How I Turned A Daydream Into A New Career

Excuse me as I get a bit reflective.

Sweet Potato Season was a big hit.  However, it would’ve never happened if I never got the “crazy idea” to start Pupcake Sugar in the first place.

A few years ago, I was working at BarkScent Media as a Marketing Manager.  My job was simple.  Take a pup’s “crazy idea” and turn it into a cultural experience.  I learned so much in this role, like managing a team, coordinating several projects at once and the importance of understanding the numbers.  I even got a cool mentor out of the deal.  Thanks for all the advice, Bean!

Although I learned a lot at BarkScent and had a great experience, I knew in my heart that this job wasn’t my forever career home.  My plan was to learn as much as I could and to make plans for what I really wanted to do; start my own business.  And since I wasn’t sure what that business would be, I took every opportunity participate in a project knowing that “crazy idea” would hit me at some point.

The last place I thought my “crazy idea” would hit me was at the office potluck.  I’m not a fan of office potlucks at all.  Plain and simple.  I don’t eat every pup’s food.  However, in the world of BarkScent, it doesn’t look good to not participate.  So, my contribution…. pupcakes.  Not only because I love to bake, but because I wanted something I’d knew I’d be able to eat.

The pups in the office loved them.  After about the fifth compliment and “Who made the pupcakes?,” I jokingly replied “I’ll make sure they’re on the menu when I open my pupcakery.”

And, there it was, my “crazy idea.”  The one that would inspire me to take my career into a new direction.  The chance to turn my love of baking pupcake into a business of my own.  Or, shall I say a pupcake experience.

I used to sit in meetings at work daydreaming about the day I’d be able to leave BarkScent and pursue my new business full time.  But, was unsure how I was going to get started with all the demands of my job. But, I was reminded of this quote I’ve heard time and time again.

A daydream is a “crazy idea” that turns into a vision.  It’s an idea that’s so close to your heart that the only way to forget about is to turn it into a reality.  And since this pupcakery daydream wasn’t going away, I knew it was time for me to go for it.

You can see it, feel it and play out the entire scenario in your mind.  So, that got me thinking.  If I my pupcakery was still showing up in my daydreams, then giving up on it was not an option.

I promised myself that I’d take at least one step towards making my daydream a reality every day.  I also promised myself that no project from BarkScent or anything else was going to distract me from fulfilling that dream.

And, those daily steps paid off.  Pupcake Sugar is more than a daydream come true.  It’s my dream career.  My “crazy idea” has transitioned to a barking reality.  But, I’d love to hear from you.

What small steps are you taking each day to turn your daydream into a reality?

Now, let’s dish about my first step.  I knew that if I wanted my daydream to become real then it was going to have to live in more than just my head.  So, I turned to my BFFs.  And, that story is now in your inbox.

Did you miss it?  No worries.  Catch more of the Pupcake Sugar shenanigans when you subscribe to Sugar’s Dish.