My kids are back in school! I'm in awe of the quiet in my home office nook. It's been three months without such alone time, and I'm writing the first Friday update of this new season. Can I be honest? My house is usually upside down in the summer. My kids have sibling rivalry, I'm in a crunch for work while refereeing the fights that breakout in the living room. I wanted this summer to be different though, and it ended up being delightful!

WHAT MADE THE DIFFERENCE?

Some workload was automated. There's three people in Nepal I'd like to recognize for this.      

1. Binita (production manager) keeps things streamlined, and I rarely need to follow up. It's a dream to watch her organization and strong communication thrive.
2. Prabin (product photo editor) is a creative who has taken over the photo editing. He also visits the sewing team to capture behind the scenes content.
3. Rojina (virtual assistant) has been my friend for 8 years. Despite being a mom herself, Rojina is in our customer service inbox more than me!

This dream team gifted our business with their hard work, and gifted me with time. I actually felt like an available mom and wife this summer. 

SO WHAT DID I DO? 

My son and I smashed a lot of spotted lantern flies. They're an invasive insect in New York City, and it's become one of my favorite ways to bond with him. We got our daughter a lot of little gifts. I loved our conversations. Along with visits to Iowa, outdoor time, and many hands of UNO, it was a great summer. 

In case you're comparing, know it wasn't perfect. I still had moments that I gave them screen time to work on something for myself. I also had days of feeling led to ask them to forgive me. 

COMING THIS FALL

Now I have a season ahead of scheduled times of quiet, and I can focus on work more. Since Binita, Prabin, and Rojina are staying on board this fall, I'll have less busy-work than last year. Wow! What to do first?

Back to the 501(c)3. I made no progress with this, but the right time is now. I'll start drafting by-laws very soon! Our goal is to break some systems that fuel exploited labor overseas. We'll partner with local experts, build small factories, hire people most vulnerable to human trafficking, and instill fair-trade principles.

Elevating the brand. We're almost caught up with business debt, which will open up more resources. However, hiring more seamstresses won't be sustainable until we increase our volume first. Since image quality and lifestyle engages website visitors 2.6 times longer, it seems like the right investment. I've got part-time creatives here in NYC to help elevate our presentation. I can't wait!