A few weeks ago, we asked readers to submit the Story from their Soul. This is the story of one’s entrepreneurial journey… the story of when your soul was on fire with the passion for business ownership! You can read other Soul Stories here.
This is the story of Julianne Smith, Owner of Julianne Smith Wedding Garters, based in Washington DC…
Is it possible to not have “a” moment? But, rather a series of events? A happening over time? An evolution, if you will?
After an internship on Capitol Hill, I graduated college thinking that I was going to take the political world by storm. I was determined to live the typical D.C. political lifestyle of work hard, play hard. And, I did. It was awesome. I loved every minute of my 12-hour work days (on a good day) and the pit in my stomach every time my cell phone rang. I was “that girl” taking the Metro home every night, bleary eyed and beaten down with a huge stack of papers to read, engrossed in her Blackberry. (For the record, what I didn’t do was conform to the D.C. boring, conservative dress code. That I most certainly did not do!)
I loved my life. I loved the issues. I loved the people. I loved the events. I loved the trips. I loved the drama. I loved the media. But, there was always something more. Something missing. If I just had the time, I knew I could take my creativity to another level. And, then I got pregnant. My whole life turned upside down. Once I had my daughter and determined that there was no possible way that I could go back to politics, I decided to go all-in with my creative business. I sat down at the kitchen table with my sister. I picked out the wedding garters that I wanted to carry in my collection, I designed a logo, I redid my website and I started marketing myself as the stylish wedding garter maker determined to bring the tradition back with a little style. I turned my just-do-it-for-fun little side thing into to a full-fledged, big-girl business.
What’s next? For right now, I going to work on actually living my “soul story.” I mean *really* living it. Really being it. We’ll see what the future brings…
Thanks Julianne!
If you want to submit your soul story, you still can. The contest has passed… but we always love a good story! Submit here.
by Michelle Loretta
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