MTYA Is On The Move

MTYA Is On The Move

Adventures in DC

I’ve always been a city girl at heart! Growing up, I always told myself that one of my goals was to move to a major city and become the next Carrie Bradshaw – taking on a city through fashion, profession, love, and a deep passion for inspiring the world. I remember watching so many episodes of Sex and the City and being so inspired with how Carrie balanced her life in a major city and, on top of that, made her dreams come true! While I could sit around and continue to dream about that happening for my own personal life, I decided to make that my reality here in Kentucky for the past twenty-eight years.

Kentucky has been the centerpiece of my life and that’s why writing this post has been extremely difficult for me. It’s truly difficult to put into words the gratitude, happiness, and opportunities I’ve received over the course of these years. Kentucky is where I was born, where I learned to drive, met some of closest friends, went to school, worked for my first non-profit organization, joined my first board, celebrated a majority of my birthdays, received my Bachelors and Master’s degrees, and where I’ve established my business, More Than Your Average. All of these experiences along with opportunities will never go unnoticed, as I’m extremely grateful for each one.

When I found out that I would be moving to the Washington, D.C. area for my job, I cried with excitement. Moving to a major city and working for my dream organization has been an opportunity I’ve been waiting for. I’ve always been a planner, so of course I thought I would be moving right after I graduated from undergrad, but I knew that moving during that point of my life wasn’t the right time. I needed Kentucky and Kentucky needed me. After making the decision to stay in Kentucky a bit longer, I made it my mission to become a young professional city leader by joining various boards, volunteering, working for various non-profit organizations whose missions inspired me, and also meeting both like-minded leaders along with others who challenged my thoughts. While I knew I wanted to utilize the resources Kentucky offered me, I also know that there was a wealth of resources I wanted to offer the Lexington community. With my positivity, innovative ideas, love for community and fashion, and persistence to help to change this world, I knew Kentucky was home.

Fast forward to now, I feel I’ve done all of that and more. Deciding to move for my job has really allowed me to reflect on my life here in Kentucky. I’m truly proud of myself because I’ve received and created opportunities I would have never thought while in college. Do I feel scared about moving? Absolutely. Still, I believe all things happen for a reason and that I’ve been given the chance to further myself as a leader, community advocate, business owner, and let’s not forget about personal growth. I look forward to sprinkling some Kentucky love and positivity on the city of D.C.

More Than Your Average will continue to be present in Kentucky because I’m truly grateful for the relationships I’ve built through both patrons and supporters (both virtually and in person), collaborations I’ve participated in, and the lifelong friendships I’ve created. In launching MTYA locally, I’ve been given the opportunity to bring a new face to plus size fashion and create a brand vision that empowers all women, celebrates community, and fosters originality. Keeping my brand in Kentucky means so much to me because this is my home. This is where I’ve grown into the woman I am today, and I hope that my brand will continue to foster the same key life components for other women throughout this state. I look forward to revealing to you my next steps for keeping MTYA as an asset in Kentucky - exciting details forthcoming!

As I embark on this new journey, I want to bring you along with me. Building my brand hasn’t just been about selling product or styling services, but also about building a community that fosters ideas, growth, challenges, and lifestyle changes. You’ve supported me since the beginning and I thank each of you for your virtual support. I know there will be challenges along the way in terms of moving to a new city and not having immediate comfort when it comes to the foundation I’ve established here in Kentucky, but I’ve always been an optimist that believes in all possibilities, opportunities, goals, and dreams. I know that I will do amazing things in the capitol city and I continue to welcome your support throughout those endeavors.

In transitioning from Kentucky to a major city, I will never say “goodbye”, but rather “see you later!” I look forward to our adventure ahead and know that I intend to continue the vibrant, bold, one-of-a-kind, happy, and unique presence of MTYA online and beyond.

With that being said, our adventure begins NOW!