Lots of questions, so it is time to hopefully explain and layer in and channel the energy and vision as I begin to share a lot from the past and also a lot of things that are on the horizon!
Story Behind The 1926 Farmhouse
A lot of people are asking if this is my home or if I am moving. No, neither, and honestly, this has been an I don’t know home. Last year I got this 1926 farmhouse in Forsyth. I drove by it daily, and I just felt it calling to me. I stopped, left notes, and eventually did detective work and showed up at the doorstep of the homeowner in Buford, GA (yep, for reals). He was in the middle of a zoom call, and was so confused. I repeated myself, handed him the tax record, and said, “can I buy your home?” After three months of back and forth, I acquired it.
I was going to make it my office, then being a solely product-based company it didn’t make sense. So I built a warehouse/garage with an adjoining office. I was going to rent it. Then this home sat stagnant for months, other considerations. There is a bigger piece too. I own the adjoining Commercial property around it, so I actually debated tearing it down. A 1926 house is EXPENSIVE to rehab. To be honest, I had no clue how or what to do, but if I tore it down, I could eventually add another structure. Financially on paper, it might have even been the thing to do, but it was not the right thing!
I couldn’t bring myself to tear it down. The history. The beauty. But I want to be clear that I knew I was meant to have the home that I sat in confusion for months while pieces came together and redirection happened. Even things I didn’t want to happen happened, which has brought me to create the space as is.
What’s Coming?
I am making big shifts in my business and getting back to the core of what I love, which is teaching, and I am shifting to more content-based/coaching. If you didn’t know this, I have been coaching other business owners and teaching finance for over a decade. In 2015, when Jenny and I launched STARTplanner (STARTbrands), we actually hosted a workshop in the basement of my home, which was the remaining capital we needed to order our first round of planners. So let me clear up a couple of things.
- My main focus is going to be teaching and coaching other business owners. I am 100% confident that my journey has been what it has been to help others dial in, navigate, and streamline! This is also not something new! If you are a business owner, get on this list! JOIN THE LIST
- The 1926 Farmhouse will be the headquarters for STARTbrands, STARTplanner, and The START Approach. It will also be the headquarters for commercial development, and this home will be the heart of the building. So my heart will be to blaze a trail here. Leave my mark by touching the county, the community, and others in a big way. That website will be https://www.thevisionpropertieshq.com/
- STARTplanner Dated planners we have decided to no longer step forward with. 9 years and this is a decision not taken lightly. Dated Planners HAVE sold over 7 figures for us in a single calendar year, and there are many reasons for this decision. The shift above, the rising costs, and demand not being what it once was for many reasons. What we have, some of the 2023 planners starting today, are 65% off! If you have a team, need a gift, or have been wanting to try… run! SHOP ALL DATED HERE
- Planners and organizational tools are NOT going away. It is how I move, and I have been using the undated quarterly for three years. It will be shown how and why. Undated planners, we will shift to. So our system is still there, but we are no longer going to operate dated planners with timed launches. I know there will be some confusion, and I want to say I am grateful for every single soul that has supported our Dated Planners. From an idea on the garage floor, IT and YOUR support is what has enabled so much for me and us, and this is just part of the evolution needed.
A Place For Everyone
So this is going to be our office. This is going to be a space where we can host others. A safe place for transformation and creativity, and I am telling you, when you see the home and step foot in the doors, there is magic and power that no rebuild could ever touch! There is history. There is power, and there is heart. And that is what I think our world needs a little more of.
I have tried over the years to change myself. To minimize me, conform, not step boldly, and even control. Because I am scared. Of what others think and my own BS. And I am just in a place of flow and boldly stepping with all my might!!! I want to control nothing but allow things to flow.
Trusting The Journey
Someone from the county was at home yesterday looking over things, and he said two things. 1. I am so happy to see a piece of history in Forsyth be saved. I have been watching because I live in the community, and I am so impressed. 2. Now that I see it’s a female leading the way, I am even more impressed. Know for me I don’t get proud often but I allowed myself for a moment for that to sink in. But it is really all the people that are helping and supporting me in all the ways that I am proud of.
I have been in places to desire to impress. I am not writing a word or sharing anything to impress. BUT I am here sharing pieces of my heart and journey and calling and my goal it’s a little push or inspiration that you step in the way you are meant to. I stand so grateful for my journey. For my God, that has had a bigger plan than even my eyes could see.
I feel like this home in so many ways. I have history. The floors have markings and the fireplace I feel has stories for days. It has depth that a new thing never could. What scared me most about this home was the foundation. Here are pictures from the inspection. A lot of “wise” council told me to run and not touch it.
The Foundation
This home was built in 1926 with a stacked stone foundation. Let me repeat that—stacked stone…. no mortar. Over the last 100 years, additional support of wood or other things have been added. See these pictures! The floors will never be completely level. We had to go around the outside and layer in another level of foundational support and go underneath and add more support. I had to add new vapor barrier to help this home breathe right and do so much.
This foundation will never be a new solid pour. It will never be perfect, and I think there is so much BEAUTY in that. Restructuring my company and focus, and along the way, I have added support here and there.
There is not always a clear-cut answer. There isn’t always clarity, but I believe in time, answers do come. I just have a really, really deep certainty that THIS home is going to be a harbor for growth. For helping other businesses and community, healing, and for me being able to use my journey and gifts to help others. Save the date because on March 28th, my 36th birthday, I will be opening these doors and launching The START Approach!
