Update.
Welp, this update has been about a year in the making. But given all that has gone on in the last 18 or so months, I just didn’t have the words, or the energy to put the words out there, or the desire to muster up the energy to put the words out there, so yeah.
Here we are, STILL in the midst of a global pandemic. I don’t really have much more to say about this that hasn’t already been said.
Except, woof. I suppose that’s the right word.
Since I was last active in my foward-facing business of Compliment, sooooo much has changed. So let’s go back for a hot second.
In 2018, I had a one year old and a seven month old. Which led me to committing one of the biggest retail sins any small business owner could make: I opted out of the holiday season.
Anyone who has ever worked any retail knows that Thanksgiving through Christmas accounts for sometimes up to 40% of yearly revenue for a company. This was true for Compliment. Our Black Friday through Cyber Monday sales generated tens of thousands of dollars in a single weekend for YEARS.
But, yo. I was TIRED.
The transition into motherhood for me was hard and fast when my baby was 4 months old, we got pregnant again— two c-sections 13 months apart. Plus a business baby to run. I had to hit the pause button.
So I did. And it was goooooood. I got to be present with my babies during the holidays. I got my own Christmas shopping done before Christmas Eve. It was a good break.
I also stopped coaching 1:1. Stopped my Better Together writing circle membership. Stopped sending newsletters. Stopped showing up on Instagram.
(It’s so weird building an online brand and then going offline. People think you don’t exist. Or at least have questions about it…. Like, if it’s not on Instagram, did it happen? BUT HOW WILL ANYONE KNOW?!?!)
I was doing a lot of work off-line. Quietly. Without announcement or fanfare. Work I am proud of, albeit not being super Instagram-able.
During this quiet, I got pretty clear about what felt good in my life, and what felt outta whack. Alignment was my word of the year for 2020 and boy, what an opportunity it was to align.
I focused on my wellness. Yes, physically, but mostly spiritually and emotionally. I read. A ton. I ate better. I moved more. I prayed more.
And what came from being “locked down” for over a year was actually remarkable— I experienced MORE freedom. I know that is not the same for everyone reading this. And I know it might cause people to feel a certain way.
But it’s my truth.
For me, 2020 was a pretty tough exercise in totally letting go. In so many ways. I opened my hands and stopped clenching my fists at all I could not change. It wasn’t easy. The work happened inside. I reeled against it many days. But there came a point where I just allowed life to happen around me. And it felt good.
I peeled away so many layers of things that were keeping me busy, but unfulfilled. I said no to SO MANY THINGS. I said yes to others.
Did I mention how much I prayed?
I prayed what to do with this beautiful gift of Compliment.
So many of you have been a part of this community since the very early days of Compliment, so you know that I always viewed this company as a Divine gift— something that I was called to, that I had no business sinking time and money into based on my HUGE lack of experience. I always felt like God was working through me via Compliment. And then it became clear that this chapter was coming to a close.
I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have a ton of ego wrapped into it at first.
“But that’s how people KNOW me.”
“This is what gives me my credibility as a business owner.”
“What circles will I no longer belong to if I let this go?”
But I knew it was time. And gosh, if it isn’t just like God to flex in my life— to really show up and show off the SECOND I surrender.
Within a day (NO JOKE) a dear friend of mine shared with me a vision on her heart to build a fair-trade, socially-conscious brand to fund her already existing non-profit that gives South African women a pathway to sovereignty through entreprenuership. She had all the groundwork already done. I offered to donate my decade-worth of inventory of jewelry and findings to her artisans. We filled up the back of her SUV to the brim and she was able to give the beads and jewels and stones and wire a new life— a new home. (Check out this phenomenal brand: ShopConsciously and please consider them with your gifting. They are up to amazing things and deserve a look.)
I love Compliment with my whole heart. And yet. It was time to set it free.
The miracle of it all is that the love and the energy lives on through more women around the globe lifting one another and empowering each other.
How cool is God?
So what’s next?
I’ve been working on a few things behind the scenes:
a new personal website (welcome!)
a new podcast with my biz buddy Angela (check it out!)
a book (it’s FINALLY in the works!- more on this soon!)
a brand new agency that offers done-for-you service for thought leaders and authors who want to scale their businesses with programs/courses (we are already serving the most incredible humans and I’m SUPER excited about where this is headed!)
two new courses of my own— one on sales (the non-weirdo way) and one on discernment (eeeeee!)
the writing circles are returning (stay tuned!)
a VIP small group coaching program (next year!)
an in-person writing retreat (as soon as it’s safe to travel/gather)
and a certified B-Corp (!!!) health and wellness biz (because I’m very much pro-multiple streams of income)
mom-ing and wife-ing, sister-ing and daughter-ing, aunt-ing and cousin-ing and friend-ing (my fave roles)
If any of that sounds interesting, I’d love to know.
But mostly, I’d just love to know how you are. It’s been so long. Let’s catch up.