I had always been the epitome of corporate success. As Vice President of Technology at a growing, regional bank, I had spent over fifteen years in consulting climbing the ladder, driving innovation, and managing high-stakes projects. My days were filled with meetings, strategy sessions, team management, and analysis. From the outside, I had it all: a lucrative career, respect from peers, and a lifestyle that I always dreamed of.

But beneath the polished exterior and the boss woman persona, I felt a void. My passion for business and technology, while still strong, was no longer enough to sustain me. I longed for something different—something more creative and personally fulfilling. The catalyst for change came at the end of 2023, when I had my fill of 1v1s and heard “you need to smile more” one too many times.

Over the next few months, I started to plan my exit. Contemplating whether or not I wanted to stay in the industry, go back to consulting, I did some soul searching and quickly realized I wanted out—totally. I didn’t want to work in corporate, I didn’t want to work for the ‘man.’ I was tired of the rhetoric, and the double standard put on women leaders in the workplace. I was nervous. Scared even. I am risk averse—my husband’s the dreamer, not me. What was I going to do with myself? The financial impact of me quitting my job was not lost on me and to be honest, kept my mind racing many nights. Taking some down time to reset and be present with my husband and my son, yes made sense—but really, what the hell was I going to do now?

Flowers. I have loved them since I was a kid. Often picking ‘wildflowers,’ weeds for my Mom and Grammy, I turned my love into a hobby and eventually a side hustle freelancing for friends and family when called upon. I find solace in the rhythm of arranging flowers and the joy in creating beauty from nature. I love working with clients to create something not just ‘pretty,’ but unique, meaningful, something that elicits an emotion.

So I made the bold decision to turn my side hustle into a real business. I handed in my resignation in March 2024 and took a leap of faith into the world of floral design. I was driven by my passion for flowers while following in my Dad’s footsteps of being my own boss. With the support of my husband and family, I opened Primrose & Ruth Floral Design and I am never, ever looking back.