Valerie Samson Can Do Anything ...
GEORGIAN COLLEGE ALUMNI MAGAZINE SUMMER 2004, Vol21- Issue 1

Just look at her résumé: Store manager, Department Head at a paper distributor, Tax Auditor for Revenue Canada, Beauty Salon owner, Reiki Master/Teacher, Natural Health Consultant, Professional Certified Feng Shui Consultant, Premier's Award nominee, Georgian College Distinguished Alumni Award recipient.

   A diverse list, yes, but one that makes perfect sense to a woman who views life and career as a winding journey. As Valerie sees it, one thing leads to another and each step gives a person the experience and the knowledge needed to move onto the next.

   Valerie's own career journey began with Georgian's fashion merchandising program, from which she graduated in 1977.

   "Since then, her path has taken her down many different, but intertwined roads. A job with a paper company led to the study of accounting and then becoming a tax auditor. A joint venture with her husband, Samson's Hair Salon, expanded into three shops. From the salons was borne a Delilah store, which featured body products. That store begat an interest in health, holistic nutrition and natural healing, which, in turn, led Valerie to become a Natural Health Consultant and Reiki Master/Teacher. A resulting interest in traditional Chinese medicine led Valerie to her current passion/profession as a Feng Shui Consultant.

   "I was at a seminar on Chinese medicine, when an instructor talked about Feng Shui," said Valerie. "I had never heard of it before, but once I learned about it I realized that's what I was meant to do."

   Feng Shui is the art of analyzing the subtle connection between our everyday environment and our quality of life. It is based on the existence of "chi", a universal life force that is present everywhere. The essence of Feng Shui is to activate the positive "chi" in an environment, cure the negative "chi", and create the right quality of energy to support one's goals and dreams.

   While the practice has gained wide acceptance in Europe, Asian/Eastern cultures and South Africa, it is still fairly new in North America. That is something that Valerie is working to rectify as the current Chair of the Board of Directors for the Feng Shui Association of Canada.

   Although she does a lot of residential consultation, the commercial side of her business is also booming with projects such as the design of Jackson Toyota's new Barrie offices and showroom. Thanks to her business education and experience she's able to express the benefits of Feng Shui to her corporate clients in the language they understand.

   "When talking to a board of directors, if you mention energy flow, everyone shuts down. Instead, you talk about traffic patterns and absenteeism," she says.

   As she continues down her ever-evolving career path Valerie acknowledges the value of every experience that led her to this point in her life. "You really do use everything you learn at some point, even if at the time you think it has no relevance to your life. I still use what I learned at Georgian. In fact I use it even more now 20-odd years later, than I did in the first few years after graduation."

   Valerie's recent desire to join a downtown gym has led her to her next venture. Unable to find the right venue, she did what's expected of the woman who can do anything - she decided to open her own fitness studio.

"All great things in life are a little scary in the beginning," Valerie says, "because you don't know if you are going to succeed. But if you don't try it you will never know."