Interview by Emily Hessney Lynch.

Published June 26, 2020.

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

I was born in Manhattan; my mother and I moved to Oakland when I was small. When I was 12, we moved to Rochester. I graduated from Bishop Kearney and then moved down to NYC for about 16 years. I moved back to Rochester about seven years ago to raise my son in a better environment.

What are some hidden gems you've discovered around Rochester?

My husband, son, and I love to pick fruit like blueberries and cherries at the different farms in the suburbs. We really enjoy local fruit and vegetables. I also love Fringe Festival--the productions simply blow my mind.

What's your favorite way you've supported local during COVID-19?

We’ve ordered delivery and takeout, and I tip generously.

What's your favorite neighborhood?

I really like the Monroe Ave area. My friends and I used to love to walk Monroe, stop at Aladdin’s, and check out the shops. I also love the way Union Street is blossoming into something new. Our ShiftDiff office is on Union Street, we started renting there almost two years ago. I hope a downtown supermarket pops up again. Even more than one would be welcome!

What are some of your favorite local nonprofits to support? 

From a worker’s rights standpoint, I enjoy supporting United Way and I like the work they do across the country. The United Way gets involved in community rebuilding issues and is an especially good resource in Rochester.

If you had $100 and two hours to spend in Rochester, what would you do with the money/time? 

There’s so many things you could do depending on the day of the week! If it were lunchtime, I’d go to Wall Street Bar and Grill, chill out, and have some fish tacos. If it were the weekend, I’m taking that $100 to the Public Market. I’d buy apples and explore the newsly enclosed shed where you can get cooked food, pasta, fish, etc.

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

The breakfast poutine from the public market. I should just live there! I’m in love.

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

When I first started working on the labor side at the Rochester Labor Council, it felt like home. I’ve worked with unions for a really long time and the culture of labor lives here in Rochester. I felt embraced by that. It was such an enlightening time for me to understand Rochester’s history as it relates to manufacturing. Everything in Rochester that used to be and its legacy remain through those who care about the rights of workers.

There was a general strike in Rochester in 1946, where the public workers at the City wanted to unionize. Because they wanted to unionize, they were fired. Every union in Rochester went on strike to support them being a union--and it worked. It just shows that people make change. Now with George Floyd, people are taking to the streets to force change.

What makes Rochester unique? 

That you can drive ten minutes outside the city and experience the wonders of nature. You don’t have to stay within your city block. For very cheap, you can explore and expose your child to so many things. People don’t realize what’s right outside but still within their reach. We love taking my seven year old son to the Museum of Play, or downtown to experience different food.

What's one thing that you'd like to see change in Rochester over the next year? 

I wish that Parcel 5 had some grass! Take all that dirty gravel out and make it a park. We’d attract restaurants and food trucks and could rebuild downtown from that little seed. They can still put a building there later if they want. Why not do something right now?

Overall, Rochester still has a ways to go. We should think about where we live more broadly. We’re all responsible for what happens within our circle. We cannot turn a blind eye to what’s happening just minutes from us.

Tell me about your business, ShiftDiff. What inspired you to start it? 

I was a job seeker at the time, and kept finding outdated job postings that had cobwebs on them. I woke my husband up in the middle of the night and said, “We have to start a job search engine.” I knew I couldn’t be the only one going through this. I thought of the name, ShiftDiff, which refers to the shift differential workers are paid for working a night shift. I checked that the URL and LLC were available, and reserved all of that. Within two months, we were up and running. We launched in 2018. We feature local job openings around the greater Rochester area, any job type and any industry.

What's the journey been like so far?

It can get emotional as an entrepreneur if that’s your only source of income. It’s important for entrepreneurs to keep their full time job while building their company. I’m working full-time, which makes ShiftDiff more fun to work on. I’m allowing it to do what it needs to do to grow. We had a lot of community support when we launched. It’ll take time. Even before COVID, the job market was tight. The low unemployment rate was affecting employers’ ability to hire.

How has COVID-19 impacted ShiftDiff?

The employment industry is topsy turvy. People are on unemployment or furloughed, they’re not looking for work just yet. When companies were having to close down at the start of the pandemic, I immediately stopped charging for our job postings. It felt awkward to try to sell our product to anyone. We’re just trying to help our customers get through this time and survive ourselves.

What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs in Rochester?

Make sure your name is catchy. Consult with the Small Business Association before creating your business plan. Don’t do it on your own--seek help from professionals. Ask questions! You’re not an expert, ever.