It started with a intangible feeling of,  “There is something we are missing. There has got to be a better way to connect with our people and grow the business.”  Char co began 7 years ago quickly and rather unexpectedly. At that time I was fully focused on my love for photography. Business skills were learned by falling on my face and picking myself back up again. Our soon to be launched STORY was no different.

Like most things for me, it starts with an internal wrestle. I can feel and almost touch it, but struggle putting the idea into tangible and practical terms. This is the part of the process where I wrestle and wrestle. It is often where confusion and uncertainty if the idea is any good hits. It is HARD to take a dream and start making it real. It’s scary and vulnerable. It’s easy to get STUCK here. This part of the process it’s essential for me to include other people. Wise friends that listen over coffee and tell me to stop wallowing in self doubt are invaluable. At some point, I have to make a choice to ignore the fears and simply move forward. To be honest, it often comes to believing it is holy orders. Then it is no longer about me and my feelings but something that is done out of a deep belief. From there, the steps are more tangible. Never easy. And oh yes, there is lots of hard work involved and discouragement tends to slip in. But keeping the heart fixed on the vision keeps my face turned forward. Hope for the future truly is such an incredible, powerful, and beautiful thing.

Here are the steps I go thru when taking that intangible dream and turning it into reality.

1. Brainstorm. Go somewhere I love and that’s quiet for at least few hours and write. Put all thoughts and possibilities on paper. Dream big. Shoot for the stars. Believe anything is possible. Write down fears and the what-ifs. Go for a walk and write some more. The goal is to get all the tangled thoughts onto paper. Trust clarity will start to form.
2. Define the vision. Pull out the good things and remove the fluff. Ask question such as: What will it look like? What is the purpose? Who will it serve? Refine the vision. The vision will be the guiding star over the coming months.
3. Get feedback from just a few trusted friends, family, or team members. Possibly seek out an expert in the field for advice. Learn as much as possible. Let the vision evolve and grow over this time.
4. Take ownership of the vision. Decide to jump in with both feet. This is a mental choice that makes all the difference. It is a choice that I need to make repeatedly.
5. Then act. Define the steps needed to make the vision reality.
6. Create a master timeline. Create many small deadlines leading up to the big deadline. There is nothing sweeter than one by one crossing off the steps on the list.
7. Give myself grace. Projects have a way of taking longer, costing more, and being harder than anticipated. Stay focused and enjoy the process.
8.  Let go of perfection and share! After all the hard-work you would think this is the best part. It is. But it is also scary. It’s that final step of owning it and making it real. Share and celebrate.

STORY is founded on our own aches and pains knowing there was something more we wanted at Char co. The development of STORY has been a passion project and a labor of love. The team truly has made STORY possible by forming the vision and executing the many steps that go into projects like this. Here is a little look into studio life from the past week. STORY is on the calendar to launch next week!

Styled product photos sure are a process.

Shooting STORY photos.

Rachel is interning this year AND she is a chef. We are eating well. We don’t complain when work projects include lunch.

Baby Colette made it into team photos!

Focusing:)

Oh, that ladder.

Learning more about Pinterest strategies.

Thanks for joining our journey. We are grateful for you!