Today we’d like to introduce you to Fiona Donohue.
Hi Fiona, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I moved to Nashville nearly 4 years ago because I felt as if I needed change. I ended up with a job as a teacher, making friends that I feel blessed to know, and way more trucker hats than I anticipated. However at the end of last year I felt stagnant again. I looked around me and felt guilty for not being happy when I was surrounded by so much to be grateful for. Yet, I knew I needed something to change again and it wasn’t going to be my zip code this time. On New Year’s Day, I sat in a coffeeshop and brainstormed what would bring me the sense of purpose that I was looking for. I compiled a list of things that made me feel passionate and the two that stood out the most was reading and running. So, I decided to create Runner Arc, a run+book club in which we read the book before the meetup, come to run, and stay to socialize. The goal was to build something of my own, have at least one new person come to a meetup, and create the change I knew I needed. It brought me so much more than I ever could have imagined. We have had 5 meetups in which we now 35-40 members consistently joining us each time and a community that is continuing to grow. This Fall, our club is launching two meetups per month in which we are partnering with various publishers and local businesses, as well as merch to represent the club. Runner Arc has led to so many new friends, increased knowledge of running paths, and trust in myself. In addition, it rekindled my love of writing to the degree that I created a challenge on my Instagram called “Writer in Progress” in which I wrote an article every day for a month on Substack, as well as continued writing a novel that I have not looked at since 2020.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
While Runner Arc is something that I feel incredibly grateful for, it has had moments of hardship. In the beginning stages, I had people questioning the vision I had for the club and urged me to shrink my dreams. I know it came from the best intentions for the most part as they feared how failure would impact me, but I had to focus on my own belief in what I knew I wanted to create. In addition, I had to face rejection from local businesses that didn’t want to partner as our post run location for events and learn to pivot. As well as getting over the “cringe” of posting on social media. Lastly, balancing creating Runner Arc and my job, social life, and wellness as a whole. I tend to be someone who gives 100% always, so fighting off the burnout and learning to find rest in between the chaotic schedule I have created for myself has been a great challenge that I am still learning to deal with.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My work consists of two different focuses. First, I created a Nashville based run + book club called Runner Arc. I have always had a passion for reading and staying active, so I wanted to build a community of people who felt the same way! Second, I am in the process of writing a novel and write Substack articles about love, life in Nashville, and thoughts about everything in between. I have a new weekly newsletter on my Substack called “Thank God It’s Wednesday” in which I describe the ways that I am reclaiming my weekdays and refusing to live for Friday at 5pm.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success to me would be defined in different ways for Runner Arc and my writing journey. In regard to my club, success is helping create friendships between people that may not have had the opportunity to meet otherwise. Every meeting we end up with more and more returning members, and I feel pride in the relationships I can see forming from it. While success in writing is the act of doing so at all. Every time I press submit on an article that allows others to view my more vulnerable and honest thoughts, it is a success. I hope to continue creating a space in which people can feel seen, positively impacted, and feel comfortable messaging me further about. I guess the root motive behind both versions of success would be connection. If I am able to continue building a connection in a world that is filled of people aching for it, then that would be my greatest success.
Pricing:
- Paid subscribers to my Substack can pay $80/year
- Runner Arc Trucker Hats: $35
- Runner Arc Baseball Caps $25
Contact Info:
- Website: https://substack.com/@fiinfineprint
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fi.infineprint?igsi=MWo2enVkY2c1dWtxOA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
