Why I quit my dream job as a fashion buyer.

As far back as I can remember my heart was set on being a fashion buyer. I went to college, got the internship at a big fashion house and moved to two cites to chase my dream of getting my foot into the industry and then, moved back to my home city to land the job as a buyer.

It was 2013 and I was about to start what was going to be the best (and eventually the worst job of my life). I was beyond exited. I made it or so I thought. Finally, I was a buyer, my heart was overjoyed.

I remember my first day, full of hope, ambition and excitement. I was promised the world and so much more if my performance was as expected. I was told that I would be paid a certain amount for a 3 month probation period and I accepted the offer.

Actually my dumb ass even offered to work for free for those first 3 months. WHY? You might ask and that is exactly what the boss asked me. Well, I knew I was capable of delivering the work above and beyond standard, but I felt I did not really know much about the footwear industry as most of my work and experience was with ladies clothing. I told myself I would take a month to educate myself on every possible term related to footwear and to know the ins and outs of this industry. I was so determined to work hard and prove myself and I did.

At the end of the 3 months my boss was happy with my work and impressed and I was offered a permanent position. I was so happy that I overlooked the fact that nothing was mentioned about salary and continued on for a few months. I had my first international buying trip come up and upon return was called into a meeting to discuss an increase and I was happy with the offer. My first thought was that I could finally afford proper health care(fast forward to 2018 when I walked into the office one morning and 15mins later texted boss to say I QUIT, I was still on the same probation salary LOL! Not the reason I quit or at least not the main reason)

I worked for almost 5 years as a fashion buyer for just under $500 LOL what a joke!!!!!

Some days I would start at 9am and end up having to stay at the office till 3am to finish. Nope, over time was not allowed in the form of cash, it was time for time yet time that could never be available to be taken SMH.

The thing is I really really loved my job so much, it did not feel like work at all to me. As time passed, going to work started becoming so expensive (it costs more to go to work than actually working), but I stayed. It was what happened next that changed everything.

So at my company I was one of only three buyers, this including the boss. So one night while working late, my boss randomly asks if he can initiate me to see if I am trustworthy. I thought nothing of it and agreed, I mean this was a man I have worked many late nights with all by myself and he is kind of old, lol I called him Uncle!!!

So this old Uncle boss man ends up taking me to a damn strip club. The way I was so awkward and scared (not scared of being at a strip club lol but being seen with him) I immediately texted my BF at that time as I was freaking out and he told me to calm down and see what happens and that he was close by if I needed him.

My mind was blown, I eventually just said I was going to the toilet and I bolted, I ran away. The next day he acted as if nothing ever happened and I kept my mouth shut. This was a family run business and his wife was pregnant at the time. As the days went on this Uncle boss man started thinking that because I kept my mouth shut that I was trusted enough to become his wing-man or woman or whatever.

I know longer knew who this man was. I got calls from the office manager to say I was to attended a meeting at a set time and location and when I got there it would be him with a bunch of girls and him telling me about their wild nights and parties. One time I was in the middle of an important meeting with a supplier and I get called away as the boss needed some important issue taken cared of ASAP.

He told his family he was going away to another city on a business trip. This uncle had his daughter drive him to the airport, then he requested an Uber back into the city and had some girls over SMH. Somehow his wife found out and I had to rush to the hotel(this the BS, i mean “important issue I needed to take care of. The way my blood was boiling hearing this crap). I was instructed to kick those girls out, get house keeping to clean the place and make sure everything was perfect so he could bring the wife back there. He told his wife he stayed there because he needed to clear his head as his brother and father both passed away in that time.

I did as was told, but that Monday I could not get myself to go into the office. He sent me a million texts and eventually I responded and said I could no longer deal with the BS and that I was not paid enough to deal with my own job let alone the wing-woman crap. I was assured I could just focus on my job and things actually seemed good for like two or three months until Uncle boss man decided to tell me he loves me. I nearly choked on my water. I made it clear I did not find him attractive in any way. I even said I don’t find old men attractive at all (he felt offended, which was my intention) and he went silent and left. The next day I got sent on a trip to another city with my assistant for two weeks and upon returning I was sent to China with her. Each time we arrived back home for a day or so we got sent away again. I was not complaining as I felt really awkward to be around that man, so the further away I was the better it was for me.

December came around and with the festive rush I was asked to help out with new projects which I was always an eager to do (at no extra pay LOL) but at this point I knew I was never going to get any increase so in my head I planned to just learn as much as I could for at least another 6 months and just stick it out and then search for something better.

Aaaah! I did not even make it to last another 6 moths as I planned, as Uncle boss man started his BS again. I was his target and he became more aggressive. Uncle was talking about leaving his wife and that he would be happy to tell his wife ( immediately I had a panic attack).

The next morning I clocked in at 8.15 and the office manager told me I was scheduled for a meeting at some hotel with a client. I knew it was no client as Uncle boss kept texting me with this secret coded BS. I was too scared to find out what that day had install and by 9am, maybe even earlier I sent him a text saying F-u, with a middle finger and the words “I QUIT”and I never looked backed! I called my mom crying, I was shaking and heart racing, but I knew what I had to do.

I had to give up my dream job because of SLIM SHADY, ( that is what myself and assistant named him)oh and because I could not afford it.

As soon as I got home the entire office was texting me as they could not believe I walked out and asking me why, even his wife was begging me to return. I can’t lie, I was panicking (ill write about the panic next) as I had no idea what I would do next (lol couldn’t exactly save with $500/month)

Fast forward to today and I am so happy that I had the courage to quit. It forced me to start making money for myself. I think I shocked myself by how much money I could earn by freelancing and starting my own business.

Thanks to Uncle boss/ Slim Shady, it forced me to level up, be brave and find my way to bigger and better.