(That one time we bought an old uniform delivery truck.)

(Our first big media coverage: Watler Magazine did a story on our fashion truck!)

In September + October of 2015, 41 friends from all walks of my life had gathered together for late nights and long weekend days to help us get our small business up and running.

If you had told me when I was sitting in my driveway that day that 3 years later we would have a storefront in Downtown Raleigh and be *this close* to placing $1 Million in orders with artisan partner groups all around the world, I would have never (ever….ever) believed you.

(Did I mention that we ran the business out of my house?  Ha!)

This weekend, we’re celebrating 3 years of The Flourish Market.  Our official three year anniversary is on Sunday, the day we first opened the doors of our truck for customers.

Here’s what we’re celebrating: YOU.  Now, I don’t mean that in some cheesy way.  I mean that in the most heartfelt, ‘I’m sitting here crying on my living room couch while I type this’ sort of way.

(Our storefront opening day: Black Friday 2016!)

You have run alongside us so hard over the past 3 years.  In fact, there have been many seasons when you’ve run ahead of us, waving us on, when we thought we didn’t have the energy to keep going.

You’ve been our walking billboards.  We’ve never paid for advertising because of your faithfulness to spreading our mission far and wide.

(Three generations: we have something for everyone!)

Instead, we’ve been able to dump those financial resources into nonprofits that are elevating the worth of women around the world, and right here in our community.

You are gold.  And I want you to know that every email, Instagram like, Facebook comment, visit to the shop, online order, phone call, hug, social media post – every single interaction you have with us gives us the gumption to keep running this race.

(Our official ribbon cutting for our brick + mortar.  Standing alongside our village: our designers, nonprofit partners, and customers!)

The greatest gift of running The Flourish Market has been learning the power of the African Proverb “If you want to go fast, go alone.  If you want to go far, go together.”

We’re not meant to go at life alone.  It takes a village.  Thank you for being ours.

I can’t wait to see what year 4 holds for each of us.  My gut tells me it’s going to be WILD, so buckle up, sister!