If you read the headline and thought to yourself, “did they really say no to $500K?” — the short answer, yes! Half a million dollars. And as crazy as it might seem, we feel totally at peace with it.

We know, we know…you might be thinking, “what in the world is wrong with you guys?” or “I’d do anything for that kind of money”. But the reality is that it just didn’t feel right. It sounded nice upfront (…we won’t deny that). But the more we thought about it, the more we recognized the sacrifice it would require.

Without throwing any shade on the client, they were incredibly respectful and kind. They were movers and shakers in their respective industry and had clear vision for what they wanted. But the reality for us is that it wasn’t inline with the kind of work that brings us joy. There were components of the industry itself that pushed our values beyond our level of comfort. And that in and of itself, was enough for us to quickly pump the breaks.

In addition to the ethical side of the coin was the time and bandwidth the partnership would require. Ben works full-time for Red Ventures/Bankrate and Ashley is fully committed to both our design work as well as being an ever-present Mom for our kids (nine and eleven). So with the current demands of our jobs and already committed hours to BLEND, we recognized the unhealthy dichotomy that was developing in this pitch. It was money versus time. Passion versus tasks. Family versus work.

While the money would have certainly been nice for future provisions, investments, etc. — we recognize that the time we have with our children is priceless. And while it’s ok to think big and advance your career, calling, etc. — for us, saying no right now was saying yes to our future memories.

We are grateful for every opportunity that comes our way. That much we know. But right now, we could not be more excited for the now. We are thriving. Life is good and balanced. And we’re here for it.

In the words of Lysa TerKeurst, “just because we can do something doesn’t mean we should do it.” Find what fuels you. Focus on what brings you joy. And go hard building the life you are meant to live.

Much love,

The Richardson’s (Founders/Owners, BLEND)