What a Sabbatical Taught Me About Running a Creative Business | San Francisco Florist
Reflections on slowing down, BUILDING systems, and redefining success from a year living in Switzerland.
About eleven months ago, my family and I packed up our lives in California and moved to Switzerland for a year-long sabbatical.
With just a few weeks left before we return to the San Francisco Bay Area, I’ve been reflecting a lot on what this chapter taught me, especially when it comes to running a creative business.
For context, this sabbatical wasn’t born from some dramatic burnout story or life implosion. It was something my husband and I had talked about for a few years prior. Eventually the timing felt right, and we decided to take the leap, fully aware it would come with both rewards and sacrifices.
It absolutely delivered on both.
Before leaving, my two biggest fears were:
That my business would quietly disappear while I was gone.
That I’d struggle to step away and feel restless without constant work.
Turns out, taking a step back from your business teaches you a surprising amount about it.
Lesson #1: “Busy” Isn’t Actually My Goal
Before this sabbatical, busy was my default setting.
Constant errands. Time on the road. Social commitments. A packed calendar. And a bit of a sense of pride in being “booked and busy.”
I assumed I’d miss the hustle. But instead, living in a car-free alpine village in Switzerland slowed everything down in a way that while very unfamiliar, felt incredibly grounding.
For the first time in years, I realized how much energy I’d been spending simply keeping up with a pace I never really truly chose.
What I’m Bringing Back: Less glorification of “slammed,” more intentionality. Fewer commitments, more presence, and a business that supports my actual life instead of consuming it.
Lesson #2: Sustainable Businesses Live in the Middle Ground
At one point my plan was to go full dark on business, and just focus on family. I wasn’t doing weddings or events, so what would I even share content-wise?
I assumed it had to be all or nothing.
But somewhere along the way I realized two things: I had plenty to say even without active jobs, and maybe more importantly, I actually love working. Not in a hustle-culture way, but in a “this makes me feel alive” kinda way.
So with time I found my middle ground. I figured out my “minimum viable presence” (the bare minimum non-negotiables that would keep my business going) and I set a weekly time limit around it.
I focused on content, systems, and business coaching. I even booked a few jobs with longstanding clients and managed them remotely while a lead producer executed on the ground.
Turns out you can run a sustainable business while on sabbatical in a Swiss mountain village!
What I’m Bringing Back: Knowing nothing has to be zero or 100. It can be somewhere in between, and it can shift. Check in with yourself, and pivot as needed!
Lesson #3: High-Touch Doesn’t Have to Mean Always-On
This one required a lot of computer time upfront, but it’s been worth it in every way!
I migrated my back-end systems to Dubsado (a CRM) and rebuilt my entire client workflow from scratch. Like automating lead generation, templating every repeating communication, scheduling email sequences, setting consistent office hours that accounted for the time difference, and building a content strategy that was actually realistic to maintain.
This all allowed me to focus time on helping our son integrate into a fully German-speaking school, learning how to ski, exploring new places as a family, and actually being present. All without dropping the ball on my clients and partners.
I love that automating the repeatable stuff is protecting what matters most in both business and personal life.
What I’m Bringing Back: Fewer manual tasks, a smarter workflow, and more energy for the things that deserve it.
Lesson #4: It’s never too late to be a beginner
Taking a year off flowers gave me space to try something new. And I’ll tell ya … it was humbling!
Growing up on the east coast, I thought I could ski. Then I got to Switzerland 😅 where the locals learned to ski the same time they learned to walk.
The real wake-up call came the day my then 4-year-old and I crashed together… a full yard sale, skis and poles flying everywhere. We were okay, but so shaken and bruised.
Replaying the crash and what-ifs over and over again in my mind, I realized I was terrified, and I just was not having any fun not knowing what the hell I was doing.
So I swallowed my pride, signed up for adult ski lessons, and started over from scratch. And eventually skiing became one of my favorite parts of this entire year.
Being a beginner again, fumbling through the techniques, and slowly improving reminded me what it feels like to be on the other side of something new.
What I’m Bringing Back: A renewed sense of fearlessness, and a lot more patience and empathy for people who are just starting something new.
Lesson #5: Life in chapters, not five-year plans
I’ve never been a five- or ten-year plan person. Goals and intentions, yes, but a rigid roadmap has never really been my thing.
Because truthfully, five years ago, I never would have predicted this experience. None of it was in the plan, because there wasn’t one!
I’ve come to think of my life (and my business) as a series of chapters in a long, hopefully vivid and adventurous book. This particular chapter has been about slowing down, rebuilding, and sitting with a lot of unknowns.
And I’ve made peace with that.
What I’m Bringing Back: Permission to start a new chapter whenever it’s time, and the practice of setting one clear intention for that chapter instead of a list of rigid goals.
Lesson #6: Staying in My Own Lane
In a visual industry fueled by social media, the comparison game can feel relentless. And going into a sabbatical year where I knew my output would slow way down, I braced for the dread of watching everyone else’s highlight reels from afar.
So I decided I’d lean into what made sense for me in this chapter (that minimum viable presence) and I stopped looking sideways.
I started using my Brick to majorly cut down my time on social media. Instead of scrolling, I was in my business, working on the things that were actually moving the needle for me while away (content creation, business coaching, systems).
The cherry on top was more time in nature, more time with my family, and a lot more peace of mind.
What works for someone else in their chapter doesn’t have to make sense in mine. What someone else is doing has nothing to do with what I’m building.
What I’m Bringing Back: A “does this make sense for ME?” filter on every new opportunity, tactic, and to-do.
Lesson #7: Comfort Isn’t Always the Goal
Change is uncomfortable, but I’ve realized staying stuck in something you’ve outgrown is way more unsettling.
I don’t know exactly what the next chapter of my business looks like. And that finally doesn’t scare me.
What I do know is this: I’m done doing things just because that’s how they’ve always been done. In life and in business, I want to keep questioning, keep challenging, and keep making choices that are actually right for me, not just the ones that look right from the outside.
What I’m Bringing Back: A bias toward evolution over comfort.
Final Thoughts on Taking a Sabbatical as a Creative Business Owner
While none of these lessons may be considered groundbreaking, I am coming back with a much clearer head and new level of comfort with not having it all figured out. That feels like plenty enough.
I’m returning to California with:
a clearer head
better systems
healthier priorities
more trust in myself
and a much greater comfort with not having everything figured out
If you’re in a season of transition, burnout, rebuilding, uncertainty, or questioning what you actually want your life or business to look like, I hope this reminds you there’s no single “correct” way to build a meaningful career.
Sometimes the most valuable thing you can do is pause long enough to hear your own thoughts again.
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