what are you wearing right now that makes you feel safe and happy?
How are all of you out there? These are crazy times and I personally am finding my anxiety ebbing and flowing as we all navigate this ever changing situation. I wanted to let you all know how I’ve been transitioning the business and give you and update on some things that were already occurring before the pandemic was our everyday reality.
January and February were very good months for sales. This was truly amazing and also a challenge since we are such a small team and we were finding ourselves in over our heads. And then, before the state of emergency was announced, my beloved Rebecca who was in charge of sewing orders gave her two week notice that she was leaving Eli & Barry. Her own clothing business, Psychic Outlaw, is absolutely taking off. I couldn’t be more thrilled for her as heartbroken as I am to lose a wonderful employee and friend (I suspect the friendship will continue). So last week was Rebecca’s final week. When she gave her notice, I took the shop down so that I could figure out a way to manage the pending orders with Rebecca leaving.
I was able to move fairly quickly (again, this is pre-pandemic) and I had two new seamstresses eager to start training with me. Then the state of emergency was announced and everything started to feel very chaotic. I was watching the small businesses I love in Denver and nationwide shut down. I think we all had initial hope that it would just be for two weeks, but I suspect it will be months before most businesses can operate.
And here’s the next zinger that was well in motion before pandemic times…I am pregnant! Not exactly the way that I wanted to tell you all this, but it’s an important piece in my decision making process. No one really knows how this virus works and I’m currently being categorized at someone who is “high risk” because of my compromised immune system. Friends, I felt my throat closing in with these intersecting unknowns:. How do I keep my new employees safe AND train them? How do I keep myself and my baby safe while training new folx (can I really train someone who is, at best, 6’ away and, at worst, working from home?) Is it really the time to bring in new people with a recession that is already in motion?
So I set it down. I made a really hard decision to postpone training anyone new. Rebecca finished out her final week from home and I moved the bare minimum essentials I need to run my business as a single person to my home. I will be updating the website with the inventory that I have in stock. I will be personally sewing pending orders. And when those are done, I will be taking new orders. As I settle into this new routine, I’m brainstorming how I can train my new people remotely. I am eager to give them hours and I want just to be ready to get back into the swing of things when we can. I will certainly keep you all updated as I figure that piece out.
It isn’t ideal. I don’t think anyone feels like they’re in an ideal situation right now. But what I refuse to do is put anyone at risk (my employees, my self, my baby) for the sake of capitalism. I believe it is really important to remember that this will not last. We will get through this. I will be keeping you all updated on Instagram as I shift back to being a one lady show for the coming weeks or months. Please be safe, my friends, and stay home as much as possible. The more each of us does individually, the safer we all will be. I want you to know that you are not alone and that I am here and eager to connect.
I’m very much looking forward to warmer days when I can live in dress 2