I LOVE to talk with people, to get to know them, to share life stories, to build connections.  I wasn’t always this way.  When I was a teenager and even into my mid-twenties, I was a huge introvert.  I wouldn’t pick up the phone and call Dominos to order a pizza let alone talk to people I did know.  That was before apps, ordering online, texting, etc.  A lot has changed since then!  Now I love walking into a room full of people, listening to their stories, and sharing mine.  As I have listened to many stories over the years, a couple of common themes stood out.  Among stories of job promotions, new moves, babies, and graduations, were mixed in stories of burnout, overwhelm, anxiety and depression.  I think the pandemic has intensified these stories.  Now my conversations with friends focus on extra responsibilities at work, schedules that are more packed than before, trying to figure out how and when to take time off.  I share many of these same feelings for my own life. 

As it turns out, some of the best ideas come out of unexpected life events, those events that set your life on a new path.  In the fall of 2021, I was rear ended in a car accident that resulted in a double concussion, a moderate TBI.  The amazing people at the concussion clinic said this is your treatment plan which included limiting me to 2-4 hrs of work per day and limiting my screen time.  Wait, what???  I’m a very Type A person and have always packed my days and nights as much as I could.  A Hustler to my core, I now had to figure out how to limit my hustling to 2-4 hrs a day.  My Plan B was to work a few hours in the morning, take a nap mid-day and then work another couple of hours into the afternoon and early evening.  On Day #1 of my concussion treatment I realized Plan B wasn’t going to work.  My brain was starting to heal slowly, I was exhausted from treatment and I had to start shortening my schedule.  Slowing down, even for a limited time, was really hard for me and I’m guessing it would be hard for many Type A personalities like mine.  I felt like I was letting people down if I couldn’t attend a meeting or come to an event.  I felt like I wasn’t being productive with all of my “free” time. 

In order to adjust to my new reality, I had to think differently about hustling and being productive.  I had to start to look at my down time and make sure that I was getting enough down time to rest and reinvigorate myself for my upcoming hustle time.  I had to learn to intentionally choose which meeting or event to attend rather than going to one meeting and leaving early to come late to another meeting held at the same time.  More importantly, I needed to think differently about how and when to slow down, my time that I call my “at rest” time.  I started to talk with others to find out what they do during their ”at rest” time.  Some people were like me, trying to figure out what types of activities helped them to relax while they were winding down.  Other people suggested yoga, pilates, meditation, golf, and hiking.  I started to do guided meditations and found that it worked for me.  Yoga and Pilates didn’t work for me as much, but I like to talk walks with our puppy and hang out with my family.  That is part of my life lessons from this series of life events.  Finding what activities I like to do during my down time, what activities relax me and help to restore my energy during my “at rest” time is an ongoing process.

This is my story and the foundation for my Hustle & Ground company.  This company is all about products to use in the “on the go” side of your life and the “at rest” side of your life.  Many of the products will be Hustle & Ground products, including products designed by us, and products sourced from collaborations with fellow companies.  Hustle & Ground will have a monthly subscription box and special themed individual boxes featuring products from fellow Kansas City makers that relate to the “on the go” and “at rest” lifestyles. I  will also share ideas from business owners and employees of fellow companies on what they do in their “at rest” time and how they rejuvenate.   

I have several mottos that form the core values of Hustle & Ground.One of my favorite mottos is Lift as I Rise.I am at the start of my Hustle & Ground journey and as I raise up this company, I want to shine a light on fellow Kansas City companies and makers across the country.Another motto is that It is important to be active and involved in your community.There will be times throughout the year where Hustle & Ground will give away product to different groups in the community, including teachers, nurses, and veterans.Volunteering and being involved in my community has been an integral part of who I am for a long time.I met my husband of 20 years volunteering in East Atlanta at an elementary school.It is important to not only be located in a community, but to be in the community and support that community.