to you is this Hard work and diligence pays off, but you never truly arrive. Just keep striving. If you lead with a solid heart and thick skin, your efforts will eventually become the blueprint for others to follow.What's one piece of advice you would give to younger women chasing their dreams?Heather Geroux: My advice to the younger women chasing their dreams would be to sit back and think about happiness, peace, and fulfillment in the way you make money. Think about it really deeply and what you want to do with your life. If you're just starting out, think about the things that you love and are passionate about and see if you can make a living at it. I started a pet sitting business 10 years ago in my forties after babysitting for friends and family all my life. I figured I could make money at it, and I'm really good at it. And fortunately for my job that I work for now, they allow me to work from home, in addition to taking care of other people's animals. However, I do work very hard, long hours, and I give over 500% to my current employer. I do take days off here and there with the respect of my employer. I do have a work-life balance that works for me. I also didn't always have it easy. I was put in foster care at 16 years old, and I've been on my own ever since. I wanted to be in travel and somehow I found my way into the system and worked my way around and up. I'm not all the way there, but you're not always going to be there. You always have to strive to be better each day. Whatever you do, think long and hard about it first. Think about what will make you happy. It's not about the money. It's about the job you're doing and doesn't make you happy. If it doesn't, sit back and think about what will make you happy after the thought's in place. It's out there to yourself, and you can make it happen. Just believe in yourself, even when others put you down. I learned at a late age that I'm the number one person in my life. After that, everything falls into place, and I can honestly say, do what you love, love what you do, is equally at its finest.