I love this series happening on social right now, and it is very timely. If you recall, this year started with a BANG! We were moving to a new space, planning to renovate, and had big plans.
THEN THERE WAS MARCH.
In March, just prior to March Break, I had met with contractors to get work started on our new space. And just as quotes were coming in, everything went silent. Stores closed, the tap was turned off. Everyone was at work and school on a Friday and by Monday we were all home. And really, we’ve never left. To cope with the stress of all the change, I did what I always do – like Forrest Gump – I ran. We modified our daily routine to include a family dog walk in the mornings (phys. ed.), followed by helping my daughter navigate Grade 9 math, then a run and a shower to transition into my work day. Not that there was much work. I puttered around at cleaning up files and my work space. I used the time to really work on the internal things: growing my skill set with delegation and management. Determining where we are positioned in the market and where I want to take Anointment. Thinking about the non-COVID related factors holding us back. Getting really familiar with regulatory frameworks.
The planned renovations flitted to the wayside. By May, things were starting to look up. While most stores were still closed they were offering curbside pick up. It was clear that this year would be difficult to recover, but with only myself on staff, we were able to hang on. Determined to forge ahead with our move, I restarted conversations with the property manager and contractors. Enough factors had changed with the building we were planning to move into in just two months that it became clear the space we had leased would no longer be suitable. We agreed to terminate the lease. I settled back in to working at home – disappointed, but now everyone was doing it!
The summer seemed to fly by, it was hot, sunny, and we all took advantage of beach time as best we could but at Anointment our summer was remarkably busy. Estelle, who joined us in February, came back to work in July after a COVID-related lay off, and we started to get back on track. By September it again became clear that the biggest barrier to growth for Anointment was our lack of space. The search was started once more. I looked at three further properties. There was always *something* that was holding me back from seizing the opportunity, and a lot of reflecting to determine if it was me and my own fear. It was a bit like a Three Little Bears story: one space was too big (and on the second floor of a building), a second space was just right but too expensive and required significant renovations and the third space, well, it ended up being just right.
WE HAVE A NEW HOME!
I have learned there is a pattern to how things go with me….painful, painful, painful indecision and doubt followed by everything falling into place in very quick succession. It has happened for me this way EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. I met the property owner on Tuesday, signed the lease on Thursday, and started painting yesterday – in middle of our Christmas season! Piling crazy on top of crazy is very familiar for me!
Anointment has a building all to itself! A production, packing, and warehouse space. Minimal renovations needed – just lots and lots of paint and maybe a few light fixtures. I can’t tell you what a relief this is. My family is so excited – we will have our living room back for Christmas! Our front hall will no longer be full of boxes!
I’m extremely proud of all we’ve been able to accomplish from our 160 sq. ft. production space in the last decade – when I think about it from that perspective, it is truly amazing. However, it was never my intention to work at home for this long, and it was never my intention to stay small. Cheers for scary change!
You’ll find the Anointment workshop in the Sackville Industrial Park at 22 Sloan Drive. Stay tuned for updates and watch social for more!
Fait au Canada
