2021: BFF’s Year in Review
2021 or the year I started a company. Who knew I would ever write something like that. I never envisioned myself owning a business, especially not in a foreign country! I like to work hard, but in the service of someone or something else. It took me some serious soul-searching and deep conversations with a career coach at the end of 2020 to realize that I, too, could go after my dreams and build my own business. So that’s what I did!
In a weird way, as I reflect back on 2021, I keep confusing it with 2020. It’s like these two years have blended into one long one… did you feel the same way? But despite the chaos in the world, the losses and grieves I experienced and the stress that came with all of it, I am immensely grateful for what 2021 has brought me. All the learnings, the lessons, the love. The support from near, far and unexpected places… I thought you might be curious about how I launched BFF and the lessons I learned as I officially became an entrepreneur. Hope you enjoy and get inspired by it too!
January through March: préparation (ramped up)
I spent so much time learning about (and in no specific order) business, legal, insurance, customs regulations, Squarespace e-commerce capabilities (and limitations), trademark filing, taxes… While I have a Masters in Project Management (hello Université de Provence!), I never learned to put together a business plan nor have I ever been a big fan of Excel.
Luckily, my husband stepped up and shared his Excel proficiency with me, developing some fancy tables with financial projections. I was also able to rely on a few friends to proofread and test the website before going live.
On a personal note, we moved our lives and little family to a different State, which was a lot but went smoothly all at the same time. We found a place we instantly loved, which put me in the right mindset to stay focused and motivated in the face of everyday challenges.
April: lancement (soft launch)
After many tests and sleepless nights, I (soft) launched BestFrenchForever.com and had my first three orders within minutes. Thank you Jo, Jake and Robin!
This day will forever be in my memory. I even bought a bottle of champagne to celebrate with my husband — we usually don’t drink champagne but thought we had too. Right?
May: retour aux sources (French trip)
I headed to Provence for almost a month to work on the future of La Box and spend much-needed quality time with my family and friends. I took time to look around, visit new and old places, connect with local artisans and capture content for BFF’s social media. It felt good to be back.
June and July: envoi des box (shipping mode)
La Box Summer Edition shipped! I didn’t know I could feel so many conflicting emotions all at once. Excited, terrified, anxious to hear customers’ reactions… The initial feedback was amazing and gave me many ideas to continue building BFF.
August: deuxième visite (more Provence!)
Back to Provence for a family event, and for more business too! I was able to find new gems, try new products and recharge my batteries for the next season.
September-October: au travail (work, work, work)
Based on the feedback from the summer, I developed two themed gift boxes, available year round, allowing customers to purchase La Box without having to wait for the new season. October involved a lot of logistics working with all of the partners to get all of the products to me.
November-December: la magie des fêtes (sprinkling magic)
The holiday season officially kicked off, and La Box Holiday Edition was in high demand! I wish I had planned for more inventory, but that’s a good lesson for next year. With many orders in, early in the season, I started packing right after Thanksgiving. Towards the end of it, I felt like in a Charlie Chaplin movie, assembling the boxes one by one, except that I was handling every single task all by myself. I had a total meltdown the last week prior to shipping the boxes as I ran into last-minute printing and shipping issues. But all was good in the end and all the boxes were delivered. Not one got lost, big shoutout to Fedex!
The lessons I learned:
A business is like a baby… It takes a village!
Even if you decide to go alone vs. having a partner, it’s always good to build a support system. Look within your circles, you will find people you can trust who are so willing to help. Let them!
Where there is a will, there is a way.
This one may sound cliché, but I love it. In French the saying goes like “quand on veut, on peut” (when we want, we can). I ran into so many challenges this year, yet I kept going because I really wanted to make it work. With passion and determination, anything is possible.
Taking risks is part of the game.
That is something I’m working on as I grow my business. My Virgo self tends to always abide by the rules, but I realize most opportunities lie when willing to take risks. I don’t mean doing illegal things, but being open to thinking outside the box. Not everything has to be perfect or perfectly figured out before it’s out in the world.
What’s for 2022, you ask?
I have a few pages in my BFF notebook full of my wishes for the new year. If I’m able to fulfill half of it, I will be happy! The next seasonal box will come out in the Spring (March) and we will continue finding creating ways to bring Provence to your home. Do you have suggestions or wishes for BFF in the new year? Products or brands you’d like to see in a future box? I’d love to know. Don’t hesitate to reach out, whether on our contact page or via Instagram DMs.
Au revoir for now. A l’année prochaine ! 😘