DON'T BE LIKE THE REST OF THEM, DARLING

I grew up the shy child, always preferring to stay on the outside of circles, never wanting to be the center of attention. I quietly observed the different dynamics of the varying personality types. Friends would nudge me to just speak up. No one will care if you say something dumb. uh...except me! I was the one always waiting until half way through the PE class exercise to volunteer- because you know, you don't want to be the first, but you definitely don't want to be the last. You hope for somewhere middle of the line where people stop paying attention, just in case you are really bad at it. And I was....always.

I remember hearing the "don't be like the rest of them, darling" quote often growing up, but I could have sworn it was my grandmother who said it not Coco Chanel. Although in hindsight, she sure loved her high heels & dancing dresses so maybe she borrowed the line. (She was quite the character and the strange bits are my favorite memories so maybe she really lived it too.)

I have this version printed for my office, to remind me to not be like the rest of them, darling. I even created the box without the top line to remind me it's okay to think outside the box.

I’ve always teetered on the side of doing things differently, in a way that feels right to me. I only followed trends enough to blend in & not draw too much attention. But as a kid, you don’t realize that your quietness can be a gift. Your insights are, well....insightful. The light you have inside of you can brighten someone else’s day- even if it's not flashy, it still shines.

It took the wisdom that comes with age and about a million tiny pivots, to learn how to harness my superpowers to help myself grow. (I laughed at myself for calling them superpowers, cause that's just silly, but it's gonna stay.)

“Quiet people have the loudest minds.” -Susan Cain

So when it came time to start my business, I didn’t see a lot of quiet success stories in the creative space. The ones I saw talking about how to build a profitable creative business were mostly bold, loud, say-it-firmly types. I admired their success, sure, but I wasn’t looking to build that kind of empire.

Because I long for ease.

Simplicity.

Things that hum in the background even when I’m offline or having a hard day.

Their front-and-center marketing approach just didn’t fit me.

I certainly didn’t want to go viral.

I just wanted to create beautiful, helpful products that would bring people joy, maybe a cozy mug that makes someone smile on a Monday, or a digital planner that brings a little calm to a chaotic day. Eventually that morphed into creating beautiful website patterns or graphics so their websites feel 100% them, not like everyone else's.

So I worked quietly in the background. I slowly built a solid business, one that sells products on Etsy, Spoonflower, and Amazon where sales come in even when I’m not “on.” I started teaching small business owners simplified business foundations, brand strategy, & website creation. Then I added custom website design for those that want that extra special help getting it all done. The point is that I've shifted focus, changed directions, and realized that the things that work for the masses don’t always work for me.

“Success doesn’t always look loud. Sometimes it’s slow, intentional, and deeply personal.” -Jenna Kutcher

And that’s exactly what my business became.

Calm.

Peaceful.

& Steady.

With a bit of creative thinking and a lot of experimenting with systems and automation, I slowly built something that could support my life instead of consume it. Some parts run quietly in the background. Products still sell while I’m offline. And the majority of the work I do now focuses on helping other small business owners build something that actually fits their lives.

The most interesting thing to me wasn’t the business evolution. It was the people who started showing up. Quiet creatives. Thoughtful builders. People who didn’t want the loud, hustle-heavy version of success either. They get me.

They found me because I wasn’t shouting, because I wasn’t trying to be like everyone else.

And somewhere along the way, that became our connection point.

Your dream can be quiet and still be powerful.

So if you’ve ever wondered whether there’s a gentler, more you-shaped path to building a creative business… there is. You don’t need a million followers. You don’t need to go viral. And you certainly don’t need to turn yourself into someone you’re not.

You just need a plan, a place to start, and permission to do it your way.

“You don’t need to do it like everyone else. You just need to do it like you.” -Marie Forleo

Let’s build something that feels like home.

And let’s not be like the rest of them, darling.

Warmest regards,