Marking milestones is something I often overlook in the hustle of running a business, but today, I'm pausing to celebrate another year of Birdie & Claire. Choosing a specific date to mark our "business birthday" has always been a bit tricky—was it the day we got our official registration? The moment we started brainstorming ideas? The first draft of the business plan? Or perhaps when we made our first sale? In the end, we decided to go with the date on our logo, and September 5th has become our "official" anniversary.
The idea of writing a yearly letter to myself on this date came from a podcast I heard—I wish I could remember who suggested it to give them credit! It's become a valuable tool for reflecting. Each year, I take a moment to pause and think: How do I feel about the business? What's changed over the past year? What's gone well? What challenges lie ahead? What am I looking forward to?
It's easy to get lost in the day-to-day grind and forget to celebrate the small wins. When I look back at the hurdles that once felt overwhelming—like our first production run that I thought would never happen or the countless revisions of our logo and website—I realize just how far we've come. There's always more to do, but this process of reflection has taught me to practice gratitude, even for the tiny victories.
So, as we mark another year, I want to say thank you for being part of this project. Your support has meant the world, and I couldn't be more grateful for each step we've taken in this small business dream.