I sat in my boss’s office. My eyes were stinging from the tears I was holding back.

“Jess, the client is not renewing our contract. I’m sorry, but I don’t have another big project to assign you to. We’re going to have to let you go.”

Gut punch. I didn’t see that coming.

Turns out our Fortune 500 client was about to be bought out by an even bigger player and our company’s services were no longer needed.

Which meant, I was no longer needed.

It had been seven years of long hours, weekends, nights, literal sweat (when you work outdoor events in the South Texas heat), tears, and tons of travel away from my young family.

It felt as though it was all for nothing.

I cried the whole way home that day, and for many days after that. It was like there was an elephant sitting on my chest. I could barely breathe. My mind flashed back to my days as an intern, when I was determined to make a position for myself at this company. I pushed through, working my tail off, unpaid, for five months, just to get a foot in the door.

I had started my job there when our first baby boy was barely 10 weeks old. Under slept, nursing and pumping around the clock, I was a brand new mom trying to build my first-ever career.

I had worked my way up at this company for seven years, from intern to senior project manager. I had been there longer than most of our small team at that point. I was a leader. I was valuable.

How could I all of a sudden not be valuable anymore?

While that moment in that office felt a bit traumatic, two things have stuck in my mind that I believe have helped drive me to be where I am today: a business owner, entrepreneur, coach, author.

In that same devastating meeting, my director, who I had worked closely with for three years, complimented me on my areas of talent. She pointed out my love for organization and design, and how well I handled being both a mom and a career woman.

She encouraged me that I should make a planner to help other busy moms manage their schedules. At that moment in time, it seemed like such a small idea. I didn’t think much of it, TBH. I felt overwhelmed simply trying to process the fact that soon I would no longer be driving to that office everyday.

But something about her words stayed with me. So I stored that idea and put it on the back shelf in my mind.

About a year later, I designed the very first version of what is now The Purpose Planners’ daily goal planner.

I smile now as I look back on that sad young woman sitting in that office on that fateful day.

What was once a gut-punch moment has turned into something I am so proud of today.

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The second thing that stuck in my mind from the last few weeks working at that company, was one of the final meetings I ever had with the owner.

She told me (slightly optimistically) that she thought there would be plenty of non-profits who would need my help with their marketing and design.

I wasn’t sure of that idea either. In the moment, I felt so hurt that my time was coming to an end at this place where I’d worked so hard. Embarrassingly, I was so prideful, that I snubbed my nose at the thought of working with non-profits. “Non-profits? They usually don’t have money for marketing projects,” I judged.

A few years ago when I put together a large-scale client proposal, I looked back at my client list. Turns out, of the hundreds of design clients I’ve worked with over the past seven years, nearly half of them are non-profit – and they always pay their invoices on time.

Not to mention, they are some of the most rewarding and joyful clients that I have the privilege of getting to work with. I love that designing for them is also helping them to fulfill their mission as well.

So when I started out on my own, just one month after my last day at that company, I joined a business networking group so I could meet new people and build relationships in my local area.

About once a quarter, you had the opportunity to give a presentation about your business. Before you presented, the VP would ask you some questions so the group could get to know a little more about you, as a person. One of the questions was, “What is the key to your success?”

What really is the key to success?

Mine is simple.

Perseverance.

Don’t quit.

Don’t give up.

Just keep going.

It’s doesn’t matter if you’re taking big or small actions.

Just take actions that move you toward your goals.

The only true failure is when you quit.

I went from 60+ hours a week, working for someone else’s agenda, underpaid, traveling and being away from my family…

…to working for myself. Working when I want and with clients who I am passionate about. I’m taking care of myself by exercising, taking mental breaks by walking my dog midday, and I’m there for my kids when they get off the bus. I get to travel when I want and take time off when I need. All while I’m growing a business I LOVE.

It’s been a transformational journey – and I feel as though it’s only really the beginning. I am so grateful that God shut that door for me.

I don’t know if I ever would’ve had the courage to leave that job. But I’m so glad I did.

It was the best decision I never made.

And now – I get to help people like yourself: busy moms, entrepreneurs, business owners, life coaches, authors, podcasters, creatives.

I’d love your feedback because I’m working on something BTS and I want to serve you in the best way possible. Would you take a few minutes (less than 5 actually) and fill out this quick survey? Oh and did I mention, I’d buy your next cup of coffee as a thank you? Yep, that’s right!

So why am I sharing this story with you today? Because I want you to know that no matter where you are on your entrepreneurial journey, you are capable of achieving great things. Yes, you will face obstacles along the way. Yes, there will be moments of doubt and uncertainty. But if you stay true to yourself and refuse to give up, there’s nothing you can’t accomplish.

I’ve also got an incredibly powerful tool that can help you create the balance you crave between your busy family and your business. I needed a daily planner that would help me break down my big goals into manageable daily steps. So I created my own daily goal planner and I know it will help you do the same!

Click here to get your planner at 10% off! But hurry – this is deal ends April 29, 2024!

It’s time to break free from the overwhelm, get rid of the mom-guilt, and experience more joy every day! Are you ready? Let’s do this!