I first met Becky in an Indianapolis, Indiana café sometime in early 2012 at the suggestion of my aunt, author and consultant Jesse Lyn Stoner, a friend of Becky’s. I was in my last year of college and, like many millennial grads who studied liberal arts, totally unsure about my next step. Just minutes after sitting down, I understood my Aunt’s insistence. I remember leaving the restaurant thinking, “that was such an inspirational dinner” – and I don’t even remember what we talked about.
Fast forward a number of months—I am about to graduate and I get a call from Becky who has decided to branch out and form her own company under the clever name of Weaving Influence. I was intrigued, and signed on to work part-time in helping her develop her wide array of skills into a living, breathing business. Our team began helping develop our clients’ websites, doing book launches, managing blogs, writing our own blog and so many other things that go into creating a meaningful, lasting on-line presence.
I learned a lot during the less-than-year I worked with Becky, including what it means to be part of a team that really cares, what a values-centered business looks like, how to make the client’s success our success, and so much more. I pushed myself to pick up many new technical skills that had previously seemed like computer magic, and that would serve me very well in future positions. I got better at managing my time (I worked virtually) and felt proud to be part of such an honest, growing company. When I left to pursue a full-time local opportunity in Indianapolis, I knew that Becky would remain a supportive friend and member of my network and almost three years later, I can still say that is the case.
Fast forward to now, and I’m back on the Weaving Influence team. A whole lot has changed for me in the past few years, including my last name as I got married in January. I have been living in Jerusalem, Israel for over two years, studying and then working for an energy-efficiency startup here in the holy city. That’s a picture of my new home town in this post’s image.
As I sit at my desk in my new home office, I hear a father talking to his son in Hebrew on their way home from pre-school. I hear horns honking and birds gathering for their daily afternoon sojourn on our rooftop. I can see the train that goes straight to the Old City where my husband studies and, if the sky is clear, the bare, rocky Judean Mountains in the distance. Thank G-d, I am very blessed.
As a new, or new-again, member of the Weaving Influence team, I am amazed to see how much the company has grown. First of all, when I started there were four to five team members, and now there are over thirty, many working remotely like me, and a large handful working together with Becky in the new office space in Lambertville, MI. The client base is more varied and professional than ever, and services have expanded to include full-fledged PR services, web and graphic design, webinars, and much more. Weaving Influence has become an entire network of forward-thinking employees and clients who are really making a difference through their work.
I never could have imagined where life would take me when I sat down with Becky three years ago as an idealistic want-to-be writer, unsure of what the future held. After holding a number of professional positions and re-locating to a new country, I have learned a lot. Professionally and personally, I have come to see that what is meaningful is not what just what serves my own creativity or interests. Meaning and satisfaction comes from what I can contribute to the world by using the unique talents gifted to me. I am truly grateful for this opportunity to work for a company that really embodies the value of giving to others, and to learn from Becky and all of her amazing, inspirational team members and clients once again.
Margy Kerr-Jarrett enjoys reading, writing, and spending time in nature with her husband and daughter. Born and raised in Indianapolis, IN, Margy has been living in Jerusalem, Israel for the past three years.