05/11/2026
For the last six years of my life, I have lived in a manner that most people would likely characterize as irrational and entirely unsustainable. In many respects, perhaps it was. Somewhere during the uncertainty of COVID, I arrived at a realization that I could no longer continue relegating my aspirations to the periphery of my existence. While motherhood has always remained the most important and defining role of my life, I also understood with complete conviction that I was deserving of pursuing the ambitions that had persisted within me for years. I have always possessed this intrinsic belief that life held far more for me than what existed directly in front of me. I simply needed the audacity to pursue it.
There were periods of time in which I worked two jobs, and occasionally three, while simultaneously raising children, teaching full time, building a brand, and relentlessly pursuing this vision I carried for my future. I founded The Markley Company in September of 2021 because I could perceive the larger picture long before it materialized into anything tangible. I believed wholeheartedly in the vision I had for my life, for my family, and for the legacy I hoped to establish. No amount of skepticism, criticism, or doubt from others was ever going to dissuade me from pursuing it.
I often say that nobody believes in me the way I believe in myself, and I mean that sincerely. The level of conviction I have carried throughout this journey has, at times, bordered on delusional. Yet that unwavering belief became the very thing that sustained me through some of the most difficult seasons of my life. There was so much sacrifice attached to those years. I spent time away from home. I cried on project job sites with my youngest in a wrap on my chest while freshly postpartum. In the beginning, I worked tirelessly for little to no financial reward because I understood something essential. If I wanted to establish myself as a legitimate designer and become known for creating beautiful, intentional homes, I would first need to earn credibility through consistency, discipline, and an undeniable body of work.
I taught during the day, and in the evenings I immersed myself in job sites, sourcing, design plans, client communication, and every conceivable responsibility required to build something meaningful from the ground up. I would work into the early hours of the morning responding to emails and refining concepts because I understood that what I wanted requires endurance long before it receives recognition. Slowly, the trajectory of my life began to shift. The projects became more substantial. The opportunities became increasingly significant. Eventually, I was approached about writing a book, and I remember having this surreal realization that perhaps everything I had envisioned was beginning to materialize. Yet even then, I knew there was still more awaiting me.
I knew every sleepless night, every sacrifice, every painful season, and every ounce of persistence was ultimately preparing me for something greater. I knew I was capable of more, and I understood that all of the labor I had poured into these last six years was not incidental. It was formative. It was refining me into the woman I would eventually need to become in order to step into larger opportunities with confidence and competence.
With immense gratitude and excitement, I am incredibly honored to share that I will be beginning a new position as a designer for a highly respected and successful company based in Columbus, Ohio. This opportunity feels so significant to me, not only because it represents professional advancement, but because it symbolizes the culmination of years spent believing in something before there was any evidence to support it.
I also want to make it abundantly clear that The Markley Company is not disappearing. We remain deeply committed to revitalizing homes throughout Guernsey County, and we will continue accepting select clients whose projects align with our creative philosophy and long term vision. Likewise, I will continue my work in real estate through Town & Country because helping individuals buy and sell homes remains something that brings me fulfillment, as well.
However, a few days a week, I will now have the opportunity to design on a far larger scale in Columbus than what has historically been accessible to me locally. After extensive prayer, contemplation, and consideration, I know with certainty that this is the next appropriate step in my personal and professional evolution. If I wish to continue growing creatively, intellectually, and professionally, then I must continue placing myself in environments that challenge me to expand beyond my current limitations.
I feel extraordinarily fortunate. And above all else, I feel as though every sacrifice attached to these last six years has been entirely worthwhile. I think the most meaningful aspect of this opportunity is that I still get to remain a mother first. That has always been the most nonnegotiable priority in my life, and this company has made it unmistakably clear that they value and respect that priority as much as I do. This next chapter is going to allow for me to be in full control of my life and my schedule. I will still be able to drop my babies off at school every morning and be home every evening. For me, that transformed this opportunity into an obvious and wholehearted yes.
I will share more details regarding my new design position in the near future. We also have several exciting developments underway involving my book, including a new cover, along with a special Markley Company project that I will soon be seeking participants for. While certain aspects of my life and career are evolving, the vision itself remains unchanged. If anything, this next chapter only strengthens it further.
As always, thank you for supporting me, encouraging me, believing in me, and allowing me to share this journey with you. I have waited an extraordinarily long time for an opportunity like this to find me, and it feels almost crazy to finally say that somehow, after all of these years, it finally has.
Ps. If you have a dream, chase it. ❤️
