So Today is a pretty Big Day...

So I did it.

Today, I woke up and started working full time for the toughest, most Type A, organized broad I know.....

Me. Yep, that's right. OFD is open twenty-four hours a day.

For those who may not know, I jumped on the OFD train far sooner than originally anticipated. Yes, I've pretty much had my eye on the self employment prize since Kindergarten, but logic and cash flow statements always made the decisions for me. That is, until I left a rather comfortable job for a promotion elsewhere. Eight weeks later, I found myself sitting on my couch next to be my husband to be and a box of tissues, sniffling that I couldn't stay any longer in my current situation. And I think it was time to start OFD, albeit two years earlier than planned.

As my dear friend Heather said, "Sometimes plans have a way of changing."

So I secured a part time job, and spent every other waking moment as OFD (that is, except those moments I was playing Bride). Before long, the balance became far more difficult. Thankfully, I surrounded myself with my support team, including a string of clients willing to wait until 1:01pm for me each day, and a (now) husband who wins best spouse between the two of us any day of the week.

Then the days ran longer and longer. Suddenly I'm working 1:01pm until 10pm on weekdays plus weekends. I dream about press releases. I have speaking engagements booked here, there and everywhere.

And I knew it was time to make the leap. Truth be known, I could have done this earlier but I turned down investor when it simply wasn't a fit. Lesson learned: the easy path isn't necessarily the right one.

And when the time was finally right, I handed in my notice and parted ways for OFD 24-7. Today, I woke up, threw on something other than a suit (small victory!) and got to work.

The reason I share this on a Blog normally dedicated to wedding marketing and the business development?

Well, it's inspiring darn it.

Seven years ago, I graduated college and decided to spend a year with Americorps, working in the inner city schools of Richmond, despite the naysayers. Don't do it, I heard over and over again from those worried I'd fall behind career wise as I spent a year working with kids for a measly $9,000 a year. But I did it anyway (note photo from my Americorps days), assuming I was competitive enough that I'd catch up in no time.

And here I stand bossing myself around all the live long day. And it rules.

I'd love to hear more inspiring stories from when you made the Big Leap. Feel free to share in the comments below.

More soon,
Meghan

Meghan Ely is the owner of OFD Consulting, a niche marketing and public relations group servicing the wedding industry. She is also the Managing Director of the Richmond Bridal Association, Contributing Writer to Virginia Bride Magazine and has a regular column in the Richmond Times Dispatch, Wedology 101: the Reality of Being a Bride.