Hello Kindred & Co. friends!

This week is a big week for Kindred & Co., because while we technically started selling product back in August of 2019, the official launch of Kindred & Co. was the 27th of October 2019, basically one year ago. Aka Kindred & Co. is ONE years old this week!

*Pause for excited dancing and squeals.*

When I let my brain just quickly reflect on this business turning one, it doesn’t feel super momentous. It just feels like another ordinary day. I’m tempted to come up with a long list of things that haven’t been accomplished, or milestones that weren’t reached. I’m tempted to compare myself to other small businesses that have also turned one and see how far they’ve come in comparison. Even as I write this, I’m still tempted to compare and not celebrate.

But. I want to be a celebrations person. I want to be someone who celebrates the big victories and the small ones. I want Kindred & Co. to be a place of encouragement. If Kindred & Co. is a company about encouraging women to pursue a life of wholehearted intention and abundant joy, then that means choosing to make decisions and live in postures that allow for that to happen. Which means, the comparison lists I’m tempted to make, do not belong.

Instead, I want to intentionally reflect on and think on only that which is relevant to Kindred & Co. I want to choose to reflect on the big wins and celebrations, and the small unseen victories. I want to choose to find joy for the things that were hard and had me on the floor wondering “why am I doing this?” This is the kind of list that belongs in a one year celebration and the one I want to share with you as I reflect back on this year of Kindred & Co.:

• 2019-2020 Academic Planner launched Sept 2019

• Official launch party on 10/27/2019 with 2020 Annual Planner released

• Becoming an official recognized small business in MA in December 2019

• Kindred & Co. heads to the IF:Gathering in Feb 2020 (Pre and Post Blog Posts)

• Release of the Simple Planner in Feb 2020

• Collaboration/Partnership with The Well Summit and their annual retreat – building up women headed to college to pursue life with a kindred posture

• Kindred & Co. podcast interview with Courtney of The Journey of Ruth podcast

• Launch of Kindred Boxes in May 2020

• Launch of Be Still Journal in Sept 2020

• Sold out of the Annual Planner and Kindred Boxes in Sept 2020

• Collaboration/Partnership with Seeds of Fortune – building up women headed to college to pursue life with a kindred posture

• Launch of first ever Kindred & Co. Planner Workshop in Sept 2020

• Launch of Kindred & Co. merch in Oct 2020

• Every victory moment of choosing rest over the hustle

• Every victory moment of choosing to to believe that my worth does not come from the success of the business

• Every story that was shared about the influence/impact of Kindred & Co. products on someone’s life

• The community developed, even over social media

• The simultaneous confidence and humility grown

• Every victory moment of being okay with not being okay, choosing rest, but not quitting and being okay with doubt

• Every victory moment of taking big risks and choosing to believe in big dreams

This is the kind of list I want to remember and think about as Kindred & Co. turns one.

And when I look at this list, it’s hard not to be a little overwhelmed and say “Wow. What a year, look at what God has done and look at how far Kindred & Co. has come.”

Thank you friends for being on this journey with me and with this company and being in this community. It has been an incredible joy to to serve and journey alongside you through blogs, Kindred letters, social media and the products. I look forward to what year two will bring and however many years Kindred & Co. will have ahead of her.

With great joy & deep gratitude,

Val