Originally published June 20, 2011:

As many of you already know, I’ve been a slave to two mistresses since starting Paintbox Soapworks. For the past 6 years, I’ve been spending the bulk of my weekdays at my desk job, senior account manager for a database company in Chicago. When we moved back east a few years ago, I brought the job with me, & have been telecommuting from home. It has been a great job, all things considered, affording me the income & flexibility to be a mother, a homeowner, & now a small business owner. My working at home is what has allowed me the time & energy to get Paintbox Soapworks off the ground so quickly, & for that, I am deeply grateful.

Alas, one can only serve two causes for so long without both of them suffering, & I’ve got a family vying for my attention, as well. Something had to give, & after much reflection (& several months of intense calculations), my path became clear.

And so it is, dear reader, that I have loosed the bonds of the “job”, free-falling into the ranks of the fully self-employed. It is exhilarating & nerve-wracking & bloody terrifying at times, but above all else, it feels like coming home. My path is now mine, & mine alone. If I go off the rails, true, I have no one to blame but myself. But by the same token I can push & cultivate & grow this business into everything that I want it to be.

I would not be here if it weren’t for the encouragement & support of every single one of my customers. Thank you for trusting me with your skin, your loyalty & your hard-earned dollars. Thank you for your input & your enthusiasm. And thank you for choosing me.