My nerdy self
I’m sitting on the couch with my family on Saturday night watching Top Chef, our weekly tradition, and it’s that point in the season when there’s just a handful of chefs left in the competition.
The judges look at the remaining chefs sternly & say the same thing each season - cook YOUR food.
Stop trying to cater to the judges or the challenges, but cook to express yourself.
And inevitably the chef that embraces this the most is the one who wins.
And it hits me that this is the same struggle that I find myself in as a business owner.
I’m drawn to catering my business to what other businesses are doing that’s been successful for them but that’s not what’s going to allow Purse & Clutch to continue to grow & continue to support fair wage employment for our artisan partners.
It’s only going to succeed if I can authentically show up as myself, even if it’s not the flashy female entrepreneur I kind of wish I was.
That means showing up as my nerdy self who loves spreadsheets.
As my analytical self who wants everything to be systemized before I press the go button.
As my cautious self who makes sure we’re not cutting corners & focuses on slow growth.
As my relational self who cares more about who I’m partnering with than making a quick sale or large profit.
As my introverted self who takes days off of social media to be present with her kids.
In the past I’ve seen these qualities as what’s holding back our growth but with the help of an amazing coach (shout out to Emily Grey) & the incredible group of women in my Mastermind, I’m beginning to see & believe that this is what is going to be my biggest asset.
That what sets Purse & Clutch apart is that I have spent over a decade building a solid foundation of artisan production that truly makes a difference for good. And if the heart of Purse & Clutch is its impactful production, then the more ways I can fill up our production runs, the better!
That’s truly the “why” behind our custom branding offerings. I get to focus on building authentic partnerships with brands (like Kim Lewis Designs), boutiques (like Green Roost + Terra Shepherd), non profits (like Dressember ), and businesses (like Harmony Weddings) + Snowdrop Bookkeeping & Career Collective) to create slow & steady employment opportunities for our artisans.
If anyone comes to mind that you think would be a good partner: * non profits looking for creative fundraising ideas * conferences looking for thoughtful speaker gifts or quality branded swag bag items * boutiques looking to capture customer loyalty in a thoughtful way * businesses looking for quality custom branded corporate gifts I’m working to fill up our final production runs for the year & would love an introduction!
Continually grateful for a community who lets me show up as my authentic, nerdy self : )
Warmly,
Jen Lewis | Founder of Purse & Clutch