Seven. 7. What comes to mind when you hear the number seven? I personally love the number seven. It has a very nice ring to it. It is the number of days that it took God to create the world. It is associated with super hero spies like James Bond, 007! Many consider it very lucky.

For me today, it represents growth and development. You see it was seven years ago that I decided to leave corporate America and take the risk to start my first business. Over the past few weeks, I have had an opportunity to do some serious thinking, dwelling, and soul searching. I think those are great cleansing phases.

I have a dear sweet friend that I just adore. She is a business role model for me. I just think the world of her. I believe she is super! She is sweet, kind, generous, creative, fun to be around, but above all she is a hard worker. She has this amazing work ethic. She too stepped out seven years ago to start her own business. Today, her business has grown by leaps and bounds. She is abundantly blessed because she pours sweat, blood, tears, her heart and her time into her business. She eats it, breathes it, and lives it every day. I admire her so much for what she has accomplished. Recently on this cleansing phase, I started thinking what would “LA” do? She is no non-sense. If it does not fit into two categories, then it is just time wasting “stuff.” The two categories are: Family and Business. She did not get to where she is today by modeling my business plan!! Ha, Ha, Ha!!

I too have a strong work ethic, but I have lacked focused, diligence, discipline, and consistency. Now, all of these things are deep down inside of me and have been all the time- which is something I have come to realize over the past few weeks. I started modeling my mind set after my friend. Does what I am doing fall into Family and/or Business? If not, then it needs to go. My focus needs to be on Family and Business.

My friend, Laurie Anna of Laurie Anna’s Vintage Home in Canton, has spent the past seven years establishing herself in her field and establishing her business. She has built her brand. I, on the other hand, have spent the last seven years spending my time thinking I was in business but building someone else’s brand (ex. Networking groups, Community projects, etc.). While she has arrived, I was soul searching. Don’t get me wrong, both are good and necessary. I am not her and she is not me. We both were on similar paths but not the same. I have to run my race and she hers. I have been in the making while she has been establishing.

I am very thankful for friends like Laurie Anna. I am also very thankful for grace. And I am thankful for the path that I have been on. I would not be the artist I am today if I had not stepped on a few of those stones!

Proverbs 31 has been an inspiration during these past few weeks.
Proverbs 31:10-31 The Wife of Noble Character
I highly encourage you to read it, digest it, and live it. She is the perfect model for all of us women- stay at home moms, entrepreneurs, corporate CEO’s, etc. to live up to. She was a business woman. She took care of her household. She was beautiful. She was successful. She was a hard worker.

My friend, Laurie Anna, is a perfect living example of a Proverbs 31 woman! Thank you Laurie Anna for being a living inspiration.

Simply Free to Be Me,

Deidra “Dee Dee” Roe