New Account Manager Dari Mullins

A Place to Call Home

by Dari Mullins, Account Manager

Being a Native to Asheville makes me an anomaly in most  circles. I was born and raised in South Asheville when US-  25 was a two lane road and it only took 10 minutes to make  it into downtown Asheville. After graduating from TC Roberson High School, I attended Salem College and started life in the real world. I moved away from Asheville and lived in several states over the course of the next 15 years.

I married very young – at 21 and had three children within the following four years. I decided to stay at home with them and homeschool them. At that time homeschooling remained a mystery to most of the population. I jumped in with both feet and started writing my own curriculum for my children. Eventually a friend, and I published two of our courses so that other families could glean from our hard work. In 2007 we moved back to Asheville, I begin speaking to homeschool groups and conferences on a local and national scale. I enjoyed creating and teaching these parents, many of whom had given up their own personal careers to teach their children. I began working for Bright Ideas Press as a project manager for a big curriculum project. I enjoyed the challenges of creating, writing and managing a multi-year national project.

In 2010, I found myself in the midst of a major life crisis that I never saw on the horizon. I ended up divorced after 19 years of marriage and faced with starting over at age 40. The pearl of wisdom that I coined at that critical time to get me through those long, devastating days was: You have two choices when you get knocked on your butt – stay down and take pictures or turn over and start crawling. I chose the latter. I had to go to work full time so I took the first job that came along which happened to be in radio, and I had no hourly or salary wage! I had to bring in advertisers for my radio show in order to get paid. I knew that if I could just make a little progress that one day I would be able to crawl, then walk, then run. I knew I would find the place I belonged if I just did my best in anything that came my way.

I performed my best at everything from selling fire extinguishers to marketing and radio. After 7 jobs – 6 of which I was recruited to- I have found that place. A few months ago, The Goss Agency approached me about interviewing for a vacant position. As I got out of my car for that first interview the thought running through my mind was, “I wonder what they can offer me that is strong enough for me to leave my current position.” Two and a half hours later I got back in my car with the thought, “What can I offer them that will help them continue to be successful?” My impression of The Goss Agency was one of a top rate firm with high standards, teamwork and client satisfaction. I knew that I had found the place I wanted to be. All of the crawling that had led to walking was now poised to lead to running. After several interviews, I was offered the position and I began my journey with the agency recently as an Account Manager. I must say that I am the happiest I have ever been in a position. All of my education, experiences and previous occupations were leading to a place to call home.

So if you are in a tough spot personally, financially or professionally – don’t camp out and take pictures or throw yourself a pity party. Turnover and start crawling – if you can’t crawl, inch forward on your belly until you can get on your knees. Before you know it you will be running and that devastating time will be in the past. You too will find your place.