The adventure of building and restoring an old building for the first time, while opening a business...for the first time.
Welcome to my blog! Several of you have been asking for updates on my project, and I thought this would be the best way to keep everyone updated, while also provide some therapy to myself by talking about it. This has been a ride so far, and it hasn't even really begun yet!
How did I get here? I ask myself this daily. My journey to this point has been a bit unconventional, but what story isn't? This isn't even the one way plane ticket to France story either! A few years ago, fall of 2021 to be exact, I woke up in a funk, this sadness over me. I couldn't understand why; from the outside in I had it all. A house, amazing dogs, a high stake director level job, and I was engaged to be married. I was so confused why I felt like this for months, and then I realized: it felt like I was living a life that wasn't actually mine. I wasn't in a fulfilling relationship, and I wasn't happy at work. I had much larger career goals that I couldn't ignore anymore. I always wanted my own business and serve a community to create a lasting impact. After a lot of self reflection, ugly cries and wine, I ended my engagement and the following summer I walked away from my job. I needed to start over and pursue what my heart wanted.
I started serving at a local restaurant in town. I hadn't served in years, and it was amazing how free I felt only working 3-4 nights a week, a 4-6 hour shift. It was such break from my old routine! I felt my mind and soul start to heal, and creativity and confidence coming back to me. I felt like me again. I started baking more, and wanted to start selling baked goods and see what would happen. It seemed fun, and I didn't expect it to go anywhere. I don't have a pastry degree, and I always wanted a wine bar or restaurant, never a bakery. But baking fell into the Health Department legal guidelines for what I could do- so I started there.
With starting a business come several fee's to start, even something as little as a pop up or selling out of a home. You have to get an LLC, packaging, inventory, social media, branding, and much more. I wasn't making the money I needed to cover my personal bills, let alone fund a start-up. I was so stressed out, but knew I could figure it out. I started walking through my house, looking closer at things. I found a piece of old jewelry that had a couple diamonds. I took it to a store, sold the diamonds and got $250! I was over the moon happy. I could pay my health insurance bill, and pay to purchase my LLC! Yes- this literally happened.
A week later I got a phone call from the restaurant group who own the restaurant i town, and I got an opportunity to be the new General Manager. Initially I was mortified. I didn't want anything to do with management after my last job. Plus-now I was baking and selling on the weekends. Sure, $120 and $180 was nothing to rave about making each weekend baking, but it was mine and I was making people happy. I was enjoying the simple pleasures of going to work, doing my job, and leaving with no further responsibility, and focusing on trying to start a business. But my living situation said otherwise. I needed a steady paycheck.
I took the job, and also continued baking. To say life got busier for me is an understatement. This blog is about my life juggling a 50+ hour work week with challenging hours, a home and dogs, all while baking and now coordinating with several people to get my business built! Doing all this in secret too, keeping my work worlds separate. And I have to say: I haven't felt more grateful, lucky, and happy in my life.
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