As we skirt towards the end of 2021 and begin reflecting on the days that have sunsetted behind us, we can't help but notice that many small businesses still found themselves climbing out of the grand canyon of disruption brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. At the end of 2020, a massive synchronous wave of goodbyes fanned through the atmosphere, and even a few obscene gestures bid the year adieu. It was no secret that the world could not wait to see the so-called "perfect vision" of a year find its way outta here.
The shared sentiment among most was if the past 52 weeks would cease to exist, maybe, just maybe, we could reclaim what life was left and start to move on and forward from the whirlwind created by 2020. Yet, here we are 20 months later, and the remnant of a year that blindsided an entire globe remains. We are still dusting ourselves off, clawing our way through, and mustering up enough strength to continue to stride into the future.
We are still. We. Are. Still.
As we approach Thanksgiving, these three little words have consumed and overwhelmed the climate and virtual walls of the THuS Marketing's halls. "We are still" can exert a feeling of weariness or spark a match of celebration. The fact that the small business community and many others are still fighting the good pandemic fight feels tiring, exhausting and leaves us jaded in many instances. To still be doing the same thing over and over with no end in sight should absolutely faint our spirits and produce a beaten and bruised hope. Facts.
What if this Thanksgiving, we change our perspective slightly? What if we looked at this phrase as a sign of our tenacity and resolve? The fact that we are still in the ring without being knocked out should pay tribute to the perseverance buried within our souls. We are STILL here, my fellow small business peers. That is something to shout about. For every blow that caused us to stumble and maybe even fall, we got up! The sucker punches that left us breathless did not stop life from flowing through our lungs. It's bragging time, baby.
THuS Marketing couldn't be more thankful for the downs that brought us to some of our greatest upward moments. The new clients, the partnerships, the speaking opportunities, the article and podcast features, and the learnings that only experience can teach have been exceptionally priceless. THuS Marketing was able to lend a voice to NPR, was featured in Forbes publication, partnered with Office Evolution, and worked with one of our largest association clients to date, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. All of this while maintaining our current client pool with customers who truly entrusted their goals to our work.
We don't negate the storms. They have been real, and they have been fierce. We have felt the winds, traversed the waves, and taken shelter from the rain. We are aware that so many other small businesses have and continue to do the same. Yet, after all that came to uproot us and leave only a memory of what once was, STILL, here we stand!
This Thanksgiving, at THuS Marketing, we are grateful to call ourselves small. There's something about our miniature size that makes the story all the sweeter. The big, bad wolf came huffing and puffing, and yet our house persists. We give thanks for the staying power of the small business community. We see you and recognize that you gave your everything to continue your run towards the finish line. Don't get tired, don't stop now. There's a great win ahead!
We'll see you there!