Happy Tuesday babes! I am so excited for today’s blog post, it’s really different from anything I’ve talked about before. For the last couple of weeks, this topic has been heavy on my heart. Jacqueline and I have talked a little bit about our journey into entrepreneurship, during our Instagram lives. But today I wanted to go deeper, I’m sharing the steps I took before leaping into this world. So let’s jump into it!

Think about the type of life you want to live, does it involve a flexible work situation? Maybe you’re working by the pool, or maybe you’re taking a three month sabbatical because you’re that successful. Whatever your ideal situation looks like, I’m sure there are some fears holding you back from achieving this life.

When I decided to go out on my own and leave a consistent paycheck, my mom loved the idea, my dad was terrified and my husband Aaron, hardly knew everything that would come with it. Aaron only knew the facts that I was willing to share, but if you ask him now he will say, “I was never worried about the money. Everything was going to work out, and when push came to shove, we would make it.”

If my entire business was a flop, we would not end up on the street or be unable to eat.

Aaron was and still is my biggest supporter when it comes to my business. I worked so many late hours and weekends because I knew that something great was coming. And so did he. I wanted to make my dream a reality so bad, that I would rather have worked 7 days a week for myself, then 5 for someone else. And that is what I did for EIGHT MONTHS.

LEADING UP TO THE JUMP

When I moved back to Columbus from Atlanta, I felt lost when it came to my career. I had just moved from a huge corporate job in Atlanta, with amazing benefits and even more amazing co-workers. I was not in the field of work that I wanted, but it had still been a huge and fulfilling part of my life. After a few weeks of pursuing jobs in the marketing field, I ended up locking something down with a small company in Ohio. It was the absolute worst job of my entire life, and I had worked for a tanning salon during the summer.

After three months working for this small company, I was offered a marketing position with another local company in Ohio. The office was two miles from my house, the pay was better and I was hoping this experience would help grow my marketing skill set. I lasted a total of seven months with this company. During my time, I learned two very important things:

1. I hate reporting into someone and having to sit in one place for 8 hours a day. No way around it.
2. The job that was being required, could be accomplished in 3 hours.

Sitting around is not something I do well, so imagine how crazy I was feeling. Which ultimately lead to the inventible jump. When you’re in a situation that does not leave you fired up for the day, then what the heck are you doing? You’re wasting time. You’re missing out on leading an unbelievable life!

MAKING THE JUMP

I know what you’re thinking, but Emily if I take a leap into the unknown I’m not sure if I’ll be able to make a living. How will I pay my bills? How will I survive? Well friends, I had $630 lined up in income for the month, when I decided to leave my job. THAT WAS IT! I knew that if I did not take the jump then, I never would. It’s too easy to become comfortable, to make up excuses and to wait for the perfect time. My gut said jump, so I jumped.

Want to know the crazy part? Leading up to “The Jump,” I applied to every remote position I could find, I spent hours cold emailing and told myself something had to work out. One week after quitting my job, I had a phone interview for a remote social media position. Two weeks after quitting my job, I had the position for the remote social media position. Three weeks after quitting my job, I landed one of my largest blog collaborations.

The best part? I was now making more then I had made in my previous job.

Fast forward to today, I am siting at 1 year out from taking this jump. My monthly income is higher then it’s ever been. My life is more fulfilling, I have the ability to work from anywhere. I have an amazing team that helps support our clients and ensures that when I am gone it feels like I am still here. If we decide that spending a week in New Orleans sounds fun, guess what? We go. It’s crazy to think about how much can happen in 12 months when you’re willing to work hard and trust the process. The goals I have for my company are large, but I know we will get there over the next 10 months.

My story is not special or unique, and it’s easy to replicate. The steps are simple:

• Make a plan
• Outline the steps
• Calculate your monthly living essentials
• JUMP

My goal is that you walk away from this knowing that your dreams are attainable. It’s possible to achieve a life that you love, not one that you need a vacation from. What little step can you take today, to help you move towards a tomorrow you’re fired up about?

If you need a little guidance along the way, let’s connect!

XOXO

Emily