Holy moly.
Planted is ONE!!
(Well one and a day😉)
I’m a 23-year-old Utah woman who’s been married for nearly three years now with no children. A shocking feat in many eyes especially a few relatives who love to ask when we're planning on welcoming our first child.
But in a way, this company truly has become my child over this past year.
(I’ve been told I can get a bit dramatic/over the top about little things. But hey, such is life.)
About two weeks into October of last year I was walking with some friends out of our college class. As you do when you’re in your final semester of college, we were talking about job applications, interviews, and future plans. At the time, I wasn't exactly sure what my plans were post-college so I mentioned a business idea I had been contemplating for a while and the many conversations my husband and I had surrounding it. I told them how he had been encouraging me to get things going but expressed the insecurities I had in launching something so new.
I couldn’t be luckier to have the people in my corner that I do.
Instantly my friends began validating me, encouraging me, and hyping me up on this business idea I had only really only discussed with close family members and a few friends. It was that support that truly pushed me over the edge and gave me the courage to take the leap.
On November 1st I pressed post and Planted was officially born.
Of course, starting a small business has its pros and cons. Chances are if you've talked to me anytime in the last 12 months, you've heard me talk about the different highs and lows that come in running a startup. But, anytime things start to feel a little extra hard and maybe even a little hopeless, there's always something exciting waiting just around the corner. Whether that corner is three weeks or three months, it always comes.
That’s probably been the number one lesson I’ve learned through this whole thing.
When things feel down, there’s ALWAYS something good on the way.
Lesson number two that I’ve learned?
The more we learn we learn about other stories, the more we understand our own.
I remember in sixth grade one of our required readings was Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech. While the extent of what I remember about the plot lies within blackberry kisses and the fact I cried my 12-year-old eyes out, there is one quote that has stuck with me over the years...
“Don't judge a man until you have walked two moons in his moccasins”
The more people I interview, the more I'm reminded of how truly different each of our lives is. Until we take the time to truly listen to one another with the intent to learn, I don't think we can truly know a person. Life is full of so many different experiences and frankly, even if we were all to go through the same thing, it would be completely different based on our upbringings, personalities, and prior experiences.
And there's beauty in that.
Life would be so boring if we were all the same. By living our own individual lives, we open the door to connect with different people on different things. Making those connections and learning from one another is something I've absolutely gained a greater appreciation for over the past year.
The third lesson I’ve been reminded of:
Time moves fast.
Another one of my favorite phrases I've continued to come back to throughout the years? The days are long but the weeks are short.
In many ways, it feels like this year went by in the blink of an eye.
I think it's natural that when your time is filled with learning and experiencing new things, it tends to slip by at what feels like two times speed. While new days, weeks, months, and years bring new opportunities, they also remind us to soak in every moment we have.
The sad reality of this job is that often people don't realize how badly they want a life video until it’s too late. Multiple times this year I had people reach out about booking a video only for it to be too late.
I don't want to dwell here as this is a celebratory and happy post, but let this be a reminder to soak in every single second. It's so easy to get into a routine and simply go through the motions but there's so much more life to be lived than simply watching life happen around you. Make the memories, have the laughs, and show your family you love them.
To everyone who has supported me in any and every way this past year...
Thank you.
To my husband who is truly my number one fan and has made so many sacrifices of his own so I can pursue this dream.
To my parents who have been there since day one supporting and loving me throughout every stage of my life.
To my siblings who have edited blog posts, offered to help on shoots, and are the best little marketers a gal could ask for.
To my comms friends (Kenz, Jake, Hal, Elizabeth, Anna, Joe, etc.) who gave me the kindest words of encouragement and pushed me to finally take the steps I needed to launch.
To Lauren for being my role model as a powerful, kind, talented woman in this space.
To my besties for reposting, commenting, and being genuinely interested in the things I’m doing.
To Seth for helping me take my skills to the next level and answering my silly camera questions.
To every single family I've been able to work with. I wouldn't be here without you.
And so. many. others.
As I reflect on and celebrate this incredible year I get SO excited for the future.
Here’s to another year of growing and telling stories!
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