"I Come Home and I'm Just Happy" - How Zayani Found Joy and Purpose in Her Craft Club

What does success look like to you? For Zayani Mandigo, a wife, mother, and former math teacher from Atlanta, Georgia, success isn't just measured in dollars or scale; it's measured in joy. 

After years of missing the magic of working with children, Zayani discovered that her perfect life was waiting in the excited faces of little ones learning Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM) through creativity.

Her story reminds us that sometimes the most meaningful success is finding work that feels purposeful and that brings you home happy every single day.

 The Search for Meaningful Work 

Zayani's journey began with a clear vision of what she needed: "My biggest challenge was just really finding a low-stress environment where my work was purposeful and also full of joy."

Despite working for "a really wonderful STEAM education company," something fundamental was missing. The company "had pivoted away from teaching children hands-on, minds-on projects towards teaching educators (math teachers and science teachers) how to bring project-based learning into their own classrooms."

"I really, really missed working with the children and creating all of these wonderful things and seeing that big aha moment on their faces," Zayani says.

With her two children away at college, Zayani found herself with time but without purpose. "Before I started the club, I was just walking my dog every day."

 When Joy Called, She Answered 

The moment Zayani saw Creative Crafting Club's Facebook ad, she knew she'd found what she was searching for.

"When I saw your ad on Facebook, for me, it was a no-brainer. It was inexpensive, you provided resources, you provided mentoring. I don't know, I just felt so much joy. I just felt like this is the place for me."

Unlike expensive franchises, this felt accessible and authentic. "It was just easy."

 Rediscovering the Magic of Teaching 

In just three months, Zayani built something beautiful. Not just a business, but a life filled with purpose. She now runs:

• A monthly community club at a local artist-owned café
• Weekly sessions with 3 and 4-year-olds at a preschool
• Programs for students ages 5-12 at multiple schools

But the real magic happens in the moments with her students:

“I love working with the kids—they’re so precious. They get so excited to tell me what they know. I’ll ask, ‘What are you thinking? What do you know?’ and they’ll shout, ‘Miss Zayani, Miss Zayani, I have to tell you!’”

 The Ripple Effect of STEAM Learning 

What fills Zayani's heart most is witnessing the impact of STEAM education on her students:

"At the end of class they tell me all the things that they learned and then when I put them in the car, they're excited to tell their parents what a nose cone is and it's just so cool."

These moments of discovery and excitement remind her why this work matters. Children are crafting AND they're learning "how things are made and how we can take something and make it better or make it prettier," developing critical thinking skills "that students really need to be successful once they graduate high school."

 Work That Doesn't Feel Like Work 

Perhaps the most beautiful part of Zayani's transformation is how her relationship with work has changed:

"I really enjoy not being burnt out at the end of the day. I'm a late riser, I don't like mornings, and so I tend to carry my work over into the evenings, but it's joyful work! I'm painting or I'm stapling or I'm creating fun little worksheets, and it's not stressful."

Her family notices the difference too: "My family just enjoys being with me when I'm doing my work and then after my work, I come home and I'm just happy and that has been wonderful."

 The Unexpected Gift of Community Support 

Zayani discovered that pursuing joyful work created a ripple effect in her community:

"What I've really been surprised by [is] how supportive my community is and my family. My husband always asks ‘what do you need?’ and he comes to my monthly club and takes photos for me and he talks to the parents."

Even her parents joined in: "Every time I visit them, they have a big bag of paper towel rolls and water bottles and caps and all of the little things that we use for our projects."

Her community became her biggest supporters: "I use Facebook to talk to the people in my community in the town that I live in, and they have been not just saying 'Yay, good job!' but a lot of them have helped me to find the bookings that I have and that has been absolutely wonderful."

 Simple Steps to Lasting Fulfillment 

Zayani's approach was refreshingly straightforward: "When I started the club, I started with Task 1 and I did everything you told me to do when you told me to do it. I did what you said to do and it worked."

She emphasizes the importance of preparation and authenticity: "You need to go in prepared. Go in with your speech memorized, go in with whatever handouts you want to show them. I wear my gear. I also take exemplars."

But Zayani's secret weapon? Genuine enthusiasm: "Nothing beats walking into a school and shaking hands with the secretary and saying ‘hi, my name is Zayani, I'm starting a new business and I would love to share it with you’ because they feel my excitement and they want to help."

Bonus Tip: That personal connection is powerful, and you can make it even stronger with visual aids. An eye-catching poster makes an impact, helps people remember what you offer, and helps them understand why your classes matter.

Here’s the exact poster our members have used to secure their place at schools ⬇️. Doesn’t it make you want to sign your child up, too?

P.S. If you’re a CCC Academy member, you can grab the editable version of this flyer in your ‘Resources’ section.

 Success Defined by Both Happiness and Sustainability 

For Zayani, success is about creating sustainable work that supports her financially while fulfilling her personally. In just three months, she went from having no business to running multiple programs with schools paying semester fees upfront, providing both immediate cash flow and long-term security.

"I took the curriculum, I'm so glad I took the leap and bought the curriculum because it's there, it's easy, it's easy to follow and I really like that there are things that I can take out and things that I can put in."

The Creative Crafting Club curriculum is the backbone of what makes this possible. It’s a growing library of 320+ editable, developmentally appropriate lesson plans designed for ages 2–12.

Every project is carefully tested to make sure it’s fun, achievable, and rooted in STEAM learning so kids practice problem-solving, creativity, and collaboration while making something they’re proud to take home.

Members of CCC Academy also receive an exclusive 50% discount in their first 30 days of signing up, making it an affordable way to access a complete, ready-to-go program.

As a former math and STEAM educator, she finds deep satisfaction in "being able to insert some of the vocabulary and get these kids thinking," helping them develop skills they'll need for life, while building a business that truly works for her life.

 Her Message of Encouragement 

If you're looking to start a club of your own, here's a bit of advice from Zayani:

"Take the leap, but do the work. It is a business and you have to run it like a business. There are no shortcuts. It's really important to follow every step, and if you do that you will find success, just keep going."

She's honest about the challenges: "My launch, nobody showed up and I was very sad, but I kept going because I knew that if I just put myself out there every day, more and more and more, people will start getting used to me and they'll start trusting me."

 The True Measure of Success 

Zayani's story reminds us that success looks different for everyone. For her, it's found in:

• Coming home happy after work
• Seeing children's eyes light up when they understand a concept
• Having work that energizes rather than drains
• Building something that serves her community
• Creating a life where family time and work time both bring joy

 Your Next Chapter is Waiting 

Zayani's journey from "just walking my dog every day" to "I come home and I'm just happy" shows us that it's possible to build a life around work that truly fulfills you.

Success doesn't have to mean sacrificing your well-being or happiness. Sometimes, the most successful thing you can do is create work that allows you to be your most joyful, purposeful self.

 Are You Ready To Find Work You Love? 

If you're searching for work that energizes rather than drains you, where you can make a meaningful impact while finding personal fulfillment, we understand that longing.

Zayani found her perfect balance of purpose, creativity, and flexibility. With guidance and training from the Creative Crafting Club, she's created exactly what she was looking for: "a low-stress environment where my work was purposeful and also full of joy."

Your joyful work might be waiting too. And if you’re ready to explore this idea—or even start building the club of your dreams—our FREE Beginners Checklist is the place to start. It’s the exact step-by-step guide that hundreds of successful club owners have used to launch their own programs, and it gives you a clear path forward so you don’t waste time wondering what to do first.

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