A few weeks ago I blogged about how ready I was to get back to volunteering in my community, something I wasn't able to do very much in the mountains.

Since moving back to Florence, the possibility for me to become active in the downtown community has weirdly fallen into place. A few weeks ago I emailed the director of the Florence Main Street Organization, just to randomly run into her at a local restaurant about two hours later.

Yesterday we were able to sit down for what ended up being a 2.5 hour chat about her vision for where she wants to take the downtown community, as well as possibilities for segments of town beyond her borders.

She gets the necessity of small business growth. She's on-point with preserving the area's history. And she's really listening to what we want.

As an advocate for small businesses, I'm very excited to begin brainstorming for ways to get support and learning to local businesses. As a life-long Florentine, I'm ready to start a project that I've always wanted for my little city. And then, I'm excited to see what happens next.

For me, being a creative entrepreneur means more than making pretty things for my clients. I've crafted a business for myself that allows me to do many of the things that are necessary to me. I get to be available to pick up Cute Kid every day from school. I get to travel whenever I please. And I get to volunteer and make a difference in my community.

I'm ready to get going, and can't wait to share what we have coming.

(Photo: Shoals Theater, a wonderful local landmark in Downtown Florence)