A conversation with Rosa Lokaisingh, a breakthrough coach for professionals and executives. Rosa inspires and energizes her clients to transition from corporate roles to entrepreneurship.
Rosa Lokaisingh is a seasoned consultant, mentor, and coach with 25 years of experience in the corporate and not-for-profit sectors. Rosa coaches entrepreneurs and professionals with getting clarity on their current status and who they have become, in order to get focused on their Future Self, with a clear Vision. Her clients walk away with a Roadmap so they can take the RIGHT Actions in order to follow a clear path for their desired Success!
Rosa shares memories of her early life in Trinidad and her journey through various career paths, highlighting her values around fairness, justice, and the joy of serving. She also shares insights into how she transitioned from corporate roles into entrepreneurship, driven by her calling to help professionals and executives navigate uncertainties and find fulfillment.
The episode touches on the importance of networking skills, adaptability, and integrating higher wisdom into career planning. Rosa's story exemplifies how aligning professional work with personal values contributes to a meaningful and impactful career, ultimately aimed at making the world a better place through individual talents and services.
“If I can career coach people to find the right career that's resonant with who they are, with their values and who they were meant to be in this world, then I am contributing to making the world a better place. So I must do this. It was as if I had no choice....as if my calling was I was chosen to do this. ” - Rosabelle Lokaisingh
Some takeaways:
- Notice the through line of roles in your life. As Rosa reflected on various roles she played in her life, she saw her values playing out consistently. Her values of fairness, of justice, of a desire to serve and excel and to take responsibility have always led her decisions and her actions. What she has learned about herself over the years is that if she’s going to choose to do something, she’s going to do it right.
- Use “other people’s money,” if possible, to develop the skills necessary to start your own business. When Rosa found herself in an office role that made her feel claustrophobic, she knew she had to have her own business one day but wasn't sure how she was going to do that and what business it was going to be. She decided to take a position in retail, and over eight years learned all that she could about customer service, operations, and employee management. Her passion for helping others live through their own talents led her to personnel placement and, eventually, to coaching.
-Remain adaptable to change. Rosa shared all her career twists and turns, from banking, to retail, to personnel placement, to teaching networking skills to skilled immigrants, to business innovation connector, to founding her own business as a breakthrough coach. Rosa shared that she loves a challenge and as a result has always been very adaptable. By the same token, when her employer lost funding and asked to move her back to a previous position, she said no. She couldn’t go back; it was and is important to her to always move forward.
About the Guest:
After 25 years of working in the corporate and not for profit sectors as a consultant, mentor, and coach for professionals in transition, Rosabelle Lokaisingh founded her own business, Connecting YOU, where she coached entrepreneurs on networking & connectivity skills.
Within the last 7 years, Rosabelle has expanded her services as a Breakthrough Coach for professionals and executives feeling uncertainty or low confidence at the loss of structure and identity, while transitioning from corporate into entrepreneurship.
After breakthrough coaching with Rosabelle, clients feel energized and inspired to get into action to deliver their services with joy, impact and influence for the right audience.
Website: https://connectingyou.ca
Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/rosabellelokaisingh
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rosalokaisingh
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosa.lokaisingh
Stay connected:
Connect with Laura on LinkedIn
@Rotters5 on Twitter
Connect with Laura on Facebook
Subscribe to my YouTube channel
Subscribe to my newsletter
Get your free copy of Unlock Your Money Blocks Workbook: Your step-by-step guide to unlocking your blocks to financial freedom.
Disclaimer: Please remember that the information shared on this podcast does not constitute accounting, legal, tax, investment or financial advice. It’s for informational purposes only. You should seek appropriate professional advice for your specific information.
Rosa Lokaisingh
If I can career coach people to find the right career that's resonant with who they are, with their values and who they were meant to be in this world, then I am contributing to making the world a better place. So I must do this. It was as if I had no choice. It was as if some of my calling was I was chosen to do this. We must do it.
Narrator
Welcome to making change with your money, a podcast that highlights the stories and strategies of women who experienced a big life transition and overcame challenges as they redefined financial success for themselves. Now here's your host certified financial planner. Laura Rotter.
Laura Rotter
I am so excited to have as my guest today, Rosa Lokaisingh.
After 25 years working in the corporate and not for profit sectors as a consultant, mentor, and coach for professionals in transition, Rosa founded her own business, Connecting You, where she coached entrepreneurs on networking and connectivity skills. Over the last seven years, Rosa has expanded her services as a breakthrough coach for professionals and executives feeling uncertainty at the loss of structure and identity as they transition from corporate into entrepreneurship.
Rosa helps her clients feel energized and inspired to deliver their services with joy and confidence. Impact and influence. So welcome Rosa to the making change with your money podcast.
Rosa Lokaisingh
Thank you so much, Laura. It is such a pleasure to be here.
Laura Rotter
I'm excited about our conversation. We're going to start with the question I always start with, which is what was money like in your family growing up?
Rosa Lokaisingh
Oh, that is always such an interesting question. My parents. didn't have a lot. And yet, the kids felt like we were good. We didn't quite realize that we were what we were. Was considered in society for, well, it wasn't, it wasn't poor, but it was compared to my relatives. They were rich. We were not right because my mom married a school teacher who was making sufficient money, but not quite enough to feed 10 children and children.
Laura Rotter
My God. And where did you grow up?
Rosa Lokaisingh
In Trinidad.
Laura Rotter
In Trinidad?
Rosa Lokaisingh
Yes, in the Caribbean. So they, the way they brought us up though, it was interesting. So I think I was confused because even though my uncles and my cousins didn't perceive us as well to do, we were always the best dressed. We were always well fed.
We went to all the big events that came to the island. And they didn't. I grew up very confused. I said, so what do rich people have that we don't have? I don't get it. I didn't see the need to be rich because I felt rich. And so we went when the Ten Commandments came down to Trinidad, he took us all, would hire a taxi or big van and take us, you know, when the sound of music came in, we would all pack in there and go.
When Coney Island came, we would all, I'll ask my cousin, did you go? Did you go, sir? No. Did you go? No. What do you do? My parents are asleep. We're taking care of ourselves. And I thought, well, that's interesting. So I really had no desire for money. However, I did not understand what money could do for you. So I grew up for many years, not knowing the value of money.
All I knew is my, I felt rich because we were well fed, well clothed, well respected, and had a decent education. Not all of us went to university, but some did. Some went to college and some like myself chose not to go because I wanted to help my parents. And I continued my education later on when I came to Canada.
Laura Rotter
So thank you for sharing your story with us, Rosa. What I'm hearing is that you are aware, because there was a contrast with your cousins, that Your family had fewer financial resources and yet your parents were very involved and made sure that you felt very resourced. And at the same time though, you said you chose not to pursue your education at first because you wanted to help your parents.
So what was communicated to you that made you feel like they needed your help?
Rosa Lokaisingh
Oh, that was easy. I was sent to boarding school. I mean, I was privileged. So how can you even feel poor when you're sent to boarding school? Because the college, the high school I wanted to go to was quite a distance from the village that we lived in.
So there was no way we could travel every day. So it was the right, best thing to do. So two of my other sisters and myself were sent there. I absolutely loved it because I'm a community girl, just like my dad. So I loved it. However, one day. I think I might have been in second form, form two. We followed the British system.
Laura Rotter
Which is what? It's not second grade when you're seven? What's second form?
Rosa Lokaisingh
No, second form two means I finished elementary school, primary school, and at ten and a half, I was one of the youngest, most people finish at 11, 11 and a half. I finished at 10 and a half. I got a scholarship and was admitted into high school, which is, I think what they call him middle school and high school in one.
So I was yeah, 10 and a half. And so by about 12 years old, I was just leaving my form two to go into form three. And I overheard a conversation with my dad and the school principal as he was leaving, he came to visit. And I overheard him asking for an extension to pay my fees, and he asked for two weeks.
And she said, Oh my, Mr. Lokaising, I don't know that I can do that. I would have to let Rosa go. And when I was young, they called me Rosabelle, my full name. I'd have to let Rosabelle go. So no, I can't give you that extension. Well, my dad didn't answer. He didn't know what to say, and he just said, thank you, and he left, but he didn't know that I want to write that.
So imagine at 13 years old, you're hearing this conversation. I just was really mortified by the response. I thought that's not very compassionate. But I didn't know business and then, but all I knew is I felt for my dad and I thought, there is no way he's expected to do this alone. He's given us so much.
I'm going to help. I took responsibility in my life right away, had greater respect for my dad. And I just told him, I didn't ask him. I said, I'm going to find a job. And he said, how are you going to do that? I said, I will ask my supervisor if I can go. And he says, I don't know. Well, he wasn't, he wasn't sure that I should.
Anyway, he allowed me because he saw how determined I was. And my supervisor also, I was very firm with her and she knew my character. So she agreed. So I got a part time job with Woolworth.
Laura Rotter
I remember Woolworth.
Rosa Lokaisingh
There you go, we're dating ourselves. Oh my goodness, it was with Woolworth selling hamburgers.
And so as I continued to my final poem, poem five, my Principal kept a space for me in this, the advanced four, six and seven for a whole year because she couldn't understand why I said no. She didn't know what I felt, right? And because I had distinctions in languages, in French and Spanish, I did, I did the arts language in high school because you have to choose between science or arts.
And I chose arts. Because I loved languages. And so she knew I had good marks and she expected me to go to the advanced level. And I said, I'd love to, but I'm choosing to go to work. She said, well, what if you come back in a year? I said, I don't know. She said, well, I'll hold a space for you. They have limited spots.
And she held a space for me for a year. That's when I knew I was liked, you know, or loved. And. And but I didn't go back. I started working at a very young age. I was about 17. I started working and never look back. And I just, yeah, continued my advanced classes in Canada when I came.
Laura Rotter
So Rosa, before we get on to how you ended up in Canada, it's already clear, right, that you're someone that always took responsibility.
You said about yourself, you're a community person similar to your father. I take that to mean that you're an extrovert. You get energy from being with people. And clearly enjoyed learning and are also compassionate. So your compassion had you taking responsibility for your life and not, and even at a young age where others wouldn't have even thought about it saying, this isn't only for my parents to do for me I want. To take care of myself financially. So though you've said to me in other occasions that, you know, you don't necessarily have a business mind and aren't necessarily driven by money. You knew money was an important thing and you wanted to be earning it at an when most people don't even think twice about it.
Rosa Lokaisingh
Yes. I always wanted to be self sufficient. I always wanted to be, and probably because I saw how hard my parents worked. And I thought, well, that's not fair that they have to work so hard. We should participate.
Laura Rotter
So fairness is very important.
Rosa Lokaisingh
Fairness, yes, yes. Fairness and justice. I love, because for me, community means everyone participating at a similar level to experience justice.
The joy of community. If one is overworked and the other isn't, wouldn't one be missing out? So I always reasoned that way so that everyone can have a fair chance to play. And we all need play as much as we need work. I love to play as much as I grew up to play.
Laura Rotter
Looking forward to exploring that and, and what you do or play in your life.
But before that, so how did the transition from living in Trinidad to living in Canada take place?
Rosa Lokaisingh
Oh, that's also very interesting process. What happened was my father passed away when I was 23. My father was my best friend, my hero, my soulmate, and we had an understanding beyond the average. We just understood each other and my sisters and brothers even said to me, did you have a different father?
When I share some of my experiences, I go, what are you talking about? How come you were able to talk to him about your boyfriends and everything? I said, I don't know. I just did. So. I liked the way he taught, because he never gave me the answers. He, he taught me how to think, and because I saw that in him, that he was never favoring anyone.
He just taught us all equally how to think, and he didn't believe that he should give things to people without You know, teaching them something, something of value. And so I really admired that. And because of that, I was able to ask him a lot of questions. And so I became really close to him. So when he got sick, I was devastated and I thought I'm going to, I'm going to fix this.
There's no way, with God's help, I can do anything. So I did, I was working in the bank then, I went, I got a loan, no problem, I was working there for six years. And I came home with this check, and I said, Pa, Pa, guess what? Good news, we're bringing you up to Canada to get a dialysis treatment. Because he had kidney problems.
And he looked at me with this blank look on his face and I looked at my mom and I couldn't understand. And she took me out of the room and she said, your father is almost blind. He doesn't want to go. He doesn't want to live that life. Well, you can imagine my devastation. But to make a long story short, within weeks of that, he passed away.
And as What happened was half of my family was already up in Canada, and they felt it was the right thing to do to bring my mom up here to get better medical care, because they didn't want to see the same thing happen to her, because we all thought it was too late when they told us my father's condition.
It wasn't really, you know, diagnosed properly. And so we the rest of us just felt we had to say yes, because we didn't choose to come. But if our mom was going to be brought up here for better health, then of course we're coming. We're a close family. So I said yes. And that's how did all your siblings came one after the other.
Laura Rotter
Wow. Yes. And how old were you, Rosa, when I was 23? Right. So you're already, yes, you said you were already working. And what was your role with the bank?
Rosa Lokaisingh
I, that was, uh, I loved my journey with the bank. I started off as a teller. I'm and my manager was honestly like genius level. My manager was brilliant. I worked with First National City Bank.
And that's a very progressive bank. And so compared to Barclays and Royal and Scotiabank, they were still very conservative and British, but Oh no, not first national city bank. We had a very beautiful layout, you know, huge city. We had very open spaces, carpeted nice machines, all the modern equipment. It was beautiful.
I loved it. And the whole language was different. Our communication was different because we were very open and again brought up by the Americans. So we had all those values of service. So, so our bank, our little branch in Trinidad actually was placed number one in the world for customer service and for staff morale.
Laura Rotter
So I'm just curious what skills, sounds like you grew. Certainly in maturity while you were at the bank, but what skills Landed you the job. You said you loved studying language and the art. So I necessarily think you'd be working for a bank.
Rosa Lokaisingh
Oh, no, I never that was never my goal or dream or anything You know, I started off getting a job with the government service and I liked my job because it was a revenue tax office and I didn't like numbers and on all that, but the reason again I like my job is because of the people that I met.
I just feel so blessed with the people that God has led me to that it never bothered me what I did. It was always about the people. And so my supervisor was so gracious. And the, the, the chaps I work with, they were older than me and they took care of me like their little sister. And I always felt loved and taken care of.
And so I always wanted to give back. So working with them was fine, except that I had to travel far and stay away from home. And I didn't like that. And so I wanted to move closer to home. I did do that and then found another job with a local government office there. And at that point, I didn't, I didn't see what I saw in the city port of Spain.
The way they treated customers was not the way I felt customers could be treated. So I wasn't happy in that second role. And so I left it and I started searching for a job elsewhere. And then when a friend, a family member told us that his friend, we had a referral, his friend knows somebody at the person I should sit down, why don't I go for an interview?
So I started off understanding networking, got the interview, got the job. And the reason I believe I got the job was because of my. interpersonal skills, my customer service skills, my desire to serve, and my strong administrative tendency. Not something that I like, but if I'm going to do it, I'm going to be good at it.
And so I think that was basically it because I started off as a teller, which is primarily customer service and balancing your accounts. But as I went in there though, It was, I went through all the clearings and loans and, and then I ended up in collections, but I even had to work for six months for the manager for an admin position because he didn't trust anybody else with that as his secretary left.
And he lurched it on me and I said, are you kidding me? And he said, I'll send you to typing school. Those days it was the Selectric typewriter. And I said, Oh me oh my, I don't know if I can do, learn that quickly. He said, Oh yeah, you can. He had faith in me. Within two weeks, I learned how to type. I was so proud.
Laura Rotter
I never learned how to type, but that's, I often think that that helped me in my career. It sounds like learning to type helped you. But I remember when graduating from college, there were these positions that sounded great. But when you showed up, you had to do a typing test. And I, I couldn't type. I still, to this day, I basically use this finger and this one holds down the cat key, but we've cut.
Rosa Lokaisingh
It's so interesting that I guess what I've learned about myself over the years is if I choose to do something, I'm going to do it right. I think my school motto from primary school health, it said good work or none. Can you believe that? Good work or none. From a young child, that's what we saw every day.
Laura Rotter
Wow. And there is a through line, right? You said fairness and justice. And then you've said several times, desire to serve and responsibility. So what you just quoted in terms of what was at, you know, at the top of your classroom, the desire to do what you do well, and I was, we have this whole conversation, your smile.
Is filling your part of the zoom screen, Rosa, so I can see that is appealing to an employer who wants to hire someone in a position of customer service.
Rosa Lokaisingh
Yes, you know what? I, I have never had trouble getting accepted for any job. I have been accepted for just about every single job I've been. When I was coming to Canada, they said to me, well, you know you're going to have to settle for some menial job and you know, it's not probably not going to happen quickly.
And a whole lot of stories, a girlfriend came and you know what I went and I, within two weeks I had three job offers for the first three interviews I went.
Laura Rotter
Wow. And with those also in banking? Yes. Wow. Yes. So our listeners often are people who are either stuck in a corporate job or just left a corporate job and are considering, among other things, working for themselves.
So if you could describe how you evolved to being a solopreneur from someone who, by your own admission, actually enjoyed your corporate job. Um, so what led you, what were the skills you learned there? that then led you to go out on your own?
Rosa Lokaisingh
Well, here's the thing, because I was that young when I came to Canada, I had a lot more working life in Canada when I came.
So everything changed for me working in Canada. So when I came, I realized that banking here was different to banking in Trinidad, because I got a job in the head office. And that means you're in a, you know, small office where you're not seeing customers. And there's no big foyer where you walk around and meet people and say, hello.
And I thought, Ooh, this feels really inhibiting. I couldn't handle that. And even when I looked at the branches, the branches were so tiny and cute. I felt claustrophobic in those positions that I had in the banking. And I said to myself, this won't do. That I've got to be me. I've always got to be the who I was intended to be, right?
And that was the one thing I was determined to be in this life. Just me. Because I knew God didn't make mistakes. I knew that he gave us skills and talents for a reason. So, um, It was important for each human being to express themselves as they truly are with courtesy, respect, and all that comes with it.
And so I realized, okay, you know what, I'm going to have to figure out having my own business one day, but I didn't know how I was going to do that and what business it was going to be. So I started to read Robert Kiyosaki and you know, he talked about rich dad, poor dad, perfect for me to read. I thought, Ooh, okay.
And he said, if you want to go into business, please don't start it on your own by yourself. Use OPM. So I said, okay. So I decided I'll take a retail job because they already exist. I can just go in there and get a management position. So I said to the girls, okay, I'm going to go be a manager in retail and I'll come back and let you know how it is.
And they looked at me and laughed and they go, Rosa, who's going to hire you as a manager or in retail? You have no experience. I went, I got a job within three months. I had two locations. I was a manager in three months and I expanded that retail store. I mean, yeah, a retail store. So we had a space within a large department store.
So it was an American company, a small business that had concession with a large retail outlet. And so. It was a, and they were selling t shirts and loungewear and that sort of thing. So it is very simple business. And I, I learned how to say, hello, how are you in 10 languages? And just doing that, I have lineups from here to way over there, buying t shirts at the value of 400 a bag to take to everybody.
So I thought if I could sell t shirts that were only 10 each and sell 400 worth with loungewear. That would be fine. PJs and everything to take back to it's like, okay, so I did that for eight years. I ran two businesses for eight years, learned all that I could with customer service, operations management, and I found myself coaching.
I found myself coaching all my staff to move out into the world and go find their dream job. And that's when I realized that if the world at large, if each person would actually live through their own talents, God given talents and skills and their own values, there will be no war. We would all be so happy that the world would be a heaven on earth.
And that was my mission from that day forth. So I just started, I go, I have to get into coaching and I didn't know how. So I got into personnel placement. And by doing that, I realized I was able to help people find a better job, but they didn't allow me to coach because there was no time for that. We were working on commission.
So I thought, okay, I'll take my certification anyway, and I'll find the next level. I never worried about what I was going to do next. I just knew I had a lot of faith. I knew I was on the right path and I knew that our good father would open a way for me. I knew that if I did the right things, that there would be a spot somewhere where I could fit myself in.
And that's exactly what happened.
Laura Rotter
So let me stop you for a moment. Obviously, faith plays a very big role in your life. Has that always been the case or, or did you come to this faith as you got older?
Rosa Lokaisingh
Do you know what? It was, I think it was always there. Because when I was, um, seven and eight years old, I was talking to God and asking him, why, why do so many people in the world stay hungry and the rest of the people are throwing away food?
Because I saw my cousins just leaving a plate full of food on the table and saying, I don't feel like it. And I didn't understand that because we had to eat what was given to us. And I knew that there were people with so much and so much was being wasted. So I was bothered and I thought, well, who else can I talk to?
But God, my parents were godly people, but they were not churchy people and they didn't broadcast, but I would say they were holy. I honestly have never met two people who were more holy than them.
Laura Rotter
That's such a beautiful thing to say. So for that. And then I'm just wondering, so we left you in retail, and then you were in, so you left, you just put one foot in front of the other, left the retail position, and we're working in In personnel.
Rosa Lokaisingh
Recruitment, yes. Yes.
Laura Rotter
And then while there, you on your own did a coaching certification, am I correct?
Rosa Lokaisingh
I did. I did on my own because I realized I loved coaching.
Laura Rotter
And what about coaching? Can you share your strengths that you bring, Rosa, to a coaching relationship? What about it? True. You win.
Rosa Lokaisingh
It was in career coaching because I felt, remember that mission that I founded about 10 years before it was that if I can career coach people to find the right career, that's resonant with who they are, but their values and who they were meant to be in this world, then I am contributing to making the world a better place.
So I must do this. It was as if I had no choice. It was as if some, my calling was, I was chosen to do this, I must do it. So it was always very clear to me what I had to do next. I never needed correct counselling myself, not ever. But you felt called to each position. I felt called to do this. And so I learned how to coach because in the beginning, if I didn't learn how to coach, I might have been giving advice.
to people because I knew things. I knew a lot of things. Things came to me very quickly. And so I had expanded knowledge very easily. I would remember quickly. I would retain well. And I, and I also had some knowing that I didn't know where it came from. And I just surmised, well, well, that was from a higher dimension.
I think in my conviction of what I was saying to them, I realised that I created trust. And that's when people agreed to follow me or be with me and I became leaders of different communities because I did community work as well and I was a leader of a women's community of 200 women. And why did they choose me, the only Indian girl from a gathering of Canadian women?
I asked them, and they said it's because you are so fresh. And so in the now and and so I think I, I, I had to look back and see, ask why and ask a couple of people. And those are the reasons they gave me. And that's why, you know, I just continued with the correct coaching
Laura Rotter
While you were still working. Why?
Rosa Lokaisingh
Well, I, I introduced it in my work and my managers knew. But they didn't know to what extent I used it because they didn't even understand how I talk to clients and why I never had to replace anyone. My, my buddies were replacing and replacing and I go, I don't understand why you're spending all that time.
You're not getting paid when you replace. Well, Rosa, how do you not do that? I go, well, I'm sorry. I can't tell you that. I, It's a process.
Laura Rotter
In other words, you would place people and they would stay. And they would stay. Placing in the same position over.
Rosa Lokaisingh
Yes. And because I had so much fun doing it, I just kept moving up the ladder again because I said, well, I don't want to be placing admin all my life.
I want to do more. What do you want to do, Rose? Oh, well, you know, I'd like to work with public relations and communications people because I love communication. So why don't you give me some marketing and sales and communication and PR? Okay, go ahead. So I did that and then I found a job in an executive firm doing exactly what I wanted to do.
And, uh, I, I loved it because I had gone through a phase where so many executive men in those days were losing their jobs because of a huge recession. The dot com bust had happened then. And it was in the nineties and it was sad to see men not telling their wives that they had lost their jobs.
Laura Rotter
I think certainly right, both if you have the pressure of being the only breadwinner of the family, and then as we know for any gender, when there's a big change in one's life of redefining who you are as you lose your, the identity you've had for many years and the shame that's involved in that, it's interesting to To hear those stories, Rosa, when I think about why I always meet with clients as couples, if they're in a couple, as opposed to, well, I'm in charge of the finances.
You don't need to meet me with my wife. I mean, I would never do that. That's what makes sense to me because I think it's important for us to understand each other's money stories and what the reality is. And, you know, How we sense the reality. I'm curious. I wrote down that you, you love play. Do you bring play into your work and did you at that time?
And, and now that you have your own firm is play.
Rosa Lokaisingh
I would say to some degree, yes, with doing this phase with the executive men, that was difficult to do. That was the most difficult and painful. Phase of my career. So the only way I could bring in play was to really have them feel warmly welcome and have them lighten up about the future and not see it as so heavy.
So I shared my experiences with them to let them know that, you know, the way you perceive it now is not the truth. And so I used my higher wisdom to be able to help them lighten up. And that was the best that I could do for them, is help them lighten up.
Laura Rotter
Rosa, was that outplacement you were doing? Or that?
Rosa Lokaisingh
No, it was actually here again. I was in recruitment and I was supposed to just find them a job. But do you think I could just do that? No, I was going way beyond my role. I was doing what the outplacement firm should have been doing for them because their companies had paid good money to the outplacement services to do just that.
You're right to ask that. But after six months of doing that, these men were still coming into my office, forlorn and weakened and disheartened, and this hadn't been done. It hadn't been established, and I couldn't understand why. So you can imagine when I was offered a job as an outplacement after that, I said, no, because I thought you guys are saying you're doing that, but you're not.
So my clients got that service from me and I stayed in my office till eight every night. beyond working hours to be able to help these executive men work through that transition to come out to a brighter side to be able to feel their confidence and perform again.
Laura Rotter
And what a beautiful act of service.
So when did you decide to go out on your own? And how did you decide and what You know, what were the financial ramifications as you made that decision?
Rosa Lokaisingh
Oh, yeah, that was huge. Well, here's here's to another 15 years. So if you start adding people, you would know my age, but don't don't worry, I'm not telling you that I have lived a good life.
And I know I look much younger than I am. But I feel the more importantly, I feel like I'm still, you know, 45, but I had another 15 years after recruitment to serve the not for profit sector. Why was that? I was doing well in my recruitment. Financially, however, part of me was not feeling fulfilled because I had to work so hard to help one person to get through on the other side, it started draining me.
And then I felt behind because I saw all these people that were calling me to say, what do you have for me? And I had to say, no, I'm sorry. Cause I could only place one a month because it took so long to get a placement for one person. And that grieved me. So I wanted to serve the 95 percent that weren't being served.
And I decided to go over to the not for profit side and serve professionals. Who were coming from abroad, internationally trained professionals, who were then looking for employment in a new country. Within non profits? Within the non profit.
Laura Rotter
I see, so you were still in recruitment, but recruitment for non profits?
Rosa Lokaisingh
Recruitment then, it switched to To employment consultant, even though I was doing always the same thing, more or less the basic underlying thing, it always changed colors as the role changed. And I was, I'm always very adaptable. So that's easy for me. So I'm going to wrap that piece very quickly so I can get you to where I'm doing.
So I spent 15 years serving internationally trained professionals, engineers, IT professionals, doctors, lawyers, admin assistants. Everything you can think of came through the doors in Canada and were feeling misplaced, put out, not heard, unseen, invisible, all these things, and they had to end up going to the food bank within a year.
Not fair, not right, not fair, not just, and I did everything I could to teach them how to accelerate that process so they can meet the right people to help them and they don't have to go through what else was being taught as the long way. And the magic to that was to teach them networking skills. My networking skills program was the best thing that happened within the not for profit sector because I created simulated events in my classroom where they got to bring goodies and dress up for a day and act as if they are at an employer's meeting where their trade fair or show, uh, um, What do you call it?
The expos where they are just integrating and meeting new businesses, new employers, and so on. And so as they practice that skill, that's how they were able to go out and meet new people, give a handshake, introduce themselves, and feel confident about being in their new country and expressing themselves.
Because I reminded them that you are still the same professional that you left your country with. Because they would say, well, I'm no longer that. I go, yes, you are. You still are that and more because now you're resilient and I would identify the new skills they've adopted in the new country very quickly.
So I gave them armor, you know, I gave them the ammunition they needed to be able to face what they perceived as the big bad world. And I, again, absolutely love doing that. Did that for 15 years, but then as the government was closing in on their funding, they were laying off a lot of people and they said to me, I don't want to lay you off, I want you to go back to mentoring because you were so good at it, but that would have meant me going back to an old location, an old job, and I don't go back.
So I just said, I am so sorry. I am delighted that you're thinking of me that way, but I can't, I can't go back. I must move forward. And so they had to give me a package and I moved on and I, that's when I got a job with the board of trade, a contract, a two year contract to serve. Academia and business at the same time.
My role was the business innovation connector. Lovely titles I got. Didn't know what it meant. I go, what do you want me to do? Well, as an innovator, I had to create new ways of getting employers to hire the graduates. So before they graduated, I must make a way for them to find better co ops and better internships within the business community.
Laura Rotter
So university graduates is what you're talking about?
Rosa Lokaisingh
University and college, both. So I had a college and a designated university working with this project. And it was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. In as much as I had fun, And I did I broke a lot of ground. The reason it became hard was because we really didn't have the buy in from the education sector from the college and university businesses wanted to engage, but the education sector was not ready to change anything.
They were more interested in getting their numbers, getting the funding so they can have their numbers. And they were only interested in getting 150 and 100 people at the large corporations, but no intentions of using the small to medium sized businesses. And I was intentional in serving my mission. So I created focus groups.
I brought all these people and a lot of. Honesty came out on the table, a lot of truth. So I had all the buy in from the student leaders, from the student organizations, and the presidents. So even though it was challenging, I was glad it ended in two years. And they didn't have enough funds to carry it on.
However, the breakthrough that we had was that we opened up communication between the employer sector and the college and university. So there were more demands for them to help employers understand how to onboard and orient these students so that they can be confident in finding that place again when they graduate.
That was the mission.
Laura Rotter
So I want to make sure as we're getting towards the end of our conversation that you actually talk about what you're doing today, who you enjoy working with, what and what you do.
Rosa Lokaisingh
Yes, and that was when I started my company. Seven years ago was because that project ended and I saw how Many entrepreneurs were not connecting as they were networking.
And I didn't realize that our local entrepreneurs needed networking skills as much as internationally trained professionals. So that was a surprise for me. And as I saw that, I thought, well, there's my opening then that's the business I can run. I teach networking skills like a pros. Let me do that. So I started teaching networking skills to entrepreneurs, started having workshops and all of that.
I landed some great big speaking engagements on stages, the Toronto entrepreneurs conference within my first year, they had 2000 people come through there. I personally didn't speak to 2000, but I had a room where we had eight rooms of about 300 people in each room, but to be part of a conference that big was an honor.
And then another one where I was a speaker at international networking day. I was chosen to be one of the three. Clean out, uh, guest speakers and so that built my confidence. And the reason I got those was because I think the community leaders got to know me through that. Again, showing you how everything links.
The work I did with the Board of Trade, they saw how deliberate I was, how intentional I was, and how community oriented I was. And that's why they called me. And so when I saw that I went another step and I actually created a matchmaking program. And I did a retreat for matchmaking business owners. And it was beautiful.
It was a full day, had a lot of fun, matched a bunch of people, but then COVID hit. So I couldn't continue the physical matchmaking online. It didn't work as well. And that's when I went into breakthrough because through the COVID, a lot of people got confused, spun out. Had to pivot, didn't know what that meant, what to do with themselves, living at home with their family and trying to work at the same time.
It was, you know, the chaos and confusion we went through. As a business community, it hurt all of us to see that happening. So I just started, I started a group, a free group online, and I start to bring people in and say, let's talk, let's talk about your struggles and your challenges and your wins and your resources.
And let's share all of it with everyone. And we did that. And as we did that, I started having breakthrough after breakthrough after breakthrough. And that's what landed me today as a breakthrough coach. And in this last year, what, to my surprise, what goes around comes around. These people started bringing executives, leaving corporate for being coached by me and now reminded me of why this was happening and was because of the experience I had in recruiting, coaching executives for so many years.
And now that's my focus.
Laura Rotter
Thank you for defining who you enjoy working with and what you enjoy doing. I think it's really helpful as people listen to our conversation. The last question I always like to ask Rosa is how is your definition of success and perhaps financial success shifted over these many iterations of your role?
Rosa Lokaisingh
Well, you know what? Thank you so much because my definition of success hasn't changed from when I was in my twenties. And, you know, Ralph Waldo Emerson, he talks, it's it to laugh often and love much. And to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children and earn the appreciation of honest critics.
And there's a few more lines, I won't read it all out for you, but to endure the betrayal of false friends, to appreciate beauty, that whole thing, to leave the world a bit better by even having helped one person. That is truly my definition of success. To earn financial success is specific and on its own.
And now I'm on a venture to earn financial success as well.
Laura Rotter
So beautiful. And do you have that taped up somewhere or you just…
Rosa Lokaisingh
Yes, I do. It's, it's the thing that drives me every day. And, uh, that's why I keep doing volunteer work as well, because I believe that Human being has something to give on a volunteer basis as well as their work.
And if we all did that, we can actually be more work life integrated. Because there's no such thing as work life balance, but work life integration, isn't there? Yeah. So now with the financial success, I can do more of everything that I've been doing anyway. I can just do more of it.
Laura Rotter
It's so beautiful. You are such a beautiful soul and you've communicated it very strongly through our conversation.
Is there anything else you want to make sure that you say, Rosa, before we end and any resources you want our listeners to be aware of?
Rosa Lokaisingh
Well, thank you for asking. There's just one thing. I would love to have my Calendly scheduler link posted so that they can sign up for a 15 minute or 30 minute free exploratory call just to see whether there's anything of value for them to be with me and spend some time with me.
And just for them to know that one of the. Tiny offers that I have right now is called creating a wisdom plan for your business in you. And it's a four week workshop series. And I do that on a Saturday morning at 10 o'clock. I can send you some information after, but I did not send it to you. But it is the reason I created that recently, Laura, is because we are all creating a business plan and an action plan But you know what, without the higher wisdom integrated into it, sometimes we miss the focus and we miss the, the purer path.
So if we integrated that higher wisdom into our planning, I think again, we would be able to have greater impact within our smaller communities. And Sarah,
Laura Rotter
I so agree. I often use the term I didn't create it, but co creating that. Yes, I have an intention of what I'd like to create. And as you've so beautifully said, I need to align with the greater energy Of the universe and where it's leading me as opposed to just powering through on my own.
Rosa Lokaisingh
Exactly. And I think that if I have one concern about our Western living, it's that we drive ourselves to work too hard. Without understanding the joy of serving in a more integrated, holistic way with our body, mind, spirit, soul. Because the more we bring that spirit and soul into the workplace, the just happier people will all be for our families, for our friends, for our circles, and for our clients.
And I yearn for that.
Laura Rotter
Oh, so beautifully said. Thank you so much for agreeing to be my guest, Rosa. This was such a lovely conversation.
I hope you enjoyed my conversation with Rosa Lokaising, Breakthrough Coach for Professionals and Executives. My takeaways are Number one, notice the through line of roles in your life. As Rosa reflected on various roles she played in her life, she saw her values playing out consistently. Her values of fairness, of justice, of a desire to serve and excel, and to take responsibility have always led her decisions and her actions.
What she has learned about herself over the years is that if she's going to choose to do something, she's going to do it right. My second takeaway. Use other people's money, if possible, to develop the skills necessary to start your own business. When Rosa found herself in an office role that made her feel claustrophobic, she knew she had to have her own business one day.
But she wasn't sure how she was going to do that and what business it was going to be. She decided to take a position in retail and over eight years learned all that she could about customer service, operations, and employee management. Her passion for helping others live through their own talents led her to personnel placement and eventually to coaching.
My last takeaway. Remain adaptable to change. Rosa shared all her career twists and turns, from banking, to retail, to personnel placement. To teaching networking skills to skilled immigrants, to business innovation connector, to founding her own business as a breakthrough coach. Rosa shared that she loves a challenge and as a result has always been very adaptable.
By the same token, when her employer lost funding and asked her to move back to a previous position she had held, she said, no. She couldn't go back. It was, and is important to her to always move forward. If this conversation has struck a chord with you, don't hesitate to schedule a call with me so we can together develop a plan for you to move forward towards your purpose.
Are you enjoying this podcast? Please don't forget to subscribe so you won't miss next week's episode. And if you love the show. I'd really appreciate a rating and a review. It will help others just like you to find it. Thank you so much.
Narrator
Thanks for listening to Making Change With Your Money. Certified Financial Planner, Laura Rotter specializes in helping people just like you organized, clarify, and invest their money in order to support a life of purpose and meaning. Go to www. trueabundanceadvisors. com forward slash workbook for a free resource to help you on your journey.
Disclaimer, please remember that the information shared by this podcast does not constitute accounting, legal, tax, investment, or financial advice. It's for information purposes only. You should seek appropriate professional advice for your specific information.