While we're now in the New Year, I've been meaning to use my down time to reflect on the past year. 2023 put me through a lot of emotions, up and down like a see-saw. But coming out of it, I'm reminding myself everything happens for a reason. I'd like to think my reason was to prepare me for the undertaking of future success.

 

To that end, I'm writing this morning to reflect on my first popup event, which was back in September and part of Flow Good Coffee's 1 Year Anniversary. The celebration was hosted at Studio-ism, which was a beautiful space filled with sensory overload. The overarching theme for the celebration was straightforward: to bring like-minded people, brands, and creatives together who represent the community inspiring Yssa. For this reason, I'm grateful to have been invited and was especially moved by Yssa's thoughtfulness.

 

To be honest, I was initially skeptical to accept the invite because I had nothing to sell. But after giving it some thought, I realized this opportunity was special because it'd be WABM's first touchpoint with people in the physical world. Furthermore, my perception was that the community who'd be joining are those who share similar values to mine. This was an opportunity I couldn't turn down.

 

The intention behind my popup space was to focus more on connection and less on sales transactions. I reflected this sentiment in my booth by creating a showroom vibe where people could check out clothes on one side of the room and learn more about the brand through mood boards, references, and note cards on the other. I wanted to create an inviting space where people could comfortably come in, learn about the brand, and see designs from my collections.

 

What I found to be my favorite takeaway was hearing that my brand inspired them. And that beyond clothes, the way I'm sharing a beginner's mind is moving. There were a few people who told me that the reason why they attended Flow Good's celebration was to seek inspiration from creatives they admire in hopes of one day having their own popup. 

 

That day, I realized just how lucky I am because creative work moves people in different ways. Someone's experience with art and creativity can be healing, inspiring, cathartic, emotional, or spark joy. To know that someone came to my booth and left feeling better made me feel special that I could make an impact in that way. You didn't have to buy anything for gratification, you just had to stop by and share a conversation. This is the one of the precious joys to human connection.

 

Here's to one popup under my belt. And fingers crossed I'll be doing more in 2024.