@TheCorner

Working has something that has always been a part of who I am and my drive to succeed. From the young age of 15, I started my first job in the center of town as a barista at a restaurant called“@ The Corner”, which is a well-known restaurant and coffee bar, the busiest restaurant in the entire town. I learned quickly how to make specialty beverages and served customers with a smile. I open up the coffee shop at 6:30 a.m. every Saturday and Sunday but I usually get there by 6:15 am because I am an organizing, clean freak crazy lady. My station (where I am the only Barista) must be organized and impeccably clean) or I don’t function properly. I don’t think I have ever been late in my 3 years of working and my employer would attest to this.

Connecting with the customers and my coworkers, getting to know them well, and growing a deeper personal connection with who they are has helped my communication skills as no other public speaking course could ever have provided. My dad said, “Brooke when you turn 15 go and apply for the Barista job, this is a job worth so much more than a paycheck”. He was right as my ability to connect, relate, and smile has grown beyond anything I would have anticipated. I admit I did not understand what my dad was trying to teach me but so glad I listened to him.  I have worked there for close to three years now.  Working there feels like home to me.  My “regular” customers are an extension of my friendships and they have become people I have grown deep relationships with. If I am not there on a Saturday or Sunday they tell me it’s not the same and they prefer to only come when I make their drinks. I must admit it makes me smile even more.

Rachael’s Quality Consignment Shop

After a few weeks into my new job at “@ The Corner,” I was offered another job at “Rachels Consignment Shop”. Word travels fast when you’re a smiling Barista! So many people got to know me from making their Latte’s with a smile that the job offers started to pour right in. Hmmm, do I continue to bring in the $$$$ and take on another job? Of course, I do!

My dad told me “Brooke, you are going to be in a high-exposure job, and with that exposure comes opportunity if you are good at what you do”.

So, I decided to add another job during the week and started to work at a Consignment Shop in Bantam called Rachel’s Quality Consignment Shop. Rachael is the owner and after only a few weeks of working for her, she decided to let me run her shop alone.  She put a great deal of faith in my ability to work independently at the age of sixteen and had trust in me with her business and livelihood.  I absolutely love the independence and freedom that I have working in the shop.  The time includes answering the phone and making consignment appointments, tagging and putting away clothes, helping customers locate where things are around the shop, helping customers put fashionable and flattering outfits together, cleaning and taking care of inside the store and out, as well as taking care of her store cat. Yes, the store cat!   This has helped me in so many aspects of my life and has maybe inspired me on a deeper level to open a shop just like hers and call it my own one day. I have learned an enormous number of new skills about running a business.

Mohawk Mountain Ski Resort

This winter, I decided I would take my love for skiing to a new level, bringing myself beyond my comfort zone, I decided to teach and give lessons at Mohawk Mountain Resort. Once a week, I work at Mohawk Mountain as a ski instructor giving lessons to kids and adults! I absolutely love doing it! My time helping teach ski lessons is very filling to me. I love helping teach and watching the students learn and progressively get better.

Jennifer Terzian Art Gallery

I have always had a deep passion for the arts and paintings. I could remember walking into art galleries in Newport Rhode Island with my dad and seeing all the beautiful handmade oil paintings. I could only think about how much time and effort they had to put into making and creating such a beautiful piece of art. After admiring all the wonderful work, I always wanted to do something special and unique. I was a crafty child and was always keeping my hands busy.I always enjoyed making something from just scrap crafts from Joanne Fabrics and giving it to someone.

I entered an art competition at my school for the front cover of the school play “Working” and I won! This was very exciting for me, and I wanted to continue my journey. So, I took matters into my own hands and looked around my small town when I saw a new art gallery that was opening.

I then started working there and would study and explain the history of the art to the customers in her shop. It was just me in the shop, so I had many different jobs throughout the day answering calls and making appointments to look at the art that was being displayed. Most of the art was made from different kinds of fabrics and colored pencils that were crafty and beautiful. I love learning about all the different types and styles of art. One of my personal favorites is abstract art with all the creativity in how artists express themselves.