The year is finishing, a new one is about to begin! Whether you like it or not, this time of the year is always the moment for reflection, setting new goals or just looking back appreciating what has been.
Our Team
There’s no denying that 2015 was a massive year on both a personal level as professionally. First of all we grew from a one team member only to a team of two, a hobby turned into a full time job, besides close friends we became business partners and along the way we’ve learnt what it takes to run a business and found our place in it. To top it off, we’ve also travelled across the world pretty much non-stop. That’s quite some dramatic changes, don’t you think? To be honest, we can’t even fully comprehend ourselves how much has happened in just one year!
Taking the plunge
2015 was all about taking risks, working hard, making sacrifices, keeping faith when times were tough and just…keep going. I think especially in the beginning of the year when we had just decided to partner up for FashionContainer there was so much going on in the back end that you won’t ever have heard about. Administration, dividing tasks, developing a company’s culture (we are for Monday night drinks and celebrating every win, regardless of how small, with a cheesy high five), but most of all: structuring and organizing FashionContainer in such a way that it runs smoothly as a business. Our first big trial as a team when everything was being put to the test was the month of June we spent in the US. How well were we going to cope being around each other 24/7? Were we going to keep up with the work load? While not everything went how we planned it (staying up to date with content, for example), the most important part of all, – do we function as a team? – was answered with a full YES. It was only after returning to the Netherlands after that month in the US when we started to organize everything properly. The following months, we literally spent day and night getting on top of everything. When I think about that period, I feel both nostalgic and proud. I think we were both terrified during that time! What if were going to fail? What if it doesn’t work out? I think one of the biggest lessons learnt is that when times get tough, all you should do is keep going. Only focus on the best you can do in the next 24 hours ahead. While it wasn’t all smooth sailing after those killing two months, a lot changed since. The fundaments of the business were born and it was time to make things move!
Year of first times
2015 was a year of so many first times. We travelled the world, ticking even more countries off our bucketlists that we could possible have hoped for. We met so many new people. We travelled across the United States. We visited New York twice. We kayaked in the mangroves in Key West. We slept in a centuries old castle on a mountain in Lisbon. We explored Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. We sailed in the Caribbean, hopping from island to island. We tried out a zillion new things, from floating on the dead sea to water skiing, wine tasting in the Hamptons, kayakking and parasailing. We celebrated Christmas in Cuba. We saw countless of airports (and slept at countless too), we worked with many great brands, we stayed at a zillion different hotels, we went on two helicopter rides in both London and New York, learnt everything about the art of living out of a suitcase and let’s not forget the most priceless first time of all: experiencing more joy, happiness and laughter than ever before.
2016
2015 couldn’t have ended in a more spectacular way. It was almost as if the beautiful moments, wins, excitement and new experiences refused to stop! Isn’t it strange how happiness can also be terrifying at times? You feel as if something can be taken away from you anytime. Another thing very present in 2015 was the power of decisions. When you fully go for something with all your heart and leave all doubts and hard feelings behind, the opportunites you need in order to succeed will show up. You’ll meet the right people at the right time. You’ll feel happier. All you need is to decide. Go fully. So getting back to the topic: 2016. Ending a year so indescribably amazingly good (that’s probably not even proper English), then 2016 can be nothing but one big hit. Let’s do this! We hope you’ll be keep joining us on our journey. THANK YOU!
