Today is a big day.
Maggie of Maggie Rose, a longtime MML reader and Midnight Hustler, is starting her own full-time interior design business. She’s been plotting, planning, and growing her business to reach this point and I could not be more proud of her. I’ve followed her progress and seen her become more confident, prepared, and ready for this moment. As a celebration of her Midnight Hustler Alumni status, I asked her to share the feelings she’s facing this morning.
Enjoy!
Maggie Rose’s First Day of Self-Employment
Today is my first day as a full-time entrepreneur. Yesterday I gathered up my personal belongings from my cubicle, drove home to Seattle, and cracked open a bottle of champagne. Today I am equal parts terrified, exhilarated, ambitious, unsettled, and wondering.
A bit of back story: I started working my “corporate” (actually non-profit, but the visual remains the same) job five years ago, even before I graduated college. With graduation came a promotion to full-time, and a salary that meant big things to me. At the time, it was so important to me to grow-up fast, have a “real job” and live on my own, without roommates and where I could decorate freely. In my adventure of furnishing my bachelorette apartment, I started a blog about interior design.
I knew almost immediately that the job was not the dream job I had hoped for. I was working in fundraising and development, and while it can be an exciting and innovative field (and I got to use that English degree and NOT teach), after a while it felt wrong. It simply wasn’t the right fit. And when you stay with something that doesn’t fit for too long, well, you get a blister.
It took me a total of five years, a move 40 miles away, and hundreds of hours of self-reflection to finally leave.
I put in my notice five weeks ago and while that was scary and exhilarating, that feeling pales in comparison to what I’m feeling today. On the brink of… what, I’m not sure. Greatness, I hope. Success, I dream of. Happiness, I’m sure of.
You see, my little design blog not only fueled my passion for designing my own home, it brought me my first interior design clients. All while still working 40 hours (and then 32 hours, thanks economy), and commuting 16 hours a week, I grew a blog following, I opened an etsy shop, I wrote an ebook, I designed living rooms and dining rooms and bedrooms and entry ways. I spent every evening huddled over my computer, and every weekend tackling home decor projects to blog about on Monday.
And it all led to today. My first moments as a full-time business owner. With the realization that I can do whatever I want today comes also the realization that my entire paycheck is up to me. ME. No one in payroll cutting a check and calculating my benefits. No one else running budget numbers. But also no one else prioritizing, demanding, or controlling. Just me.
It’s an amazing and nauseating and incredible feeling, and one that I hope all of my fellow Midnight Hustlers get to experience.
When I got home from my last day at work yesterday, I saw that former Midnight Hustler and Dream Reporter Piper shared a quote from Georgia O’Keeffe. And I’m taking a lot of comfort and inspiration from it. I hope it speaks to you on some level too.
“I’ve been absolutely terrified every moment of my life and I’ve never let it keep me from doing a single thing I wanted to do.”
June 1st, 2011 at 11:36 am
Congrats Maggie! So excited for you!
June 1st, 2011 at 11:41 am
I am sooo proud of Maggie, my long-time blog buddy, to have finally made it to her goal of self-employment. It has definitely been a long time coming, and she is so deserving of all the successes I know that will come of this for her. Maggie, this post made me tear up, I am seriously so thrilled that you are where you have been dreaming to be for so long. Love you Ethel!! Go get em!
June 1st, 2011 at 11:52 am
Yay Maggie! It was an exciting moment when you posted that you had given your notice, and though I don’t know you except from the Midnight Hustlers, I am excited for you and proud of you too. Very inspiring and I hope things start booming for you!
~Nichole
June 1st, 2011 at 11:59 am
Yay for Maggie! I wish her nothing but the best!
June 1st, 2011 at 12:01 pm
“It simply wasn’t the right fit. And when you stay with something that doesn’t fit for too long, well, you get a blister.”
I can relate so well to this right now! Here’s to getting out of the bad fit and letting the blister heal… Congrats!
June 1st, 2011 at 12:05 pm
Congrats Maggie! So excited for you! I’m a fellow midnight hustler and really hope to follow in your footsteps in the not-so-distant future! Enjoy your days!
Rachel
xoxo
June 1st, 2011 at 12:32 pm
Maggie! Congratulations. It was such a joy to read about your journey. I have been at my day job for 5 years and for the past six months have been hustling and dreaming about someday doing what I love. Thanks for going before me and offering your wisdom!
June 1st, 2011 at 12:33 pm
Yea! Congrats! Be sure to keep us updated!
June 1st, 2011 at 12:34 pm
Congratulations! I know I’ve already said it, but I’m so very proud of you. You’ve reached a BIG goal, yet it’s only the beginning. Cheers for more big goal-reaching!
June 1st, 2011 at 1:00 pm
CONGRATS Maggie!!! Wow, so excited for you and this new adventure – feels like just yesterday we were talking about my leap and now here you are. This is huge – enjoy this moment!! And if you ever need to chat, you know where to find me
June 1st, 2011 at 1:14 pm
Congratulations Maggie! That is SO exciting! As a MH (who hasn’t been keeping up much in the MH community, because well- MH’s have a lot going on), it’s so inpsiring to me!
I love that quote, too- thanks to you AND Piper for sharing!
-mandie
June 1st, 2011 at 1:58 pm
Way to go, Maggie! Can’t wait to see the great things you do! Plus, the blister analogy is spot-on. And a band-aid only lasts for so long.
June 1st, 2011 at 7:41 pm
Congratulations, Maggie! I love your post, the line “when you stay with something that doesn’t fit for too long, well, you get a blister” (how true!), and the image of cracking a bottle of champagne one day after packing up my box of “real job” belongings. I cannot wait to join you in the wonderful world of self-employment. All the best.
June 1st, 2011 at 8:17 pm
so inspiring — congrats and good luck Maggie!
June 1st, 2011 at 9:14 pm
This is such an inspirational story! Though I’m not done with college for another 2 years, I’ve been thinking a lot about working for myself when I do (I’m still figuring out what that would be exactly). I am generally excited about such an idea, but I do also see the terrifying side of it – knowing that, good or bad, you really are on your own….however, as far as you’re concerned, Maggie, it looks like you have everything under control! Good luck in your new venture!
June 1st, 2011 at 11:52 pm
Congrats. I need your motivation…I am so happy to hear that you made the choice to do this for you! CONGRATS!
June 2nd, 2011 at 11:01 am
Thank you so much everyone! I wouldn’t have the confidence to take this leap without the support from the blogging community. And to those looking to also quit your day jobs: it will happen if you put your mind to it!
June 2nd, 2011 at 11:50 am
Congrats Maggie,
I wish you the best^_^
June 2nd, 2011 at 8:51 pm
Congrats! Hope to join you soon