The truth is, I really do love learning about business…. this isn’t just something I decided to teach one day out of the blue, I have been learning and studying this stuff for 6 years now. I have grown a small business that started in a college dorm room to a six figure corporation that employs both me and my husband and two other contracted employees. So it seems crazy at times to be teaching but then again, I have a lot that I would love to share. I enjoy seeing other people find hope and excitement in the business side of their business! ….But I often think about how I got to this place and how I had the guts to move this business forward when I was so young and inexperienced. I don’t know the exact formula for how this business became successful but I do know one thing… I had people cheering me on from the VERY beginning. Two of those people were my parents.

Momma and Daddy have very different careers than I do. They never ran a small business and so they have guaranteed paychecks, benefits, etc. So when I started venturing down this road, I’m sure they were a little leery at first. It wasn’t reliable or safe or guaranteed. Here they were, paying for a college degree and all their daughter wanted to do was graduate and continue taking pictures! So much for the COMM degree! (Ok I do use it sometimes!) They could have very easily sat me down and had a “Talk” about how they are proud but in case this didn’t work out, I needed another plan. It would have been very reasonable for them to do that… but they never did.  Never once did Momma and Daddy question me or my business…. even in the newbie stages. They believed in me from the very beginning… so much so that they gave me $1000 in 2008 when I first started launching the business. I remember saying “You guys don’t have to do this!” but they new I really wanted a full frame camera and so they said “We believe in you… and we want to be a part of this”. So there you have it, I had investors since the beginning!! :)

The $1000 was so helpful that first year…. but what really helped me succeed wasn’t the money, it was the faith that my parents had in me. Somehow they saw past all of the risks and uncertainties and they believed that their artsy child was going to succeed at this dream of hers. That faith that they had in my business meant the world to me… and still means the world to me. I’ve said it before but I honestly have the best parents on the planet. You know you’ve done a great job parenting when all three of your children desire to raise a family the way you raised them. :) Momma and Daddy, thank you for loving me, supporting me and never squashing dreams. I love you both so so much and even though the rest of the world is going to be celebrating all of the Dads on Sunday, I wanted to write this and celebrate both of you.  I never would have made it to the place I am today without you and I’m beyond grateful that I have parents that I can look up to. Thank you for believing in me:) Love you both so so much! Happy Father’s Day Daddy and happy Belated Mother’s Day Momma!

Love,

Your Daughter that ruined her carpet in her childhood bedroom with all of her many paint spills and sharpie accidents. Aren’t you glad I moved on to a less messy craft?! :)