It was on a misty grey afternoon in South West London, after talking to my career coach when I finally realized what I had to do. This wasn’t an option, it was a necessity. An unshakable feeling down to my core that I had to follow my desire for creative freedom and to connect directly with others whose passions are on fire. I had no idea with that one decision, just how much my life would change…
With one decision—everything changed.
I was a Senior Brand Manager and Art Director at a Fortune 500 corporation. I had worked at this company for over 7 years. Pedal to the metal, climbing that corporate ladder. I had even been relocated from Seattle (my hometown) to creatively fueled London – fulfilling a lifelong dream of mine for which I will be forever grateful. And I continued the grind and hustle… working very long hours and inevitably, doing the job of many people rolled into one. The stress finally built up so much that I reached clinical burnout. After suffering frequent panic attacks, terrible insomnia, and eventually fainting in public, I began seeing both a therapist and a career coach.
I was convinced it was my fault. That I was too weak to handle the pressure. I hated my career and wanted to literally do anything else. But that was my anxiety sabotaging my personal power. Truth is, I am not too weak. I just lost my passion and unique sense of creativity. I was working for something I didn’t believe in for clients and customers whom I’d never met, nor had anything in common with. This had to change. For the next year, I formulated a plan. I saved up some money. I gathered courage.
Then, I quit.
Yes, it was terrifying, and I’ll be honest with you, I cried. But with the amazing support of my coach, my design mentor, and my family, anything seemed possible. I quit my corporate job and decided to start my own branding design business. Brand design is where my passion (borderline obsession) lies. It’s an area I’ve specialized in for years. It’s the type of design work that fuels my fire and doesn’t actually feel like work. My goal is to style brand identities for companies with heart – to lift up businesses who also pour their souls into their work and help them to achieve their goals with pride.
This decision meant that we needed to move back to the United States, but that’s ok. I will always remember our days living abroad with such love and awe. Opening Meteor Street Studio opened even more opportunities that I couldn’t dream of. With the flexibility of starting my own online business, we are able to travel all over the country and the world. This allows us to expand our reach, meet so many different types of people and find amazing new connections.
What are you waiting for?
What fires you up? What dreams are just waiting to jump out of you? It’s time to make a plan, gather that courage and take action. I believe in you. You should believe in you too.
