By Katy Roehrs

**Flashback:** In my previous two jobs before joining PCE Promotions, I was micromanaged. As a gymnastics coach, my favorite part was creating new drills for the kids to help them learn competitive skills. However, the head coach always found something wrong with my drills. Despite no longer coaching, she insisted everything be done her way, constantly critiquing me and reminding me, “I know you’re sensitive, but this is the way I want it taught.” It was her way or the highway.

At my last job, a doggy daycare, I loved working with the animals, but management’s control issues were overwhelming. We had cameras for the owners to watch their dogs, but management used them to monitor employees 24/7, calling us if we weren’t constantly busy. They even timed our bathroom breaks, knocking on the door if we took “too long.”

These experiences made me feel like no matter how hard I worked, no matter how much I tried to prove myself, trust could never be earned. It really hurt because I know that I can be trusted to do my job well. I truly lost my sense of purpose; I was depressed, I wasn’t sleeping and had very little hope for success in the future. My entire life I had been told repeatedly that I wasn’t good enough and my future was seeming even more bleak.

**Present day:** I’ve been with PCE Promotions for almost three months now. From day one, Adam has trusted me to do the job I was hired for and allowed me to add my personal flair. He doesn’t feel the need to constantly check up on me because I’ve shown that not only will I get the job done, but I’ll also exceed expectations and deliver on time.

I’ve always been someone who prefers to figure things out on my own. Even as a child, I believed the best way to learn was by trying things firsthand, learning from mistakes, and trying again. Adam has given me the freedom to be myself, work in my own style, and learn independently. He’s always available to help if I have questions or need solutions, and he provides support when I need it. I may not be at 100% every day, but I always give 100% of what I have.

Working for Adam has been a blessing, allowing both myself and the company to grow significantly. It doesn’t feel like I work “for” Adam, I feel like I work “with” Adam. After 12 years of grueling work searching for a purpose, for a career, somewhere that allows me to thrive, I have found it. Being seen as a business partner instead of just an employee has opened an entirely new world for me. I can achieve things that I didn’t think were possible with a background almost entirely of coaching. I can go to Adam with my own ideas and be able to implement them. If we come up on a problem, we work together to find a solution. My attitude towards life has changed drastically. I no longer worry about where I could end up. I know that if I continue to work hard, we will get the company to where we both envision it and my future will be more than I could have ever dreamed of.