To All My Loyal Customers:
As many of you already know, I will be taking a maternity leave from November 2019 – February 2020. I have intimated to many clients recently that in March, when I return, my schedule will be changing significantly.
The day after my birthday about a month ago, I had a nervous breakdown followed immediately by a stroke of inspiration. Many of you are aware that I chose to follow my dream of owning a witchy shop after I was unexpectedly left alone in my current space and looking for a way to make up the difference in lost income from losing the two booth renters I’d originally moved into the space with and counting on to pay the bills. It had been a long time coming to pursue this opportunity.
Unfortunately, not all dreams are as wonderful as we envision them to be. People tell me all the time how amazed they are that I own and run (effectively) two small businesses with a family of five. The truth is that while on the outside everything may have appeared peachy, it has been a harrowing and difficult experience. While I have greatly enjoyed bringing what this shop offers to the local community, it has taken a serious toll on my personal, mental, and spiritual health. It has made a big dent in my ability to mother my children and participate in family events the way I would like to. On top of this, I have been feeling for years now the weight of doing a job that I am no longer passionate about.
When I first started in this industry all I could think about was dreadlocks 24/7. I was constantly researching, trawling message boards and online communities, watching videos, and (not least of all) learning techniques by trial and error on my own head. I was a woman possessed. When I discovered I had a talent for it, things exploded. I view(ed) this work as art and enjoyed it greatly. The problem with making a hobby or a passion your day-to-day work, is that eventually, it BECOMES work and it FEELS like work. I no longer feel the fire that I once felt and I have felt like I was going through the motions for a long time. I have been tired of doing the same thing day in and day out.
So, as of October 15th, 2019 I will be closing the doors to my retail location in Enfield, CT. Following the closing of the shop (in October) and my maternity leave (returning in March), I will be re-opening for my dreadlock clients and operating out of the shed studio space at my private home. My hours will be cut back significantly from approximately 34 hours a week to 26 hours. (For exact availability, check out my booking site!) Keep an eye out for the NEW address in your Spring 2020 confirmation e-mails!)
This cut back in hours is to make time in my schedule to go back to school full time. The program I intend on entering should take approximately 2.5 years to complete. At that point, when I finish school, I plan to wean myself completely off of doing dreadlock work entirely (or as close to entirely as humanly possible as I do have some barter and trade arrangements that I absolutely intend to continue making good on!).
After nearly a decade of dreadlocks, I am ready for the next big thing. And the next big thing is acquiring the skills to work a job that will give me all the things that being self-employed can’t: The ability to leave work at work and to completely and fully enjoy every second of my time not working being a mother to my (soon-to-be) four amazing kids and being the wife to my extremely supportive (dare I say, perfect) husband. I am ready to reap the rewards of my hard work by taking active steps to enjoying this beautiful life the Universe as heaped so graciously onto my lap.
I intend to continue carrying dreadlock products (shampoo, head bands, beads, etc.) as well as a few other relevant items from my shop (essential oils, incense, sage); small things that I can easily display in this new, much smaller space. So, you will still be able to acquire shampoo when you come to your appointments!
That all said, thank you all so much for being so wonderful and stick by me so loyally for the last 10 years. Thank you all for your understanding as I go through this huge life and career change that is ahead of me.
Blessings
~ Avani