Jumping Scared
A Conversation About Purpose Work, Heeding the Call and Taking the Leap of Faith
Dear Beautiful Soul,
October is National Women’s Small Business Month, a month to celebrate and spotlight the fempreneurs and women business owners bringing their purpose work into the world. Today I have the great pleasure of introducing you to one of these courageous women, Darnah Mercieca.
I met Darnah several years ago when we collaborated on a client’s book project. My client and her memoir were in excellent hands with Darnah—the memoir went on to be a bestseller thanks to Darnah’s expertise and wisdom.
Recently Darnah made the leap to full-time self-employment. I’m excited to bring you her reflections on the journey thus far—there is so much heart and soul in the conversation you’re about to read!
Q. The Call to Change. Darnah, what was the moment or series of moments that made you realize you needed to leave your 9-5 job and pursue your own business?
A. I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit. I’d been out on my own before as an independent contractor, but it was a struggle. This time feels different—I now believe I can and will succeed. My recent leap into full-time entrepreneurship followed two back-to-back 9-5 jobs. After a mass layoff at one job, I found financial stability in a messy start-up that required me to help build and improve. It was demanding all of me. One day, as I looked at the two younger male owners making over a million in revenue, I thought, “If they can do it, so can I.” It was time to stop building other people’s dreams and start bringing my own vision to life. The calling got real loud and I couldn’t ignore it any longer.
Q. Facing the Fear. Entrepreneurship can be terrifying, especially when leaving behind the security of a regular paycheck. What were your biggest fears when making the leap? How did you deal with them, and do those fears still linger?
A. Financial instability was my biggest fear. I’d struggled before, but after getting comfortable with a steady paycheck, it felt crazy to throw it away. Then I realized something: with a W2 job, my income is capped. With my business, it’s not. I knew I could create more abundance and stability over time, so I set aside six months of savings to ease that fear. I grew this little stack of cash side-hustling early mornings, nights, and weekends. As a recovering perfectionist, fear of failure still lingers, but I’ve learned that fear is universal. The difference is, successful people feel the fear and do it anyway. I now reframe my thoughts, pray, and remind myself that even if everything falls apart, I can always get another job. So, what do I really have to lose? After all, my biggest fear in life is dying without ever having really tried.
Q. Purpose-Driven Work. Many people talk about following their purpose, but how would you describe what that means to you? How has this purpose evolved since starting your business?
A. Purpose is like a seed God plants in your heart. You can either nurture it, helping it grow, or ignore it, but it will always be there, quietly calling out for water. For me, the urge to use my voice and skills to inspire and create meaningful work was always there, but I didn’t know how it would take shape. After illness, life challenges, and unexpected jobs, my path revealed my purpose. For now, that looks like helping women through breast implant illness and explant surgery, while also helping people turn their own messages into published books. This will change and evolve. I think ultimately the answer to the question “what is my purpose” will look different at different times of our lives, and the answer to that question can become clear when you ask a different question–– “how can I best serve others right now?”
Q. Navigating Uncertainty. There’s always a level of uncertainty when starting something new. How did you find the courage to keep going, even when the path wasn’t clear? How do you handle the unknowns in your business today?
A. I navigate uncertainty with faith. When doubts creep in or things don’t go as planned, I get still, pray, and meditate, staying open for guidance on my next move. It wasn’t always this way. I used to think I’d find the answers at the bottom of a very full wine glass or late at night in the refrigerator. My journey with breast implant illness, a crushing breakup, finding myself homeless, and getting laid off taught me that life is full of uncertainty. Even with the best plans, everything can change in an instant. So, I focus on what I can control and surrender the rest. Detours and failures bring lessons. My job is to stay dynamic, keep learning, and trust that the bigger, better plan is unfolding, even if I can’t see it yet.
Q. Advice for the “Jumping Scared”. For women who are feeling the fear but are drawn to take that leap into entrepreneurship, what advice would you give? How would you encourage them to face their fears?
A. Really get to know yourself, heal your emotional wounds, and rewire any limiting beliefs so you can jump with clarity, even if it’s terrifying. Clean up your money mindset so you’re open to abundance. Create a budget and know how much you need to stay afloat while you build. Have a plan and a vision, but be prepared to surrender and be kind to yourself when things don’t go exactly as planned. Cultivate patience and resilience—keep showing up. All the best things take time to create or grow, and your business is no different. Lastly, surround yourself with support—mentors, a community, a coach. You don’t have to go through the ups and downs of entrepreneurship alone, and having people in your corner makes all the difference. And then, bet on yourself, jump. Find comfort knowing you can always course correct later.
Darnah, thank you for sharing your journey. Your words of wisdom and courage are a beautiful roadmap for other fempreneurs who are jumping scared. And thank you too for the good you do in the world.
Let’s keep the good going and growing . . .
XO Laura
P.S. Beautiful Souls, here’s a message for you from Darnah:
I’m Darnah Mercieca, a multi-passionate solopreneur and change-maker. As the founder of Empowered Explant, I help women confidently remove their breast implants, and through Books & Brand, I support people in publishing their stories to make a lasting impact. Based in Austin, Texas, I work with clients across the globe. Connect with me on Instagram and LinkedIn—and send me a DM if this Letter inspires you to jump scared!
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P.P.S. I highly recommend you connect with Darnah! Her posts are filled with fantastic actionable marketing/branding advice as well as heart-centered words of wisdom. A daily dose of Darnah is a really good thing!
XO XO