"You Won't Get the Job" — 250 USA #7: Marie

"You won't get the job!" She said, "But go to the interview anyway."

That's what a woman told Marie. She learned Marie was a single mother, and she wanted to help—advising her to go to the job interview anyway for the experience.

Introducing Marie Brennan Fluharty, 250 USA #7:

A former neighbor who followed this journey from the early days and wanted to be a part of the 250.

Having helped her family for many years, she was open to receiving.
She was providing for two children. When she found herself single and alone after many years, she needed to earn more for her children to survive.

She responded to a job offering. The interview wasn't going well. And as the interview wound down with little to no chance of a call back, Marie mentioned how much she admired the company's founder. She didn't know the founder was in the next room — and heard her. The founder walked out, invited her in, and set up with an opportunity that changed her life. She told her about another company that was hiring.

Fifty people had applied!

"You won't get this job," the woman had told her. "But the experience will help you."
She was wrong. After a series of interviews, Marie got the job. Her income nearly quintupled — a 388% increase that let her provide for her children and eventually put them through college.

I played 3 songs for Marie and Benny, who looked on attentively, wondering what was going on.

I asked Marie afterward if she felt uplifted. "Absolutely!" she said. "I even had some lightbulb moments." She loved the songs I played for her too.

The surprise for me was Benny, normally shy with strangers, jumping on my lap and licking my arms. Maybe he knew I needed a little TLC too. Overall, this was a great experience, and I am so glad I got to connect with Marie in person and hear her amazing crossroads stories.

"I am an open book," Marie said when I asked if I could share this.
You may not be an open book now, but somewhere in these 250, there may be a moment meant just for you.

Who's next? I do not know yet, but I know the right person will appear.

My Reflection from this interaction: Crossroads create unexpected twists of fate that align us with our true path, where we grow while often feeling a high level of uncertainty. We reflect on these crossroads from our past; we see how we were inspired to trust when it was scary, took a new action that didn't make sense, and got out of our comfort zone. We see how we were guided, and the story makes sense in reverse.