Faith and Risk Go Hand In Hand

Faith and Risk go hand in hand as a small business owner.

This photo was taken in June of 2019, just weeks before we would be debuting our handmade Boho Boots at the Portland Waterfront Blues Festival. (in this structure)

We found this structure for sale on Craigs List. It had been custom-made for a jewelry maker in Canada. She used it twice but stole the shows both times with her massive wooden display.

The moment I laid eyes on the ad I was hooked. "JILL WE HAVE TO BUY THIS! LOOK AT IT! IT'S BEAUTIFUL! Our Boho Boots would look amazing merchandised in it."
She wasn't amused. "It's in Canada, it's $1800.00, we don't have passports, it looks heavy, and the show is in 3 months. It sounds like a lot of work."

Oh, the voice of reason, I wasn't listening anymore, I was lost in the movie playing out in my head. I could see it so clearly. The oohs and awes, the amazement, the perceived value of our merchandise going up! I sent an email.
**I convinced Jill to let me put half down on the structure.
** We made arrangements to get new licenses that would let us cross the border.
**We caught a ferry out of Anacortes that would take us into Canada.
**Once off the Ferry, we went through Canadian security. We were asked to pull over and they searched our van. We almost got thrown in jail for having an empty CBD lotion in our overnight bag (It was awful).
**Dazed from our brush with jail we drove to Victoria and met jewelry-girl.
**Piece by piece we drug the structure up a flight of stairs and out of the basement of an old building in Victoria, then magically loaded everything into the white knight (fit like a glove)
** Before we leave she hands us a folded piece of paper with chicken scratch pencil marks and says, “Here are the directions.” Jill and I exchange glances. 🤪
**Later on we threw away a parking ticket, WTF Canada!

That night we stayed in the city and celebrated. I couldn't execute half my crazy ideas without my co-pilot, Jill. Thank you for saying yes, when it meant a lot of work for you.