09/30/2026
TLDR: I’m thankful for all my people. Look at this sweet illustration my wife got me!
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I’ve heard some small business owners feel frustrated about not having an identity apart from what they do… It’s always lost on me though.
Because our small business has come to embody most of the things that matter most to me:
• Like my wife and kids I get to build our business with, and for.
• The friends and family we get to share this little corner of the earth with, in our favorite town on earth in Grand Marais.
• The staff I couldn’t be more grateful for that choose to share their time and energy working for us. In our print shop, and our retail stores.
• My co-owners, 2 friends and their families that years ago saw what I’d been working to build, and made a point of telling me to reach out if I ever wanted partners. I’m not your typical founder, so real questionable judgment here tbh 😂
• The customers who make it worth doing.
• The outdoors in Northern MN
• The causes and people we get to believe in and support along the way.
The list of things that hold real weight in my life, outside of this list, is pretty slim… and all of these are the fabric of our small business.
I turned 35 this month. My wife got me this illustration of our storefront, and it’s one of my favorite gifts ever. Because it’s a reminder of all of the people that make our lives full. So just taking a moment to say thank you.
And shoutout for the illustration!
