Living the Dream

 Years ago, I resolved never to set New Year's Resolutions again, but to instead focus on Dreams!  During this course I essentially took the biggest business risk I've ever taken and opened my very first store.  A year and a half ago I joined my sons in making our vendor tent at Evermore a pursuit of a dream.   It wasn't just a day-dream. It was how do we make this little dream come true.  Every week we would talk about what went well, and what we could improve on.  This weekly meeting has been consistent.  There is always new ideas and products and leather patterns to try.  We started out selling 3-D printed dice displays and leather bracers.  Over the course of a year and a half we've added, 3D printed dragons and dice towers, leather pauldrons, baldrics, belts, warrior belts, wand holsters, sword frogs, belt bags, and more.  And we've increased our yearly sales from $38,000 to (dare I say this dream) nearly 200,000.  Today at the close of day we were $96 dollars away from that milestone.   

What a ride this past year plus has been.  I went back to college and pursued the dream of being financially independent.  Two years ago I couldn't even get an interview to get a job.  The one and only place that did interview me didn't hire me.  Well today I'm the one helping make the hiring decisions.  I'm officially living the dream.  

Somehow the blessing keep pouring in.  We set goals and are blown away when we meet and exceed those goals. Last fall I started buying products from a supplier in India that provides us with leather bags and books.  We've grown enough that they want us to be their return hub for products sold in America.  If someone buys one of their products on Amazon and then decides that they don't want it, instead of paying to have it shipped back to India they send it to us.   If we can sell it we split the profits with the maker.  How incredible is that. 

My husband was able to use some Microsoft Alumni sway to get us a wholesale agreement to purchase Dungeons and Dragons products directly to sell in our store.  Another blessing associated with living the dream.

We've been able to provide services, like paint your miniatures night, play for free at our tables, etc.  Because of the free offer, people are coming out of the woodwork to support our store.  They pay it forward with time, miniatures to use while playing etc.

Through our blessings we've been able to bless other small start-up companies.  We bought these gaming tables, and purchase atmosphere candles from new companies.  I've realized that sharing the blessings of dreams is what makes me want to keep dreaming.  Seeing the smiles when people walk in our store makes me think, 'Wow'!  

This dream is real and ever evolving.  It's terrifying and thrilling, and full of so many WoW moments I keep pinching myself.  I'm beyond grateful that I'm sharing this dream with two of my boys.  

Come January 1st, I won't need to make New Year's Resolutions because I'm already living the Dream!