On Taking Risks, Changing Careers, and Adjusting to a New Normal…

I haven’t often discussed my career on the blog. It hasn’t seemed relevant to what you all came here to read about…home design and our little married life. But, in case you were wondering, for the last six years I have worked in the music industry…as so many of us do in Nashville. I interned at a record label called Fair Trade the summer before my senior year at Belmont University (where I, ironically, studied vocal performance), and in a God-ordained right place, right time scenario, they hired me part time after my internship and eventually full time when I graduated. I started in the marketing department and was eventually able to move into a role as a radio promoter. It’s a little known fact that artists have people working for them at their record labels who build relationships with radio stations all over the country to try to convince them to play their songs. That was my job. I had the honor of working for and with people like MercyMe, The Newsboys, The Afters, Hawk Nelson, Phil Wickham, Laura Story, Citizen Way and a host of other artists (keep your ears peeled for the continued amazing careers of Micah Tyler and Jasmine Murray. Y’all rock.) 

This job, which I never expected and yet somehow stumbled into, has been a wonderful, life shaping, and important part of my entire adult life thus far. I have worked there longer than I’ve been married and since before I even was engaged. In many ways, I grew up inside my cubicle at Fair Trade. I hardly even recognize the person I was when I started at the age of 20. Fair Trade is the kind of company where people stick around if they can. My boss is one of the kindest, quirkiest, and biggest hearted people I know. My coworkers are gems. The artists we work for are the real deal, and they’re impacting lives with their music. 

My job has afforded me the opportunity to travel all over the country, meet amazing people, and learn invaluable skills about how to work hard, be professional, and care for people in the process. It has been a safe environment for me to try new things, make mistakes, and learn more about myself. 

I have always known this was a dream job, but I’ve also known that it isn’t my forever job. I’ve been on a personal journey to figure out what my forever job might be, and the Lord has been shaping and molding my heart to show me what that new path will look like. All good things must at some point come to an end. 

Honestly, the new path all started with this blog, although I didn’t know it at the time. When we bought our first house in 2013, the interest I’ve always had in decorating turned into a full blown passion. With our very limited budget and knowledge, we began fixing up that old ranch house, and I found an outlet for my lifelong love of writing in this little corner of the internet.  

Eventually, a few friends began to ask for my help decorating their houses, and I realized that helping people decorate and design could be a pretty fun side hustle, so Jeremy and I started Peach and Pine in May of 2016 as a fun project to do together (and because I can hardly stand to ever sit still). 

It didn’t take long for me to realize that I wanted to do interior design as a career. The idea of designing and decorating homes and working with clients for a living seemed almost too good to be true. I am so passionate about it. I have to force myself to take a break; interiors get me so excited!  

‘The actual idea of leaving the stability of a salary and a good job to be self employed was initially terrifying and I really doubted it. But at the beginning of the year, Jeremy and I both felt very clearly that 2017 was my year to make a career change, take a risk, and do this. The timing was still hazy, but I knew I had to take a leap of faith knowing that the Lord would provide.  

So over the last few months, I’ve hatched a plan to do this full time. I met an incredibly talented designer here in Franklin, TN named Anna Berry (check out her website here), and she offered to bring me onto her team to work with some of her clients as I start this new career. That alone is the biggest blessing, and I am so grateful for the chance to learn from one of the best and meet and work with amazing clients. I’m learning by immersion with furnishing projects, bathroom remodels, and more. 

All that meant, however, that I had to say goodbye to the job that I have loved and that has loved me so well over the last six years. I broke the news to my boss and my coworkers, and they have graciously allowed me to transition out slowly over the last couple of months as I finished some projects and as they searched for my replacement (which means I’ve been working the equivalent of two full time jobs while renovating our house. I’m tired). But this week, my first real job is officially over.  

I am writing this post as I transfer the last of my files on my work laptop to a thumb drive and clear it off for whoever will use the computer next. Strangely, the gravity of this life transition didn’t hit me until I moved the last folder onto the external drive and changed the wallpaper on the desktop to something generic. That little act signaled the end for me, and the tears flowed freely. 

I am so grateful for what my job in the music industry has meant for me and for the things I’ve learned that are already coming with me into this new season. I’m also grateful my husband still works in the music industry so hopefully I’ll still see some of the people I know and love. I’m also happy to be exiting on a good note, and I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has said encouraging words to me in this transition season. 

‘And for those of you who knew nothing of my former career and therefore care very little about this announcement, the good news for you is that I will now have all kinds of new content for you! In fact, I have three client installs happening this week alone…so there will be lots to share in the coming weeks and months. Also, if you’re in middle Tennessee and need some help with your house, give me a call.  

And in a final act of sentimentality, I wanted to share some photos of memories made over the last six years.