In August 2019, I left my corporate career. . . 

I was the Director of Marketing for a large national automotive group (which feels like a total other version of me!). It was a time in my life where I was experiencing some significant life transitions:

• My partner and I lost both of our dogs, quite unexpectedly, and only months apart
• I was moving through the transition of a distancing best friend-ship 
• I was deeply dissatisfied with my work and career, feeling completely out of alignment with my interests and values

I was feeling pretty directionless and purposeless, when a divinely timed meeting came my way. 

A reconnection lunch with a former colleague and friend sparked an opportunity to leave my job (something I had fantasized about for many many months) and bet on myself (by taking his business on as my first client). 

It’s safe to say I jumped eagerly, and blindly, into entrepreneurship. Despite it not being my first business (it was actually my 3rd), this time felt different.

This time I was going to make it happen. 

With the support of my ride-or-die Kris, I went all in on me. I put on my rose-coloured glasses* (aka. *rose coloured tutu*), took my first “inked and organized” photoshoot, and dove in. 

Year 1 (August 2019 – August 2020)

My first year was a wild ride. Not 4 months into starting my business, the world entered the Covid-19 pandemic. What a curve ball for first year business owner! Thankfully, my adaptiveness, improv skills, tenacity, and general openness to try new things worked out pretty well for me. I surfed through Year 1 feeling confident and bold in Year 2.

Year 2 (August 2020 – August 2021)

I was riding high, y’all. I was starting to hit consistent $10K months and I was gunning towards a major income milestone. I felt like I was manifesting “dream clients” and those rose-coloured glasses were making the world seem bright and bountiful. Little did I know, I had a different B-word coming my way…

Year 3 (August 2021 – August 2022)

This, for those who’ve followed along, was a pretty difficult year. Turns out hustling for $$ + working for humans who only care about the same = Burnout. I burnt out. Hard. BUT – that burnout led to a season of rest and a summer of love that would change my whole outlook on what I wanted to Inked & Organized to be.

Year 4 (August 2022 – August 2023)

I came back to the table for Year 4, ready to reimagine what I wanted to do as a business owner. What did I want Inked & Organized to be. Though I was still sorting out the details, I knew one thing for certain. I only wanted to work with great humans. So I set out to align myself with people who looked at the world with a similarly hopeful and helpful perspective. This adapted approach coupled with an unexpected change of city, poised Year 5 to be something pretty magical.

Year 5 (August 2023 – August 2024)

After resettling on the west coast, this year was kick-started with a deep, intensive, explorative, and emotional mission to find my Purpose (yes, capital P). Questions like “Why am I here?” and “What am I meant to be doing?” captivated my curiosity. Turns out…if you get curious enough (and are too stubborn to give up), you might just stumble into your Purpose along the way. After un/re/dis-covering my calling in November, I’ve been heads down and heart open in a creative hermit-hole, building this baby back to life. I’m so thrilled with what has transformed and what is ready to release.

Year 6 (August 2024 – August 2025)

So here we go, beginning with the butterfly that is I&O 2.0. I have no idea where this year will take me, and that’s truly the beauty of it. Thank goodness I have these beautiful wings now to see where we flow.