How I Almost Burned My Business to the Ground….

I've been holding onto a big secret for the last six months and I want to talk about it the way I'd talk to a friend. And since we're friends - first you need some backstory.

I started my business in 2012 as a way to have a creative outlet from my tech job that demanded big right brain energy all day long. Since then it's morphed into different forms more regularly than a Power Ranger. I spent many, many years deeply in love with my business. I saw it as my firstborn and I happily threw every second of my time at it.

For the past three years, my business hasn't quite felt right. It's like a sweater I splurged on 12 years ago and now it still fits but the armpits feel weird and the cut doesn't quite sit the way it used to. I've spent countless hours in the last few years working on myself, detangling who I am from my business and trying to figure out how I want to use the precious slice of time we all get as humans.

I thought when I rebranded to "Your Gal Kiwi" in 2022 that I'd fix all my problems. In reality, it only made me crave change more. I thought about shutting down the business and doing a big ass fire sale. And I noodled on that. I thought about hiring people to run it for me. And I noodled on that. I thought about selling my business. And I noodled on that. And I kept noodling on that last scenario in particular.

Earlier this year, I reached out to Meghan at And Here We Are (who I admire deeply) and told her that I wasn't quite done with my business but I was done with it as it currently was. And then I asked her if maybe she was interested in whipping something up with me. (I was so nervous I almost shit my pants.) Through a whirlwind of brainstorming and creativity - we decided that "Your Gal Kiwi" will be joining her line.

What that means for me is that I can take this one woman show back to the things that I lose all of time and space doing - creating. What that means for you is that you can buy all the Your Gal Kiwi products you've come to know in love alongside a ton of other amazing things from And Here We Are! I know you'll fall in love with Meghan's stuff at first sight. The other most excellent news is that I'll still keep releasing new products and you'll always be able to find them on the And Here We Are site.

This is an enormous and exciting shift for me and, no, I don't know quite know what the hell I'm going to do with more of my time yet - I'm flying by the damn seat of my pants. I've never not had a full plan for myself but here's to whatever 2024 brings!