For most of my working life, I lived in or near London, where I was surrounded by bustling, big-city energy. Lots of the people I knew were focused on climbing the career ladder and earning more money.
My own definition of personal success was also tied to this for a long time — but in 2015, after many years of working for big companies, I decided to follow my dreams and develop my own small chocolate business.
I can’t deny that there were benefits to kicking off a new chapter in my career near a major city. It was helpful to have access to business-development support and a varied food scene.
Being near a city meant lots of opportunities, but also a lot more noise and competition. This can inspire some people, but for me, it was also a source of stress. I started craving a different pace of life.
My husband was on the same page, and we began discussing an eventual move to a place we loved: Wales.
I worried about moving, but noticed immediate benefits
The COVID-19 pandemic — and the cancellation of my in-person events — gave us an opportunity to try somewhere new. When we found a beautiful old house in a town with around 3,000 people, the pieces started to fall into place.
However, I was a bit nervous about how this would impact my business, especially as I was moving away from some of the support network and customer base I’d built up.
Moving from London to rural Wales felt like the right choice for my lifestyle, but it was still scary for me as a business owner. Turns out, I didn’t need to worry.
Right away, I noticed that many local business owners wanted to work together as a community, rather than directly compete for money and attention. For instance, many of the smaller shop and café owners here communicate so that their products and services complement each other.
I was still a bit concerned about arriving as a newcomer and finding my place in the existing business and wider community, especially without having a physical storefront — but these fears eased early on, when I started chatting with a café owner while grabbing a coffee.
She wanted to offer a premium hot chocolate and asked about my products. This led to her serving one of my blends at her café.
My mental health has improved, too
Being a part of a strong community has been extremely fulfilling as someone who works mostly on my own.
I see so many of the same people in the community on a daily or a weekly basis, and it feels like more people in my town make time to speak with each other regularly — which is quite different from the odd hello or quick dog-walk chats I used to have when living in a busy commuter city.
There are lots of small, day-to-day moments I get to enjoy because of where I live, all of which indirectly impact my work, too. Living somewhere so wild and beautiful really supports my mental health, which is important as a solopreneur.
Previously, my home was close to the rumble of traffic on a major motorway, whereas now I step outside to the sound of birds and views of a sparkling river right across the road.
Sometimes, even just gazing out the window at the sheep and the gentle hills surrounding me can lift my spirits on a busy day.
Most crucially, though, stepping away from London’s hustle-style culture has helped me appreciate other meaningful ways to live and work. Sometimes, I’ll see someone taking a mid-morning break to swim in the river, or notice that a small shop closes several days a week so the owner can care for their family.
These little things remind me of the importance of work-life balance.
There are some downsides, but I’m still glad I moved here
I don’t want to romanticize things too much, as there are some challenges that come with living and working in a small rural town.
Public transit options are more limited, so it can be tricky to get around locally or travel to other places without a car.
From a business perspective, it’s not always easy to access networking events or opportunities as they’re often in bigger, more central locations. I usually have to travel a bit further for workshops than I did when I lived in the London area, which also means more time out of the office.
Although living in a rural town isn’t for everyone, there are so many benefits to being part of a supportive community in such a beautiful location. My small business has definitely benefited from it — and I have, too.
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