Hey there Reader,

The other day, I was reviewing my LinkedIn profile (as one does when trying to embody *PEAK* professionalism as a solopreneur), and I decided to scroll allll the way back in time to my first job...

Back to the good old days when I was collecting cash in the In N' Out drive-thru.

And as I reminisced, letting the burger-scented waves of nostalgia wash over me, something caught my attention on my computer screen.

"2 yrs 4 mos"

The amount of time I was employed at In N' Out. That's how long I spent taking people's orders, shoving all my hair into an extremely unflattering hat, and making magical moments like this one happen:

And, ok, while I never had Gigi Hadid come up to my window, I did get to wait on Jason Segel (and at the time, I was a huge How I Met Your Mother fan, so I'll consider that a win).

But I digress. What I realized while looking back on my professional experience was this: my job at In N' Out was the longest I'd ever stayed at a company.

Every internship, summer job, and even post-college position that followed capped at two years. When I started those jobs, a part of me knew there would be an end date, and that it wouldn't be too far off.

Don't get me wrong – I've deeply enjoyed many of the jobs I've had. They all allowed me to contribute to something outside of myself, and they helped me pay my bills!

But none of them had staying power. Beyond a paycheck and some learning experience, I ultimately lacked a compelling reason to stay.

Until...

I decided to take a leap and start Seedling Studio. And guess what, Reader – this month, I surpassed my In N' Out record and officially hit the 2 year 5 months mark, making business ownership my longest-held professional position. 🥳

I share this because I think it reveals something interesting about our motivations to stay in a job or leave it. And because it's been grossly cloudy practically all year here in Southern California (what is UP with you CA???) and it's made my motivation take a nosedive, so it's time for a self pep talk.

Here's the thing – every job has its upsides and downsides. There is no perfect career you can choose that will shield you from ever having to do something you don't want to do again.

What matters is having a compelling WHY to get you through those times of questioning, uncertainty, and doubt.

Back in my In N' Out days, my "why" was that I wanted to be able to buy myself a car and save money for college. I wasn't passionate about burgers (I became a vegetarian soon after I quit, lol), but even though my reason had nothing to do with the actual work I was doing, it was enough for me to stay in it.

And eventually, I bought Brenda, a light blue 1996 Nissan Sentra with more dents than you could count! #worthit

As I got a bit older, my priorities shifted, and a paycheck was no longer enough of a reason for me to spend the bulk of my life doing something I didn't find meaningful and exciting.

I dabbled around in a few jobs, experimented with going back to school, and eventually, through lots of trial and error, landed where I am now – helping people showcase their gifts to the world through good design and a dash of tech know-how.

And if I dig down deep and reflect on why I've been able to stick through the ups and downs so far, I think the answer is pretty simple – I love helping entrepreneurs build businesses that make a positive impact on the world and on their own lives... and I think I'm good at it!

SO, most of us are entrepreneurs over here – have you articulated your "why" to yourself, Reader? What makes this business, this path meaningful and exciting to you?

It doesn't matter what your answer is, but it's got to be powerful enough to help you stay the course throughout the storms.

And if you find yourself in your In N' Out era, working a job that doesn't make you feel connected to your actual work, remember that THAT is noble, too. We're all figuring it out as we go, and I hope that this season serves its purpose for you – go get your Brenda!

For the entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs-at-heart out there, keep going. The world needs what you've got.

– Erica

P.S. Did you see?! We were a finalist in TONIC's template customization challenge! Check out this IG post for some design inspiration from all the finalists, and peep our design to see how we spiced up one of their latest website templates using some fun code tricks.