I can hardly believe I'm typing this, but August 1st marks the 10 year anniversary of launching Bon Vivant. While I recognize that that alone is a huge accomplishment and deserves to be celebrated, I have very mixed emotions. I can't help but look at the goals I had written down when I first started this business and feel like I didn't accomplish most of them, if any. I also didn't know anything about this industry or running a small business, I knew nothing really. I had a good idea that solved a problem and the rest would be sorted out through trial and error and then I'd be a millionaire. Hahahaha, jk. I mean, joke's on me. The truth is, it's been such a challenging journey that has taught me so much and tested my commitment in every way possible. And that pretty much sums up owning and running a small business: it can be incredibly rewarding but also lonely, scary and exhausting most of the time. Not having a pity party, just keeping it 100 because highlight reels are cute but transparency is important.
After 10 years I should technically be an "expert" in something but I do so many things that it's hard to feel like I'm ever doing any of them to the best of my ability - this probably sounds familiar to so many people in similar positions. I've had to trust my instincts, get over trying to be perfect at everything and really learn to take risks and be ok with the outcome. For a Virgo like me that does not enjoy change, chaos, instability or failure, THIS IS MAJOR. I'm very proud of myself for stepping way outside of my comfort zone and for getting up every single day and making countless decisions that ultimately effect not only my livelihood, but also my employees. I do not always make the best decisions, but I have learned to be ok with the outcomes. So if nothing else, I think I'm an expert at decision-making. This leads me to my next self-proclaimed accomplishment...
I have been so incredibly fortunate to have had some of the kindest, most loyal and committed people on my team over the years. Of all of the roles I perform in my company, being a leader has to be the one I feel most uncomfortable with. I really am more of a creative person that has ideas and likes to execute them but I do not thrive being a "boss" and I don't like being the center of attention. Anyone who has ever worked for me would probably attest to this and I am very grateful for the patience and grace I've been shown. This is still very much a work in progress, btw.
How It Started vs. How It's Going
So many amazing things have happened and I don't think I expected any of them. I started Bon Vivant out of a one bedroom apartment in Austin, Texas with about $1000. My first logo was designed by someone at 99designs for $100. I printed shipping labels on my paper printer. I remember getting my first online order and sharing my first post on Instagram. I got my first corporate client (who is still a client to this day!) and fulfilled my first big order with the help of some amazing friends, and eventually hired my first employee. Since then, I've moved into 3 new spaces, each one bigger than the last. The growth was moving at a pace I was comfortable with and at one point I had a team of about 5 part-time employees. I have been lucky enough to partner with some awesome companies that trusted me and my team to bring their gifting visions to life. I've taught myself everything from sourcing to marketing, logistics, designing, social media, content creation, photography, editing, SEO, Shopify and other ecommerce platforms and so much more. These are all things I am beyond proud of and grateful for.
Somehow, a decade simultaneously feels like it flew by and was a lifetime. Making it to 10 years will always be an accomplishment, but in all honesty, I probably shouldn't have. What I mean by this is that I have ridden the waves far beyond what felt safe because I didn't know what else to do. Looking at the numbers/analytics is jarring. A few years ago business started declining and it just hasn't stopped. After Covid, everything changed. More competition, more small businesses that made the products we carried went out of business, prices went up, people started wanting things fast and cheap, social media started evolving faster than I could keep up with and I just became overwhelmed with trying to manage everything. I went through a major personal life change that flipped everything upside down and ultimately I poured all of myself and my life savings into Bon Vivant, but I didn't have much to "pour" from. And then, in late 2025 I relocated the entire business to a new city, which felt like starting over in a lot of ways. All of this has resulted in me being in survival mode for about half of the time I've been in business. I think during hard seasons a lot of small business owners can probably relate to questioning what they're doing and if they should dig their heels in or throw in the towel at least once. For me, I've lost count, but maybe this just comes with the territory.
All of that said, I'M STILL HERE and I'm not giving up! I'm adjusting to living in a new city and ready to evolve into the next phase. I feel relieved to have made it this long and a strong urge to breathe new life into this business. I am determined to take what I've learned and make some tough decisions about what hasn't worked. More to come on that soon, but for now... please let me thank you from the bottom of my heart for being here and believing in me. I hope you'll continue to follow along and I'm very excited about the next chapter.
xoxo, Steely