Time travel with me to 2012. My "office" was a desk in the corner of someone else's office, and Arla LaserWorks was nonexistent. I was a cheery girl running another e-commerce business in the midst of mostly male business people.
Each time my business shipped an order, it was a celebration; from the first one to the 100,000th one. And every package had a note pasted on the outside. It started with the word "STOP!" I wanted to say something to my customers, but almost everyone around me said "no one is going to care or even read that! .. Plus it's SO long!"
And it was long, I give them that. But I did it anyway because wanted to say "thank you", and I wanted to invite everyone to stop right where they were and find something wonderful to appreciate, too.
One day, I got the first reply about that pasted note. This e-mail was from Ashley:
"I have no idea if this email will get anyone or they will even care but I want to send that anyway. I ordered an [item] from you guys it's lovely...But there is something else, there was a message on that package that made me stop in my tracks...It essentially said thank you for supporting small business and thusly the people [who] work there, but it also reminded me that even when times are tough I can be grateful for every breath that is available. This little label made a world of difference to me and my mom yesterday as my dad was just diagnosed with cancer.
You never know how much a little bit of encouragement means - even something as little as a label stuck on a bubble wrap envelope..."
I taped this up because it shows that you don't have to do extravagant things to touch someone. And not to hold a sentiment back because you think someone won't care. Everyone cares. A feeling of appreciation is first a gift to your own heart; and then it expands when it's shared.
And EVERY SINGLE DAY I appreciate all of you who are a part of Arla LaserWorks! You who read our newsletters, who reply to them, who shop with us, who tell a friend about us and connect with us on insta...Without you, our love of creating and designing personal gifts is nothing more than a ridiculously expensive hobby.
So, whatever you are doing this Thanksgiving (and even if you are team Chandler and boycotting it), know that we at Arla LaserWorks are grateful for YOUR presence with us.
Go ahead and find something to feel good about right here and now, too. Share it with someone, or reply and share it with us!! We'd love to hear from you. :)
With lots of love,
El
and all of us at
Arla LaserWorks
(Sammy doggo included!)
|
|
|
|
|
|
