Like anything else you get yourself all excited for, the whole transition from corporate day-job to being my own boss came and went way too fast and I barely had time to register every step. The Friday I said goodbye to the office I went to every day for almost 6 years was rushed because Rob and I had dinner plans. Before I knew it I was walking out with a box and yelling “BYE YOU GUYS!!” across the whole floor (yes, I actually did that.)
The following week I had off. I spend Monday at the beach with my bestie and then hoped to only spend about 1 MAYBE 2 days at the store finishing up in there.
LOL
All week. I was there all week almost every day. Friday night I had a small get-together to thank everyone who helped and encouraged me on this journey. My husband surprised me with a so-thoughtful congratulations present, a print he commissioned from Victoria of Paper Epiphanies who I love…
Know what she would do? BUY THE THING. I hope it’s inspiring to my shoppers.
We cleaned up and closed up and then it was time to open on Saturday morning! Holy crap! Last year, I was lamenting my shitty office job and wishing for a store. The following February I secured a space, quit my job in May, left June 3rd and here I am, sitting in my very own stationery store, something I have wanted so hard for most of my professional, if not ENTIRE life, waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Yesterday, my pal Stacey came to bring me coffee (bless her) and she asked me, “Are you having so much fun???” and I didn’t want to disappoint her but this whole thing still feels like a mean trick. That I’ll have to tear everything down after a week, just like my pop-up. And it’s still too scary to truly enjoy! Which is awful, I know, but we’re being real here. I have no idea when I’ll feel “ok.” Will it take a month? Through the holidays? A year? 2 years? NEVER? Could someone please just let me know which so I can just stop looking over my shoulder and essentially ruining my own fun?
Circling back to Sex & the City, it was Charlotte who said, “No one gets everything they want!” I have everything I want. I mean not EVERYTHING I could totally go for an icy caffeinated beverage right now. And a vacation. More or less, everything though. Why am I so special? The truth is, I’m not. I was meant to do this and I worked my ass off to make it happen. So here I am. Behind a check-out counter built for me by a man who has always believed in me, especially when I didn’t. On a floor put in by the same guy and his friend. Surrounded by walls I painted from top to bottom with what turned out to be slightly purple fucking white paint. Looking at a small, but carefully curated collection of THE MOST FUN notepads, pens, planners, tote bags, and best of all, CARDS!
Shit, guys. I HAVE MY OWN STATIONERY STORE. Some douchewhistle from Comcast came in here yesterday and said he was looking for the owner but I looked too young to be the owner and I said, “That’s me.” I’M THE FUCKING OWNER.
