We found out we were honored with an exciting award last week! We won 2nd for Best Innovative New Business in Raleigh, based on more than 2,500 votes from Raleigh residents. Although I missed the fancy soirée, I wanted to give a shout out to @midtownmagazine for even nominating us for this award!⠀
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Here’s why I was so excited to see us voted into this category…the word innovative means so much to me.⠀
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I remember from a young age having to embrace that I would never win first place at the race that all girls are thrown into around the age of 12.⠀
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I didn’t have the blond hair, tan skin, and curves that most girls my age did so as a way of self preservation, instead of losing out on the race everyone else was running, I forged my own path and tried to come up with different goals to achieve. ⠀
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Twenty years later, I’ve found that one of my greatest strengths to fight comparison remains the same — to run my own damn race. ⠀
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When I first launched @theflourishmarket, I had zero background in retail. ZERO. I was so tempted to look around at what other businesses were doing, but each time I stopped myself and thought nope, that’s not what’s gotten me to this point in life.⠀
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If our marketing seems weird, it is. 😉 Most people are puzzled by our Instagram post ‘strategy,’ our karaoke throw down videos (which usually depict Katy, pictured right, slayin’ the game), why we only run a sale twice a year…and the most puzzling: our weekly emails that usually aren’t highlighting products.⠀
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But here’s the deal. We want you to see us doing things differently because maybe that will encourage you to do life on your own terms too.⠀
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Let your faith be bigger than your fear when it comes to anything, but especially when it comes to being 110% you. God created you so uniquely you with talents + passions + special life experiences, and the world needs you to serve like only YOU can!⠀
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There’s such a great freedom in innovation because guess what? There’s no one else you have to catch up to on the race marked out for just you.
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Thanks for the great honor, Raleigh. We look forward to serving you (and our afar besties!) in new & innovative ways for years to come.

Love,