Personal story part 3: Furture and responsibility
Dear you,
Here comes the last part of my long and personal story about me and my business. In the previews, I've spoken about how I ended up where I am now (Read part 1), my self-image, and how HTDF started because of it (Read part 2). But what about the future, what will it bring?
And that is an excellent question! I've lots of dreams and goals, but I am a bit "go with the flow"-kind of person, so all the opportunities that come out of nowhere will get a place in my life. That means I sometimes take a detour on the way to my goals. I guess you can't see my goals as the end-destinations, more like a "guideline". In my 40 years, I have learned that sometimes life takes us down roads we thought we shouldn't go. I'm not afraid to try something new, jump into opportunities, and face challenges. It's a curse and a blessing. A blessing because I get to try so much and meet so many people. But it's a curse because I sometimes tend to take too many new things in and give myself even more work - and let me tell you; A lot of my time goes with work anyway, meaning my family sees me even less.
HTDF have faced a lot in the past years, even just this year! We've grown in numbers of people and square meters, and both are SO nice and necessary. We've gone from being 2 people, and now we're 4, and we've also grown more than half the size in square meters. And we've opened a fabric store, House of Fabrics! Also, we opened two new kinds of workshops here in Copenhagen.
But I nowfeel that I need to stand still for a moment; breathe and take it all in - because the team I have now is just fantastic, and I want to keep them as long as possible and as long as it makes sense to them, their lives and their journey. So I want to stop for a moment and enjoy seeing HTDF blooming, growing and thriving, filled with life.
This year I want and need, to find myself in all the new things that have happened the last year, hopefully, without Covid playing a disturbing part again. So that will be my goal for the near future.
Covid has played a lot with my mind and thought this past year(s), and I hope it will soon be over with all of my heart. I've been worried, frustrated and sad for myself, my family and most of all, HTDF. I didn't know if it would lead to the end of this little business. The past year I've worked so, so much to catch up on what Covid took away, so much that I sometimes thought if it even was worth it to fight for it. But then I thought of all of you. HTDF is not only mine anymore; it's also yours; it's ours. Without you, HTDF wouldn't exist. And HTDF does still exist! I'm not just myself anymore; I have a responsibility to all of you who buy my patterns and all of the women who come to sew at my workshops every week. I think, and I hope, if I didn't do this anymore, HTDF would be missed.
When that's said, we have a lot f exciting stuff planned for this new year! First of all, we have 2 new patterns already put on the calendar. Both patterns are easy to sew and not complicated compared to the many recent releases. One of our more long-term goals is for me to have a focus on pattern developing again. The past two years have been full of business and pure survival because of Covid. Now we need to have fun again!
And of course, we want to continue our focus on telling the story about how every woman deserves beautiful and well-fitted clothes that feels good no matter what the body looks like - and that is why I keep doing what I do. I won't stop until it doesn't make sense to do this anymore. And I don't think this ever will stop being meaningful.
Even though 2022 needs to be a year for us to breathe, we don't want to get bored. It will be a year of fun! Keep an eye on - or sign up for - our newsletter, and we will do our best to bring positivity, educational content and good experiences into your inbox to help you with your sewing journey.
With love,
Nanna
