How to survive the trust fall.
How to Survive the Trust Fall.
Our 2020 in Review + Our 2021 Goals & Growth
We’re about three weeks into the New Year and while we are excited for what is ahead, we can’t help but take a step back and reflect on how 2020 has shaped our team and business alike! If you’re wondering what pivoting during a pandemic looks like for a small interior design business, well, I think we are still trying to process it all, but here it goes!
Honestly, It felt like one big trust fall. If Cossart Design was a FRIENDS episode, it would be titled: The one where you feel like you’re falling, but trusting your gut that someone is going to catch you. It just kind of happens. You fall, but not flat on your face. Before you know it, someone is right there to catch you and all of the sudden you feel safe again. The episode ends and you re-watch it 12,000 times. That was 2020.
Thank goodness for our family, friends, community, and clients. They not only caught us, but pushed us forward! Making the uncertainties of the year feel somewhat victorious in the end. Each of you showed up when we needed you most and reminded us that with small steps forward and one mask at a time, all would be good. Sure, some days had more hurdles than others, but we made it! All in all, for our business, 2020 felt like a success. You may be wondering, how do you define success as an entrepreneur and owner of a small business? Around here, we celebrate every tiny victory. Here’s a little peek into ours:
We hosted our first large event right before a nationwide shutdown. If you joined us for Cocktails with Cossart, we can’t wait to host again when we can all gather (and drink wine, lots of wine) together safely.
We did work from home one month. My kitchen could have been mistaken for a small bakery in upstate New York for as many muffins and cookies I made. From our table to many of yours, designs were still created and Samantha didn’t quit! Needless to say we are very happy to be back at 924 Carroll. Less muffins, more productivity. Our jeans are very happy about that.
We grew! We added one more team member to our dynamic duo. It’s not just Samantha and I in the shop anymore. When you pop by, you’ll more than likely see Haley, our Marketing and Communications Manager. Haley joined the team in late October and has quickly settled into her role here!
The open sign on the front door of our business is still intact. We’re still able to show up daily, ready to roll up our sleeves and create beautiful spaces for our clients.
Personally, 2020 still feels like a mixed bag of emotions. We miss seeing our families. We miss being at Market with friends in our industry. The pressures of keeping our tribe and clients safe weigh heavily on our shoulders - masks are our new trending accessories and safety is our number one priority. Regardless, we’ve survived and we feel a little wiser because of it!
Virtual is the new Black.
Everything has gone virtual. For some of you, teleworking and schooling are coined virtual for the foreseeable future. In our world, we’ve added Virtual Design Consults and Virtual Wedding Registry Walk-thrus to our list of services! While we have been able to safely continue in-person presentations and consultations, this has been a great option for some of our clients and our team! We’re ready to pivot at any point we may need to.
2. Connectivity is essential.
Bottom line, we miss our people. My parents are in Delaware, our team’s families are scattered throughout the country, and traveling hasn’t been in the cards for any of us. We’ve relied heavily on technology to keep in touch but it isn’t the same, you know? So for now, we’ll settle for FaceTime or Zoom and scheduled weekly phone calls with mom and dad. Staying connected, near or far, has kept us grounded. We have noticed the same for our business, too.
Like so many other small businesses, we saw first hand how crucial it is for our clients to be able to shop our storefront from their sofa. I think all of us have had an Amazon package (or twenty, sorry Mark!) delivered to our doorstep over the last 8 months. So, we joined in on all of the fun! Look for shoppable tagged products on Instagram and Facebook OR visit our website to view and shop all of our favorite home decor and gift options.
3. Goals make the future look and feel exciting.
I think we all need something to look forward to. Right? When we all sat down together the first working Monday of January, I had our team list out their personal and professional goals for the new year. Collectively, we’re able to hold one another accountable and hold true to celebrating every tiny victory, together, as we work towards the items on our lists. However, we have also learned first hand how important it is to remain flexible because if 2020 reminds us of one thing, it’s that curveballs WILL be thrown at us. We want to be ready to catch them when they do.
So, we’ll raise our glasses to 2020 and all that we have learned or been reminded of. It has made us stronger heading into 2021. In the midst of shutdowns, uncertainty, and chaos, we’re still laughing and growing together, setting goals for our small but mighty business and team. Remember, if you only walk on the sunny days, you’ll never reach your destination. In this new year, we are walking forward, having faith during the big and small “trust fall” moments of life, and working towards crushing our goals. Want to join us? There’s always room for more air high fives and celebrating around here … and if you know me, you know I’ll push and pull you towards your end goals! At the end of the day, we’re all in this together.
