Our Growing Gratitude

As we enter the home stretch of the holiday season, we would like to share with you all a little behind the scenes of how we operate.

We are a small but growing team of individuals with overlapping interests but vastly different lives. We like to keep things lean and efficient so everyone has enough time to do what they love. 

Our weekly schedule isn’t bogged down with busy work or unnecessary meetings, and everyone is welcome to work at home or the office as they like. Regardless of location, we’ve found that having even a little face-to-face goes a long way in seeing coworkers not as distant cogs but as human team members.

So our fearless leader Andrew instilled a new weekly policy this year. On Monday and Friday mornings we have 15-minute meetings, referred to as, "stand-ups" as they are designed to be quick enough that everyone can comfortably stand for the duration of the meet.

Along with weekly priorities, wins and whiffs, each member’s section always ends the same - gratitude.

Honestly, there were times where I balked at the concept. I figured I’d humor them until the well inevitably ran dry, we collectively called it quits, and just focused on the nuts and bolts of the business in our meetings.

Good health and general comments upon the weather are well-tread and safe harbors each week. You can always mention a bike ride or hike and be met with smiles of approval. You also can go as small as morning coffee you have in hand, nothing is forced or required.

Sometimes it takes only a couple of seconds for something to come to mind, other times you have to mull it over a little longer. Still, gratitude always manages to surface.

We saw our founder Andrew with bag-saddled eyes share how thankful he was for the healthy birth of his second son, and for the two hours of sleep he squeaked in the past two days.

We learned about the incremental progress of our webmaster Dustin’s shed building, and heard the boyish excitement in his voice when he described how he would fill it with bikes and techie toys.

We heard weekly updates from our operations captain Jake hunting for a home in Northwest Arkansas, and celebrated with him when he finally closed and could truly take root in the area. 

We listened to our marketing whiz Kelsey as she struggled with and overcame illness, and how just being able to walk with friends in the afternoon had taken on new depth.

I shared my gratitude for the stability I had gained. To watch the seasons change and unfold from my cozy window, and the ability to revel and grow within a healthy routine.

Not every week had big moments or revelations, but we quickly realized that doesn’t really matter. Just the reflection alone is enough. Sharing it though, that creates a powerful amplification that goes out into the world beyond any one individual.