Last week I sent out my weekly email and received a response that I felt in my core. The ‘long story short’ was that we felt frustration and disappointment in the things we were trying to do. Then I said (and yes, it’s totally cliche):

“Sometimes when we let go, a door finally opens. Sometimes it's the door we've been looking at, but the door's lock was out of sight. Sometimes it's a door we saw, but gave no credence to. And sometimes, in my case, it's a door that we never saw.”

And it put me in a reflective mood.

Because I realized something: when I started helping handmade sellers figure out product safety compliance back in 2010, I thought my job was just to translate confusing government regulations into plain English.

And it is. But it's also... so much more than that.

Here are some things I never expected to get to witness:

• In 2016, I was invited to speak on a panel at the International Consumer Product Health and Safety Organization's annual symposium — by the Small Business Ombudsman at the CPSC himself. I showed up with product samples I'd made on my kitchen table. I got to show commissioners how we actually make things. And I got to sit in front of a room full of industry people and say: handmade sellers take this seriously. (The looks on their faces were worth every bit of prep.)
• A mom who needed her business to fund her family's life while her husband trained to become a pilot, not only built exactly that business, but now teaches her own customers about product safety and sustainable living. I got to be a tiny part of that.
• An interior designer who picked up sewing again on maternity leave. What started as a creative outlet eventually grew enough to leave her job entirely… and then grow to over 70 employees.
• A mom leaving her corporate career in film to make clothing for her kids became my first-ever retainer client. She now runs a multimillion dollar business.
• Another maker grew her business to the point of employing her entire family and building a family ranch. (A ranch!)
• I've seen makers build supply shops that support other makers, then turn around and sell those businesses to start something new.
• I blush a little (a lot) every time I find out a lawyer (or a commissioner!?) has sent someone my way.
• And because of all of you, I got to attend a business event at Disney World in 2020. My first visit ever. Because of handmade sellers and product safety compliance. Life is wild.

Like... how? I just wanted to help makers not feel so lost in the regulations. And somehow I got front-row seats to the most inspiring show I've ever watched.

It's like having a front-row seat to the best motivational movie — except it's real, and the people are makers just like you.

So now I'm curious about you.

Since you started taking your handmade business seriously, whether that's been a week or a decade, what's one thing that's happened that you didn't expect? A win that surprised you, a door that opened, a moment where you thought wait, this is actually working?

Hit reply and tell me. I'm genuinely asking. I read every single one.