For the past ten months, I've been spending 100% of my time on Storitopia, building a podcast player for kids. Today it's LIVE in the App Store. Like, you can download MY app, LIVE!
Pinch me, please!!
Ten months ago I left the traditional workforce, having spent more than two decades building a career that I was really proud of. Then something changed. A little over a year ago, as I sat in my home, in the midst of a pandemic, juggling school at home and work at home and home at home, I started thinking long and hard about the health and happiness of my family and really, my health and happiness. I knew we all needed a change.
If I’m totally honest my desire for a change came long before the pandemic and the great resignation. I have been daydreaming for many years about starting my own company, building a business I would be proud to be a part of, and proud of the impact it left. Leaving the comforts of the known for the completely unknown is terrifying. But if you have an idea or a dream, and you share it and allow it to take shape, you might find yourself in a sea of cheerleaders. The roar of support can be enough to push you through every what-if.
As I got more comfortable with the idea that maybe I really could do this thing, it still felt crazy. Like, “Am I completely nuts for jumping out of the career path I’ve spent two decades building?”, kind of crazy. But then my good old-fashioned FOMO hit me. The fear of missing out on building something amazing and cool that I (and maybe others) would be excited and proud to be a part of pushed me straight through all the other fears.
After ten months of hustle, Storitopia, is a published App! I am so incredibly proud of this work. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have a big ugly cry the moment I saw it appear in the app store. That cry was full of tears of utter joy, exhaustion, fear, and gratitude. There are so many people who helped to make this milestone happen. I would run out of room listing them all, but one of the most important lessons I have learned in the last ten months is that people want to help you when you’re building something awesome!
So many wonderful people have offered advice, recommendations, references, feedback, and just plain ol’ cheerleading. These people have been friends, family, former colleagues, friends of friends, friends of family, and even total strangers. I have loved meeting with and learning from so many people in this process.
This milestone is huge, but there is so much work to do. And although I’m optimistic about the future of Storitopia, I’m realistic. It might fail. But whether it fails or succeeds, I will never regret this experience. I will never look back and wonder, “what if?” I will always look forward, lead with my heart full of curiosity and wonder, stay brave and do lots of things that are sometimes a little scary.
I wouldn’t be able to do any of this without the amazing support and encouragement from my family. They have been my biggest cheerleaders and app testers. For those of you who have kids in your lives, please take a look, share Storitopia with friends, colleagues, and family and tell me what you think! #whatsyourstory #storitopia
Download on the App Store today!
Follow us on Instagram for recommendations and new kids' podcast discoveries!
Comments