On silence, acceptance, and enjoying the ride: Looking back on 5 years of The Butters
Photo Above: Mom & Dad of The Butters. Jerome, Owner/Creator/Maker - left. Zanita. Administration/2nd in Command/First Employee
We’ve been kinda quiet publicly, outside of emails, for the last 2-3 months. I’ve especially been quieter than you’re used to. But I learned long ago, it’s ok to shut up when you don’t have a ton to say. Also, I’m definitely the one to put my foot in my mouth when mindlessly chattering. Still, as we approach an important anniversary, I and we’ve been doing a ton behind the scenes.
This time to recalibrate is probably gonna prove to be a foundational moment for our legacy as a company and team.
We moved, got vaccinated, set up the new bigger space, vacationed, been ill with chronic stuff; gained and loss a few folks professionally and personally; took time to develop and communicate our Mission, Vision, Values, & Beliefs internally; plans have been made and fallen through and remade; currently sales are down due to our silence and I am embracing the many many changes of 2021 as they come.
So, as you might guess, things have been stressful and melancholy but we’re still on the right path. In fact, this time to recalibrate is probably gonna prove to be a foundational moment for our legacy as a company and team. Using this time to ensure we’re working our best and our best together can’t possibly hurt us as a rapidly growing startup.
It’s worth noting that this is the first moment we’ve been financially stable enough to take our foot off the gas. The second paragraph of events all happened, and we’ve been able to all take the time we need without the business collapsing. That’s a testament to how much we’ve grown and the stability of this company.
If we were to get Butters Hygienics LLC valued like they do for magazine covers, we’d be over the $1 million valuation mark.
2020 was horrific for many people but I was incredibly lucky to experience an exponential net positive in personal and professional pursuits. The morning of January 1, 2021, I left my now former friends apt, closed my van door and the windshield cracked. I already knew what was happening, but you better believe I sat there Googling to find one positive interpretation of that omen. I didn’t find it and I’m not going to lol. I mean, at least the universe told me ahead of time.
That may sound dreary, but radical honesty and acceptance are the only answer when things fall out of your control. I am clear headed and in good spirits. My gratitude for that growth last year and the lasting benefits allow this turbulent time to feel less like the entire world is falling apart. I’m even grateful for that gratitude, which makes my head hurt a little but it’s probably for the best.
June 4th marks The Butters’ 5th birthday. Such an important anniversary comes at a very strange time but we’re still gonna celebrate. If we were to get Butters Hygienics LLC valued like they do for magazine covers, we’d be over the $1 million valuation mark. While the actual revenue number is closer ¼ that, by every measure we are an exceptional small business.
I had a great idea but folks in my personal life and folks on the interwebs threw me on their back and we’ve come an incredibly long way - We’ve sold over 40,000 units. I’ve spoken a lot about gratitude, but I am also grateful for you. Whether you’re one of 1,500 people who joined this mailing list in the last year or one of the 1,500 other people who followed in years 1-4, thank you. When you see what we’ve got in store for you, you’ll be thankful too! 😉