Ever since I can remember, I’ve wanted to be my own boss. At one point, my entrepreneurial dream was to run an in-home preschool filled with giggling toddlers and endless craft supplies. Then I imagined something online. Mostly so I could keep working in pajamas… priorities, right?
Instead, I found a wonderful online school whose mission aligned closely with mine, and decided to follow that path, taking the easier route. For seven years, I dove headfirst into building someone else’s dream, working grueling 60 hour weeks. But instead of feeling accomplished, I ended up feeling undervalued and completely burnt out. Why was I pouring my heart and soul into something that wasn’t even mine?
Cue the life-altering wake-up call: my husband Dave’s stage 4 cancer diagnosis. Suddenly, “time together” became the most precious currency we had, far outweighing any paycheck. So, without a safety net or even a solid plan, I quit that job. I embraced part-time work, giving myself the breathing space to decompress, binge-watch documentaries, read stacks of nonfiction, and do some serious soul-searching.
Life became an ongoing quest to find my next path. A journey I’d embarked upon many times since my strict Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints upbringing.
During college I began wondering: Did I really believe everything I’d been taught? Or was I just going along because it was familiar? Two years of questioning later, I stepped away completely and spent the next several years “trying on” different spiritual hats. I collected bits of wisdom that helped me be kinder, calmer, and hopefully made the world around me a little better.
Fast forward to those quiet months after leaving my job. With more windshield time thanks to a part-time gig, podcasts became my new companions, easing long drives and magically reducing my road rage… a win for everyone. But the real spark for Faithfully Explore! came during a family dinner. My niece, Halle, casually mentioned that she and her fifth-grade friends were looking for good podcasts to listen to at recess but couldn’t find many they loved.
Cue the lightbulb moment! Faithfully Explore! sprang into existence almost immediately in my head—a podcast where I could blend my love for kids, education, and exploring diverse beliefs in a playful, engaging way. Plus, creating printables, managing social media, and mastering podcast production meant plenty of excuses to stay cozy in sweatpants.
Today, Faithfully Explore! isn’t just my business; it’s my passion project, a joyful blend of curiosity, kindness, and the endless wonder of childhood exploration. Yes, it’s a massive amount of work, often more hours than my previous exhausting job. But this time, it’s deeply rewarding. I’m building something meaningful, something uniquely mine, and something I genuinely believe makes the world brighter.
This adventure is just beginning, and I can’t wait to see where it leads. I’d love for you to join me—grab your headphones, bring your curiosity, and let’s Faithfully Explore together!
