It’s 9:22pm as I’m writing this. I made a promise to myself to keep these Sunday blogposts going, so even though I’m dead tired and my brain feels like mush, I’m here. Late, but here.
What was my week like? Honestly… filled with anxiety. There’s been this ball of nerves sitting in the pit of my stomach. My factory just wrapped another round of production, my largest to date, and now I’m in that limbo stage waiting for it to ship. My goal is to get all pre-orders delivered before Christmas, which means I need everything to arrive by around December 15th. Ocean freight takes roughly 30 days, and today is November 16th. If everything goes perfectly, we’ll make it. But even the tiniest bump on the road could push us past the deadline.
The thought of not delivering on a promise has been keeping me up at night. I’ve been doing my best to keep the anxiety at bay, but it’s been… tough.
Yesterday, I talked to a friend who owns several successful businesses. Her advice was simple, grounded, and very human: Be honest. If something arrives late, own it fully. Pick up the phone, call your customer, and explain the situation. Nine times out of ten, they’ll understand — and beyond that, they’ll appreciate the transparency. She gave me her advice matter of factly and I could sense it came from experience. After we spoke, the anxiety beast didn't feel quite as monstrous.
I’m still praying every night that the shipment arrives on time. But in case it doesn’t, I’m preparing myself to have those honest conversations with my customers. The kind where you show up fully, explain the situation, and trust that transparency matters.
With love,
Maria.