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You are here: Home / blog & handmade advice / {Quit Your Day Job, featuring Gadanke}

{Quit Your Day Job, featuring Gadanke}

January 19, 2011 · 15 Comments
Filed Under: blog & handmade advice, inspiration, Quit Your Day Job series, shop feature

Editors note:
It has been 8 lovely months since I quit my day job to work on Gussy Sews full time — and to help celebrate the anniversary of this little dream of mine, I’ve got a handful of artists lined up over the next week or so to share their “I quit my day job” story with you :] I’m pumped!

I’m the first to admit how important community is — I would not still be here if it weren’t for the help of community. Click here to see yesterday’s post.

Stay tuned for many more stories of encouragement, inspiration and how-to with my {Quit Your Day Job} mini-series.

*

Bio:

I’m Katie. I’m American; my husband is German. We fly airplanes, eat our vegetables, and bike just about anywhere we can. For us, home is two places: a 480 square foot apartment in Berlin, Germany and – get this – a house made out of hundreds of recycled tires in the Rocky Mountains. I’ve always journaled about our adventures. But we just couldn’t keep it all to ourselves. (The love of fun journals, I mean. NOT the jetlag. I wouldn’t wish that misery on anyone!)

So that’s what I make at Gadanke: travel journals, personal diaries with writing prompts, love letters, baby books, vintage diaries, and scrapbooks. My favorite supplies are European papers and 100% recycled paper.

The Interview:

1. What were some ways you prepared to become a handmade biz owner {your day-to-day schedule, financially, emotionally, etc.}?
My full-time job for over six months was learning German in Berlin. My best friends were Russians and Philippines, which was incredible because the only language we had in common was German. Well, an attempt at garbled German plus a whole lot of wild hand motions and dictionary searches. Being friends with these amazing women gave me worlds of perspective (and laughs).

My mission at Gadanke is to help women write their stories. Your story matters! I use writing prompts to help draw out a lot of those stories. I draw from all the experiences and women I’ve known. The best thing I learned from these girls in Berlin was a feeling of hope… like the hope that we’d ever be able to communicate without getting raised eyebrows and smothered laughs from the Germans at the same cafe!

Taking risks is a huge part of starting a handmade business. Going out there to meet this girls taught me to take risks. Go ahead, Katie – describe a buffalo to someone from the Philippines in a language neither of you can really speak! So while I thought I was just making friends and practicing German…. I was prepping myself to throw caution out the window and launch my dream.

2. Share with us a positive “ah-hah” moment from this process.
I was always afraid of failure. What if I wasn’t good enough? What if I disappointed the people I loved or made a mistake? I struggled with this gremlin for a long time.

My husband and I were back in the US for three months in 2009. He was giving me flying lessons on this teeny gravel runway in the mountains. All of a sudden, he was ready to jump out of the plane as we were taxing along.

“Time for you to solo!” he announced.

I’d say I interpreted his enthusiastic announcement more as, “Okay, Katie! See ya. It’s time for you to go crash and die.”

My face became a flood of tears. I begged him to stay in that plane. There was no way I was taking off in that plane by myself. “Please, please, please. You know I can’t do this.”

So… he didn’t get out. (Hallelujah!)

But then an incredible thing happened. I became less afraid. Two days later, I think I practically kicked him out of the plane! I was ready to fly. Alone.

What’s that got to do with my journal shop? I learned to face my fear. Now each time I start to think, “No, no, no. I can’t do this,” I remember. I give myself a little pep talk about how seriously, if I can fly a plane, sure as heck I can figure this out, too.

That’s become my mantra on facing fear. Do something you never ever thought you could do. It doesn’t have to relate to your business. But it’ll surely help you grow in business.

3. What was the time frame from when you decided you were going to quit to when you actually put in your notice/took some serious steps toward becoming self-employed?
The day we flew back from German this last June {2010} was the day I went for it full-time.

4. What was your first day like as a handmade biz owner? Describe your feelings, were you really excited? Did it seem soooo weird to be home/self-employed? Share this moment with us.
Ha! I was a jetlegged mess. I was a culture shocked wreck!

Coming back home to the United States is always a little confusing to me. My mind doesn’t know how to adjust or speak English to strangers. We flew in an American airline, yet I started speaking German to every stewardess. “Nein, danke.” “Ein bisschen.” “Vegetarisch, bitte.”

Needless to say, I didn’t actually do any business work for several days. I focused on setting up home, getting car insurance, and buying groceries.

5. Do you write out a “schedule” for each day? How do you divide and organize your time?
What can I say? I’ve lived and studied in Germany. That whole prompt and prepared attitude has certainly rubbed off… along with the intense desire to eat a lot of fresh pretzels.

6. What is a current challenge are you facing, and how do you plan to overcome it?
I’m passionate about the environment, so I think it makes sense to use recycled and repurposed materials and domestically produced products in my journal products. As we document life, I believe with all my heart that we should also be preserving it. Finding materials that meet my goals is a constant challenge that I overcome step by step.

7. What are three tips you can to pass along to someone that’s ready to make the leap? :]
Confront your fears.
Know you can do this.
Don’t think of it as leaping. Think of it as flying. (And trust me – there’s nothing more beautiful than a flight when you’re up there, cruising around and knowing just what to do.)

Connect with Katie ~
Blog
Shop
Facebook
Twitter

*

Share with us: What is something you’re afraid of, and how can you stop that feeling of fear?
[come back tomorrow for another feature post!]


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15 Comments
Filed Under: blog & handmade advice, inspiration, Quit Your Day Job series, shop feature

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Comments

  1. katy reitz says

    January 19, 2011 at 7:25 am

    wow! what an amazing story. i’m bookmarking her connections. thank you for sharing this with us!

    Reply
  2. amy cornwell says

    January 19, 2011 at 7:44 am

    This is great…my husband is a pilot of a small plane so her story resonates with me with pilot husbands and small aircraft. What a great, inspirational story. She’s a good writer too :) Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  3. Meg says

    January 19, 2011 at 7:56 am

    Great story, thanks for sharing! I’ve seen her journals before, makes me wish I used one…maybe I should! Oh my, my fears….failing at being a good Christian, mother and wife…not fully pursuing my passions and just giving up…so many other little things that I can’t control! Whew!
    xoxo~Meg

    Reply
  4. Ashley says

    January 19, 2011 at 8:34 am

    This is a great piece! Can’t wait to read all in this series.

    Right now, with a daughter entering pre-teenhood, I fear the things that are coming her way over the next ten years. I know how much I was exposed to and around that I never told my parents about – and I was a pretty squeaky clean teenager! I hate that she’s going to get those rude awakenings and I fear for the mistakes she’ll make. I guess the only way to get rid of the fear is to parent her as best as I can, and make it clear that I’m available to her whenever she needs me.

    Reply
  5. Megan Lane says

    January 19, 2011 at 8:57 am

    wow, sounds like a life full of adventure! what a fun and spirited interview. good for katie!!

    Reply
  6. Abbie Torroll says

    January 19, 2011 at 11:02 am

    So very fun! thanks for sharing your adventurous life with us!!

    Reply
  7. Natalie says

    January 19, 2011 at 11:52 am

    Such an inspiring post!
    I mighty good remedy for fear. I need to put that into practice! Thanks :)

    Reply
  8. Natalie says

    January 19, 2011 at 11:52 am

    *A* not I, sorry.

    Reply
  9. Britanie says

    January 19, 2011 at 12:15 pm

    I am honestly and truly afraid of the dark. I keep trying to get over this fear but it is hard to do alone. Guess I’m just gonna have to do it.

    Reply
  10. Abby says

    January 19, 2011 at 12:33 pm

    Oh my word! I LOVE her journals! I’m so bad about wanting to journal, but not knowing what to write about. The silly journal looks like tons of fun and I know I’ll have to get the travel journal before I *eventually* travel to Europe. Thanks for featuring Katie today! :]

    Reply
  11. Kate @ Songs Kate Sang says

    January 19, 2011 at 1:53 pm

    Oh, what a wonderful post full of encouragement! I needed that today! Great job, Katie!

    Reply
  12. Jen says

    January 19, 2011 at 10:58 pm

    I love the advice to do something you never thought you could do even if it’s not business related.

    Reply
  13. Kim says

    January 19, 2011 at 11:37 pm

    I am very inspired by your Quit Your Day Job post. I hope to one day have a developed skill that allows me to have the choice.

    Reply
  14. Katie @ Making This Home says

    January 24, 2011 at 8:43 pm

    Did I say thanks yet for doing this awesome series and including me?

    …thanks a million times over! :)
    Katie

    Reply
  15. ray ban aviator says

    May 12, 2014 at 11:49 am

    tasante.com

    Reply

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ABOUT MAGGIE WHITLEY DESIGNS:
Maggie Whitley weaves her writings around joy in motherhood, homemaking, faith, and simple living. She homeschools her children, enjoys a quiet room while reading, and roars with laughter over the challenges & delights of motherhood. Maggie and her husband, along with their four young children, live in metro-Detroit. She has been writing online since 2008.
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JOY in motherhood & homemaking 🧺🌿💓✨

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It was the perfect opportunity to rearrange the fu It was the perfect opportunity to rearrange the furniture as we took the tree down Tuesday midday. Def one of my fav things to do.🎄👋🏻 We made it through our first week back to school since mid-December! It was rough to begin but ended with high fives. ⭐️✏️This morning I zoomed with a mama friend and I’m impressed with the many topics we covered. Sisterhood is sooooo necessary! ☕️👩🏽‍🤝‍👩🏼

Just a few cheery memories from my week! How about you?
Book reading! One of my best “Maggie” activiti Book reading! One of my best “Maggie” activities. I finished my last book moments before 2020 ended, which brought my started list to a close. Small joys add up to big joys ;)

What are you reading this year? Currently?

How many books are you planning to read? What’s your goal?

I’ll share what’s on my list for 2021 soon as I received some nice titles at Christmas. 📖✨🤍
We’re driving home in the dark of the winter nig We’re driving home in the dark of the winter night after a beautiful, hard & intentional couple of days working on a project ✨I’m committed to work on this this year; 2021 is already great. 🤩🤐😘
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One song in particular comes to mind:

“We step into Freedom. 
We step into all you have for us.” -Bethel Music & Jenn Johnson

There IS freedom from the anxiety attacks. For me: music, scripture, eating healthy, vitamins, rest, crying, prayer, honesty — these things help tremendously. Also getting up and MOVING when my anxiety sits on me like a boulder, that helps too. 🖤

Another soothing truth is from the end of Psalm 34:19 — “many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the lord delivers him of them all.”

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Thanks for coming along with me to the pool, nature trails, the park, hosting friends in our backyard, reading adventures, popcorn & movie night, art, planting flowers, planting a garden, bike rides, neighborhood walks, lake swimming, and supplying the ice cream truck w/ roughly $84 this summer. 

I loved our time together! 🥰🧒🏼👩🏻👧🏼🧒🏻

And the great news is this: we have autumn to enjoy together, too! 👏🏻🌾🍃🍂 so thankful.
Even if you don’t have students learning at home Even if you don’t have students learning at home, these ten “field trip” ideas will give your day a boost. 

When your mind feels foggy, step outside. When your home feels too small or too big, step outside. When the bickering is loud or your internal criticism is high, step outside. 

Give yourself (and your family) the joy of an adventure away from the home. 

🌾Visit my blog for the full post, link in profile or #maggiewhitleydotcom
It’s come to my realization there’s plenty of It’s come to my realization there’s plenty of time these days to craft a letter when I wash dishes, take my kids on a walk, or take care of our garden. All that silence, it makes my internal monologue even louder 🤣. 

Many times we are out & about in the neighborhood and I think, “oh the flowers surrounding your porch are lovely!” Or, “wow” (to the elderly man) “you have such a great smile, thanks for sharing it with us!” Wouldn’t it be great to jot that down in a card and send it through the mail as well?

We are always in need of community & kind words! 🌷💬

I remember many years ago, when nearly pregnant with another baby and our personal finances were THE PITS, my best friend came over with $500 cash. Just to bless us. She also included a personal note. Of course, I’ve always known how special personal notes are, but this card really meant so much.

And so I’ve decided as the year-end nears: wouldn’t it be nice to send a letter a week for the final 20 weeks we have left in 2020. Me thinks so 🙂. 

Community & kind words: I’m coming for you!

PS. wanna join me in sending 20 cards by Dec. 31?
🖤working on our school room, mid-process update 🖤working on our school room, mid-process update! this wall is inspired by @mygrandparentschair 👏🏻 

I saw her feature in a recent issue of “Better Homes & Gardens” and I was all 🤩🤩over her foyer. I’m using 1/2” black masking tape (mistake-making friendly) instead of paint, also renter friendly. 

Working on this project has been so good for my mental health. Doing > worrying.
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