How One Nurse Turned Burnout Into Purpose Through Business

October marked the fifth anniversary of my small business, Purpose People. Five years of being a small business owner, learning the ins and outs of marketing and sales, and using my nursing degree in a way I never imagined I would when I started nursing school almost thirteen years ago.

Bedside Beginnings

My pivot in nursing didn’t begin until well after I graduated nursing school and was working in the field for several years. Like a lot of nurses, I love a plan. After graduating and passing the NCLEX, I thought I would start off working at the bedside, go back to school to become a nurse practitioner, and be set from there.

I had this vision without any idea of what it is actually like to work in an inpatient setting, work a twelve-hour shift, get a master's degree while working and paying bills, or navigate the big feelings that come with managing a crisis. Little did I know, I was in for a mini identity crisis when things didn’t go according to this master plan.

I realize now that living your purpose and having a concrete plan usually don’t mesh well together. Living a life of purpose is all about checking in with yourself, listening, and being willing to pivot and take risks. It requires lots, and I mean lots of trial and error, to get to a place where you truly feel fulfilled on a day-to-day basis. Having a plan does provide you with a sense of security and control, but oftentimes leaves you stuck on a path that isn’t allowing you to live in your purpose.

As I started to feel more confident as a nurse and more comfortable at the bedside, it was a little alarming to realize that NP school didn’t feel like a natural next step. I was starting to feel the itch to grow in my career, but nothing that I was seeing the people around me do felt right for me. My initial plan of a master's degree didn’t feel exciting, transferring to the ICU didn’t feel exciting, and doing nothing definitely didn’t feel exciting.

Taking Time to Reflect

When I thought about where I wanted to make an impact, my mind always wandered to the other nurses around me that I saw struggling with burnout and a lack of fulfillment. I knew nurses needed more community and support, but I had no idea how I’d create that or where to start. I even applied to a master's program in nursing education, thinking that it would be an outlet for supporting my fellow nurses. However, when I got the acceptance letter and felt no excitement about it, I knew I couldn’t start the program.

Luckily for me, the nursing gods had my back when they sent me my coworker, Lacey. Seeing her grow and start her mentorship program for new graduate nurses not only opened my eyes to the possibility of nursing entrepreneurship, but also showed me that I could pursue something completely different than the norm. Seeing her passion sparked mine and gave me the confidence to start sharing tips for burnt out nurses on my social media and even take the leap to start a self-help book club for nurses.

The Journey to Entrepreneurship

From there, I started the process of trial and error. I ran the book club, started a community blog, and hosted a few nurse meetup events. None of them ever felt like a perfect fit for me, but the positive feedback I got from the nursing community kept me pushing forward and feeling like I was on the right track. It was only when I released my first physical product that pieces started to fall into place. Seeing the orders come in, packing up the nurse-inspired mugs, and getting tagged in pictures of people drinking their pre-shift coffee lit me up from the inside out. This fire in me quickly led to creating a few apparel items, building a website, and creating the brand known today as Purpose People.

Don’t get me wrong, though, guys. Finding your purpose doesn’t necessarily mean that things go smoothly. People were receiving broken mugs in the mail, my first website was bare bones, and I had no idea how to handle someone’s package getting lost in the mail service. How I knew I had found my calling had everything to do with how much passion I had and my willingness to overcome every obstacle that came along with this new unknown. I hired multiple mentors to help me learn the ins and outs of selling products and continued posting my journey on social media over the next few years. As I built my small business, I shipped thousands of orders, sent care packages for nurses all over the country, and got national recognition from Good Morning America. It’s been quite a journey, to say the least!

Hopes for the Future

I’d love to say I’ve found my purpose, but it isn’t as simple as that. I’m still constantly checking in with what excites me, making big moves that feel scary, and continuing to try new things that will fulfill me. However, I can say with one hundred percent certainty that stepping outside of the box and serving nurses in a way that felt authentic to me was one of the best things I’ve ever done.

My hope is that Purpose People can give nurses the community they deserve, make them feel seen, and inspire them to chase their own purpose—whatever that may be.

 

Eva Shuman, BSN, RN is a working nurse and the founder of Purpose People, a nursing lifestyle brand aimed at making nurses feel seen and appreciated through their merchandise, community, and giveback efforts.

Non-Bedside