The Journey of an Entrepreneur: How I Started Evolution Picnics at 20 years old.
The Journey of an Entrepreneur: How I started Evolution Picnics at 20 years old.
I was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, where I grew up immersed in the natural world. As a highly creative kid, I often struggled with the rigidity of traditional education. After graduating from a small Waldorf High School, I headed to the University of Oregon to study advertising and creative writing.
Early into my studies, Covid hit and derailed my short-term plans of finishing school. Instead of staying in my small college town and stumbling through a choppy few years of zoom university, I moved to LA and began working for a small co-living start-up. This began my dive into the world of property management, outreach and marketing, which eventually led to working in the corporate world and later getting my Oregon real estate license. While I enjoyed my various positions, I often felt deeply disconnected from my purpose.
I've always been highly in touch with my feminine side - my eye for beauty, nurturing spirit, sensitivity, gentle empathy, and intuition. Early on, I discovered that the hyper-competitive landscape of corporate America catered heavily to natural masculine traits. Instead of forcing myself to harden my shell and adapt, I dreamed of starting a small business that would allow me to operate in my natural energetic field.
During this time, I developed a fascination with the modern dating landscape. I began to notice a concerning emphasis on short-term gratification, hookup culture, and a serious aversion to commitment. There appeared to be a collective consensus that the moment a relationship became boring, it was time to simply move on to the next shiny object. I feared this trend, fueled largely by dating apps, would spread into a generation that lost the desire and ability to form stable long lasting relationships.
I wanted to help committed couples reach a deeper level of intimacy and unlock the beautiful connections with their longterm partners. I also wanted to provide a unique experience that would show someone how much they are truly loved and cared for. With these overarching goals in mind, my luxury picnic business was born.
It started off very small. I only got a few bookings each month, and I assumed it would just be another one of my silly little side hustles. But as the months trailed on, I continued to add value at every opportunity. As a natural-born writer, one of the first things I did was draft a couple's booklet filled with lighthearted games and deep bonding exercises to cultivate intimacy. The booklet is now the cornerstone of the Evolution Picnic brand and something I'm truly proud of.
Today, Evolution Picnics has evolved in so many wonderful ways. I've gotten to witness several picnic proposals, something I truly never thought would happen. Opened many new locations (more coming soon) and watched hundreds of happy couples cross my path. I feel incredibly lucky to have the opportunity to live out my purpose each and every day. Thank you for taking the time to learn more about my path into luxury picnics. As always, I wish you the best on your journey towards love.
