At some point in my life, I got it into my head that the next big thing was always just one starter kit away.

It started, as these things often do, with admiration. Some women I respected—smart, capable, magnetic women—invited me to join Origami Owl and TEAM. I didn’t join because I was easily swayed. I joined because I believed in them. If they saw something in it—and maybe in me—then surely it was worth a shot.

Origami Owl was all about lockets filled with tiny charms that told your life story. Mine told the story of high hopes, a shrinking savings account, and way too many charms shaped like flip-flops and coffee cups.