When I worked at Ashley Furniture Homestore I devoted my life for that company. I worked hard, took whatever was given to me and powered through, and even sacrificed my well-being to promote sales and the company. It has been seven months since I stepped into the store that booted me out simply because they felt I was holding them down from being great. (Side note: since I have left it has been a revolving door of retention, it is a no holds bar in professional courtesy, and my replacement well let’s just say I’m irreplaceable – totally meant in conceit.) 

I have heard rumblings that those loyal to the company have started to abandon ship. I have spoken many times about my loyalty to people. I was loyal to this company because when my father passed they paid my way to say my final goodbyes. When I had a miscarriage they allowed me the time to grieve. When I needed a family they became my family. Loyalty is my greatest weakness. Now, people I have never thought would leave have left. Others are following suit because the fight just gets old sometimes.

When I was working there the region’s Office Managers dubbed ourselves as “The Faction.” We were the Freedom Fighters in the company, trying to balance the good and evils of our world and making everyone happy. We were in charge of pushing sales but keeping them in line. We were the right hands of the store managers. We worked tirelessly in overtime without much gratitude or compensation. We were great at our jobs and were passionate about it. Little by little we have all left the company because we were tired of the company treating us like we were scum (by the way, the owner of the company said something along those lines to me and new office managers a month within me starting there). They treated us like we were puppets, pawns in a game of cat and mouse between the customer and the sales team. We were to follow the rules and was heavily reprimanded if we didn’t. But, could you believe the sales team wasn’t held to that same standard?

The OMs fought a violent struggle to achieve equality amongst all associates company wide. We were oppressed from the rule makers, disrespected by a sales force, and dejected by the very consumers we fought for. We fought for our people, fought for their right to be uncensored by the tyranny of the stores and the dictatorship of corporate. We opposed and stood against unfair leadership only to be beat down and maltreated. Our Faction never stood a chance in revolutionizing the #1 furniture retailer in the world. At because of that what was once quite possibly the best OM team assembled let go. Congratulations to The Faction for all getting out.

While I may have dramatized my wording believe me when I say the company that I once worked for could truly bludgeon the life of an Office Manager or office personnel as a whole.

So, in honor of my experience and of stories from The Faction, here is my motivation for you: if you can’t do anything about it then let it go. Don’t be a prisoner to things you can’t change. Find your freedom. Don’t allow a company, a person, a group to hold you captive and disallow you to spread your wings and soar. Let anything or anyone who shackles you down go. When you find your freedom you find yourself. Freedom isn’t about how powerful your wings are, it is about finally finding what truly matters to your soul. Sometimes the battle has to be lost in order to win the war.

Strength and love to all you freedom fighters out there. xoxo