It was the middle of winter in 2015, and I had just given birth to my second child. It was freezing out, and the outside door was literally piled up with snow. There was no way out. I was in my new house in Bedford at the time with two kids, one only 1 ½ and the other a newborn. Both in diapers. Both cried by their way of communicating their needs. They needed me, and they made it obvious every time.
I had recently left my job at a corporate firm in New York City where I had gotten my architecture license, designed huge buildings and sometimes entire cities on teams of 20, 50, hundreds of people. Life was going to be different. No market run in the morning on the corner for breakfast as I walked the dog and strolled the baby before catching a subway up town to the office. My view is mostly trees now and like I said multiple feet of snow. As I sat there on the couch with spit up on my sweatshirt in a tired but remembered energetic spirit about the design world. The realm I visited in my mind while for now I prioritized my babies, and healing my engorged body, and sore everything (I will spare you the details, but if you’ve had kids, I’m sure you get the nature of it).
Despite all this, I loved life. In a different state of awe. Through a lens of a mother who loved her work but also her most amazing creations, and to be clear I mean my children. Anyway, my love affair with architecture still persists and was usually committed during kids naps and in mind when it had the bandwidth to multitask. Swing the swing, sing “these are a few of my favorite things…” while I imagine my business. So, back to the snow and me on the couch freshly showered but again already with soiled-by-baby clothes, because as a mom you know that this happened so often throughout the day that you need not change each time.
So notebook in hand, I began to sketch and write. And think what is the appropriate name for my business?? I am starting my own business. I am finally here, at this point I have dreamed of, entrepreneurship. I graduated grad school, worked corporate for a handlful of years, received my necessary hours, took the seven exams, and now after what felt like a billion marathons, I am ready to begin. First thing is first, think of a name to label my ultimate intention. Hmmm, well that is not hard. Wait that is hard. One word. Look out the window, snow. Cold. winter. What do I want. What encapsulates the meaning of creation, life, new beginning, hope, excitement, beauty, nature, and inspiration. Gaze out the window, snow, cold, winter. Not much time left, Jess, the kids are soon going to wake up and hungry, crying and most likely with a soiled diaper. What is it? Lightbulb goes off, Spring! Spring that’s it, Spring.
The meaning of Spring, the time of year, is a time of growth, renewal, and of newborn plant and animal life. The term is also used more generally as a metaphor for the start of better times. Culturally, some religions believe the start of spring marks the start of the New Year.
Whether it is the bright colors of the budding flowers, the warmth of the extra sunlight, or the fresh smell of dew, springtime arises a creative and energetic pulse. Nature’s work during springtime becomes infectious and touches the soul. We become alive.
That is it and it took the cold long snowy winter with two babies in need to help me figure it out, the meaning of the name SPRING foreshadows our intent as a company: to follow in nature’s honorable ambition. This company I am creating designs innovative, exciting, beautiful, healthy, environmentally-conscious architecture with natural materials and neutral palettes. Architecture that inspires gracefully from within and magnificently as object form for a people to embark upon a new, positive beginning, and become alive, filled with light, and happy from the space invented.
Achieved the name and birth of my new business. I am free now to help my babies, and continue to dream about my architecture world I am creating. Soon. 2015.
