YEAR REVIEW

I love the end of the year because it's a time of reflection, and seeing a vision for the next year. Let's reflect first!

Michele went to Nepal in May, and that built a relationship with our team there. I love that there is a connection for them with another westerner than me. Along with some other volunteers, Michele and I have since been building the nonprofit. I believe things are going to take off with it next year. 

The word for 2025 was collaborate, and the most obvious one was the designs we did with Created Colorful. That was a huge success and we're creating again next year! We also did photo shoots with customers in the spring and summer for the preorder models we tried. The shoots were amazing, but the made-to-order ended up being a flop. I'm glad we tried them though.

Tariffs came onto the scene for Nepal exports in September, and we quickly realized we would have to sell way more items to pay for the tariffs too. I have no idea how we're making it still because we haven't been selling extra. Sometimes I wonder if the provision is simply the favor of God because the math ain't mathing. On paper, Elegantees should not exist anymore. We're here though!

Getting the keys to our office loft in Brooklyn was a dream come true for me. We've had an office for four months so far, and it's a creative sanctuary. I didn't start soon enough on recruiting interns from the fashion colleges to come for the Fall, so we had a small team. The office didn't make a difference in our impact in Nepal (yet), but it certainly brought they joy of Elegantees back into my soul.

I'm praying for clarity in how to reach the goal to see one million in sales next year. On paper, this is what is required (see last week's update). For tools, I've been given the office space and the team. We'll have a lot of interns coming in the Spring semester. It feels like the success will depend on if I can be an effective leader. Delegation is officially my word of the year for 2026. 

Looking back at this year, the most obvious success is our team in Nepal. While things are not perfect on the United States side of things, the sisters are thriving with dignity. This is worth it. They had a celebration this week, and the photos bring just as much of a smile to my face as when we got the keys to the office. 

I hope you know how much we love you and appreciate your support of Elegantees. My 9-year-old son likes to ask me who is my boss, and I always tell him it's the customers. Thank you for keeping our company alive, full of hope, and with vision for what's to come.

May you enjoy the last week of 2025, doing more of whatever is most meaningful to you.

With Joy, Katie