TGIN is in Target!

Getting into Target has been one of the most amazing things to have happened to me in the longest time, but it also has been one of the most stressful. On March 1, 2015, you can find us in over 250 Target stores nationwide and on Target.com starting today.

 

We received the news nearly six months ago, but I decided that I had to keep this one close to the vest. The only people that I pretty much told were my dad, my assistant (she had a lot of stuff to order), and the vendors that had to know. Everyone knows I’m an extremely private person to begin with, but when one of the biggest opportunities of my life landed in my lap after 10 years of planning, I just knew deep down inside that the only voice that mattered was my own. I also didn’t want my friends, love ones, and mentors to get me excited, and ask tons of questions, or do the “when you’re in Target . . “when there was still a ton of work to be done.

Ditto for my employees.  It was like good morning guys, we need to make XX,000 honey miracles by X date. No explanations. Get to work. And, oh it better be perfect.

I get the whole enjoy the moment thing, but I haven’t and won’t celebrate until we execute this first purchase order flawlessly and get paid for it.

It’s funny because I think being a corporate lawyer prepared me for this.  During the Target process, I literally had to gather almost every single piece of paper that was connected to my business since I gave birth to this thing like 10 years ago. And guess what, sometimes electronic copies or unsigned copies are not good enough. I’m talking about originals with actual signatures.

Back when I worked at a big law firm, I ran deals and collected the same paperwork for people that I’m now gathering for myself. I remember how I used to look at the business people who I worked til midnight for and think, I want to be like you and go home at 6 o’clock and have dinner with my family instead of sitting here at my desk eating Chinese takeout. Ha, the joke was on me. But here I am still burning the midnight oil,  submitting ingredient certifications, modeling financial projections, responding to UCC lien requests, and explaining to my landlord that if we’re not successful, I needed him to sign a letter stating that the “angels” could come in and lock me out of my factory and repossess our handheld mixers, and crock pots, etc.

But that’s not all, the “angels” also need a life insurance policy, just in case I die, and a vial of blood. Oh, yeah, and a drug test. I kid you friggin not.

Hence the Blood

The look on my face says it all.  Is this really necessary?

 

The stress

I have been through some pretty stressful situations, but I’m an amazing delegator. But this time, I had to really roll up my sleeves and go all in, because everything was so time-sensitive. And the sooner we deliver, the sooner we get paid. Who doesn’t want to look like the knocked FY2014 out the park? If, however, you’re not on top of your game and things get delayed, it could put off you getting paid, and make you look like you lost a ton of money at the end of the year due to all the inventory purchases. As part of this process, you have no control over everyone’s delivery schedule.  Good luck trying to find a warehouse that has fifty thousand Boston round 12 oz bottles lying around, and that will ship to you on less than 6 weeks notice. And yeah those shiny silver caps that make us look luxe cost a fortune, the lead time is super long, so we had to go out and see if we could find another supplier to help us make our deadline.

As a result, stressed-out is not even the word.  I’m struggling to make it to the gym 3x a week, and return phone calls because as my friends know I have been sans cell phone for 10 days.  That’s why when I come home, I just want to be told what to do. I have absolutely no desire to boss anyone around.

And the Tears

The bible says, “Weeping may endureth for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” I’m not a crier. Ish happens to me and I hold it all in. I’m just built that way. But lately, there are times, when I do get a little excited and well up just a little thinking about what the future could possibly bring, not just for me and my family, but for my employees, and OUR community.

It’s a beautiful thing when I think about how this opportunity is bigger than hair and how us getting put on has enabled some of my employees to learn, yes I said learn, how to use a computer, or for people who were not given a chance to truly live up to their potential, because they didn’t go to the right school or have the right breaks. I’m not going to lie, I also feel like crying, because I get stressed out, thinking about all we have to do, trying to figure out how to balance it all, and not knowing what the future holds. Every day, I feel a little bit, wait no a lot out of control. It’s like I can do everything I’m supposed to do, and this still not turn out right. Something could go wrong with the production. Our labels may show up wrong (they actually did). My money may not come through. It’s a lot of moving pieces, and it can be an emotional roller coaster. At this point, I just have to let it go, and trust in the lord. If it’s for me, it’s meant to be. If not, God has other plans.

But, we’re claiming victory. We ARE BLESSED. WE ARE excited. We didn’t come to play. We came to WIN and no matter what happens, we’re in the building. Special, thanks to my dad for always believing in me, my friends for accepting me for who I am, my team for remaining committed to the idea of excellence, our customers for their support, and to all of you who just stick by me in this journey.

 

If I can ask you for anything, (1) Pray for your girl; (2) if my shelf looks messy in Target for some reason, please straighten it up, so every slot is filled, and email me atchristia@tginatural.com, so we can get it fixed; and (3) tell your friends and family that we are in TARGET and that we need them to buy just 1 thing before May 1. Yes, I said we’s. I know it’s we are.