01/05/2024
Today, January 4, 2024, is First & Bloom's 10 year anniversary! I can't believe it's been a decade!! These two arrangements are the first and last I designed.
Leaving my role within online media in 2013, I felt completely lost. Talk about burnout! At the time, I was completely fed up with people telling me what they thought I should be doing rather than what I wanted to achieve in my career. The moment I put in my two weeks' notice, my manager looked at me and said, "Are you sure you want to do this?" With 100% certainty, I said, "Yes, I'm done." And, I was. Since I've watched many of my former colleagues go on to be senior managers, directors, and higher. At times, I've swallowed hard and wondered where I might be had I stayed. Yet, thinking like that is negative self-talk. What I've gained from choosing to leave the corporate world has made me a stronger, more resilient, resourceful, humble, driven, understanding, empathetic, compassionate, and all-around better person.
I don't often talk about this, but while it was the right decision to leave, it's been painful at times. A lot of sacrifices were made within my family. Many things given up or took longer because money was stretched further for longer periods of time. One of the hardest things was and still is how people often treat small business owners. Somehow, small business owners can be perceived as less educated and/or not as fortunate in life. While this might be true, it's rarely reality. Entrepreneurship is one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of my life. Once I turned my back on judgment and opinions I sometimes felt, focusing on my road to profitability became a lot easier. Creating a vision out of thin air that turns into a product or service someone pays and thanks you for is wonderful and a feeling I never experienced in the corporate world. It's something I created on my own.
Lastly, thank you to all those who have supported me over the years. From family and friends to customers and fellow industry professionals, I wouldn't still be here if it weren't for your love and support. 💗