From the ages of 8-14 I would spend every summer working at my grandparent’s resort in rural Canada. While my friends were spending their summer breaks hanging out, on vacations, or doing “normal kid stuff”, I was spending mine cleaning cabins, completing countless hours of grounds work, and waking up at the crack of dawn for a long day fishing on the lake. Although I would get jealous when I would hear the stories of the fun times that my friends had, I knew that the memories and the skills that I acquired during these working summers were immeasurable.

 Not only did my early work experiences help me develop a strong work ethic that would carry into my future career, they also taught me how to effectively communicate with a wide variety of people. To my surprise, this has become one of the most valuable skills I have learned. Although learning to be flexible with how I serve customers was not easy at first, it’s a skill that once it was learned and practiced, left me better equipped and more confident to take on clients from all walks of life.

 There is no doubt that these skills play a huge part in the roles I play today – especially in my career at Powertex. Backed by a strong work ethic, I‘m confident that no matter the task, the job will always get done. The ability to provide our contacts with highly customized service based on their specific needs allows me to build deeper connections – creating longtime customers that trust our company and rely on us for projects that they could not necessarily lean on others for.

 The lessons that I learned at a young age may not have seemed worth it in the moment, but they have certainly paid off in the long run.