After years of building a career in a big city, I moved to a small town. It was the best move for me as a business owner.

Moving to a small town in Wales was surprisingly great for me as a business owner.

Meredith Whitely

For most of my working life, I lived in or near London, where I was surrounded by bustling, big-city energy. Lots of the people I knew were focused on climbing the career ladder and earning more money.My own definition of personal success was also tied to this for a long time — but in 2015, after many years of working for big companies, I decided to follow my dreams and develop my own small chocolate business.I can't deny that there were benefits to kicking off a new chapter in my career near a major city. It was helpful to have access to business-development support and a varied food scene.Being near a city meant lots of opportunities, but also a lot more noise and competition. This can inspire some people, but for me, it was also a source of stress. I started craving a different pace of life.My husband was on the same page, and we began discussing an eventual move to a place we loved: Wales.I worried about moving, but noticed immediate benefits

I had worries about giving up my professional network in London.

Meredith Whitely