If you’ve been here from the hop, you already know I started the nest without a whole lot of planning. Sometimes life throws something at you that asks you to bet on yourself, and you just have to take the leap. Here we are, a year later, and it’s been so much more than I expected.
I've run successful businesses before, both my own and other people's, so I wasn't completely naive about what I was getting into. And still, this year has been a roller coaster. Even with the scary weeks, the doubt, and the moments of wondering how it would all work out, I wouldn't change a thing.
Because there were also a lot of lovely surprises I hadn’t expected.
Getting to work with people who trust me with their skin, having conversations that go well beyond skincare and out of the treatment room, and discovering who would show up to support me by booking in (and who wouldn't). It has all meant more to me than I can properly put into words. Those things remind me why I wanted to do this in the first place.
I love the texts I get while clients are out shopping for skincare, and the questions about how the changing seasons might affect their skin. Those interactions are why I wanted to create my own space. I want to offer good, honest skincare advice. I want people to feel comfortable asking questions, to understand their skin a little better, and to know they won't be sold something they don't need. I want the experience to feel good, but I also want the work to mean something.
One of the things I value most about having the nest is the freedom to build it in a way that feels right to me. I want a business that fits into my life, rather than one that takes it over, even if finding that balance takes a little adjusting along the way.
I also don't particularly want to fit into the industry just for the sake of fitting in. I have to remind myself of that sometimes, especially when talking with other people in the industry. I'm building something that reflects what I believe in, and I don't need to do things a certain way just because that's how they're usually done.
So one year in I am feeling so incredibly grateful. Grateful that I took the leap, grateful for every person who has walked through my door, and grateful for those of you who have supported the nest in all the little ways that add up to something much bigger.
I don't have the next five years mapped out, and I'm okay with that. I'm building this one step at a time and making decisions that feel right for me and for the business I want to grow.
If you've been here since the beginning, thank you for being part of it. And if you're new around here, I'm glad you've found your way to the nest.
Here's to the first year, and whatever comes next. ♡