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Andrene Cole moves fearlessly for her family

Published:Sunday | January 26, 2020 | 12:00 AM
Cole’s children, nieces, and nephews at one of their many family activities.
Andrene Cole, a force unmatched.
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Spaldings, Clarendon:

“If I were to describe a woman’s strength. I will be talking about rocks, depths, fire, and warfare. A woman can withstand the harshest realities and still create a beautiful home.” Unknown

Her personality screams boldness and courage; she defies all odds, and her source of strength is embedded in her soul. That pretty much sums up Andrene Cole – mother of two, and a woman who knows exactly what she is about.

“My biggest lesson is from my mom, Phyllis, who always says, ‘Only you can let yourself down’. She always taught me never to depend fully on people and never to think something can’t happen for me. She encouraged me to never be afraid to take risks – whether great or small – and I like to take risks! I invest in the stock market, and that can be risky at times. I always tend to look for good deals to create new streams of income, and it is important to do regular introspection to see what I need to improve on.”

Cole told Family & Religion that it is because of her family that she is continuously motivated to do more and be more in life.

“My ultimate wish is giving my kids a solid foundation, giving them a sound education and making them financially stable so that they are self-sufficient. I also want to make my parents more comfortable before they depart this life. I would love to fulfil their every wish. They were there for me every step of the way, and they made sure I had all I needed through sacrifices so I want to do much more for them. I have always been passionate about owning my own family business and additional real estate, and I will never give up on this dream.”

A corporate sales officer for the past 20 years, Cole has no ordinary schedule but admits she does well with the rigours of the day as long as she makes adequate preparations.

“I am usually awake by 6:00 a.m;, and start playing back in my head what I have left from the previous day to complete and then start with tasks of the day. I get my daughter up. she’s six years old, so it takes a bit of coaching to get out of bed, get her breakfast, and get her ready for the bus to pick her up at 7:30. After she’s gone, I then relax, pray, exercise sometimes, and then get back in tune with the rest of my day’s schedule. I start off with placing my orders and then get ready. I’m usually out by 8.45 a.m., once the nanny comes.”

Cole says she then travels to all her clients and typically ends the day at around 8:00 p.m.

“When I get home, I have to drop off the nanny then come back to assist Kai-Imari with homework, check in with Aija (other daughter), do some orders for work, and sort out stuff for the next morning. I usually end the night with my mom on the phone around 10:30 -11p.m., or after talking with my mom, I may watch my favourite TV show.”

She says that always coming from a place of gratitude, never fearing giving and receiving help, introspecting, and remaining grounded are the elements to her success.

“As a working mom, one of my biggest challenges is being on time for my kids’ events. Sometimes I’m late because I’m multitasking and I planned to do many things, thinking I can juggle them all, and before you know it, I’m way late. What I do now is just clear the day when I need to go to school events.”

She continued, “Also, as an independent woman, you have to be strong and on top of your game, and you have to stand firm for what you believe in. And most of all, if challenges come that are really devastating to you, don’t be afraid to pray, and grieve if you must, but never stay down if you get knocked down. There are lessons in every step of our lives, and once you figure out what your hardest challenge is, it will gear you for that time. Never be derailed by it.”

Outside of her ability to purchase her own home 10 years ago, achieving continued success throughout her career, improving on her spirituality, and pursuing her academic dreams to becoming a psychologist, Cole said nothing makes her happier than family.

“I am the life of the party in my family. I am a firm believer that people should make their loved ones feel the love once they are alive and not wait until they are dying or dead. So I make sure my family knows exactly how much I love them by celebrating life each year. Whenever I travel overseas, I carefully coordinate my vacation to include spending time with my sisters, Claudette and Annette; my nephews, Justin and Andy; my cousin, Pam and her husband, Paul; my best friend of over 20 years, Charmaine; my friends, Monica and Natulene; and my favorite aunt, Babara, and her family,” she ended.

familyandreligion@gleanerjm.com