Meet Grace Edwards

 

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Grace Edwards. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Grace below.

Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Grace with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?

I grew up on a farm in a world where tradition and faith dictated nearly every aspect of life. As one of seven siblings, I was no stranger to hard work. My days revolved around milking the dairy cow, feeding baby calves, tending to the horses, and helping raise a seemingly endless supply of produce. From a young age, I understood the rhythm of responsibility—if something needed to be done, you didn’t question it. You simply did it.

But life wasn’t just about the farm. I was raised in the Mennonite church, where faith and a strong work ethic were woven together into the very fabric of our lives. The Mennonite way of life revolved around humility, simplicity, and community. Work wasn’t just necessary—it was sacred. Whether it was chores on the farm or helping others in the community, every task had meaning.

Yet, as I grew older, I began to feel a quiet tug that pulled me away from that world. The same church that taught me discipline and resilience also came with rules and expectations that didn’t align with the person I was becoming. For all its beauty, the Mennonite life didn’t leave much room for personal growth or independence.

Leaving wasn’t easy. It meant stepping away from the only life I had ever known, a life full of structure, family, and deeply held traditions. But it also meant stepping toward something new—something unknown but full of possibility. It was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made, but also the most important.

When I left the Mennonite church, I didn’t leave behind the values that shaped me. Hard work, humility, and the belief that effort has meaning—those lessons stayed with me. They became the foundation for the life I’ve built, and they’re what carried me through the next chapter of my journey.

For eight years, I worked in the household management industry, a career I never expected but found I loved. And then came Atworth, a business that started almost by accident but quickly turned into my passion. I never planned to be an entrepreneur—especially not a successful one. But looking back, I see now that my upbringing prepared me in ways I didn’t fully realize at the time.

Leaving the Mennonite church taught me the value of taking risks and trusting myself, even when I wasn’t sure what the outcome would be. That same courage is what helped me start Atworth, a business that grew from humble beginnings into something I’m incredibly proud of today.

Running a business isn’t unlike life on the farm: it’s about showing up every day, whether you feel like it or not. It’s about doing the hard, unglamorous work that others might overlook. And most importantly, it’s about finding purpose in what you do.

For me, leaving the church wasn’t about rejecting everything I grew up with—it was about taking what mattered most and carrying it forward into a new life. Those early lessons in discipline, responsibility, and grit are at the heart of Atworth and everything I’ve accomplished since.

Today, my life looks nothing like the one I was born into. I’ve traded the traditions of my childhood for independence, and I’ve built a business that reflects my values and my vision for the future. But when I think about where I started, I feel nothing but gratitude. The farm, the church, and the challenges of leaving it all behind have shaped me into who I am.

For anyone else who feels torn between tradition and growth, my advice is this: You don’t have to leave everything behind to move forward. Take the lessons that serve you, honor the parts of your past that shaped you, and build something new.

And if the world ever goes off-grid? Don’t worry—I’m still the person to call. With a lifetime of hard work behind me, I’m always ready to tackle whatever comes next.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

Atworth is a premier full-service household management company dedicated to simplifying and elevating home life for our clients. From placing skilled housekeepers to appointing professional house managers, we handle every aspect of household operations with precision and care. Simply put, Atworth gives clients the ultimate luxury: their time.

Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?

As any business grows you face new challenges you’ve never faced before daily. Right now we are growing beyond what we could of imagined, I’m learning how to hire operations managers and creating a team to manage our teams that are on the ground. It’s an exciting phase to be in for sure.

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