I hadn’t always dreamed of being a business owner. Originally, I wanted to climb the ranks of the design world and become a creative director. After earning my design degree and joining the workforce, that all changed. I realized being a photoshop monkey in a soul-sucking 9-5 just wasn’t for me. I planned to wait 10 years or so and start my own business, after I had a chance to save money. (Big change is scary!) Saving money would help me relieve my fears of failure as a business owner. As luck would have it, the universe had other plans for me.
When I first started working at my full-time jobs, I was excited like any recent college grad. I worked hard and tried to learn as much as I could, but I soon realized that the long hours and monotonous workload were taking its toll. I began to burn out as I worked so hard and never saw the reward. To make matters worse, the companies I worked for weren’t aligned with my values. I wanted to know that I was helping people and making a difference, not putting even more money into corporations’ pockets. I knew once I saved up enough I would be able to leave and start my own business. I just needed to be patient.
As I kept saving, my life began to reach a turning point. In December of 2016, I lost my nana and father in a two-week time span. It was rough, but I buried myself in my work as a distraction. Then in April, my aunt passed away as well. I took this hard, and it made me realize how short life was. But still, I kept working hard to keep myself busy. Apparently, I wasn’t getting the message from the universe. In the summer of 2017, I noticed a lump on my left butt cheek. (The universe clearly has a sense of humor). After a biopsy, MRI, and CT-scan, I discovered I had a rare cancerous tumor. It was a true shock to me and my loved ones. I was fortunate enough to have a successful surgery and become 100% cancer-free in early 2018. It was time to take a serious look at my life. I realized that the message that was getting sent to me was a reminder that life and the time that we have is precious! I decided now was the time to start my business. I began devoting all of my spare time into it. I worked nights and weekends to get my business running by taking courses and doing small projects.
Now, two years later I spend my time creating designs for values-driven business owners who are working on growing their business and following their dreams. I’ve met incredible people at networking events, business groups, and have had the amazing opportunity to work with some of them! Being a business owner has allowed me to be there to support my family when they need me, make my own schedule, and live life the way I want to. I wouldn’t change anything about it for the world. Even though my journey to this point was rough, I’m happy with where I landed.
(Originally published on 3/31/2020 on rhodesiajdesigns.com)
