|
Last weekend was our biggest sales weekend to date and I am filled with immense gratitude. As we approach wrapping up our 6th full year in business next month, I find myself reflecting on how far we have come.
When I started aMYLK, I barely had two pennies to rub together, was a single mom with four children to provide for independently and no home to call our own. For five of the last 6 years I didn't even have my own bedroom. I cannot explain to you WHY on Earth I decided to take such a gigantic leap of faith, but all I can say is that I did so JOYFULLY and full of the most glorious sense of KNOWING that this was my gift to the world, my tiny contribution. I had faith and trusted that it would all work out and it has. aMYLK was meant to come through me.
It's a fun fact that I didn't realize my name was in the brand. I had intended the “a” to stand for "almond" or "alternative" and for mylk to be spelled differently from traditional dairy milk. It wasn't until I wrote aMYLK 100 times for our branding agency, FINE, that I realized the serendipity involved. My middle name begins with an “L” and my last name starts with a “K” sound (Colville). I love to smile at the heavens for knowing what I didn't at the time. I am aMYLK. If you ever think that I'm kind of woo-woo, here's just one example of why.
Since inception, I have done things very differently than the rest of the Food Industry and this has resonated for my customers. Food is energy and it is medicine and as such it should be fresh, impeccably sourced and nutrient dense. It's a shame that products like mine are so difficult to find.
I believe that we need more corporate accountability, a deeper commitment to sustainability and more integrity in general in the food space. The truth is, doing things my way takes a lot of work and getting here hasn't been easy. There have been a lot of tears. I want to give my team past and present a very big shout out because I could not do what I do without their commitment to my high standards. As many of you know, all of my children have worked (or currently work) at aMYLK. You may have met my eldest daughter who started working for me in 2018 at Beaverton and LO Farmers Markets and who has filled in recently at PSU. She will be graduating next month cum laude from The University of Oregon as a member of The Phi Betta Kappa Society, the oldest and most prestigious academic honor society in the United States. I am incredibly proud. When I let the gravity of her achievement sink in, I start to cry. Getting her there has taken a lot of mylk. Look how far we have come! I have so much gratitude in my heart for this community that has seen me, appreciated my creations and helped me to achieve my dreams. aMYLK is so much bigger than mylk. It's a lifestyle and a movement rolled into one. I'm excited to see what comes next. |