From First-Day Jitters to New Beginnings

Let me tell you…this week has been a whirlwind. My kiddos started school yesterday; Harrison is now in Kindergarten and Grant is starting preschool!

Sadly, my little guy had a rather hard time on his first day. He was in a new setting with new people, which I'm sure is very scary when you're only 3. But he was a brave little guy and made it through the whole day (with only a couple of tears), and, more importantly, came back the next day to try again. Watching him face his fears and keep going reminded me of some of my own experiences in business.

Years ago (over a decade, to be exact), I started selling a line of charm bracelets from a brand that shall not be named. For years, this line became the cornerstone of my store, bringing my business to new heights and giving it exposure that it never would have reached otherwise.

And while I’m eternally grateful for my partnership with them, it didn’t end well. The trend ran its course. I had to sell the remaining inventory at such a steep discount that it felt like I was basically giving it away. Then, I had to get rid of the tens of thousands of dollars worth of display cases I had invested in. I literally called 1-800-GOT-JUNK and had them hauled away. I vividly remember standing in a parking lot, super pregnant (and emotional) watching them load the truck, and worrying it was all over.

The downfall of that brand led to a tough recovery at the shop for a period that lasted years. Thankfully, through perseverance, hard work, and a lot of ingenuity, we managed to bounce back stronger than ever. It wasn’t easy, but every step forward was a reminder of why I started this journey in the first place.

Which leads me to this week…and the official launch of our new charm bar from our brand partner Lotus Jewelry Studio (right next door in Maryland)! Even though I may have a little self-diagnosed “charm-PTSD” from that first charm line, I still decided to take the leap and try again. It's like Grant facing his fears on the first day of school – sometimes, we must push through our past experiences and give new opportunities a chance.

As we step into this new season, I hope you, too, can embrace the changes and the fresh opportunities they bring. Just like Grant heading off to school, we’re all starting new chapters in our lives. Here’s to facing those new beginnings with courage, a little bit of grace, and the belief that the best is yet to come.