We've moved! And by we, I mean me. And by moved, I mean relocated my ever growing pile of rugs, fabric samples, paint swatches and paperwork from my home office (aka a dedicated corner of our bedroom) to an office space. (Have you seen my gold stapler?)
Working from home was hardly working. I'm a people person, and there is only so much feedback a poodle can give me on paint color options. (No offense, Bear! I love you little dude, but your expertise lies in sniffing the trash at the park, rolling in dirt and eagerly lapping up Avery's high chair spills).
Just like mommying a toddler, growing a business is a bit of trial and error, a ton of grunt work and a lot of trusting your gut. And my gut was telling me there was not one more day of croissant eating at a coffee shop "office" left for me! After almost a year, I needed a new plan.
I love what I do but felt stretched beyond thin because I just never had enough time to dedicate to it, or the right environment to do it in. My business was growing - yay! - but I was sprinting to keep up with it as well as pacing through the exhausting marathon that is parenthood. Although I'm grateful to even have the problem of attempting to balance these two aspects of my life, it was beginning to take its toll on me.
So, what to do? After a few late night meltdowns and channeling my nervous energy into a mission to fix the situation, we came up with a plan. More daycare for Avery meant more time for me to work - yay! - and I really mean that, because like I said, I love what I do. I feel so lucky that I've been able to form my passion into a business. And now I have more time to dedicate to it (although it's never enough!), feel somewhat on top of things at home, and am still able to pick Avery up from daycare while we are both semi conscious and relatively un-cranky. Winning!
My new office is a beautiful coworking loft space in Union Square which is home to a small group of amazing female entrepreneurs. But It's so much more than just a shared office space. It's a collective in which each member brings something to the table and we can work together to grow our businesses while working in the company of other likeminded individuals. Some are moms, some are not. There's a mix of creatives, lawyers, publicists, actresses and writers. I can't wait to get to know all of this melting pot of talent as the months go on. To me, it epitomizes the dynamic and valuable opportunities that only a place like NYC has to offer.
I had looked at a few different spaces and really felt like this space was my "jam". Coming from Cullman and Kravis, I was used to working with other intelligent and talented ladies in an open atmosphere. We'd constantly collaborate and bounce ideas off of one another to deliver our best designs possible. Although nothing will ever replace those special relationships, I'm excited to have this great office space and "coworkers" to report to. And it sure doesn't hurt that there's beautiful beige grasscloth wall covering, white lacquer desks and plenty of windows. Like I said - totally my jam.
So while I don't claim to be crushing it in any aspects of life, I'm trying! And this is a step in the right direction. I'm excited to share more with you about this new journey - and "desk-orating" in the upcoming months, so stay tuned!
In the meantime, I leave you with these drool-worthy desk and office inspiration images. Now, get back to work!
~L.S.
