I often say I’ve had two lives.Life #1: U.S. I grew up in Kansas with a strong Midwest work ethic - loyalty and a ‘get it done’ attitude are part of our DNA. First job was int’l account manager for Africa/Middle East accounts at a large, private company - when fax was still king and it took a full 24 hours for a reply from our distributors (insert laugh emoji here)! It was my first introduction to real-world cultural sensitivities, and the fact that I was a woman with a man’s name proved invaluable during this time.Jump to my Arizona move where I landed in the public sector, learning the ins and outs of business and economic development. I thrived in an environment that helped small- and medium-sized companies develop strategy for European trade & strategic partnerships. Focused on the medical and aerospace industries, my business knowledge grew exponentially. I joined a pseudo public/private organization with a shift in focus on international investment - consulting with European companies who were establishing an office or manufacturing facility in the United States. Eventually, I was recruited back to Kansas with the dream job of my early 30s, Director of Int’l Trade & Investment at the Kansas Dept. of Commerce. Budget. Strategy. Personnel. The works.Fast forward to life #2… in Sweden. I did not see that coming! Feel free to ask me how I met my husband at the train station in Göteborg, and stayed.After a brief public sector stint, I was back in the private industry, this time in the world of digital marketing and business development for a startup anti-spyware company. It was one of the most demanding workplaces of my career. An environment where I learned, contributed, and taught. Business development. Contract negotiations. Digital marketing. Strategic partnerships. Employee development. The works... times 10!All these experiences became the stepping stones to founding my own small creative reuse business - a disruptor in the traditional office furniture/interiors industry that demanded new ways of thinking in Sweden. The industry may look like a side-step in my career, but it was in fact a fusion of my two lives plus my growing passion for social/environmental business development.Since closing the company in 2020, I work independently with marketing and sustainable strategy projects as well as copy/edit/content development. I'm all about collaborative environments and companies where I can see the impact of my work.Other fun things to ask about:That time I shook hands with Margaret Thatcher.