Empower Cole's Transition to Self-Employment

Dear Friends,

I have been unemployed for over seven months and am reaching out for your help.

After being let go from my previous job I received a severance and was granted unemployment, but because my former employer is listed as more than one entity with WA State Unemployment, the release of my benefits was frozen for nearly three months. In the meantime, I received considerable support from friends and loved ones, but I still had to rob Peter to pay Paul without the benefit of Mary to enhance the harmony.

When my unemployment benefits did finally kick in, I was never able to catch up.

Six months goes incredibly fast when life is a scramble.

Then my phone went kaput, and the car needed new brakes, and I discovered too late that my long-time dentist was not in-network for my new dental insurance (though I had been led to believe otherwise) and then I was socked with an unexpected and sizable bill.

Unsurprisingly, I began a very scary financial free fall.

Also, my parents now reside in an assisted living facility in Oregon, and I want to get down to visit them on a regular basis. Sadly, gas, food, and lodging aren’t cheap. Each visit runs me around $500.00.

As many know, during the Pandemic I found great joy in brokering the sale of collectibles. I love being my own boss. I love putting a lifetime of experience as a collector of nerdy things to use. More and more folks have come to me asking if I can help them move their comics and toys and I am reeling. It’s been a blast, and I am working on a business model to make it a sustainable source of income – that and a dependable part-time job to help supplement my plan.

In the meantime, however, I am still playing catch up and continue to fall further behind.

I am grateful for any help you can offer at this time.

Love,

Cole