A Decade of Becoming: My 10 Years In Business
When I first started my business, I thought success would look like a straight line — a steady climb toward clarity, creativity, and confidence. Instead, it looked more like eras. Distinct seasons. Chapters with their own soundtracks, aesthetics, plot twists, and lessons I didn’t know I needed. Some eras were fueled by ambition and caffeine. Others were shaped by burnout and breakthroughs. Some were loud and expansive, others were quiet rebuilds. But every single one pushed me closer to the version of my business (and myself) that exists today.
Looking back now, it’s wild to see how many times I evolved. How many times I tried, experimented, pivoted, and completely reinvented my own sense of what this business could be. My business didn’t grow in a straight line; it grew in eras. And each one left its fingerprints on my work, my voice, and the way I create. So here they are: the eras that built a decade. The messy ones. The magical ones. The ones that demanded courage, and the ones that gave me clarity. The story behind the story and the journey that made this business what it is.
The Say Yes Era (2015 - 2016)
Before boundaries, before systems, before sleep, there was the Say Yes Era. The chapter where taking on anything that even remotely came my way felt like the only way forward. Yes to every project, every opportunity, every late-night email, every "can you design this by tomorrow?" moment. These were the years fueled by caffeine, playlists that matched my ambition, and that early creative fire that burned so bright it kept me up at night (literally). I was learning how to run a business and how to be a designer at the same time - experimenting, Googling everything, and figuring out pricing in real time. I said yes before I knew the "how," trusting that I could figure it out as I went. And honestly, I usually did. That scrappy, do-it-all energy was my superpower back then. I'd design a logo in one hour, pitch a new client the next, and then stay up till 2 a.m. trying to make my website look like the pros. Networking events, collaborations, contracts, cold pitching, boots on the ground marketing...I wanted to experience it all. I was determined to "make it," even if I didn't yet know what making it really meant. But in hindsight, that blind enthusiasm was magic. It built my confidence, sharpened my skills, and proved that creative grit can take you farther than you think. This era was messy, exciting, unsustainable, and unforgettable. The foundation of everything that came next. The spark that started it all. The hustle was real. The invoices were not always paid on time. Here's to the Say Yes years. To the hunger, the chaos, and the version of me who believed she could, so she did.
The Say Yes Era gave me momentum. The kind of momentum that makes you believe anything is possible if you just work hard enough and keep saying yes. And with that confidence (and a little bit of delusion), I started dreaming bigger. Like… much bigger.
The Agency Era (2017)
Before I fully understood what it meant to run my business, I was absolutely convinced I needed to run a bigger one. Enter: the Agency Era — the chapter where my solo creative studio suddenly grew wings, a vision board, and a floor plan. This was the year I dreamed in square footage. I could practically feel the exposed brick walls, the big communal table where ideas would flow, the quiet hum of a small-but-mighty creative team bringing brands to life under one roof. Photography, web development, design — a full visual universe for clients, curated by a group of brilliant creatives I hadn’t hired yet, but definitely had job titles picked out for. I had a commercial space bookmarked, a business name chosen (still obsessed with it, still own the copyrights, still saving it like a secret piece of treasure), and a plan that was equal parts ambitious and adorable.
But here’s the thing about big dreams: sometimes you meet them, look them dead in the eye, and realize… “Oh, that’s a whole lot of responsibility.” I could feel the weight of payrolls, leases, management, overhead, HR — and suddenly my visionary era became my “let’s-pause-and-think-this-through” era. Putting the agency dream on hold wasn’t a failure; it was clarity. I realized I didn’t need a team of ten or a brick-and-mortar space to create meaningful, high-level brand experiences. What I needed was space to refine my craft, build my thought leadership, and become the creative director I actually wanted to be, without drowning in logistics.
The dream is still tucked away, safe and glowing, for whenever (or if ever) it’s meant to come back. But 2017 taught me this: ambition is beautiful, but alignment is better. And while the Agency Era awakened a new level of ambition in me, it also revealed the weight of scaling before you’re truly ready. Pressing pause wasn’t quitting — it was choosing alignment over aesthetics. With that clarity, I moved forward into the next chapter of my business journey, carrying the lessons, the vision, and a renewed sense of direction with me.
The Top of The World Era (2018 - 2019)
If the Agency Era was about possibility, the Top of the World Era was about arrival. That surreal moment where your hard work finally catches up to your dreams and taps you on the shoulder like, “Hey… look where you are.” This was the era where everything clicked. The clients, the timing, the creative collaborations — all of it. Suddenly, the brands I admired were landing in my inbox. I was signing contracts with recognizable names, producing work that made me do a double take, and occasionally texting friends things like, “I can’t legally say who I’m designing for right now, but OMG.”
Some months, I tripled my full-time salary. I was still working my 9–5, but my studio was thriving like it had zero interest in waiting for nights and weekends. It felt like the universe was saying, “See? You were right to bet on yourself.” As someone who has always been a fangirl over talented creatives in the entertainment space, I was pinching myself. A human with actual celebrity status loved my work. That moment alone felt like a cosmic confirmation. And beyond the business wins, my personal life was also in a season of joy and expansion. Everything felt aligned. Warm. Secure. Hopeful. It was a chapter where the external success matched the internal one — a rare and beautiful overlap.
The Top of the World Era didn’t just make me feel like I had “made it.” It showed me what was possible when passion, timing, and preparation collide. But even the highest highs come with their own kind of gravity. After a season of big wins, big names, and big momentum, life gently reminded me that success isn’t a straight upward climb — it’s an ever-shifting landscape. As the glow of that peak softened, I found myself stepping into a new season… one that would challenge me, stretch me, and ultimately reshape the way I approached my work and my worth.
The Consulting Era (2020)
When the world flipped upside down in 2020, so did almost everyone’s sense of direction. Suddenly, people were working from home for the first time, launching side hustles out of necessity, and navigating pivots they never planned to make. And somewhere in all that uncertainty, my inbox turned into a steady stream of “Can I ask you something?” messages. This was the beginning of my Consulting Era — the chapter where I realized that my half a decade of trial-and-error was actually valuable to other people who were just starting their journey.
People wanted to know how I built my business. How I worked from home without losing my mind. How I stayed creative in chaos. How I priced, pitched, designed, communicated, and evolved. And I shared everything I could. Not because I had all the answers, but because I understood what it felt like to need guidance and not know where to find it. I still created logos and brand identities during this time, but there was something deeper happening in the background — I was becoming a mentor without even meaning to. I was helping people build not just the visuals of their brand, but the foundation of their business. I was teaching from a place of empathy, experience, and lived-in wisdom.
In a year filled with isolation, this era felt like connection. In a world of unknowns, it felt like purpose. In a time when everything was shifting, it felt like a reminder: I built this business from resilience, and now I could help others do the same. The Consulting Era was my way of giving back, and turning the lessons I earned the hard way into something softer, more generous, and deeply needed.
The Burnout Era (2021 - 2023)
After the highs of the Top of the World Era and the meaningful connection of the Consulting Era, life felt heavier than I expected. Technology was evolving at a dizzying pace, client needs were shifting in ways I couldn’t anticipate, and the fire that had once kept me up late at night, inspired and unstoppable, seemed to flicker uncertainly.
This was the Burnout Era. The chapter where showing up felt harder than it used to, even when I wanted it to feel natural. The flow of projects slowed. Motivation wavered. Even work I once loved felt like a chore at times. Personal losses and responsibilities demanded my attention, pulling me out of the business bubble I had grown so accustomed to. Suddenly, everything felt weighted: the emails, the deadlines, the pressure to innovate, and even the social media presence I had curated so carefully. And yet, it wasn’t all darkness. I still worked on projects that pushed me creatively, collaborated with clients I admired, and reminded myself of the foundation I had built over six years. But the fire that once burned hot and bright was quieter now — not gone, just smoldering. This era became a study in endurance, patience, and resilience. It was a time to reflect on what truly mattered, to confront the limits of energy and attention, and to learn that slowing down isn’t failure — it’s preparation for something better.
I became hyper-aware of boundaries I had previously ignored, of what it meant to protect my time and creative energy, and of the ways life outside of work needed tending just as much as the business itself. This was a season that asked me to honor my humanity, to show myself the same compassion I had given so freely to clients, collaborators, and friends over the years. The Burnout Era was messy, heavy, and humbling. It wasn’t the chapter of fireworks or big wins — it was the chapter of learning how to exist within the work without being consumed by it. And in hindsight, it was essential.
The Pivot & Slow Down Era (2024 - 2025)
After the intensity and reflection of the last few years, I realized that constantly pushing at full speed wasn’t sustainable — and more importantly, it wasn’t inspiring. By 2024, I made a conscious pivot: I switched careers. The 9–5 design grind that once fueled me creatively had become draining. I found myself comparing my progress to younger designers who were blowing up on social media, landing dream clients, and earning salaries that felt completely out of reach. It was exhausting, and it was stealing my joy.
The Pivot & Slow Down Era became my intentional response to that exhaustion. This chapter is about curiosity over competition, alignment over hustle, and embracing the “glamundane” — the small, slow, beautiful moments that make each day feel special. I learned to find richness in the quiet: the morning rituals, the moments of creative play without pressure, the time spent on projects that genuinely excite me instead of ticking boxes or chasing trends. My full-time career now provides a steady paycheck, yes, but more than that, it gives me stability, freedom, and the ability to do work that energizes me. I can pick projects that feel meaningful, explore new skills that spark curiosity, and have the space to pour into another business I built entirely outside the design/creative/marketing world. This side venture reminds me that creativity isn’t limited to one lane or one medium; it’s a mindset, a way of showing up, and a source of joy that doesn’t have to feel stressful or performative.
This era has taught me that growth isn’t always about speed, scale, or recognition. Sometimes, growth is quiet, patient, and deeply intentional. It’s about designing a life and career that actually fit me, on my terms, with room to breathe, reflect, and create from a place of genuine excitement. After years of chasing peaks, this season is about savoring the journey, appreciating the middle, and trusting that slow, steady, thoughtful steps can be just as transformative as big leaps. This current era of today reminds me that success isn’t a race, inspiration isn’t a fleeting moment, and fulfillment is measured not by external validation, but by how aligned I feel with my own vision for life and work.
Final Reflections & What is 2026’s Era?
Looking back at these ten years, it’s wild to see how much has changed — and yet, how much has stayed the same. Each era had its own rhythm, its own lessons, and its own kind of magic. Every chapter shaped the business I have today, and the person I’ve become along the way. What strikes me most is how every era was necessary. The messy ones taught resilience. The ambitious ones taught vision. The challenging ones taught patience. And the slow ones taught me to listen to myself, trust the process, and create a life that feels good from the inside out. My business isn’t just a line on a resume or a portfolio of projects; it’s a living, evolving story — one that mirrors my own growth, priorities, and values.
And even as I reflect on all that has been, I can feel a sense of excitement for what’s to come. 2026 feels like the next chapter in a story that’s still being written — a space for new experiments, bold pivots, and quiet wins alike. I don’t know exactly what it will look like yet, but I do know this: the best parts of this journey have never been about checking boxes or chasing trends. They’ve been about showing up, learning, pivoting, and trusting that each era builds the foundation for the next.
Here’s to the eras behind me, the lessons that stay with me, and the possibilities that lie ahead. The story isn’t over — it’s just entering its next, exciting chapter.