MONEYIS4U

Turning Unemployment into Entrepreneurship: A Journey of Trust and Resilience

• Jacqueline Correia • Season 1 • Episode 1

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This episode explores the power of self-trust during life’s uncertain moments. Sharing my personal story of being laid off and the subsequent challenges, I highlight the lessons learned about resilience, financial management, and entrepreneurship.

• Emphasis on the importance of trusting oneself 
• Personal account of the layoff experience 
• Coping strategies for unemployment and financial strain 
• Emotional impact of financial challenges on family 
• Lessons learned during a year of minimal income 
• Transitioning from employment to entrepreneurship 
• Establishing Notable Wealth Management and career growth 
• Encouragement to trust the journey and internal guidance

Correction 
P.S. in the podcast I said in the year 2026 I meant 2025.

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Speaker 1:

Welcome to Money Is For you podcast brought to you in collaboration with Notable Wealth Management Inc. I am Jacqueline Correa, your host for this journey. So I actually woke up this morning thinking to myself that I would come into the studio and talk about finance and about products and whatnot. And my hire guide says why don't you start the podcast with when you got laid off? And I just shook my head and said, okay, you got a plan. So today we are going to talk about the key is to trust yourself. We have to and that is also my word for 2025, is trust. So for the fact that these two are lining up, it's just. I know there's somebody out there that needs this message.

Speaker 1:

So my journey, it was 2020, sorry, the year of 2011. I remember it was January 2nd. I just started the new year and as I walked in the hall of the corporation I worked at at the time, I remember my hire guy said put your house in order. This is your last year. And I just went to my desk and the year started and by April I had done my resume, I had refinanced my mortgage because my mortgage was coming up for renewal, so I thought I'd call it in early and I did all of that and by June 14th I was laid laid off. So again, the key here is trust in yourself. I listened to my higher self, told me what to do and I did it. So I was packing off and I went home, wasn't shocked, was prepared for it. So I was not disappointed because I knew I needed more than what the company could give me. What I did not expect is that I would be unemployed for two years. So here I was, had a mortgage, single mom and my kid was in university, which I now had to put things in order so that we can survive this. They'd give me a package and I had good. Thank God, I had, over the years, had it built up in emergency fund through a match contribution that I had with the corporation, so they had dumped all this money back at me that I had to now manage.

Speaker 1:

And I remember the summer came and you know everything was good and now we were going into fall and I remember sitting on the porch of my home and I remember saying two things my home. And I remember saying two things my God, whatever you're doing to me, do not let me lose my home, but find me a job that I can work from home. Today I'm actually working from home. I have my own company and I'm working from home. So we have to be careful with words that we use and realize that every word we speak is a prayer. So we must understand that we must listen to our inner guides when it's speaking to us, and we have to trust our inner self, trust ourselves, to know that everything will work out and it will work out for our higher good. So, but it was not an easy journey.

Speaker 1:

Being off work for two years was not part of my plans. In this process, we weren't qualified my son wasn't qualified for student loans, so I now had to. In all the confusion, I had to make payment plans to the university to make monthly deposits so that my son will stay in school. And some of the things that we don't recognize is that kids see what we're going through and they end up worrying more than we do, even though I said to my son at the time I will take care of this, the only thing that you need to do is make sure that you have give me a certificate. But in the process he ended up getting an ulcer, so we also had to deal with all that because, as much as I'm saying you know I will take care of this. He was seeing the stress that I was going through because, as much as I'm trying to hide it, I was still going through my stress. I mean, one of the things that I had learned to do is going to my, my room, my spare room, and meditate and just trust in myself that the next move will come. And when I got quiet and I got peaceful, I would always get the information as to what to do next.

Speaker 1:

So you know, for the two years that I was unemployed, I pretty much used up all of my savings because I had built up an emergency fund. So they had paid me, I think, 10 months of employment that you know because I had worked for that company for 11 years. And even that I had to go to a lawyer because, again, it was an American company and they wanted to be cheap. They even said to me that you know, your government said you was entitled to 20 weeks of unemployment, which is, as an American company, I guess that was not entitled. So I said no, you choose to work, you choose to do business in Canada, and so that those are the agreements for you doing business in Canada, so what I was entitled to give it to me. So I had to take it to a lawyer because I did not agree at the time with what was given to me, and eventually they worked the thing out. One of the things also is that the lawyer's fees that I had to pay it was a write-off, a tax write-off, which I learned that from there, where my lawyer said to the corporation listen, this is a tax write-off for you guys, so you can observe her legal fees. And so they also did that.

Speaker 1:

You know every experience that we go through, I think when we're going through the experience, we ask ourselves, why is this happening to me? But you know, we learn a lot of the times. There's always a lesson in in what we're going through, and I think sometimes, if we stop and step back, there's a, there's a scripture that I that I, um, I love is called be still and know that I'm God, that I, um, I love is called be still and know that I'm God. And it is such a powerful message because it teaches you to sometimes stop running, stop just on the go and just step back and allow things to process. Take a walk, you know where there's trees, or you know, go to the lake and just listen to the prompting of the spirit, because that's when he's able to speak through you and tell you what it is that you need to do. I call them knowledge and I call it wisdom.

Speaker 1:

So you know, those are things that I would say to you when I, when I talk of it, you know the key is trust in yourself. You know, we live in a society where so much we look outside ourselves for the answer. But all the answers that we need as the direction that we need to go comes from internal. It's trust in ourself, internally, so that everything starts within and it comes outward. But you have to start from within. So the key is trust. So as I I look at my life today, I mean when I was going through it, I could not believe that I could be here today, and I even wish that I trust myself more back then because I think I would be better off. But I know everything is a journey and there's a journey. There's a journey why I had to go through the things that I had to go through, so that I'm a better teacher and I'm able to explain these things better to my clients. So you know, in all the journey I mean I was able to go through, I was able.

Speaker 1:

You know, I say to people that even though I was unemployed for two years, the only thing that I had had happen was just a crack in the foundation of my home, meaning I didn't lose my home, I was able to pay for my son to go to university and complete it. I mean, I had a lot of debts when I was done, but the fact that I was still grateful that I had the foundation built before so that when it did happen I could go back and draw on that money to live on during the time I was going through my rough time. So in that process I was invited to go into this business called being an advisor. It's not something I was looking forward to and not something that I thought I would go into or even thought I was qualified for and, believe it or not, I went to a company that it starts with a P and I'm not going to bring their name into it. I didn't make any money working for that company, but one of the things I was there for one year but one of the things I'll say to you. I learned so much. So, again, sometimes we are put into positions or places and it's not so much about the money, but there's always a lesson or there's something to be taught being in there.

Speaker 1:

So in the two years of being laid off again, I was trying to figure out where I need to be. Where do I want to go? You know, I know I did not want a job where I had to, where I had to be, and somebody telling me when I could go on vacation, when I can go to the bathroom. I just know I did not want that At that time. I did not knew that, I didn't know that I was. I was a born entrepreneur and I like to be self-employed and work on myself. These were the times I got to know who I truly was.

Speaker 1:

So I was invited to um to be licensed at this company, um, on which I did Um, and I sat there for an entire year and, as I said, I did not make any money, but I learned so much from the company. So was it the right choice that I was invited there? Yes, because it taught me, as I call it. It was me going to school for a year. It taught me so much and the funny thing was I had built up a clients list by you know, in the time I was going there I was seeing clients. I was, you know, trying to do business but nobody wanted to do business because I was with the company that I was at at the time. Nobody was telling me that's the reason, but I could figure that was the reason. So the year that I sat there just literally going to because I was, they were teaching me how to do the business. They were teaching me how to be disciplined, they were teaching me the right things to say, they were teaching me how to learn the products, and so all of those things I was learning, things I was learning. So I I took that opportunity, that of that year as being a teacher, meaning I was learning how to, I was just learning the business. You know, I was learning to be better as who I can be.

Speaker 1:

If this was what I was gonna stay in after the year was up, I had to make a decision because after this is within the two year period that I was laid off because I had now run out of my. I was now run out of all the savings that I had. I literally was. I ran out of everything and all I had left was like 34,000 that was in a locked, locked-in what we call a lira. It was a locked-in pension the remainder of what the company I was working for had transferred out to me. And I remember telling myself I was going to take from this locked-in lira $10,000. And when this money run out, I either have to be in a job because I told myself, when this money run out, I must be at a job or I would be somewhere that was paying me an income. And that was January of 2013.

Speaker 1:

And in all of that I was, like you know, still stressed out. I was, like you know, still stressed out. I was, you know, and I had now put my resume back on the market to find something. And again here I'm thinking I'm going to go find a job. I mean, I'm at the desperate point now. This is the point that you never actually jump to do something that, but desperation sometimes cause you to do stuff. So now I'm actually going back to do something that I didn't want to, because I remember, in the beginning of of um 2011, I said I really don't want to go back to a job. I didn't want to go back to a desk job and I didn't want to. I wanted to find something that I can work from home. And I was called. I was invited again, um, to an interview with another insurance company, um and I, I went and again at that point in time, the way they explained the commission, the compensation, I said to myself, okay, if I can do four policies a month, I can meet my needs.

Speaker 1:

Right, I can take care of my finances. It was not the career that I thought I was going to end up in. I just thought at that point it was more of a desperation going to end up in. I just thought at that point it was more of a desperation. And I remember coming I said, okay, I'm going to take this because I need to take something. And I remember my higher self once again said to me but this was not the plans that you wanted. And it was just like that person was on my shoulder and I remember turning my head saying, listen, I will do everything you want to do, but right now I need the money.

Speaker 1:

So again, I was putting the money in front of my higher self and I started the career. And I mean again, um, you know one thing I've learned in life if God puts you in a place, he will bless you. But when God say, or your higher self or your divine self says this is not the avenue that you need to go in, and you go in it, you will get stricklings stricklings of anything, but you're not going to get the full blessing because you're not in the place that that he wants you to be right, you're not where you want you supposed to be. So I started a career, um, as as a career advisor. At the time, I brought all my clients in and during the process they actually sold me. At the time I didn't realize I was doing this.

Speaker 1:

Now remember, at this point in time I started a career. I had a crack in the ceiling in my house, I had still good credit, everything was still good. It's just that now I run out of money. But I started this career, which is supposed to make my life better and, believe it or not, a year later my credit was in the pits, and it's just. This is what I'm talking about when you're not where you're supposed to be, the blessing cannot flow the way it's supposed to flow. But again, it's a journey, and I'm saying this because there's always a lesson to be learned in the journey.

Speaker 1:

So I started a career and nobody knew I went to work in a branch that it was all run by men it was myself and one other lady was the only female in there and they did not know the struggles that I was going through. They just saw somebody come in and this person had a drive that had to make the money. They didn't know that I had to be sending $1,700 to the university every month to keep my son in university, plus maintain my mortgage and all the other bills. They just looked at me and thought what the hell? This woman coming to disturb the groove? They were just. These guys have been here for 20 years, five years, 10 years. How dare you come in to this, dismantle the groove? And so I had to get paid.

Speaker 1:

So I was working seven days a week, you know. I mean, back in those days we didn't have nothing to do online. Everything had to be in person. So Sunday afternoon I cooked a meal for my kid and I was driving across the highway to close a deal so that I would get paid, you know, and that's how I was pretty much going, but it was like every time I got something, like I got a little bit and then something else happened. So I felt like here I was, the rain was falling, I was working, I was working really hard, but I could never seem to just start climbing up there. Every time I climb up that hill, boom, it's like a mudslide and I was flying right back down, and so it was like I was paying, taking from Peter to pay Paul, and I was just know. And there was a time there that you know again the kid was still in university I'm doing what I had to do Sometimes. I didn't ever get paid in time. I would now have to, you know, maybe like borrow from a friend just to make sure that my mortgage got paid, and then a couple of days later I got paid and I would pay them back. But I was just, I was doing the juggle thing. I was just doing the juggle thing.

Speaker 1:

But I learned in this journey. I really learned how to manage my finance. Like I mean, I had been in finance for 25 years but I was in the leasing sector of it and I was paying my bills, I was doing all the things. But this was a time where I really had to focus of how I was living, how I was spending the things I had in my life that I needed or I didn't need it. So I truly learned how to live on a budget. I truly learned how to you know. I mean, I I always believe in um, you make an income, you don't spend it. All right. I had the discipline of you know, if I made $100, I try to put away $10 or $20 of it. So I always had that discipline and that's what saved me, because at the end of it all, I had an emergency fund, fund with their payout that they paid me out, allowed me for two years, so that in itself was a blessing and I had grew in my own personal walk tremendously in that that two year, like I learned to know who I was as a person. So, again, the journey is always a great thing. There's a lesson in everything that we go through.

Speaker 1:

So now, here I am. Here I am and you know, as I said, I'm working for a corporation. And again they told me you're self-employed, um, you're building a business and all the things. This is a lie, because you're not building a business when nothing is yours. Here I am, I brought in. You know, I probably brought like 250 clients of my own over that time period that I was with this company. Now, you know, and when I was late, like when I left them, I had to leave all my clients. So, again, they're sharing something, with you saying you're building a business, but the business is not yours, the business is them. You're just literally working for them and they're taking something, with you saying you're building a business, but the business is not yours, the business is them. You're just literally working for them and they're taking your business.

Speaker 1:

So one day I was in in the office, as again I said I was working five days a week, I was working seven days a week and I, I, my, I felt my heart. I thought I was going to have a heart attack. I was just basically thought like I can't do this, I can't I. What am I? Thought I was going to have a heart attack. I was just basically thought like I can't do this, I can't. What am I like? I look around the office and every other advisor either had a heart attack or had a pacer and I thought, whoa, wait a minute here. Everybody here has gone through something with this corporation that have caused them to have, like, a heart attack, right, and or had something happened to them that it's an illness now and I'm like this is not the way I want to live my life. This is truly not the way I want to live my life.

Speaker 1:

So in that process, one of the advisors he was about to retire and he came to me and he said you can't make it in this company with just one contract. You need multiple streams of income. And I'm telling you, in all of this I've been praying for something better to come along. And he drove me to the brokerage firm. And that's how I became a broker, even though I was working for this corporation. And again, because I had built up all these clients, I had almost 400 families and again I had 600 contracts. I'm saying I'm going to be leaving all this that I've worked so hard for, like, really Like. I've done all this. What am going to? What am I? What am I to do? I'm going to leave all of this and again.

Speaker 1:

So one thing I did I said I got my contract now and I told them I am not paying for this office anymore. I was paying almost 800 for an office. It was smaller than a toilet, a bathroom, and I was paying almost $800. For an office. It was smaller than a toilet, a bathroom, and I was paying $800. And I'm thinking you're taking this $800 for rent before I even pay my mortgage. And it was like every time I make something, this corporation found a way to take my money, take all my money. So by the time they were finished paying, I had nothing to pay myself. So by the time they were finished paying, I had nothing to pay myself.

Speaker 1:

As I said, at this point in time my credit started to go into shambles. I never had this problem when I was unemployed, but now I'm working for a company which I'm supposed to be doing better. Now my financial is going into mess because now I don't have enough to pay all my bills. And so, and on top of that, I was like I can't do this anymore. I'm getting stressed out and whatnot. So in all of this, I made a conscious decision that I was going to walk away, and from it all, I'm going to walk away, leave my clients. And that's when I decided to incorporate myself and become notable wealth management and I became a broker, and so I again.

Speaker 1:

I want to wrap this up real quick and we will talk more about the journey along through my podcast. But the beautiful part is I was now on track because again, my higher self came to me and says what are you afraid of? You've already established a relationship with your clients. Walk away and start your corporation. And I incorporated myself. I became notable wealth management and I have almost 500 clients.

Speaker 1:

It's five years going on six. I have done much better. I am less stressed. I now have weekends for myself because I it's not that this career wasn't for me, I was just at the wrong place with the right gifts. So again, if you're in a place that you were not meant to be, the blessing is not going to flow the way it is today. My doors are like today I'm going into 2026 and my pipeline is so full for January it's unbelievable.

Speaker 1:

So my thing is you have to trust the process, but you have to trust yourself. You have to listen to your inner guides that are guiding you through the process and you know there's so much little tweaks and gifts that came through that journey that kept me going when things were rough, that got me through. I mean, you know my credit is good. Today I'm back on track. It took some time. I'm going into my six years as notable wealth management.

Speaker 1:

So as we end, you know, as we go into 2026, I want you to trust in whatever you're about to step into and believe, especially if you make the time to spend with yourself and you know within your heart this is the right time and this is what you're meant to do Trust the process and allow yourself to go through it. You are going to go through things and allow yourself to go through it. You are going to go through things, but if you are on the right path, those things will just be like water on duck's back, you know, and eventually you will get to where you need to be. So in my next podcast, we will talk about RSP, as we're coming into RSP season. So, you know, make sure to hit and subscribe and follow me for more and, you know, stay tuned, but there's more to come. Thank you and have yourself a wonderful day.

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Jacqueline Correia

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