C.J. Hayden was born in Westchester County, New York, but left almost immediately. Before settling in San Francisco as a young adult, she had lived in sixteen cities, eight states, and two Canadian provinces. At the age of 15, C.J. dropped out of high school and ran away from home. Living on the street for months at a time in several U.S. and Canadian cities, she was a victim of assault, became involved in an escalating series of crimes, and developed an addiction to alcohol. Overcoming trauma, addiction, and her lack of education, C.J. eventually earned her way off the street with a series of minimum wage jobs. She put herself through college at night over a period of ten years.
Before she turned 30, C.J. held over fifty jobs, including carhop, bank teller, computer programmer, surveyor, product manager, and planetary geologist. Her first entrepreneurial venture was making jewelry in a logging cabin on Vancouver Island, and she has been self-employed as a technical writer, corporate trainer, software developer, and management consultant, before becoming a business coach. An instinctive gate-crasher and determined survivor, C.J. has created her own path to success by applying her special blend of persistence, resourcefulness, and an ability to relate to just about anyone.
After 45 years in San Francisco, C.J. now lives in the Northern Liberties district of Philadelphia with her sweetheart “Friendly Dave” Herninko and a rotating cast of foster cats.
