Interview by Emily Hessney Lynch.

Published May 8, 2020.

Where are you from? How did you end up in Rochester?

I was born and raised in Rochester; I grew up in Charlotte and attended Holy Cross, a tiny Catholic school. When I was in seventh grade, my dad remarried, so we moved to Greece. I went to Greece Athena and then attended Mansfield University in Pennsylvania. I knew Rochester was home, so I came back here and have no plans on leaving.

What's your favorite part of living in Rochester?

There’s a lot! I love the people. We can sometimes be a little rough around the edges, but overall we have a great sense of community and pride in the positive changes we’re collectively making. I love the amount of creativity coming out of bars and restaurants, it’s pretty unreal. I also appreciate the amount of really awesome companies that we have here, or ones that weren’t founded here but have decided to make Rochester home because we have a low cost of living, great schools, and great grads coming out of those schools. Besides that, I like our weather! I appreciate the four seasons that we have here.

What are some hidden gems youv'e discovered around the city?

Lamberton Conservatory- I bring a lot of out of town guests there. For $3, you can spend the whole day sitting in what feels like paradise. You’ll see Lucky the duck, or Chuck Norris the infamous mean turtle. I also love the Spirit Room, it’s a super unique place to go have a good time, drink great cocktails, and even watch a movie. We have so many gems just in the Park Ave area when it comes to architecture. On Portland St., there’s George Eastman’s lawyer’s house and it’s beautiful. We’re so lucky to have a Frank Lloyd Wright house on East Blvd. It’s so cool that we have this superbly famous architecture built in 1908 on this one random street! 

What are some of your favorite local nonprofits to support?

I currently work for St. Ann’s and previously worked for Episcopal Senior Life Communities. Anything dealing with the elderly is something I’m passionate about; I feel like I’m making a difference by working there. You’re hiring people to take care of some of the most important people in the world! The YMCA is a wonderful organization that I’ve been a part of since I was a child. And I love supporting Al Sigl, I'm on a committee there and it’s become a huge passion project.

If you had $100 and two hours to kill in Rochester, how would you spend the money/time? 

I’d get the Good Luck burger, order a couple cocktails from Cocktambulance, get dessert from Lucky’s, and go to a secret parking lot and meet up with my best friend. We’d sit in our trunks six feet apart, eat our dinner, drink our drinks, and pretend like it’s a couple months ago. And I’d leave a really good tip at each place!

If you could only eat one Rochester food for the rest of your life, what would it be? 

I’m a big sushi fan, so it would either be sushi from Osaka, Shema Sushi, or California Rollin’.

What's one memory you have that captures what Rochester means to you? 

I have a lot of really good memories with my dad, Jerry. He’s a local musician and is very involved in the Rochester music scene. I have so many memories of him dragging me to shows at the Little and Record Archive or recording sessions in basement studios. He’s in the Rochester Music Hall of Fame! My dad represents a lot of the reason why I love Rochester and our local music scene. His current band is called Liars Moon; back in the 80s he played in a band called Pearl.

What makes Rochester unique? 

Our history. We have Kodak and Xerox and Susan B Anthony and Frederick Douglass. Besides that, we also have some amazing musicians coming out of here and amazing actors. We have so much talent--amazing people who have gone on to do great things and they never forget where they come from.

What would you like to see change in Rochester? 

I’d love to see our poverty level change but I don’t know how to change it. I see it all around the city and I know that it’s happening everywhere. I’d like to think that my career choice is helping a bit.

Tell me about your business, You're Hired Rochester. What inspired you to start it? 

I spent the last eight years telling people “You’re hired” as I worked at staffing agencies and corporations. There was so much support for companies to hire new people, but very little good support for our local job-seekers. I started realizing that it’s a skill people are lacking. With my background and personality I was able to corner the market. My approach is more centered around who they are, what they want to do, and what’s going to make them happy. My services include career advisement and resume writing; it’s more of a coaching approach than some 10-step process.

How has COVID-19 impacted your business?

I’ve changed my payment structure so people can use a payment plan. It’s truly affecting my clients, the emotional aspect of it. I’m trying to help them navigate scary and anxious times, find places that are hiring, apply for unemployment, and make a 30-60-90 day plan.

What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs in Rochester?

You have to be brave. You have to take chances. I took a huge chance. I was self-employed for a year. When I became self-employed, I left my last company with no savings account, no plan, no nothing. I just knew that if it was me, I believe in myself and know that I’m a hard worker. It was slightly stupid, but I was ready to hustle, meet people, and trust in myself. You can’t worry about what people are going to think of you for your own choices. Being self-employed was my best (and most stressful year). I’d do it again in a heartbeat.