When I first started in business I naively thought the route to success would be easy. How could it not be, seeing as I had planned everything out perfectly and had every kind of support I needed, from funding to a great partnership to our very own, gorgeous office + studios?

Of course – things don’t always go to plan. I didn’t plan for a miscarriage, or complete business failure – both of which ultimately led me to leaving that business. But in doing so, and with gratitude to that business, I learned it was ok to let go of things that no longer served me.

When I formed my next business, my accessory brand – again, I thought I had planned for success. And this time I found financial freedom, and more of the glamour and luxury I had imagined, but I did not have freedom.

I was a slave to my business, and I didn’t know how to escape it, and at that time I didn’t know about or understand processes which would allow my business to grow, whilst still enabling me to be a present mother to my two-then baby girls, and a present wife (let alone attend to my own personal needs). Scaling and outsourcing were alien to me. So I let go of this business, as it was no longer serving me, and I could no longer serve it.

My third business eventually gave me time freedom when I learned how to use sustainable (and relatively ‘passive’) income models – I wrote books and created a membership program. This then challenged me yet again, in another way – I had my initial business in photography which I loved, and was growing beautifully to the point where I was able to support my husband in leaving his job, and become the breadwinner of our family.

But now another business was emerging as clients began to request private mentoring and coaching, and I didn’t want to split my time and attention between both this, and photography.  Ultimately, the call to stay home with my baby girls won, and my love of teaching (Before I started my second business, I taught in secondary schools). Private mentoring and coaching fulfilled my lifestyle and personal goals.

Yet in the middle of all of the success, I still was not entirely fulfilled, or happy. I felt I needed to pull away and find out what success really meant to me. I sold my teaching and content platform business, to a silicon valley tech firm,. It was not an easy decision. But it was the right one. The time away from my own businesses (I still kept my private mentoring clients, wrote the odd personal blog, and partnered on another online business in the meantime during my time away)! gave me deeper focus, and understanding of what success had always been about for me.

Right since day one, all I had ever wanted to do was support women. My accessory brand was bohemian-inspired, conveying messages of freedom. When brides wore my pieces, I wanted them to feel beautiful, upheld.

In my photography, I wanted women to see how beautiful they really were. How loved. How strong, how amazing.

And in my coaching practice, I wanted to support women in seeing how strong, how powerful, how capable they are, how perfectly capable we are of achieving everything we desire, when we have the tools we need.

My purpose has always been about supporting women to find their freedom, and to flourish. Knowing my purpose has always kept me moving forward, even through the tough times.

Knowing my purpose has helped me to be able to let go of businesses that no longer worked, released clients who I could no longer serve in the way either of us needed, and release even money at a time when I believed I needed it.

Because what I have learned above all, is that you have to give yourself to permission to find your own version of success. For some people that will mean clinging to one thing like it’s a life raft and working and working and working at it – finding success one step at a time. For others, like me, success is a much more multi-passionate path of exploration and growth.

When I started my first business, the video production company, over a decade ago, I thought that was all I would ever do for the rest of my life. I had no idea my businesses and life would end up this way – but I’m so glad it has.

The only way that is right is your way – no matter what people say. (And people will say something, from the parents who don’t seem to support or encourage you, to the complaint client, or the industry whispers).

That, too, is another twist in the road. You learn to just carry on blooming, regardless.

It’s not that you won’t mess up – I’ve messed up too many times to count – but what matters most is that you overcome it. As a creative and typical innovator-starter, my biggest weakness has always been on delivery and follow-through, which with Freedom + Flourish I’ve finally overcome by providing instantly-accessible materials, streamlining my systems, and hiring a stronger support team. In fact, in the Belbin personality test (find out your type here) I’m a typical Plant personality type –

Big on ideas, needs support with growth.

And so do all of us– which is why Freedom + Flourish exists in the first place. I’ve been blessed to be able to create businesses that support my personal and physical freedoms. I homeschool my kids and we are a digital nomad family – currently located in Thailand after three glorious years in the mediterranean, and one in a chateau in France.

And my goal – our goal, here at Freedom & Flourish – is enable you to do the same, no matter what success looks like for you.

Whether that’s rising to the top of your industry or healing women around the world, writing a bestseller or building a luxury brand; making one million or living the digital nomad life and traveling the world while you work – blogging from home with your kids, empowering your partner to leave their jobs, or running an entire team of people as you flourish –

We aren’t here to tell you that your path should look a certain way. We – I – am here to support you and have your back as you carve out your own- and equip you with the tools needed to be able to do so.

Flourishing comes when you have the wisdom and strength to be able to leave behind not just the expectations of others, but your own expectations of how you thought success would arrive.

Because it almost never arrives quite as you imagine – but if you can just hold on, it will arrive.

To your flourishing, and to your freedom.

Charlie xo

PS

Check out our programs here. They’re life-changing yet easily- implementable in your business – and designed especially for you if you’re budget-savvy.

Get one step further down the path and get started here, now.