The thing about private practice is that you can feel so isolated at times. I know I did. And I so often felt that I needed to do it all myself – to know it all, be it all, achieve it all on my own.

But really, we just can’t do this in isolation. We all have someone – and need someone – to help us in this vision we have.

You know the vision I’m talking about: that vision of serving our clients in a way that gives them back their lives, and makes us proud to go to work every day. 

I want to share something personal today. This is a letter to my mum, who is no longer with us. Without her, there would be no Purple Co. I could not have built my practice into what it is today without her and my mentors – the people who share my vision and have advised, supported and guided me into building my practice into the successful business it is today. So here is my letter to mum.

Dear Mum,

 I want to honour and thank you for the inspiration you were behind my business adventure.

 I don’t think either of us imagined that our conversation on the phone while I was driving between client appointments some 6 years ago would have ignited the fire that is Purple Co.

 I thank you for ‘getting me’ and that wasn’t always easy for us, but the day you came up with “Purple Co – The Purpose for People Company” was the day our relationship really cemented in mutual respect and admiration. I am so grateful for that.

 I know you have remembered my somewhat idealistic dreams as a teenager when you would ask what I wanted to do when I “grew up” and my response was “ change the world”. Although we didn’t know how that would occur, I am pretty sure you believed I would.

 I thank you for being with me during all of the struggles as I have come to terms with my professional expertise and myself. I think the latter has been the most tumultuous. I thank you for wanting to be a part of the business from offering to do the books and learning what on earth a Rehabilitation Counsellor actually did. I remember so fondly when I was able to share with you the success of a client who had a really significant disability that I had helped get into new employment. I saw the look of wonder on your face and heard you say – see my daughter, she made that happen.

 I honour you for teaching me that a woman can be all she wants to be. For showing me how to be empowered in my independence and to be filled with a determination that there is always a way.

 I thank you for believing in me enough to start this journey with me. We have finally arrived at the place I wanted to be – the stage where I no longer HAVE to work with clients but I can CHOOSE to. I have built, nurtured and developed a team of amazing people who share the vision of connecting people to purpose and working alongside of them inspires me daily.

 So thank you Mum. And, given there is no way for me to do this to you face to face, I choose to honour you by letting all the people in my world know that I love you, and am so grateful for you.

 See you again

Xxxxx

 Your daughter – Jo

Lorraine Muirhead – Jo’s mum. Sadly, Lorraine was killed in a motor vehicle accident in 2009. Her legacy however lives on for every person who experiences Purple Co and the Purple Co team.

Mum was the person who helped me see that I needed to invest in myself and in finding the support I need to build a business that thrives on my values and what I want to offer to the world.

My mum was the very first person to join my “board of advisors”. Who is on your board?

Here’s to your success.