Self-employed, and I Why I sold my Boutique.

Self-employed, and I why I sold my Boutiques.

Feeling Getting real with you today, beautiful!

Boutique owner

If you have followed me, you know I owned my clothing boutiques for eight years. Some of you may have known I owned my home decor/ interiors and scrapbooking shop in California for ten years before moving to Utah.

Yes, self-employed for 21 years! ( 3 years of doing interior design freelance work)  Most of you have asked why to sell. You are living a lot of woman’s dreams, owning a boutique. 

Getting Real

Well, I am getting real with you! Being a Girl Boss and being self-employed is terrific in many ways and just as stressful in others. While I loved almost every minute of it…I was tired!

Tired of working 70-80 hours a week, tired of missing dinner with my family, tired of paperwork & bills, and stressed at what the economy or even the weather would bring.

Daily to-do’s of owning your business isn’t just ordering pretty things, displaying them, and building beautiful relationships. However, that is all part of the joy.

There was so much joy in growing our little clothing boutique to 3 stores, a website, and even a monthly subscription box. 

With each new adventure and growth came challenges and more of my time. Yes, I made great money….with even more significant sacrifices, and it was time to make some changes.

Selling the Boutiques

I didn’t know I would sell the shops or even what I would do next. I just knew I wanted a change and that blogging and social media were my new passion, and I would love to be able to spend time learning more about them. But owning a business takes up all of your time.

Then, through God’s plan, I was lucky enough that A name popped into my head, and I knew it was right, and the business was sold in 1 week! Now what…Starting over at 46 and taking on a new career? Scary, yet…exciting!

Sold

It’s been six months since I sold… Do I miss it? I can honestly say no!

Do I miss searching for the most fabulous items to bring in, doing all the displays, and creating a fun look for all my customers? Yes, I do; most of all, I miss all the fabulous customers and loyal clientele I enjoyed working with over the years.

I truly felt I had built a family, and I appreciate all those who supported me and our small business over the years. I will never forget so many happy faces and great conversations! so blessed to have had that time and support from all that shopped with us.

What the Future Holds

I appreciate those who follow my blog and social media, and I am grateful for those who shop my links and like or comment on posts, as this is how I am trying to build my next business.

I have had so many of you ask, “how you make money blogging and social media?”  Think of it as a Marketing firm…I am marketing products and brands that I love! (will go into this in another post) 

I want you to know I do not promote companies I don’t truly love or haven’t tested out. I want you to feel you can trust me ( just like at my shops) and that I want to share advice and idea’s that are helpful to you, just like I did at the stores.

So, you’re asking yourself, is she self-employed? Didn’t I want a change… Yes, I am still self-employed ( I have been trying to get a job while building this new adventure, more on that next!)

What is different 

Yes, I wanted a change (remember… I enjoyed the time to try this new love of blogging and social media). Owning a storefront differs from working from home; even though you must be dedicated, you can schedule your work time around your family time. I don’t have to be open 10-6 and then stay at the shop until 9 or 10 pm to get everything I need to do that day! 

Do you want to open a boutique? do you want me to do a post on tips, what you need, or how to do it?) 

So, in short, it means the world that you stopped to read this blog post, liked a Facebook or Instagram post or followed youtube; it helps my rating more than I could ever explain. 

A little explanation of one of the ways I make money

I receive a tiny percentage when you shop my links. On my blog or posting & sharing discount codes, shopping my Liketoknowit, and Amazon Storefront. This is at no cost to you. 

Follow my Like to know it where you can shop my looks, get sales alerts, see app-only content, and get inspiration.

I also have an Amazon Store Front. You’ll find curated shopping boards, product reviews, and my picks.

Helping women look and feel good at any age.

I appreciate all of your support, and if you ever have a question on styling, a product, or interiors, comment below or email me, and I will try to help you in any way I can. My goal is to help women look and feel good at any age.

This was why I created Dear Darcy, a play on Dear Abby; I want to help & share!

The Job hunt

As for looking for a new job or career at 46 years old and the last 21 years of being self-employed, it has been one crazy & complex process!! AND… if I hear one more time, I am “overqualified”…I want to scream!!!    While building this new business and learning a ton, It will be a while until I can make a living to support my spending habits!

LOL,  I was hoping to start a new career with a 401k…hehe, No, really, I want to branch out and try something different but still be creative! At first, I started looking at management positions, not focusing on creativity, and Boy…that was a huge mistake!!!

Taken a Job I thought I wanted

I took a job that was a massive 2 1/2 month process to get hired and so stressful ( that should have been a clue!) It was nothing like the position I thought I signed up for! I never felt so out of place and realized I couldn’t use any of my strengths!

This was a great lesson, and I realized I need a job where I can be creative, deal with people, use my strengths, and still have time to blog: a full-time job, 40 hours a week instead of 70. I am on the hunt…I had a couple of interviews last week, and I’ll keep you posted.

Meanwhile, if you need help decorating your home, staging a house, marketing something, planning a party, styling your outfits, or organizing your closet… I am your girl; contact me:). If you hear of a great job that you think I’d be great for, please message me. 

I hope this answered some of your questions and gave you insight into why I did what I did and what I am doing now! Again thank you so much for your support and for following along on my journey.

Whether you are a Girl boss or a Mom boss, I hope you enjoy your work. If not, I have inspired you to start over at any age!