Championing Women in Business

A cause close to my heart.

Today, I’m sharing how my journey as a female founder, after leaving corporate America and spending time as a stay-at-home mom, has come full circle and now touches every part of my life.

I never imagined I’d be the one to step away from my career to stay home with my kids. But that perspective shifted the moment my first child was born. At the time, I was on a strong career path in corporate America, yet my priorities quickly changed. I realized that more than the nice car or the extra trips away, what I truly wanted was to be present for my children as they grew up. Back then, working from home wasn’t as common or accessible as it is today.

At the same time, I was struggling with a bigger question: what was my true calling? I knew I loved educating others and helping people make smarter financial decisions in my career as a banker. I had a passion for business and experience working with entrepreneurs from the banking side, but the work didn’t fulfill me on a personal level. I felt a pull to do something that required more creativity and the flexibility to be there for my son. I had encouragement from my husband to make this a reality, and we made adjustments, including a relocation to accommodate a new lifestyle as a single-income household. 

By the time I was close to 9 months pregnant with my daughter, we made a physical move to make it happen. Over the years I realized that while I loved being there for my kids, I lost a bit of myself in the process. It is important to say, I have zero regrets and am so grateful that I had this time with my children. As women we always get comments from others about how we show up for our families. I won’t go down that rabbit hole, but I will say without a doubt unsolicited advice was given, which also factored into my self-confidence in a negative way.

While I dabbled in part-time work over the years, including teaching pre-K and kindergarten science, and even considered becoming a full-time teacher, I eventually discovered my true passion when I began building my own business in web design. Although it is still a work in progress and my now teenage kids remain my top priority, they need me less and less. This has allowed me to slowly grow a business that I can continue to build as time and life allow, which I love.

With all that said, nothing makes me feel more alive than helping other women in business show up in a way that makes them feel proud and confident in the hardworking entrepreneurs they are. Creating brand identities and designing websites, including visual assets for platforms like Substack and social media, has been the breath of fresh air I’ve craved for years.

If I can have a positive impact on even one woman in business, a mother trying to earn an income while raising her babies, or someone working to share their gifts with the world and make a living, then I feel my mission is complete. I’ve come to realize that I’ve been called by God to be a helper and a connector. This is my path. Whether it’s helping a business owner level up, encouraging them to charge prices that reflect their value, or donating my time to help a nonprofit improve communication and visibility, I’ve found my purpose.

This is also why I feel so strongly about supporting local businesses and those bootstrapped by hardworking women who are determined to make a difference and leave their mark on the world. I’ve found inspiration from these women not just through what they create, but through the way they show up, intentional and authentic. Their influence has even helped me define my own personal style.

It might sound silly to some, but I feel more like myself than I ever have, and a big part of that comes from getting dressed in quality pieces created by female founders. From brands like Le Bon Shoppe and Jamie Haller to small boutiques and locally made jewelry and gifts, supporting these businesses just feels right. I base this on more than just the pretty things they create. Equally as important is their story and grit in building their businesses as creatives. It is very inspiring to me as a creative myself.

This shift has also changed how I engage with social media. Late last year, I started writing a Substack publication as a mix of market research and a creative outlet. I had started to feel overwhelmed on my personal social media, so I decided to start fresh. I had clients writing on Substack or considering it, and I wanted to experience the platform myself in order to be able to create branding assets and understand the challenges. The same goes for ShopMy; I took the early opportunity to sign up to see the back end and how it would work in a web design application. And I’ve had some fun along the way creating flat lays and keeping my links organized (although that is still a work in progress because I love all the things!).

Now, when I scroll through Instagram or Pinterest, I find women who inspire me to rewear what I already own and to spend more thoughtfully when I do choose to buy. It’s been so fun connecting with like-minded women who are building their lives and businesses with intention. I feel empowered supporting those with values aligned to mine. There is something about showing up to client meetings dressed in items that are designed or made by creative founders trailblazing a way in the wild world of entrepreneurship.

If you’re building something with heart and intention too, I’d love to connect—let’s chat about how branding or web design could support your next chapter.