11-22-2017
Things I'm Thankful For as a Creative Entrepreneur in 2017
FILED IN: Holiday & Seasonal
Posted By: Jamie Kutchman
Is it just me or do things suddenly seem to go into fast forward mode this time of year? With holiday rush here at Marigold & Grey coupled with other commitments such as Friendsgiving gatherings, Thanksgiving travel, Christmas shopping, gift wrapping, Christmas decorating, holiday parties, and closing out the business books, it can be really easy to lose sight of all we have to be thankful for. I know I'm guilty of this and don't like it about myself.
Today, I'm intentionally taking time to reflect back upon 2017 and share all the many things I truly am thankful for!
My Guy
Marigold & Grey has doubled in size each year for the last two years and this doesn't happen without a lot of time and energy invested. This can often lead to insanely long hours and when I do finally come home, I'm either exhausted or still keyed up talking about work, or both! I've talked about him before both here on the blog and in our Instagram feed but my husband Jeff is worthy of being mentioned again and again. When I told him I suddenly quit my corporate career on a conference call back in 2014 and instead of getting another "real job" that I wanted to make gift bags, he was supportive then and he is still supportive today by offering the occasional pep talk and generally a having patience with my demanding work schedule.
Spine Surgery
You may have read my post back in the summer upon returning to work after an entire month off for much-needed spine surgery. I'd suffered with chronic and severe neck pain for at least ten years and had tried everything to resolve it without having surgery. I'll spare you the details but it got to the point where my quality of life was drastically impacted and surgery became my only option. I'm incredibly thankful for a successful outcome. I'm still in the recovery period but already doing SO much better than I was before. I have more stamina at work, am more social after work and on weekends, and just overall significantly more active. I'm incredibly thankful to have my life getting back on track!
My Team
We are a small but mighty gifting team. We may pump out thousands of gifts throughout the year yet there are only three of us for the time being. We work in close quarters and truly depend on one another to meet our goals. Hands down...the business would not be where it is today without my team. The hard work, the loyalty, the smarts, the commitment. I'm thankful for it all and no matter how large the business gets or the direction it goes in, I have made a commitment to myself to value my team members and express gratitude to them no matter what, both publicly and in-person.
Achieving Profitability
It often takes time for businesses to become profitable and my business is no exception. The first year, we definitely lost money. The second year we improved significantly and broke even. And this year, I'm over-the-moon thrilled to announce that we are profitable. Between doubling revenue, getting smarter about expenses and becoming more efficient, the end result is something I'm very proud of and incredibly thankful for.
Opportunities for Public Speaking
At first glance, many people wouldn't necessarily put public speaking as something they're thankful for. But for me, it definitely belongs on this list. Multiple opportunities to speak this year have forced me out of my comfort zone to get up on stage and share my knowledge and experience with others. Funny thing is...I'm always freakishly nervous beforehand but once I get up in front of the audience, a calm comes over me and I'm immediately relaxed. I'm appreciative of the opportunities I've been given and absolutely cannot wait for more in 2018!
Trusted Vendors
Hands down, we would NOT be where we are today without trusted vendor partners who deliver exactly what they say they will day in and day out. We never have to waste time worrying if they'll actually come through for us or not. They just flat-out do. Of course, we've had some who have gone completely MIA and left us hanging but often times, those are situations that allow other potential vendors to step up to the plate and perform when ordinarily they may not have been given the opportunity.
M&G Clients!!!!
Last but certainly not least, I cannot express just how thankful I am for each and every customer who chose to gift with us this year. Whether it be for wedding welcome gifts, corporate event gifts or gifts for a particular special occasion, each and every project meant the world to me. Without customers, I do not have a business. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Thank you for the opportunity to share with you a bit of a more personal post than usual. It really is worth the time to slow down, take a breath, and reflect back upon so many blessings I've experienced this year. Wishing you a very Happy Thanksgiving with friends and family!
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