I Took a Leave of Absence from My Business.

I think we can all say 2025 was a rough year, and I can honestly say it rocked me. Can we blame it on the year of the snake? Or postpartum from having my second? Sure. But I’ve realized it’s not about what caused me to burnout so hard, but why.

I welcomed my second baby into the world in January and took my standard 3-month maternity leave. I was once again a female business owner who didn’t receive paid maternity leave, but I planned for that this time. I had money in my business savings, I had clients waiting to work with me when I came back, I felt good.

But what I did not plan for was to find out how unaligned my services were with my new life. I was a mom of 2 little kids, working from home 3 days a week, and offering BRAND INTENSIVES. I literally thought that I could still turn around a full brand in 5 days time like I did before. Between pumping, shortened work days, a heavier house work load, mom brain, and pure exhaustion, it felt impossible. But I persevered, trudging along thinking everything was good.

And then, work stopped coming in. I had nothing on my books and no new clients inquiring. To say I panicked was an understatement. I was filled with so much imposter syndrome and “what the f*** am I doing here” that I started to look for a job. The idea of getting out of my house and out of my business sounded like a dream at this point. Someone telling me what to do and handing me a paycheck? YES PLEASE.

So, I did it. I am one of the lucky humans that was hired on to work @heydaybozeman . And not only that, but I got to I got to work with the team that builds all of the dreamy displays. My time at heyday was magical. I hungout with some amazing women and learned a whole new set of skills in an industry I’ve never worked in. My position there may have been short-lived, but it gave me so much clarity about what I was doing wrong in my business all along. Getting off of my screen and out into the real world was exactly what I needed.

These are my new set of rules. For my female entrepreneurs out there, you can take it or leave it. But now you know it’s coming from someone who quite literally left her business and almost closed its doors.

💕 Do not work alone. WFH has so many benefits (especially when you have little kids), but the isolation is real. Turns out being able to talk to peers about the shows I’m watching, books I’m reading, and my new favorite place to shop is the favorite part of my day. Paying for an office space is expensive, but co-working at a coffee shop is free.

💕 Take your time. Rushing around to get as many things done as possible? Guilty. This is not a race, and I don’t want my clients to feel like I’m racing either. Good work takes time, and the best work comes after having a full nights sleep.

💕Build a community. Those months where I was spinning about my lack of client work, I felt like I had no one to talk to. No co-workers to vent to, no business partner to strategize with, and it left me feeling desperate and stranded. Having a community of female business owners around me makes feel grounded and heard.

💕 Dress the part. Working from home is a luxury, but dressing in sweatpants every single day is not. When I started working at heyday, one of the parts I was most excited about was getting dressed in cute clothes. I had a closet full of clothes that I literally never wore, just the same ol’ maternity bra, baggy graphic tee, and sweatpants. Clothes are powerful and should not be taken for granted.

💕 Learn something new (that doesn’t involve a computer). We are not robots and we’re not meant to sit in front of a computer for 8 hours a day. Our brains want to learn and try new things. Pottery classes, gardening, painting, self-defense, etc. I’m here for it. Even better, DO IT WITH A FRIEND.

Last but not least, a huge shoutout to every woman at @heydaybozeman that I got to work with. You welcomed me with open arms and taught me a lot about myself. I will never forget the friendships that were made. Go merch team!!!