Photos by Andrea Norberg Photography
Brandi Good is a Social Media Trainer & Coach from Regina, Saskatchewan, and runs her own company, BLG Business Solutions. After completing a degree in Psychology, Brandi spent a year teaching in Japan, and came to a realization: she loved teaching, but was done with being a student. Instead of pursuing a masters, she entered the workforce.
Brandi Good is a Social Media Trainer & Coach from Regina, Saskatchewan, and runs her own company, BLG Business Solutions. After completing a degree in Psychology, Brandi spent a year teaching in Japan, and came to a realization: she loved teaching, but was done with being a student. Instead of pursuing a masters, she entered the workforce.
What Brandi did next is advisable for anyone considering a career shift. She took on a new role voluntarily in order to develop new technical skills. “It was about a year after I’d been home and I was doing admin work for a financial institution. I was so bored, and it just so happened that they were starting a big project to have new software designed. I basically volunteered myself onto the project team, and then did both jobs until my team role became big enough that they hired someone else to do my admin work,” Good explains.
She continues, “From there it was lots of learning, lots of overtime, lots of making myself indispensable. And I had an amazing mentor throughout that time who supported me as I worked my way up, taking over her project management role when she retired.”
However, just as things were going well, Brandi’s life was turned upside down. Good recalls, “In 2008 I thought I had it all: a challenging, well-paying job with great benefits, an amazing husband, regular travel plans, and a brand new fur baby. Late in the year, disaster struck: my husband fell critically ill. A virus attacked his heart causing extensive damage, also shutting down his lungs, liver, and kidneys. He survived, but it was a close call.”
Her husband’s lasting health issues inspired her to re-evaluate her career in order to shift priorities. In 2012, she started her company BLG Business Solutions. While the business was originally focused on providing social media management to businesses and entrepreneurs, she began to focus more and more on coaching clients on how to best utilize social media.
When asked how the social media focus has changed BLG, Good responds, “The biggest change to my client base is that I am often serving more established entrepreneurs now - sometimes people who are new to business don’t realize how valuable coaching can be, or simply think they can’t afford a coach.”
She goes on to say, “I work mainly with women, and one of the most common things holding them back is confidence. I make it my priority to learn as much as I can about new technology and new tactics so that I can simplify and clarify things in a way that makes them feel safe and comfortable.”
Brandi’s husband recently received a heart transplant and he is doing quite well. She is able to coordinate her work schedule with his medical appointments as he recovers, and she has decreased her client work temporarily.
What does Brandi Good think of the concept of work/life balance? “It seems to me like work/life balance is kind of a myth that actually causes people more stress because they can’t figure out how to achieve it. I’ve been the person who thought I was better because I was working 60 hour weeks. And I’ve been the person who thought I was better because I was leaving at 4:30 on the dot and not working myself to the bone. The problem with that is you’re comparing yourself to other people. Ultimately, you have to figure out what is right for you, and the way that we’ve structured the traditional workplace (as a culture) is usually not conducive to many people,” she reflects thoughtfully.
Elena Fenrick, Career Paths Travelled: Looking back on your career shift, what is the main piece of advice you would pass on to others who are considering a change?
Brandi Good: If possible, try volunteering in the area that you’re considering going in to. Sometimes the grass isn’t always greener and it’s better to find out that you don’t like doing something as a job before your entire financial life is tied to it. If I had done that, my business would have started out as coaching and training, saving me 4 years!
Elena Fenrick, Career Paths Travelled: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Brandi Good: I would like to be working with a small handful of long-term clients, helping to keep their marketing consistent, adjust to any changes required, and also keeping up with any new networks and technologies. I can see myself doing a lot more speaking as well once my schedule opens up more and my brand awareness grows.
Elena Fenrick, Career Paths Travelled: Fun Question: Is there a restaurant in Regina that you would recommend to business travellers?
Brandi Good: Unfortunately, I have some food restrictions which means that I can’t eat out at most restaurants anymore unless I want to eat a plain salad. That being said, if a business traveler was driving into/through Regina there is a great gluten-free restaurant on the east side called Table 10 that’s been a life saver for me. For business travelers flying in and staying downtown there’s a lot to choose from, but the restaurants that I miss eating at the most are Caraway Grill and Victoria’s Tavern.
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