I’ve shared bits and pieces of how this business and blog came to be and how it has evolved over the years in videos and journal posts, but never the full picture all at once… so if you’ve got a few minutes, grab a cup of tea and settle in to hear the full She Holds Dearly story.

It all started in 2015…

I was at a women’s weekend retreat with a group of homeschool moms from a co-op we were part of, and I was walking the trails around my parent’s beach house and felt the Lord calling me to start a blog.

At that time, I felt like it was going to be about me doing furniture makeovers. That was all the rage then, and I was really inspired by both Miss Mustard Seed, and Chip & Joanna Gaines.

When I got home from the retreat I told Colby all about it, and he laughed and reminded me that I typically can’t even fix the printer when it stops working. He wasn’t sure how I was going to be able to set up a complete blog. He was also concerned about the logistics of storing furniture and hauling it to and from purchases.

He was right about the furniture. That would have been a big hassle, and we did not go down that path.

I proved him wrong about the blog, however!

For the next 6 months, I prayed A LOT, took online classes learning how to set up blogs, photography courses, and classes on painting furniture.

I also spent a lot of time in prayer to decide what to name the blog. To this day, I can look back and see the anointing the Lord has given the name he gave to me to use.

She Holds Dearly is Born.

“She Holds Dearly”

At the time, it came to me and resonated as someone who loved our old Farmhouse and all things vintage and unique and wanted to hold them dearly and breathe new life into them.

Looking back now, I realize it’s grown in such a beautiful way. It’s no longer just ME loving old things and making them beautiful, but loving and encouraging the growth of women, as well.

And it’s no longer just about what I hold dearly. The “she” encompasses any woman who believes these same values. Each one can put herself in the phrase: “____________ holds dearly”.

It’s for all the women catching vision for inside their homes and their ministries outside of their homes; for starting businesses and using their creativity to bless others.

It has become a whole group of us holding our homes and each other dearly.

Flash Forward to the beginning of 2016…

After those six months of researching and preparing, I found myself ready to begin. I was so nervous about putting myself out in the public, since leading up to this stage, I had been quite a private person.

I was also coming out of a very painful season with hurtful relationships with women that made it hard to want to be vulnerable.

And yet, vulnerability comes with the territory when you’re starting a business and opening a public social media account.

My hands literally shook as I posted my first time to my new Instagram account.

I opened a Pinterest account under the business name instead of my own profile, and began building boards and laying a foundation.

Then in January 2016 – I launched the blog (now called the Journal)!

At the time I launched, I had four blog posts prepared that I published.

• Finding Our Way Home
• Master Bathroom Remodel Begins
• How to Write Anything on a Chalk Board
• Narnia Party

And just like that – a blog was born.

The She Holds Dearly Story Continued…

I had never quite fit in with the high-end interior designer world. I noticed a lot of sterility and wastefulness, where my heart was instead drawn to restoring old things and thrifting.

Once we started the blog, I feel like I truly found alignment in where the Lord wanted me to be.

I can see that even now, years later that the different aspects of my history lead me to right where I am today.

• My formal interior design training
• Desiring to Work with Women
• Being a Homeschool Teacher for 20 years.

It’s amazing to see how they’ve all come together to form the She Holds Dearly of today.

But I’m jumping ahead…

The summer of 2016 I was able to attend my first Haven Conference in Georgia. This was a huge step for me to be able to meet others doing what I wanted to do.

It was there I met a few ladies you might know of:

• Lisa Bass (Farmhouse on Boone)
• Deb Foglia (Seeking Lavender Lane)
• Cami Graham (Tidbits)
• Lauren Shaver (Bless’er House)
• Rachel Paxton (Maison de Pax)

• Liz Marie Galvan (Liz Marie Blog)
• Marian Parsons (Miss Mustard Seed)
• Brooke Riley (Re-Fabbed)

It was a beautiful time to link arms with fellow creative women branching out into the online world. We shared together over meals and some of us even roomed together.

The first Haven Conference I attended was a pivotal moment in the She Holds Dearly story.

There are a few such moments that stand out in a similar way to me as I look back, and I was so blessed to realize that each time I’ve had one of those stand-out pivotal moments for SHD – there were women around me, involved in the process. I don’t think that was coincidental.

The last class I took at the conference that year was about making e-courses. I’ve heard it joked that no one wants to teach the final class at a packed conference like this because all of the attendees will be too exhausted to be engaged. Well for me, this was the most special of the classes I attended during my time there.

I came home so excited, and built and launched my first course, “Finding Time to Hold Dearly” in 2017.

After I launched, that course made $5,000 – which was an amazing accomplishment for me! At that time, the blog had made maybe $500 over the course of the entire first year, so to take a leap of faith and have it pay off in such a big way was huge.

If I had more time, I’d share more details about the miraculous provisions from the Lord that included making a way for me to attend Haven, providing for my camera gear, and more.

A New Chapter Approaches in the She Holds Dearly Story…

After my first successful course, I followed it up with a few additional ones (Decluttering Program & Meals Made Easy), and then Haven 2018 came around!

It was there that Lisa Bass (Farmhouse on Boone) told me she had made and published her first YouTube video about making potato soup.

She also told me that year that she believed things were going to be making a shift from blog-based to video-based in the coming years.

I remember being nervous about the idea. Being vulnerable in writing is one thing – but being on camera is a whole new level of vulnerability and personal connection.

I didn’t stop feeling nervous about the idea – but I went ahead and dove in. My first published YouTube video was about arm-knitting a blanket.

Looking back, it’s not my finest work – but it certainly began a new season! And it was a season where I felt I could be so much more connected to the She Holds Dearly community!

It was also a big boost for the business.

New Opportunity…

In 2019 I had a business coach that mentioned I should start a subscription service with a monthly group. His advice is that once you learn about it and decide that you’re going to do it, that you should build and launch it within 8 weeks. He said to get your founding members, offer them a reduced price and build as you go!

So I did it.

I sat down and planned out 1 year in advance, and then I started Behind the Scenes with 20 ladies paying $20 a month.

There were some rocky early days learning the tech side of things, but the ladies hung it out with me – with a few still being part of the class to this day, five years later!

(Angela, Alisa, Laurie & Lynn – thank you for taking a chance on me!)

The Growth of Behind the Scenes as part of the She Holds Dearly Story

Behind the Scenes quickly became one of my favorite parts of the job. It brought about a new level of bonding and connection with the ladies who were part of the She Holds Dearly community that we couldn’t experience otherwise.

Between that first day and now, we’ve had over 600 ladies come through the group!

Each month we spend one week focusing on editing our homes to create a place where our families and design can flourish. Then another learning practical interior design skills. Another digging deep into heart issues and our relationship with the Lord; and finally, the fourth Thursday of each month is open to consultations where I can answer specific questions the members have about their homes.

While consultations are no longer a bit part of my business, I do offer consultations on a one-hour paid zoom call, but for the ladies in my group, they have access to me each month as part of their subscription in a way no one else does.

We open only a few times a year to let new members into the group so that we can nurture growing friendships – and if you’re reading this before December 30, 2024 – you’re in luck because we’re open NOW to accept new members.

If this story of connection with fellow creative women is striking at a place in your heart that you realize has been desperate for friendship – please come join us.

If you are reading this after December 30, 2024 – you can join the Waitlist HERE to be notified as soon as we open next!

Bringing in Support…

My daughter has been alongside me through most of the She Holds Dearly journey – as my right hand helper, photographer and editor. For years it was just the two of us as “employees”.

In the beginning of 2020, I stepped out and hired my virtual assistant, Anne – who was a friend from church. We had gotten to know each other while working together during the summer of 2019 at our church’s “Kids Camp”/VBS and had realized early on that we got along well and that our skills and weaknesses complemented each other’s perfectly.

This was the beginning of a season of getting to have near daily conversations with someone who knows what’s going on and believes in me and in the vision of She Holds Dearly and brings her own talents to the table.

Having other minds alongside mine was another key step in taking the business to another level.

Anne likes to joke that coincidentally the first blog & video we published after she joined the team was the Farmhouse Tour which quickly went viral and is the my top performing video on the YouTube channel. There are Less than 12,000 views until that video will have been watched 1 million times.

And before I move on to the rest of 2020, I have to note that if you have a business and are wanting it to grow – you can’t do it all yourself. At some point, you’ll have to be brave and hand off things to people that you can trust. It’s scary, but it equates to growth! And the results can be beautiful.

The rest of 2020, while filled with upheaval the world around, was actually very sweet in the context of Behind the Scenes. We had been using zoom already for a year and had worked out our technical kinks, and it was a real respite to be able to visit with each other weekly, even through the parts of 2020 where we were the most isolated from our other activities.

Back where it all started…

It wasn’t until I was preparing all of my notes for creating this journal post that I realized that the very first time we held our now annual blogger retreat, we held it at the same beach house that I had the original inspirations to begin She Holds Dearly.

Our annual bloggers retreat has been another pivotal way to learn about and grow the business.

It started with just myself, Lisa Bass (Farmhouse on Boone), Cami Graham (Tidbits), and Andrea Francavilla (Pine & Prospect Home); and has since grown to include Sarah Symonds (Grace in my Space) and Kristen Hoffman (YouTube).

This retreat is a place where we can ask industry questions, share connections, talk about pricing and new advancements, and receive unbiased feedback about our different decisions and goals.

It has been so sweet to have these ladies in my corner, encouraging me and challenging me to reach for more.

I share more in a recent YouTube video about how special these friendships are. You can watch the video HERE.

The She Holds Dearly Story hasn’t ALL been Beautiful.

I should add a caveat that while most of what I’ve shared here has been the highlights of the journey – there has been a good share of lows.

There have been countless all-nighters, lots of tears, and many times where, for one reason or another, I wanted to quit.

But each time, I realize God is still in it, and He wants me to keep going.

I’ve also received so many notes and letters from women who have been impacted, especially by the Behind the Scenes class. I keep all of those letters in a folder and review them on days when I am feeling discouraged. Knowing that the Lord is using me and Behind the Scenes to reach women who are lonely and hurting helps to right my perspective on the hard parts of running the business.

Moving on To Present Day

In 2022, I launched my first ever physical product in the form of my linen Design Binders!

Designing these binders was a dream of mine, and took over a year of planning and communicating back and forth with the factory who produced them for us to make sure that they covered all of the details I wanted them to include.

There is something so special knowing that I’ve created a beautiful, heirloom quality product that will actually be in the hands & homes of ladies from She Holds Dearly.

2023 was a huge year.

First, we opened the Elite Decorating Academy. 24 hours worth of comprehensive interior design teaching recorded, edited, and uploaded along with a workbook and transcripts… it was a monumental task!

Every time I look back on the hard work I know it was so worth it! This course is helping women learn design and giving them a launching point to begin tackling their home projects and even taking on clients of their own.

I’m so proud of each of the EDA graduates and love hearing what they’ve accomplished since finishing the course.

During that same time, we were also able to hire a professional graphic designer to help us with a rebrand and overhaul of our website.

I love looking back at a timeline of our site and how it’s changed over the years. The old site wasn’t bad – but the new upgrades helped kick it into a new ballpark.

It was a real “glow up” and made our site feel professional and high end.

Here’s how it looked in 2018:

And some of my earliest branding guidelines. Can you tell that I’ve loved these same colors for years?

Our logo and tag-line probably saw the most small changes throughout the years.

A Bespoke Retreat for Women…

The last detail of 2023 was our first ever in-person Bespoke Design Retreat.

Oh, there’s just no comparison. I got to meet and squeeze some of my Behind the Scenes gals in person for the very first time, along with 20+ ladies who again, took a chance on me and my idea and helped make one of my dreams come true.

It was four days that felt like heaven. Women in relationship the way God intended. We were like-minded, and were all interested in connecting with each other and caring for one another. It was simply beautiful.

We repeated the retreat again in 2024 and it was also lovely and life-giving. I wrote out all the details of both retreats in a recent Journal Post HERE.

Bespoke 2025 is already saved in the calendar and is constantly on my mind as I plan and even think beyond about the years ahead. I have a desire to hold multiple retreats in future years, and to move them around the country to see more of the many inspiring places throughout the US.

Looking Ahead – What’s Next in the She Holds Dearly Story

And that brings us to today. At the time I’m writing this post, we’re in the last few days of 2024 with 2025 waiting right around the corner.

I’m excited about what is to come, and can’t wait to see how the Lord works through me and this company this year.

• I can’t wait to meet the new ladies who join Behind the Scenes
• I am looking forward to seeing what Bespoke 2025 holds
• And there’s something brand new on the horizon: Seasonal Decor Boxes & Live workshops…!

I’m not releasing too many details just yet – but if you’d like to hear more when they’re ready, please join the waitlist below!

Final Thoughts about the She Holds Dearly Story

And with that, we’re just about at a close. The last encouragement I’d like to leave you with is that if you’re a small business owner or a blogger or in any other similar situation, remember that an “arrival” is just a mirage.

There’s no exact number of followers on social media, or monthly revenue that will once and for all make you feel like you’ve completely made it and are done. It’s a continual process of following God, and paying attention to what your people need. You’ll have to be brave and willing to try new things. Stay curious, and always stay flexible and willing to pivot as things change.

Stay committed to showing up daily and doing good work. Be comfortable in the process of being stretched from one comfort zone to another. Your growth will happen in between.

And last, but certainly not least – remember that connections with others, especially fellow creative women will be a great encouragement and a helpful challenge for you – to draw you onward and further in your growth and success.

The thread weaving all of this story together continues to be myself allowing the women that God has surrounded me with to speak into my life and business.

Thank YOU for being part of the She Holds Dearly story.

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