Hey there, I’m Amara. I’m a clothing shop owner, home cook, true crime enthusiast, and veteran ginger ale connoisseur.
I genuinely believe that you can build your dream business without destroying yourself in the process. My obsession with proving this spawned Bloom and Feast. This blog is for you if you’re craving…
- a distinctive, mission-driven online business
- effective systems to achieve your goals
- a nourished mind and body
- connection with like minded entrepreneurs
The truth is, I’m craving the same things. I’ve learned so much about building an online business from running my fashion resale shop. But it’s time for something new. I want to finally focus on building this blog, which has been on my heart to do for years. I’m obsessed with the journey of entrepreneurship. I’ve always appreciated creators who are willing to share what’s behind the curtain. This blog is my opportunity to demystify the process from the ground up. We are in this together. But, before we dive in, I’d like to tell you how Bloom and Feast came to be.
My story
I was born moments before lunch, my favorite meal of the day. Growing up, I was always an ambitious, overachieving student. In school, lunch was my chance to decompress, nourish myself, and connect with my tribe. It was the perfect daily reprieve. My love of lunch and food in general continued throughout my academic career. As I entered medical school, cooking became a therapeutic form of creative expression. Everything from coming up with a recipe to pulling the hot baking dish out of the oven delighted me. I used food to connect with friends and build community. Mealtime became the perfect break from an otherwise demanding and taxing career path.
Downward Spiral
As I continued in med school, I tried to maintain the balance. I would have lunch with friends and classmates, host events, and throw fun dinner parties. But somewhere along the way, things began to change. The demands were enormous. My sleep became disordered. I began to lose touch with good friends. Episodes of depression that were once rare, became more frequent and more severe. I became a shell of my former self. Life was all hustle and no feast.
At a certain point I made the toughest decision of my life. Me or this career. And I chose myself. When I left med school, I was crushed. I had spent my entire life working towards that goal. I faced the daunting task of figuring out who I was outside of medicine. The journey towards healing and restoration was difficult. It was hard to see myself through the funhouse mirrors of limiting beliefs I’d picked up along the way. It was even harder to figure out what I wanted to do next. I didn’t think anything could light me up like medicine. I’d also developed an intense fear of failure that thwarted all of my efforts towards new paths. It was a suffocating purgatory that I thought I would never escape. I was certain the darkness would swallow me whole.
But it didn’t.
The Shift
Over time, through personal development work, therapy, and medication, I got better. I began exploring entrepreneurship and launched an online shop.
As I started joining online spaces for business owners, I noticed troubling trends. I saw entrepreneurs in the space laud hustle and grinding to their own detriment. People were proudly proclaiming how little sleep they got. I watched people brag about neglecting friendships in the name of hustle. I even saw people encourage others to neglect basic physiological needs. All in the name of ambition. I knew exactly where that road would lead.
The knowledge I have about the consequences is hard-earned. It comes from my personal history, educational background, and professional clinical experience. This combination informs my unique perspective on work, success, productivity, self-care, and wellbeing.
Boundaried Work
Make no mistake, I’m an ambitious person. It’s in my DNA. It will never change. I’m not anti-hustle. In fact, I enjoy it! What I am, is anti-
- self neglect
- self loathing
- isolation
- sleep deprivation.
These are forms of self-betrayal. I believe in boundaried work. That is working for what you want, without denying your psychological and physiological needs. What I now know for sure, better than ever, is that there must be room in life for intentional respite. Joy. Creative expression. Community. Something to look forward to. These are not things that you do to be a better hustler. They’re things you do to be a better human. To lead a life that feels worth living. To enjoy, and not just endure. When we pursue our dreams from this space, we become unstoppable.
I’m very passionate about business development and strategy. But these things cannot happen at the expense of self. We must still be “in pursuit of lunch”. We have to make space for nourishment, personal growth, creativity, and community. Thus, this blog was born. Hustle fuels my feasts, and feasts restore my hustle.
My Mission
Bloom and Feast is for bloggers, influencers, and creative entrepreneurs. My mission? Grow my tribe and monetize my influence while nourishing my body and soul. And I want to help you do the same!
This blog is a place for us to geek out on strategy. We’ll commune with like-minded entrepreneurs and marry data-driven experimentation with creative brilliance. And we will do so without self-neglect and chronic deprivation. I want us to talk shop and encourage each other to be our best selves. To build ventures that serve a purpose. To share the love and art of cooking. I want us to laugh til we cry, cry til we laugh, drink wine, and indulge in beautiful meals that delight the senses. I want us to connect.
Iโm honored that youโre here. I hope this space feels like home.