At 34, I got laid off from my corporate job as a Regional Supervisor in Property Management (something I fell into at 20 and never truly loved). Instead of jumping back into the corporate world, I decided to finally listen to that inner voice that had been whispering "there's something more" for years.

Turns out, getting laid off was the push I needed to create the business of my dreams. I took everything I learned from 14 years of corporate leadership and poured it into something I actually love - helping other entrepreneurs tell their stories through branding and web design.

Now I get to be creative every day while being present for every moment with my son. Sometimes the best chapters start with what feels like an ending.

I walked away from corporate life with nothing but determination and zero dollars to my name. Armed with sheer grit (and a smartphone), I pushed past my fear and walked straight into local businesses, asking if they needed help with social media. Most said no. But some said yes. And those yeses changed everything.

While building my client roster to nine accounts, I felt the pull toward something bigger. The moment I discovered branding photography, the puzzle pieces of my journey finally made sense. Here was my chance to blend my creative eye with real business impact - helping other entrepreneurs visually tell the stories they were meant to tell.

My passion for web design sealed the final piece. Now I craft complete brand experiences that capture the soul of each business I work with. Looking back, every "rock bottom" moment was actually a stepping stone, guiding me to create something I never could have planned but was always meant to build.

Now click the arrow to below to see what happens next!

I tripled my old corporate salary doing exactly what they said wouldn't work - running my own business, my way, without the burnout. No more asking for vacation days or justifying my worth in performance reviews. Just me, hitting goals I actually set for myself.

The best part isn't even the five-figure months - it's that I did it without following anyone's rules but my own. No more meaningless meetings or office politics. Instead, I put my energy into real work that matters, when and how I want to do it.

That corporate layoff forced me to bet on myself instead of playing it safe. Now I've built something that exists entirely on my terms - no permission needed, no ceiling on what's possible. And every month when I look at my revenue, I'm reminded that losing that job wasn't a step back - it was my push toward something way better.

They said success meant sacrificing the little moments. "That's just how it works," they told me. And for years, I believed them.

Until I got that layoff letter.

Sitting there, staring at the layoff paperwork while my son played with his trucks on the floor, something broke inside me. All those missed moments - the hurried goodbyes, the "Mommy will be home at bedtime" moments, - they weren't worth it. Not even close.

Everyone said to jump back into the rat race. Find another job that would steal my time and drain my soul. But watching my little boy laugh, building his block towers without a care in the world, I knew there had to be a better way.

So I took the scariest leap of my life. Built something that lets me be there - really there.

I run my own business that fits around morning cuddles and starting my work day when it works for us. No more missing the good stuff. No more choosing between success and being the mom I want to be.