When I owned my first business, a dance company when I was 18, I used to watch the little prima ballerinas carefully and spot the ones who were going to go far…
They were the ones who, despite being just 7 years old, were patient.
The ones who went home to practice in between classes.
The ones who stumbled, sometimes fell flat on their face, and got right back up to try again.
The ones who always raised their hand, asked questions proudly, and volunteered to go first.
The ones who were sometimes the quietest, yet the most observant.
All qualities of people who end up living life on their own terms, sitting in the driver’s seat of their life, going against the grains of society – if that’s what it takes.
After going to college for one year while running that company, I knew I was destined to follow a similar path I saw those prima ballerinas heading down. I knew I was different, and I felt called to something bigger than myself. I wanted nothing but to get out into the real world, design my dream life, and decide when, how, and where I worked. And I planned to do it fast.
With a suitcase in one hand and a heart yearning for adventure, I booked a one way ticket out of my hometown of 600 people in Wisconsin to New York City – despite locals calling me “crazy” and asking what my “plan” was.
Truthfully, I didn’t have one – other than to design my life on my terms. (sounds easy peasy, right?)
One month after touching down in NYC, I was scouted on Instagram by a modeling agency and was thrown into a new world of being told what to do, how to look, and what to say.
My entrepreneurial blood quickly kicked in, and the idea of ever answering to a boss was quickly scratched off my list of possibilities.
9 months later, determined to start living on my own terms again, I left New York and booked a one-way ticket to Australia with $500 to my name.
Holding my vision of having complete location independence, I landed in the foreign country by myself more driven than ever to build an online business that gave me the freedom I craved. I knew I wouldn’t ever be fulfilled doing something I didn’t love, so failing wasn’t an option.
Just when I thought I’d figured out my next move, I received devastating news that would impact my future more than I could ever imagine.
My 22 year old best friend called to tell me she was entering hospice after a long battle with stage 4 cancer.
As any true friend would do, I booked a one way ticket back to the USA to sit by her side for 30 days. After watching such a destructive disease steal the life of a beautiful soul who had a whole life ahead of her, I committed to designing a life she’d never have the chance to… and I experienced depression for the first time while doing so.
In more pain than I knew was possible, I turned to social media to heal.
After clicking delete nearly a dozen a dozen times, I worked up the confidence to publicly share my full, filter-free story online with others who I thought might need to hear it.
The next 8 months were a complete whirlwind.
Hundreds of messages poured in from men and women around the word thanking me for sharing my story. I was labeled one of the most “authentic” people in my audience’s minds, and I quickly realized I’d found my superpower – and my passion.
I started helping other passionate entrepreneurs build their own audiences, attract more clients, and grow their online businesses all by sharing their story.
I grew my coaching business from 0 to six figures in 8 months after being thrown yet another unexpected curveball…
A baby.
Overlooking downtown Miami from the 30-something floor of a high rise building, I found out I was pregnant.
And instead of slowing down, I went full speed ahead.
Between the promise I made to my best friend, and the newfound drive to show my unborn child what’s possible, I continued traveling internationally while growing my business and living on my own terms.
Now, I wait patiently to welcome my beautiful daughter into the world.
__
My mission is to show other impact-driven entrepreneurs that you can live on your own terms – no matter how experienced, old, or young you are – by building an online business doing what you love…. and all it takes to start is your story.
If a 22 year old from a town of 600 people can do it, you can too.
__
**You can connect with me in my free Facebook group here: http://bit.ly/personal-branding-group