Going all in...

So my soul was completely drained, I felt like I was going around in circles with my career and felt like a shell of a human. On the other hand, flowers made me feel wonder, feel more connected to nature and allow myself to find a state of flow in the palm of my hands. 

I design flowers based on intuition and a feeling of "peace" - I will plan as much as I can based on seasonal availability, the budget and the design requirements but once I have a flower in my hand, I let go and don't stop until it feels just right. And once it feels right, I will ride a high for days. I just look over photos of it to keep that high going for longer. It might be the perfect colour combination, the most perfect bloom, or the cutest little touch. Nothing has brought me more fulfilment when I get that moment of pure joy. 

So with the support of my wonderful fiancé I decided to leave corporate^, but what next? How the h*ll does one start a business? This unanswered question was a huge reason for procrastinating (in addition to the self doubt and uncertainty). So I told myself to just do something and figure it out as I go, and here we are. 

Here are some of the steps and tips I have to share:

• Apply for an ABN - this was fairly straightforward and free, and was a manageable baby step towards starting a business

• Learn as much as possible, ask for advice - once you have an ABN, Service NSW offers the Business Connect support services and resources for small business owners. You can access free hours with a business advisor to ask all the questions that are on your mind. Reaching out to your network is also super helpful - I'm grateful to have a supportive brother who has freelanced as a musician and music therapist  for many years and can seek his advice at anytime (thanks bro!)

• Start a mini business plan - I found this really daunting as I was unsure of literally everything. So I framed the plan as a "research plan" to dedicate the first 12 months of my business to figuring it out. Most of the goals I listed were "To figure out XX by YY" with some of my initial ideas written down. I review this plan often and adjust as required. 

• Trial and error - having a mini plan has been an anchor point to reflect on and make changes based on what I've tried.

• Practice, freelance and network - I regularly give myself time to play, practice and refine my floristry skills, and working with other florists has broadened my experience and knowledge whilst building industry network and relationships. I'm also working at a retail florist store to sharpen my skills, learn in a fast paced environment and also supplement my income. 

And so that was how LA FLOR by JT was born - by no means is anything perfect nor do I really know what I'm doing but I'm learning, adapting, reflecting and enjoying the process immensely. It's pushed me out of comfort zone whilst making me fulfilled and happier. It's terrifying and thrilling at the same. My sleep has improved heaps yet there are times where I lie awake at night thinking "what the h*ll am I doing? I can't do this" (more on that later). The most helpful thing was having the mindset of Just Do It - getting myself out there and just starting something was better than nothing, and I just need to trust the process and continue the faith.

I'll finish this off with the best advice I've gotten so far - it was from a mentor who said "you should be in small business for you, because it's what you want" and that small business can mean so many different things to everyone - it can be tiny, small, medium or grow into something large but it should be what you want. As I'm on a mission to live my life with intention, this really hit home as I think sometimes we can get caught up in living up to society's expectations. So right now I'm focused on what's meaningful to me, and what's important to me. 

Thanks for reading so far!  How am I doing?
Kindest,
JT xo

^ P.S. Whilst making a career change is very exciting, there are many other factors to consider such as lifestyle, family, finances etc. It's definitely not an easy decision, one that I might write more about later on. And having a support network around you is invaluable - I'm so grateful for mine.

Note: Images above are not my own and I do not have ownership rights.

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