Why did you start Simple Purposeful Living?

When people ask me what I do I always say a stay at home mom but in the last few months, I have started to say I own my own business.  Right after I say I own my business, people always ask me “Why did you start your own business?”  So, I thought on the eve of our 2nd Simple Purposeful Living shop launch I would share my “why” with you!

My Career Plan Was All Set

I was months from my masters in educational leadership graduation when I slipped into my Ann Taylor powder blue suit (oh I loved that suit).  I fastened a hair rubber band to the button to allow extra room in the waistband (tell me you have done that?).  I just couldn’t fit my 24-week belly into those pants like I used to.  I was headed to an interview to become an instructional coach.

This was the next step on my career path, the one I had carefully planned from the moment I started teaching.  I spent 5 years in the classroom and now I had aspirations to become an elementary principal. I got the job, I couldn’t believe it.  A new baby and a new job in the same year.  How blessed could I be?

Fast forward to August 7, 2009, when I held my son in my arms for the first time and suddenly all those plans I had made didn’t feel so set.  I knew I ultimately wanted more flexibility and so resigned at the end of the school year.

A Change of Plans

I loved being a stay at home mom.  Just two years after our son was born we welcomed our first daughter to the mix.  I had 2 kids two and under.  I was busy and tired.  However,  I still wanted a little something of my own so I had a little hobby blog on the side I posted to daily.  Thanks, mom for being a faithful reader all these years (10 to be exact).

Once we had what we thought was our last child, Lucille, in 2015, I started to think long-term.  Did I want to go back to teaching?  I loved helping and encouraging women, I loved to blog and oh I loved to talk a lot!  What could I do with that?

A New Dream in My Heart

One night I rolled over in bed and nudged my half sleeping husband.  What if I made the blog something more than a diary for my mom to read.  He said, “You will never know unless you try!”  The next day (September 2105), I changed the name and started planning content on my blogger blog.  I listened to allllll the podcasts, took several missteps, and it wasn’t until March 2018 I found my niche.

Could Simple + purposeful living be something others would find value in and improve their life?  Again, I consulted my husband and he offered the same advice – you won’t know unless you try!

Over the years, I kept hearing women share the same problems over and over.  The same problems I had struggled with.  Could I offer a simple but purposeful solution to their problems?

Where There’s A Will There’s A Way

Ideas swirled in my brain but I had no idea how to implement them.  With no design or manufacturing experience, I started to draw out some designs and ask around for local printers.  No one would work with me.

We didn’t have the capital to invest in a large order. Even 100 copies of something would cost us $1000.  All our money was being funneled toward our adoption.

Listening to enough “How I Built This” podcasts, I knew not to be deterred by the word no and kept calling.  Finally, I found a printer who would work with me, print on demand, help me source products and even bought a perforator for those meal planners so the grocery list could be ripped out of the meal planner!

Now, I need to find a designer stat.  As God would have it, I was serving with our new worship pastor’s daughter during VBS.  Wouldn’t you know her older two sisters loved art and design and being new to town they might like a little project over the summer!

Prepare To Launch and A Mis-fire

We prepared to launch our Simple Purposeful Living meal planner and journal in November 20189.  I had ordered about 8 copies of each and a few days before launch I went live to show them off.  My neighbor texted me a short time later asking if her eyes deceived her that purposeful might be spelled wrong?

I’d like to say that was a first but it wasn’t.  Purposeful was spelled wrong when I bought my domain, I added an extra L!  Thankfully, we got it all fixed and people actually bought the products.  People that weren’t related and didn’t even know me bought them and what’s more, they liked them.

A Few Lessons I have Learned So Far…

• Sometimes, dreams change and your plans take a different course.
• You will never know unless you try.
• You will make mistakes, they don’t define you unless you let them.
• You have to believe in your dream even when no one else does.
• Your why has to be more than money in the bank (because when you start there’s not a whole lot there ;).
• You never get anywhere alone!

Moving Forward Excited & Thankful

On Monday, we will do our 2nd launch adding 2 new products and an accessory kit.  I am scared out of my mind and just praying I spelled everything right but I am so excited because these products are serving you which has been my goal from the very beginning.

My why has been and always will be to help you lead a more simple and purposeful life so you can do what matters with those that matter!  We only get one life, let’s live it simply on purpose!  Thank you for being a part of our community, it’s because of you we exist and get to do what we do!  Thank you.

 

If you want to make sure you are the first to know when the shop opens, sign up here!  Plus, get access to all my free printables.

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**Linking up with Andrea and Becky**