The Girl Behind The Square

Within the past couple of weeks, I have had a lot of new friends join me on social media, and this blog. I thought it would be a perfect time to share a little bit about the girl behind the screen, the keyboard, and the Instagram square! If you know me strictly through this blog, and especially if you have just met me/gotten to know me in the past 2 months, you may have no idea that I own a boutique. And likewise, if you have shopped at my boutique in the past, you may have never known that I was a blogger! I have typically kept my “work” life, and my “personal” life separate. But yesterday I shared a post to my boutique followers, with an invitation to join me in my blogger world. Now it’s time to reach out my blogger world, and share a little bit about my boutique. 🙂

Let’s start from the beginning. I am very much a creative right brain. I love to craft, if I can save money by doing a DIY project I will, and I love sewing. My grandma taught me how to sew at a young age, and my business was named in her honor. 6.5 years ago, I was staying home with my babies, and needed some creative outlet to direct my brain during nap times. I decided to start an Etsy shop, and called it The Pink Rose Boutique. The shop was born on a dream, one that told this momma that I should try to make a business out of something I loved to do already. I was sewing for my kiddos and family, so why not take a chance and list those things online? What’s the worst that could happen? 3 days later I had my first sale of a camera strap cover, and the rest is history. TPRB completely exploded in ways I could not have ever imagined. I have collected over 6,000 orders to date, shipped to all 50 US states, and 16 different countries. The praise goes all to God. 🙌🏻 I had no idea that my little part time hobby could actually turn into a full time business. This was an answer to my prayer. I could help provide for my family straight from my kitchen table. I didn’t have to go anywhere, and I didn’t have to leave my kids. It was perfect.
Now let’s step back to almost 4 years ago. December 2015. My mom purchased some new makeup for my sister and I for Christmas, and I was so excited. What girl wouldn’t want a bag full of makeup?! I learned that she bought the makeup from a good friend who was selling it. I fell in love with the Younique products that I had received, and reached out to my mom’s friend, Tish, to see what else this company had. I was prepared to place an order when Tish asked me, why don’t you sign up the be a presenter? You could save money on your own purchases, and I am certain that between you, your sister, and mom, you would have NO problem staying active! “I can save money?” (Remember from the previous paragraph, if I can do something and save money, it’s usually a win in my book.) Sure! Sign me up for the kit… But I am NOT going to sell it. I didn’t need the money (I was already running a full time boutique mind you), direct SALES made me uncomfortable, I do not naturally have a bold personality, and I have a hard time reaching out to people I don’t know. And likewise, with the people that I DO know, I don’t want to bug them about this makeup. NO selling for me.
Let’s all take a moment and laugh at that statement.

Ok. That’s enough. 😀

I got my makeup kit in, and joined a couple of the “team” Facebook groups. The optimism, encouragement, and confidence I saw within this group of women completely caught me off guard. I have never experienced ANYTHING like it. It sounds cliche, but honestly, I joined the company to save money on my makeup. I STAYED with the company because of the amazing mission I learned was behind it. Younique’s purpose is to UPLIFT. EMPOWER. and VALIDATE. women. They fund a retreat for sexually abused women, and when you have a chance to listen to the founders, you can just see their heart for the company. Their heart for all of the presenters well being, and for the first time in my life I felt like I was a part of something so much bigger than myself. I went to my first convention with the company in August of 2018. It was then that I started to feel my focus, and passions starting to shift away from my sewing and boutique, and more towards helping women feel confident and beautiful through my makeup business. This blog was started that August, and that’s when I started to (try to) juggle it all.
I was not ready to set down 5 years of hard earned business with my boutique. Still, at the end of my days I was feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, and just plain stretched thin. I would get up in the mornings, and work on boutique orders all day. Then in the evenings when John got home, I would help him with his business (he is a self employed general contractor so I help him manage his business as well), when everyone would head off to bed, then I could work on my blog, Younique orders, etc. Some days I felt like superwoman and on top of the world managing it all, but more often the days that I felt like I was doing no ONE thing 100% well, started to consume me.
I tried to adjust my boutique schedule. I tried to offer less products. Less customized items. Looking back now, I can see that I was scared to let go. Scared to walk away from a steady income, scared to let people down who counted on me for orders, scared of it all. That whole year I struggled with juggling both of my businesses. I had one foot out the boutique door, and one foot in the blogging door. My passions were growing with my blog. I found that I had so much joy creating videos and tutorials for my followers. I learned that I could actually get paid to blog. I learned to be confident in the fact that I have a purpose, and I could offer my talent to customers, and companies that I work with. I could provide a service that they may not be able to do themselves. Taking pictures, telling stories, reviewing products, and offering recommendations in beauty and fashion… Hardly sounds like a “job” right? But I was learning that my new “dream job” had begun to form, and I didn’t even see it coming… Still, I struggled with letting my boutique go. That “WAS” my dream job for 6 years? Why wasn’t I loving it anymore? Was I ungrateful? I was in such turmoil over it.
This past August (2019) I headed to my second convention with Younique. This time to Orlando, Florida. If you are reading this post as a Younique presenter, I encourage you to attend Convention. To say that the event is life changing is an understatement. Both of my “ah ha” moments have happened at Convention. Getting to sit in the same room as our founders, and with thousands of other women who share your same passions is AMAZING. Our founders closing speech encouraged us to chase after our BHAG. Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals. I knew in my heart before I even boarded that plane what I had to do. If I was going to give this blog and makeup company any chance of growing into what I dream it can, I had to give it my 100% focus. If I was going to be able to manage this business, and be there for my family like I needed to be, I had to choose. Just a few days later after arriving home I announced my break from the boutique. I cried. My viewers who watched my video said they cried with me. It wasn’t easy, but it had taken me a whole year to realize that it was time to set it aside. I think the biggest part in all of this, was allowing myself to have a new dream. Allowing myself to grow and change, and not feel like I am betraying who I was. Change is scary. Growth is scary. But what is on the other side of that, it is so sweet and rewarding. I felt such a peace with my decision, and that’s when I knew the Lord had me right where I needed to be. So this year, this blog and my Younique business is my focus. My job as an influencer in this beauty and fashion industry is what I am loving to do. It’s truly something that I can do from anywhere, as long as ya girl has a phone and some WiFi, I can “work”. 🙂 I am also so thrilled to have some new women joining my Younique team with me, and found a passion as their leader. I want to help them grow their business and confidence, the same way it grew with me.
So, this was a lengthy post but I felt it was needed. Not that I feel like I need to explain myself to y’all, but I want to share with you my heart and my passion. When you visit this blog I want you to know exactly who is behind it all. I am so thankful for everyone I have met in both of these journeys, and can’t wait to see where the next year takes us.

Fall = my favorite time for some graphic tees. So I had to share my creation yesterday.
Tee – TPRB
The rest of the outfit – Target 🙂
Photobomber – Scout The Brit

Much love!