Unexpected career lesson I learned from Schitt’s Creek
Schitt’s Creek is a show I started watching well after its pilot and final season. A friend suggested it to me, and I got hooked after the first few episodes.
Although David Rose is hands down my favorite character on the show, I loved watching Alexis Rose’s character arc unfold throughout the series. Especially when it comes to her career.
She starts out getting her first job in the small town as a receptionist after her boyfriend Ted, the local vet, gives it to her. She tells him that she wants to earn the job and insists on going through a formal interview. Not to the viewer’s surprise, she’s completely unqualified for the job.
She stumbles through the job, tries to adapt, and even has a winning moment when she manages to console a cat owner after accidentally telling her that her cat died.
No matter how well she learns to embrace the job and enjoy it, the role doesn’t quite fit. She realizes this when she sees how many candidates applied for the job who has experience and actually likes animals. She leaves the job in search of something that is a better fit for her.
Alexis decides to start her own public relations company, with her mom as her only client.
She stumbles a lot at first, trying the best she can to make lemonade out of nothing and trying hard to win her over-the-top mother’s trust. After many losses and some minor wins, she gains the attention of a major company after an accidental PR stunt involving her mom and some angry crows (must see, it’s hysterical 🤣🤣🤣).
Even after this success, she still has some self-doubt. It was only after an escape room activity when it hits her. She works best in a chaotic situation, remaining extremely calm under pressure and problem solving quickly in her high heel shoes. The bigger the pressure, the better she performs. It’s her superpower.
Many of us go through life as Alexis Rose, the receptionist. We make do with what we have and even believe that it may be the right job for us because of some small wins here and there. But if we’re being really honest with ourselves, what would make us really happy is to become Alexis Rose – the PR extraordinaire. The Alexis who knows what her superpower is and finds the courage to try.
I see this in a lot of my clients. They realize which of the two versions of Alexis they actually want and find the courage to pursue that change in their career. Whether it’s tapping into their secret superpowers to achieve the professional advancement they’ve been aiming for or finally making the leap to start that lifestyle business they’ve been daydreaming about.
So… which version of Alexis Rose do you want to be?
Boop.
About the Author
Leang Chung (she/her) is the Founder & CEO of Pelora Stack. She helps underrepresented early-stage founders, solopreneurs, and mid-career womxn prepare for their ‘first’. The first time they scale their team. The first time they become a solopreneur. The first time they change careers.
Interested in working with Leang? Email her at, hello@pelorastack.com to set up a FREE consultation call and to learn more.
