Embracing Change: Allowing Yourself to Pivot to a New Direction

Lauren shares her decision to step back from the business and embrace new opportunities, despite initial feelings of failure and guilt.
She takes listeners through the highs and lows of building Simply Stained Shop into a successful venture, highlighting the support of her clients and team along the way.
Through her candid storytelling, Lauren inspires listeners to embrace change, pursue their dreams, and never fear pivoting when necessary.
Join her in celebrating this new chapter and the endless possibilities that lie ahead while you embrace yours as well!
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@simplylaurendenny
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Check out the custom sign company 
www.simplystainedshop.com

Learn more about Lauren Denny:
www.laurendenny.com

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Hey, there it's Lauren Denny. I want to take a moment today to talk to you a little bit about something that has been on my mind. It's the idea of pivoting and giving yourself permission to change course. So today I actually shared on our social media site that I made the decision to step back from Simply Stained Shop. That's our sign company. It's a. Simply Stained is a custom sign decor business that was started in 2018 and today I announced that I am no longer the owner. It's like kind of a big deal.

Speaker 2: 0:30

Welcome to Denny Talks, a guiding conversation to living life to the fullest. Join us for inspiring discussions on entrepreneurship, small business tips and seizing the opportunities. Subscribe now for concise, motivating episodes that encourage you to chase your dreams, where we believe that chase your dreams where we believe that life dreams, and it's I mean, it's still a full company that's being ran right now.

Speaker 1: 1:06

So it's it's not going anywhere Let me preface that but it's been something that I haven't actually openly talked about and announced just yet, and so, um, I'm kind of like molding through all of that thought process and and verbalizing out loud like allows you to kind of process some of those feelings. Um, I struggled with the feelings of like failure and letting myself down and my family down. I started this business in 2018 not even with the hopes of anything really coming out of it. I was a teacher and just looking to add some things into my classroom that would make it feel a little bit more homey and inviting for my students and customized, and then changing, turning around and making some custom decorations for my teaching partners, and then it kind of just snowballed into something much bigger than I had even planned it to be, and so this dream has continually built over the time and it's actually allowed me to support my parents, support employees. It allowed me to support my parents, support employees. It allowed me to leave the teaching position and moved us down here to Oklahoma and that's where we are currently residing and it still fulfills so many duties of sustaining our family, and so being able to make this pivot and change it kind of comes with a lot of feelings. I guess you could say I have asked my family to put so much effort into growing my company and just to be able to turn around and hand it over to somebody else, um and so that is why I'm just so grateful for this situation um that arose, that I could sell my company to someone who I know loves and cares about the company just as much as I do. But of course, that just still comes with so many emotions.

Speaker 1: 2:50

As I'm sure you can understand is when you've grown something yourself and you've you attach your identity at some point to it, and then to turn around and say like, hey, I want to take a break from this, or this isn't really where I see myself in the future. I want to go in a different direction. And everybody else is like whoa, what this is like, this is brand new information. I'm quoting a friend's quote this is brand new information, anyways. So today I wanted to dive a little bit deeper into my journey with Simply Stained Shop and hopefully you can see yourself in shoes as someone who wants to maybe even start a business, or you're looking for a change in your life. So maybe you're a current teacher and you're wanting to leave the classroom and you're just looking for something different. Maybe you are in a job that you're just not super happy with. You want to change positions in your job. You know whatever it's going to be. Hopefully you'll be able to find yourself with in today's episode.

Speaker 1: 3:40

So, back in 2018, I made the decision that really would change my entire life forever. I started the Simply Stained shop right from the master bedroom of my home and with the dream of, like I said, bringing the feeling of home into classrooms all around the world. And with the dream of, like, I said, bringing the feeling of home into classrooms all around the world. And so little did. I knew that the decision would make an impact in 80,000 classrooms, and counting Like that's just wild to me. So we are on Etsy and then our personal website, and that's Collectively.

Speaker 1: 4:07

So let me just tell you that it wasn't always smooth sailing. Like many of you, I've had my doubts and my fears, and I was afraid to even, like, open up my shop. I was terrified of failure even before I began like it sounds so silly now, but these are just like all human emotions that I know we deal with. But I'm so glad that I pushed past those fears because that journey has truly like, followed me into being nothing short but incredible and, through the hard work and determination like, I built the Simply Stained shop into a six-figure company that I started with just like a trusty old cricket vinyl cutter. And let me tell you that I really would not have been able to do it without the unwavering support of my amazing clients and my family and our just our customers are just so incredible. They've stuck with me through every mistake, every tear, every like. Oh man, I've had so many milestones and I just am so forever grateful for that.

Speaker 1: 5:00

And so, reiterating, simply Stained Shop is not going anywhere. It's still up and running and has been, and I'm I'm not truly leaving. I mean, I'm leaving because I'm not the owner of it anymore, but like it's still on my property, um, it's still being ran, uh, with the guidance of it anymore. But like it's still on my property, um, it's still being ran, uh, with the guidance of, with the guide, with I'm I'm guiding the person who is who's owning it currently. So today's Simply Stained Shop is using top of the line machineries, materials to create custom products for clients that are all over the globe and, like, let me tell you, building a business that is not only challenging, um, but incredibly rewarding. It's opened the doors that I never knew had even existed and it's allowed me to connect with people in so many different ways that I never knew was even possible.

Speaker 1: 5:44

But my journey has, like, truly evolved, and so is my passions, and last summer oh gosh, it was last spring I made the decision to apply for a teaching position. I'm taking on a role at a technology school where I teach media to high school and adult students, and that's where Heather Lamb comes in. She has been our life. She has been such a lifesaver. She is a employee that started out just in the woodshop and she's completely grown and able to make so many milestones of her own into going, into managing, and then now she owns it. Like that's so crazy. Heather has been a rock star of the Simply Stained Shop for years. She embodies, like, a lot of the same passion and dedication that I bring to the business business, and so now she's on her own entrepreneurial journey.

Speaker 1: 6:38

Um, so when I made the decision to step back from the classroom. Like Heather just stepped up to the challenge, um, because, and became the head of Simply Stained Shop. So like I was still behind the scenes, like running a lot of the different behind the scenes types of stuff, but she was taking the day-to-day actions and and whatnot, so I could go into the classroom and teach, um, and that's just where my heart has been just called for. Like I was a fourth grade teacher and so being able to step back into the classroom, like I just didn't think that that's something I wanted after I left the classroom, but it truly is. I'm just so grateful for the opportunity to do that. So here's the best part. So Simply Stain Shop is not going anywhere. It remains on Heather Ranch with the same dedication that the team is bringing you high quality products that you know and love.

Speaker 1: 7:20

Heather has the opportunity to grow into this fantastic business owner, and business ownership, I just totally believe, gives you a new level of freedom. It is obviously not for everybody. It is very demanding, but it also has a lot of perks to it as well, and I'm grateful that Heather is there to be able to continue on with the Simply Stain Shop journey. My dad is still printing and doing the laser work. My mom, kim Kimmy she handles the packing and the shipping. And Heather and her team her mom, her kids are hard at work of like designing and like building the actual products. So what does this mean for you? It means business as usual.

Speaker 1: 7:59

Even though I'm not no longer the owner anymore, I'm still here supporting Heather and the team along the way. So join me in congratulating Heather on this new, exciting chapter. And to all of you who have supported me on the journey, thank you so much from the bottom of my heart. Your support, your encouragement, your belief in me has more, has meant more to me than you'll ever know. So business ownership gives you a new level of freedom and, like I said, it's not always for everybody.

Speaker 1: 8:25

Um, it's something that I I'm not really sure where it's going to take me or kind of what that looks like for me, but I just, um, I know I'm not not quite done with like the business ownership yet I just wanted to pivot, I wanted to change and I pivoted and changed from the classroom, um into business ownership, and now I'm doing the same thing and I'm back into the classroom as well. Um, and just I was nervous to share this part of my life because it, but it feels really good to like be open with the fact that I'm ready for a change, and maybe you are too. So hopefully this gives you, like, the permission to go after something, um, to make a change in your life, because change can definitely be scary, but it can also, be, like, incredibly liberating. So here's to embracing new opportunities, chasing our dreams and never being afraid to pivot when necessary. So thank you so much for joining me on this journey and allowing me to share my heart with you and kind of ramble along the way.

Speaker 1: 9:15

Um, so if you've been around here for a while and supported simply stained please, please, please, reach out. I'd love to personally just say thank you. Until next time, keep chasing your dreams and making a difference in the world that you live. Have a great day. Thanks so much.