How slowing down my life led to heartbreak but fueled my happiness

Before launching her own candle business, Sasha Lord, 32 had been in a relationship with her partner for 15 years - since she was 17. They both had led busy lives, mixing travel with lots of hard work pursuing their career goals. But when the pandemic hit in 2020, the couple were forced to not only slow down their busy lives but also cancel their wedding plans too.

"We were due to get married in May 2020," Sasha explains, "and then COVID hit and the wedding got cancelled. I spent every day alone and for the first time in my adult life, I had no work, no distractions, no social life, and I realized I had absolutely no idea who I was and what I was doing with my life."

This time gave Sasha the opportunity to pause and reflect on not only her life, but also on herself, her 'why' and what made her tick. "I had been with my partner from such a young age that I realized I didn’t really know who I was as an individual," Sasha admits.

This was the start of a major life plot twist for Sasha: the end of her relationship, but the start of her entrepreneurial journey.  "It had always been, onto the next thing, follow the path, get married, have a baby, that’s what I felt I was ‘supposed’ to do. But I tried to focus on the things in life I really enjoyed, which was my job and traveling. Quite possibly, if it had been normal times, I would have got on a plane to another amazing destination and not even started my business!"

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Admitting that during this time to reflect, Sasha felt as if her life had reached 'rock bottom', but when she really began to focus on what she truly wanted for her future, she realised that it was time to be brave and take the leap. "I asked myself...'what do I have to lose?' so I decided to go all in and create my own business."

Having spent a decade working in the fragrance industry, Sasha decided to blend her passions and create fragrances for herself. "Once I started it came pouring out! I craft all the scents myself and they are very much inspired by my travels. I’ve been able to relive each best loved destination and the happy times I had there through its distinctive scent memory."

Sasha urges anyone with a broken heart to find a passion project to help them heal and move on. "I found it really healing to create scent memories of the happy times we had in the incredible places we visited," she says. And the true turning point came when she decided to redirect her energy. "I’d spent so long putting everything I had into a relationship. I decided to put the same energy into myself and my brand."

The break up of her relationship also helped Sasha to learn how to put herself first. "I’m a people pleaser, so I always focused on making everyone around me happy," she explains. "But I’ve realized I didn’t really know myself then. I needed to do the things that make me happy as an individual."

Now, Sasha realizes that listening to her inner voice and staying true to herself has been a huge factor in her success. "I had many people tell me I should reconsider the color of my products for example, but I had to be true to myself. You have to be different to stand out."

The most rewarding part of Sasha’s entrepreneurship has been the empowerment it has brough her. "Creating a brand that has my family name on it feels like I’m forging something for myself," she says. "Life experiences and my own creativity have led to a career in an unexpected way, which has ultimately meant more."

Sasha’s advice to others going through tough times is to dig deep and discover what is truly important to you? "Just do it and don’t be afraid to fail," she encourages. "If you’re passionate and truly believe in what you’re doing, stick to the reasons why you started in the first place."

"Be bold, take chances, and keep going!" she urges. "It will get better every day."