The Best Surprise: How I Left Corporate, Built My Dream, and Found My Person When I Wasn't Looking
They say love finds you when you stop looking. I used to roll my eyes at that one. Then it happened to me, right in the middle of the messiest, busiest, most exciting season of my life.
This is the story of how I walked away from corporate, started building my dream from the ground up, and met the person I never saw coming.
First, I Bet on Myself
For more than 25 years, I built a career as an executive in human resources. I had the title, the full calendar, and the steady paycheck. I was good at what I did, and I'm proud of the work I did helping people and organizations grow.
But there was always a quiet voice telling me there was something more. It showed up every time I stayed up late sketching, bedazzling, creating gifts, and every time someone gasped when they opened one of my creations.
At 50, I finally listened. I left corporate and started Designs by Amanda Kate.
Let me be clear about something, because it matters to this story: I didn't leave for anyone. I didn't have a safety net in the shape of a partner or a plan someone else made for me. I made that leap for me. It was scary and thrilling and completely mine.
Then Came the Construction Dust
If you've followed along, you know my home studio didn't just appear overnight. When I started this business, my house was a full-on construction zone.
Picture it: sawdust everywhere, contractors coming and going (for 5 months!), boxes of brand product, supplies, rhinestones stacked wherever I could find a clean surface, and me trying to fill orders while my future studio was literally being built around me. I was learning to run an online shop, figuring out photography and shipping, setting up my Etsy shop and website, and wearing every single hat a small business owner can wear. (When I say "we", it's really "me") 😂
I was tired. I was focused. I was all in.
And love? Love was the very last thing on my mind. I wasn't looking for it, and I definitely wasn't expecting it. I had a business to build.
And Then There Was Chris
Life has a funny sense of timing.
Right in the middle of all that chaos, when I was covered in dust and glitter and running on coffee, I met Chris. I wasn't looking. I wasn't ready, or at least I didn't think I was. And he turned out to be the best surprise of my life.
He's my person.
I don't say that lightly. After everything I'd built on my own, I wasn't looking for someone to complete me or rescue me. What I found was something so much better: someone who fit right into the life I was creating and made all of it brighter.
He Shows Up for Every Milestone
Chris is supportive in every aspect of my life. Not just the big, shiny moments, but the everyday ones too.
He's with me for every milestone. The first sale. The big custom orders. The finished studio. The wins I want to shout from the rooftops, and the hard days when I just need someone to sit with me.
He listens. Really listens. When I'm talking through a new design, a business idea, or a worry that's keeping me up at night, he hears me. He supports my dreams like they're his own. When I tell him, "I have an idea" - his answer is always, "Let's do it"! And he loves me in a way that feels steady, safe, and easy.
I Didn't Have to Teach Him How to Love Me
Here's the best part, and honestly, the reason I know this works.
I didn't have to teach Chris how to love me. He just does.
If you've ever been in a relationship where you felt like you had to explain what you needed over and over, or shrink yourself to keep the peace, you know what a gift that is. With Chris, there's no instruction manual. No convincing. No wondering. He just loves me, in the best possible way, exactly as I am.
Maybe that's why it came at exactly the right time. I had already found my way back to myself. I knew who I was, what I wanted, and what I was building. And then along came someone who saw all of it and simply loved it.
What This Chapter Has Taught Me
Bet on yourself first. I'm so glad I made the leap for me. Building something of my own gave me a confidence I carry into every part of my life, including love.
The best things often come when you're not looking. I was busy building my dream, and life handed me a bonus I never expected.
The right person adds to your life, not takes from it. Chris doesn't compete with my business or my dreams. He champions them.
You deserve love that comes naturally. You shouldn't have to teach someone how to love you. The right person just does.
It's never too late. Not for a new career. Not for a new dream. Not for love.
Where We Are Now
Today, the construction dust has settled, and my Springfield, Massachusetts studio is the sparkly little world I always dreamed of. I'm a very happy, very coffee-fueled dog mom of two, and every rhinestone is still placed by hand, one at a time. Many of my custom pieces start with a hand-painted design that becomes the blueprint for the stones.
I create custom gifts, bedazzled apparel and accessories, sparkly tumblers, and DIY bling kits for parties and events. I've even made custom branded pieces for companies and events, including a fully bedazzled soccer ball for Salesforce and Tottenham Hotspur at Dreamforce in San Francisco, the Rockettes, the Celtics, and so much more.
And through every new order and every new milestone, Chris is right there beside me.
To Anyone Building Something Right Now
If you're in the middle of your own construction zone, whether it's a business, a career change, or rebuilding your life, keep going. Focus on you. Build the thing you dream about.
And don't be surprised if life sends you something wonderful when you least expect it.
Thank You for Being Part of This Story
Every order, share, and kind message is part of this chapter too. You're helping a woman who bet on herself at 50 live out her dream, and I'm so grateful.
If you're celebrating your own love story, I'd love to help. Custom anniversary, engagement, wedding, and "just because" pieces are some of my very favorite commissions.
Shop ready-to-ship pieces and DIY bling kits on my website and Etsy shop
Request a custom quote for personalized gifts, wedding pieces, or bulk orders
Follow along on Instagram @designsbyamanda.kate, YouTube, and Facebook for behind-the-scenes videos
Here's to betting on yourself, to the best surprises, and to never being too old to sparkle.
Love and Sparkle, Amanda and Chris ❤️
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