# @oliviamancuso__ on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DEvVwNGvmqF
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/57632579-oliviamancuso-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/b57b0d75cb.jpg
- **Posted:** 2025-01-12T20:54:40.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Olivia Mancuso (@oliviamancuso__) — https://gondola.cc/oliviamancuso__

## Caption

Today is the three year anniversary of my business. 🖤

December 2021: after getting a job offer with a laughable salary AND a clause prohibiting ANY freelance work, I went through 6 interviews and an unpaid writing test for another position, only to get a generic rejection email the day before Christma. 

I drove to Target, bought a $10 journal, and wrote out my master plan. Plan A was starting my own business. Plan B was supplementing with retail/restaurant work until Plan A worked. There was no Plan C that involved going back to corporate.

Within 3 months I was freelancing. By month 6, I had my own clients and subcontractors. Now I get to build offerings around what I’m actually good at, collaborate with incredible creatives, and deliver work that makes both me and my clients proud.

2022 was also the year I turned 30 and had my Saturn Return (for my non-astrology friends - it’s that transformative period around age 29-30 where the universe nudges you to step into your authentic path). I lost some relationships I thought would last forever, but I gained something more valuable - clarity about who I am and what I want.

The most surprising part? When I started prioritizing what I wanted out of life, everything else fell into place. My relationships deepened - with my husband (who also just went full-time with his remodeling business), my family, and my small circle. By taking care of myself first, I became more present for others.

I spent most of my 20s on autopilot. These past 3 years, I’ve experienced more growth than ever before. Every day brings new opportunities and challenges. I get to work in the music world, run my podcast, grow Chicago Music Nexus, and interview artists I admire. Sometimes I still can’t believe this is my life.

If you’re reading this and feeling stuck, know that it’s never too late to change direction. The transformation that happens when you choose yourself is more beautiful than anything I could have planned.

Your dreams don’t have to wait.

#entrepreneurship #womeninbusiness #musicindustry #chicagobusiness #saturnreturn

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## Tags

chicagobusiness, musicindustry, entrepreneurship, womeninbusiness, saturnreturn

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