When It’s Time To Say Goodbye

About 4 1/2 years ago, I opened a brick-and-mortar shop in our little town, which had been a dream for a long time. I had been building my business from home for almost three decades, and I was ready to expand. I hoped to share my party favors, my art, my crafts and more with locals… and have a larger office and space to work in. The shop space I rented included an extra room that we dubbed the “party room”, and it was my goal and vision to fill it up with crafty parties and meet-ups.

As with all things in life, not everything I had in mind worked out, and some other really cool opportunities came along that I never expected. All in all, we did what I set out to do, which was to share, bless, encourage, craft and make a little money. It has been a tremendous blessing, and I’m so glad I was able to make a dream come true.

If there is ANYTHING I’ve learned after almost 30 years in business, it’s that “nothing stays the same”. I have pivoted multiples times through the years, and I’ve learned to push myself and stretch and grow into new directions, as trends, life, economies, and business demanded it. I’m no longer afraid to let things go when they aren’t working, and I’m not afraid to try the new things that seem daunting. It’s honestly the ONLY way to maintain a business over the years!

And now today, it’s time to turn the pages and close this chapter of the business and my life. Health issues have made it hard to keep up, and I have prayed for a long time about what would be best. Letting the shop go has been the answer, and while I’m feeling a little sad, I’m mostly just thankful for what it has been…. and excited for what is to come. God has blessed me with opportunities to pivote and still work in a creative way (business website design and personal blog design!). I’m ready to put all of my focus in one direction.

If you are a small business owner, or would like to be, just know that it is the most exhilarating, amazing, incredibly hard, fun, bumpy journey! You’re doing it right if it’s hard and you cry a couple times a month. You’re doing it right if you question everything you try. You’re doing it right if ALL the things line up and things go according to plan. And you’re doing it right if you throw things across a room in frustration and despair. (Or.. maybe that’s just me.)

None of it would be possible without God’s help. He has kept me going in the hardest of days, and He has directed my paths to know when it was time to try something new. Everything about my business is to bring glory to him, and I’m so blessed to be living out my purpose, decade after decade.

So, it’s time to say goodbye to a chapter, and move forward, eager for the next. If you are a small business owner and need help, send me a message. If you are a woman who wants to tell her story, online or off, send me a message.

And may God bless YOUR current chapter, and all the chapters to come.