I Probably Shouldn’t Say This But…
So, here’s the deal… I’m just going to say it:
I’m not happy all the time.
There, I said it. And maybe you needed to hear that from someone today.
As the owner of a creative agency, I think there’s sometimes a perception that I’m always “on,” always inspired, and always in love with the work I do. The truth? I love my career. But it’s a lot. And lately, I’ve felt the weight of it—in my business, in my heart, and in my life.
I’m breaking this down into three parts: Career, Personal, and what I’m loosely calling Other for now.
Career
I truly love what I do. I feel incredibly grateful that I get to wake up every day and use my creative gifts to help people grow their businesses, share their stories, and turn their visions into real, beautiful brands.
I GET to do this.
Through branding, design, content creation, and web development, I get to translate dreams into something tangible—and that’s powerful. Even better? I get to do it for people who are just as passionate about their work as I am about mine.
But the flip side of that freedom is this: being a solopreneur is hard. Really hard.
When I launched Soul Creative in 2018, I was energized by the idea of helping others. What I didn’t fully understand was how exhausting it would be to wear all the hats—designer, strategist, bookkeeper, project manager, customer service… you name it.
The last 2 days were a perfect example:
On the left, I was bright-eyed and ready to take on the world. On the right, I was completely spent.
Tonight, I treated myself to a sound bath on Jax Beach. It reminded me that my choices—both the easy and the hard ones—brought me here. I wouldn’t change a thing. I’ve grown so much. And I hope I’ll continue to serve small business owners and fellow solopreneurs who need someone to believe in their vision and bring it to life.
But I’m tired.
Personal
I don’t know about you, but for me, it’s all personal.
I’m burned out. I’m grieving. And I’m trying to navigate a world where AI is making everyone feel like a digital marketing expert overnight. I love innovation—and yes, I even use tools like ChatGPT—but it’s disheartening when my years of experience are dismissed because someone thinks a bot can do it all.
Here’s the reality:
I have an MBA in Marketing.
I’ve taught marketing at my alma mater, UCF.
I’ve spent over 20 years honing my craft.
And I run a successful creative agency rooted in strategy, intention, and heart.
I’m not here just to “make things pretty.” I’m your strategic partner, your biggest fan, and your #1 cheerleader. I help bring your purpose to life. End of rant.
Now, for the rawest part of this post:
I miss my dad.
And honestly, "miss" doesn’t even come close.
I had the honor of helping care for him during the last few months of his life, and it was an experience that changed me forever. The grief is immense, complex, and still very fresh.
I’ve started attending a local grief support group, and I plan to keep going for as long as I need. I believe my dad is still with me—cheering me on just like he always did.
In September, my mom and I are traveling to Pennsylvania to celebrate his life with friends and loved ones who knew and adored him. I know he’ll be there with us in spirit.
Other (aka: Life)
Here’s what I’ve learned lately: I show up like the bright, smiling woman on the left—and the tired, overwhelmed one on the right. Sometimes within the same hour.
Life is not for the faint-hearted.
It’s been hard. Hard. And not in a surface-level, Instagram-caption kind of way. It’s been exhausting, heartbreaking, and humbling. But I still have so much to be grateful for.
I get to walk my sweet pup, Blue, on the beach every morning. I get to create for a living. I get to help people believe in themselves and their dreams.
I crave time with this guy and the unconditional love and support he brings me.
And I’m surrounded by some truly wonderful people. If you’ve loved me a little extra over the last eight months, thank you. You’ve made a difference.
(Also worth mentioning: my closest friend in Jacksonville nearly died of a heart attack in April. She miraculously survived and is now on the road to recovery. Another reminder of how fragile and precious life is.)
So yeah… maybe I shouldn’t share all this.
Maybe I should be more filtered. More polished.
But I believe in telling the truth—even when it’s messy.
So here it is:
Be humble. Be grateful. Be kind.
And if you’re not okay all the time, you’re in good company.
Thanks for reading.
Aimee
