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So a little life update….last week I quit my job. I put in my two weeks notice and my last day was Wednesday just before the fourth of July.

I’m feeling super excited and optimistic about the future. To be honest, this transition has not fully sunk in yet. I’ve been planning this day for the past six months and I can’t believe it’s already here!

My career has always been my entire focus, and it became my identity for a long time. To be totally candid, I’m still working on not letting my job or my income define who I am as a person.

I’ve been working so hard for other people for so long (since 15) and tbh I’m proud of how far I’ve come in my career at just 27 years old. I’ll always be thankful for every company I’ve worked for, the mistakes I made (some big ones), and all the lessons I’ve learned.

But now it’s time for my next chapter.

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It’s crazy to look back at where I was 5 years ago. I was just starting my climb up the corporate ladder. My first job was in an advertising agency on the account management side. I managed automotive clients and helped develop advertising strategies from TV and radio to print and digital.

From there, I wanted a more creative experience and transitioned into a marketing coordinator role at a local homebuilder. I loved being able to use my design and writing experience in this role. But I found that I missed the hustle and busyness of agency life.

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Not long after switching to the marketing role, I was recruited to a local dental website marketing company and managed 50-60 dental clients at a time. I had my plate full! I loved the relationship aspect of being able to consult and suggest digital strategies to help these practices get more patients in the door.

After almost 2 years, I was recruited to another healthcare-focused software company where I would be in a position that I’d never been in: sales. After getting experience in account management and marketing, I knew the last area I needed to sharpen my pencil in was sales.

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To be honest, I was super intimidated by sales. It’s scary, and like most people, I tend to see a traditional “sales” person in a negative light. However, I knew that if I wanted to start my own business one day, I needed to learn how to get out of my shell, talk to people, and sell a product.

It ended up being a lot easier than I chalked it up to be in my head (shocker…). I would say a big part of my success was that I knew and understood what I was selling, and I genuinely believed in it.

I’m not a “stereotypical” salesperson, I can’t just sell any random thing. But when I know about something innovative that works, I’m not shy about sharing what I know about it. Hence, this blog lol!

This isn’t to say that being in sales was “easy” – it definitely brought on a ton of stress that unfortunately dripped into my personal life.

The hardest parts for me were the not knowing of when a deal would close or when a new opportunity would come along. The inconsistency in pay was also an adjustment.

Some months I made 3X what I had made the prior month. Being a type A planning perfectionist, it really tested my limits. I had the least amount of control in this role compared to others.

But through persistence, follow up, and building relationships with like-minded individuals, I earned the privilege of being the #1 sales rep at my company in 2018 closing out $2.1 million in revenue.

What’s next?

All of this to say, last week I hung up my sales hat to chase my truest, longest passion: entrepreneurship, business ownership, and leadership. It’s so hard for me to express my feelings, especially in writing, but I’m truly ecstatic!!

My family and my friends are my first line of defense and support system, and they’ve been so kind as I’ve shared the news. But what I’ve also learned in the past year is the importance of your “tribe” or the people you surround yourself with.

Over the past year, I’ve expanded my circle by attending local events and reaching out to people on Instagram. I have been making connections with other like-minded women entrepreneurs, and let me tell you it’s given me a whole new perspective and level of confidence in being able to go out on my own.

I know it won’t be easy. It’s going to take a lot of hard work, but I’m not afraid of the grind. Quitting is not, and never has been, an option for me. And I can’t wait to show you that if I can do it, you can too.

Life is way too short to live a “mediocre” life and I wasn’t willing to risk my youth out of fear of taking risks. I’ve taught myself that when I fall, I’ll pick myself up and try again. When I fail, I’ll know it was a lesson that was meant to be learned.

But ya’ll – I truly can’t wait to share this journey with you all and give you a real-world perspective of what it looks like to be a female entrepreneur.

We all have a calling and I hope to be an example to anyone following along that you too can live the life of your dreams.

More to come….

XXXO~

Mary