Wow! I cannot believe that hand+heart has been in business for 10 years! It has been quite the decade of growth, challenges, high highs, and low lows. I feel like I have finally come into my own as a business owner, a creative, and a leader. How did I get here? Let's take a trip down memory lane.
I started hand+heart in 2015 when I was at peak burnout with my career in restaurants and hospitality. I was managing a busy, San Francisco restaurant-- often working until 2 or 3am in the morning, never able to take off weekends, no time for self-care, and no creative outlet-- and realized that this was not something I could do forever. Sure, I loved the people, the food, the energy of a packed restaurant on a Saturday night, but my physical and mental health were suffering and I knew I had to make a change. My whole life, I have always known I wanted to be my own boss. From an early age I took the leadership roles-- cheer captain, group project leader, party planner, babysitter, teacher, the list goes on. While working in restaurants I assumed that my only path to be my own boss would be to open my own restaurant. Do you know how hard it is to have a successful and profitable restaurant in San Francisco? Damn near impossible. It also wasn't my passion. I love food, yes. But I wanted to be creative. I wanted to create beautiful things that complemented important milestones in people's lives. Sure, it was great that people would come to my restaurant for birthdays, engagements, anniversaries, etc. But I wanted to swim with bigger fish. I wanted to be a part of one of the most important days of someone's life-- their wedding!
Back in 2015, Pinterest was all the rage and DIY weddings were at their peak. I am talking rustic charm-- burlap, wooden signs, mason jars, up cycled wedding decor, DIY projects. This was also the year that all my friends from college started getting married. I offered to take on DIY projects for my creatively challenged friends. It started with pink ombre table numbers, handwritten welcome signs, flower arrangements in mason jars, the list goes on. It was then that I met Erin Vigil with Your Event by Erin. Erin quickly became my mentor. She hired me to create decor for her clients and let me assist her on weddings. It was through watching her that I realized I wanted to plan weddings. I wanted to be there from the beginning to end. I wanted to hear couples' dreams and execute them. And so, I decided to do it all-- flowers, signage, rentals, and planning. Yes, it was too much and it lead to burnout. I hit a real low at the end of 2017-- I felt dissatisfied with my output of work, I wasn't working with clients that respected my time or understood my passion. I wanted to be more present for my couples and not feel so thinly stretched.
The first 3-4 years of hand+heart were filled with so much growth, connection, and moments that shaped who I am as a planner. I got to help some of my best friends plan their weddings. I pushed myself creatively. I learned that my friends are my biggest cheerleaders and the best assistants (that I can no longer afford!). And most importantly, I learned that this is what I meant to do in life. I love what I do so dang much I cannot imagine doing anything different. Thank you all for being along for the ride and for the support, grace, and love you've shown me over the years. I cannot wait to share the next decade with you all!
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