Lessons from Loss: Insights and Reflections on Starting a Business to Help Others Heal

In this blog post, I'll be sharing some of the key lessons I've learned from my own losses and how they have shaped my entrepreneurial journey. From the initial spark of an idea to the practical steps of building a business, I'll delve into the unique challenges and opportunities that arise when combining personal growth with professional aspirations. Grief is a universal experience, and through my own experiences, I hope to offer support, guidance, and inspiration to those who are also navigating the challenging path of grief.

Honestly, my first feeling of wanting to do something for other people after Garret died was our first Christmas without him, that was just 6 months after we lost him.  I made my ornaments that I now currently sell.  I wanted to create and gift a memory for all our family and friends to have something, just something to honor our little guy.  At the time this was huge for me, it was a feat that I didn't know I could do, but when I accomplished it and when I gave them to all our people, I was proud, I felt at peace, and I felt I could do anything.  I've learned since this first venture the feeling of creating and giving is a huge part of my journey of healing. I truly believe that is why today, I've created this beautiful small business that I can help and guide others through my creativeness and show that the healing journey can be okay, I know sad, but it can be okay.  I also feel that I get the selling aspect from Jack and the drive to be and do better always; that's just who he was and he taught me so much in life about living it to the fullest, to doing your best with what you have, and constantly learn to grow in every aspect of your life whether it be business or personal.   It took me many many years to figure this out with my jobs I had here and there.  I can honestly say now, I feel 1000% at peace with where I'm at and with what I'm doing (even thought the pay is horrible <insert laugh>).

When I was having the ideas of starting my card business, I had no graphic design experience whatsoever; to the point that I would always tease that I can't even draw a stick figure.  Well, I had about 80 card ideas written out and then Chantz pushed me to move forward with it.  He did some leg work and reached out to a graphic design company who he knew; well that proved to be an impossible route because each design would have been about $85/card (I'm not sure if you realize...that would take a lot of money as I currently have about 140 designs). So I scoured the internet, bought some courses to learn how to get from zero to where I'm currently at (and still learning EVERY.SINGLE.DAY).  <side note...check out my newly revamped and pretty awesome website>.  So one of the biggest questions I get is about my designs. I work a lot in canva with the artwork they have there.  I've done a ton of research and I have reached out to canva specifically about design work.  What I've learned about using their images that I pay for in their PRO version is that I can use a design as long as I add something (ie. my own words from my own brain - or from my friends brains).  The point is, I can't take an image from canva, slap it on a card and sell it just like that.  A lot of times, I merge images together and or change colors and omit some things.  These are options for beginners like me.  If I ever felt that I was "say stealing" art from canva, I would immediately stop using and I would make cards with just my words and no images.  I've noticed within the stationery world that this is what a LOT of card designers do and use.  There are a lot of amazing artists out there too that make beautiful cards (but they don't have the amazing words I do ;) So, this is the back end of my business that I learned from a couple different growing & larger card businesses...so I think I'm legit and sparing you guys the images of my stick figures.  Because let's be brutally honest...it's not the images IT'S THE WORDS AND THE MEANINGS! 

But, one of my things I've learned and I'm learning more each and every day, is that I LOVE the impact I'm making and the hearts I'm touching.  Take away the card business and growing it, I want to reach the masses with my words and show up for all the grievers out there and let them know "Hey, I'm here and I care and I know you will be okay".  I love the podcasts I've been guests on and continue to tell my story and it is getting easier and easier and more precise with details and more helpful with guidance for other grievers.  I love the podcast I've started with Michelle and the impact we are making.  We just recorded our next two episodes this week for September drop and the stories I'm hearing and the things I'm learning are truly my souls desire to continue doing it all.  

One question that is brought up is "Does this bring a lot of grief back to you"?  The answer is twofold..No and Yes.  No: because the grief has never ever left me and it never ever will.  I think about my people every.single.day.  I would even if I wasn't doing the work that I'm doing today.  AND yes: because I'm building my life/career/hearts desire around grief work and of course it brings up more sadness but in a good way.  I'm remembering things that I had either forgotten or I had stuffed away, I'm helping more people than I ever thought I would, I'm connecting with so many people from coast to coast, and most importantly, God's hand in all of this is guiding me to my where I can do more and more.   

My goals and my dreams are the same, I am going to become a "Grief Coach" and I am going to finish and write my book and it is going to publish and sell so many copies and I'm going to speak at events and share my story from loss to light and how I've navigated losing so many in my family.  These will all happen, you mark my word.  I have so many ideas to grow this small business that it almost feels like the cards and the "new" stationery" products I'm launching are so small in comparison; again I'll go back to THE WORDS MATTER.  That statement is so true in all our lives and how we approach anyone we have in contact with.  

So today...what are lessons you are learning from me and how can I continue to implement growth & healing through my small little business.  These are MY losses that I can use help others heal and I am way past ready to do ALL of it.  Because why...WE ARE ALL BETTER TOGETHER!