Recently I went to Greenville, TX to visit with my Aunt and explore her small town, eat pizza and grab a few beers. She is the only Aunt I have and one of the few extended family members I have.
Its always a breathe of fresh air visiting her and hanging out with her. She is one of my ultimate heroes, someone I truly look up to and admire, pro fem, independent woman, free as a bird. She works harder than anyone I have ever encountered, she travels often, experiences cultures, eats jalapeños like no one else I have ever seen. She should be a spokeswoman for the modern day female! Her name is Mahota Lynn Prater and she is my dads sister, my aunt, and a woman of the future.
She doesn't live in a very large city but it does have some of the most beautiful scenery and murals that made my graphic design loving heart skip a beat.
During this trip I had a lot of alone time. Flying alone, driving alone, exploring alone. It was during this alone time I realized how much I needed to branch out and start my own business. I knew it would be tough but I knew I could take on the challenge.
I manage freelancing graphic design for a few different ad agencies around Mississippi and Louisiana and also my own small fiber art business on Etsy.
It took a long time for me to balance the two. As a freelancer you aren't able to make your own schedule, especially in the beginning. When an agency calls, you go and do. They pay good money to have you as a freelancer and you want them to trust in your ability to be there for them when they need you. Thats the thing about a freelancer, they can always go to the next one, which is a scary position to be in when you are first starting out.
I knew I needed to have something I could rely on myself instead of relying on companies to send me work at their leisure. So this trip was perfect to gather my thoughts on how I wanted to branch out on my own but also keep my two main businesses together.
Calling my business Loop and Blend and BlendingbyBetty.
So here I am starting these two ventures, keeping them together because they both speak who I am as a designer, a person and mostly as an artist.
Thank you Aunt Lynn for giving the guidance and peace I needed to clear my mind, even though I am sure you had no idea you were apart of this large equation in my brain.
Also thank you for the life changing ingredient that really made a huge difference in all of this and the three bottles of wine you sent me home with!!
Bridget