The Art of Starting Over

by Joanne Wetzel

Almost eight years ago now, I became a business owner.

What a simple statement, but it holds so much. If you’re reading this right now as a business owner or entrepreneur, then you know exactly what I mean.

I wasn’t just a freelance makeup artist and hairstylist. I was the receptionist, the accountant, the customer service provider, the problem solver, the social media marketer - you name the business role, and I was it.

Everything suddenly came crashing to a halt. On a balmy Sunday morning at the start of Spring wedding season, after dealing with a less than ideal client, I decided with finality that my beauty business was over.

The truth was, I no longer felt as connected to the beauty space as I once had. It didn't happen overnight. It was months and months of ignoring my frustrations with my clients, my disinterest in doing anything outside of eating potato chips and watching Netflix, and the constant, nagging feeling of fatigue that would never go away. Having spent the previous decade as a model and actress, then navigating work behind the camera for half of a decade, it was all I had ever known. Ignoring those things was how I got through.

I ignored the signs big time: depersonalization, mental and physical exhaustion, lack of feeling valued or having a sense of purpose, cynicism, fatigue, and irritability.

I thought the anxiety, stress, and fatigue were all a part of being a business owner. Turns out, I was wrong.

A week after one of the most stressful weddings of my career, I emailed my clients with an announcement that the business would be closing at the end of the year. I felt utterly sick before sending that email, but it turns out that closing my business was one of the most courageous, pivotal choices I've ever made.

Since that time, I found an opportunity to volunteer with dogs at our local animal shelter. Spending time there has given my life a greater sense of purpose and boundless joy. I decided to take charge of my health by choosing better foods to eat and stepping onto my yoga mat in a heated studio four to five days a week. My husband and I sold everything (including our house) and moved into a house on wheels to travel the country. I started a business, Pin Savvy Co, that challenges me daily and gives my family the chance to live and work from anywhere.

Certainly, the path it took to get here - leaving comfort, venturing into unknown territory, and figuring out an entirely new journey - was not easy or to be taken lightly. Reflecting on these past twenty-four months, there have been times of doubt, worry, and uncertainty, but all that is dwarfed by the person I am becoming in the process.

I forged through the fear to come out on the other side more alive and curious than ever. No one can ever take away those failures, successes, and hard-knock lessons notched into my belt; they are invaluable tools in my entrepreneurial journey in this new decade.

Yes, every day is a learning process. There is a never-ending task list, worries about profitability, and problems to solve. Most days I either feel like I'm standing on a mountain top wrangling the world with a lasso and other days I am lucky if I can walk and chew gum at the same time.

But, looking back, I wouldn't change it for anything else. I am traversing down a path entirely original to me that I have the power to construct.

As a woman living in one of the most powerful, wealthy, and resource-filled countries in the world, I want to remind you of that power.

Where you are now does not determine where you end up. You have resources, advantages, and education that women in many parts of the world wish for. Whether that means you want to pivot to leave a job that no longer serves you, you are currently running a business that isn't working, or you want to take the plunge to try something new, you have everything you need within you to take that next step.

About the Author: Joanne wetzel

Joanne Wetzel is the Pinterest marketer and digital marketing guru behind Pin Savvy Co. Her company helps brands, businesses, and bloggers harness the SEO power of Pinterest to grow more purposeful, profitable businesses. In everything she does, Joanne works to make business easier for women-owned businesses while empowering them through building community and genuine connection. When she's not building a legacy, you can find her hanging out with her two rescue pups, mastering her yoga mat, or traveling around with her husband in their house on wheels. Follow along in the journey at @digitallyjoanne or learn all things Pinterest and small business marketing @pinsavvyco and the Digitally Joanne YouTube Channel.

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