Spring & Summer Recap: 8 Nails, 3 Fails (Plus, What’s Ahead)
So much has happened over the past few months at your favourite pant-keeper-upper company. (We're talkin' SOOO much.) We thought it would be best to do a real-talk round-up to catch back up. We love our jobs, we love you, and we respect you too much to pretend it’s all roses and TikTok dances around here. Buckle up:
Nailed it!
(1) The mayor wore our belt. (2) Our friend Lauren wore one on the Oscars Red Carpet™. (3) We were honoured with Edmonton’s Community Impact Award and (4) Best For The World status. (5) We made a special print just for the Edmonton Riverhawks, our hometown’s brand-new baseball team, and ate a lot of stadium dogs. (6) We launched the second iteration of our Ten-Year Kids’ Belt just in time for the school year, and (7) helped United Way reach its target of 15,000 backpacks given to kiddos going back to the classroom. We sent out our biggest-ever customer survey, and over half of you filled it out - YOU’RE AMAZING! (8) We learned what you’re liking (comfort topped the list, with size inclusivity a close second) and what you want from us (a narrower belt, a wider belt, suspenders!). (9) We have a new home in Edmonton’s French Quarter! It needs paint and a little love, but we’ll get there - stay tuned for some #behindthescenes DIY videos.
Failed it!
(1) We literally can’t give the rest of our cloth mask stock away. (Are you part of an organization that needs ‘em? We want to hear from you - email us!) (2) Business sexism is alive and well, friends - during a viewing of a potential commercial space, Claire got asked if her husband would be attending, too. A different realtor tried to explain what square footage meant. Facepalm/table flip/moving on. (3) We relocated our entire warehouse during a heat wave. Thank you, thank you to the friends and family who came out to help. (4) We lost market share in the equestrian world because we didn’t introduce a wider belt soon enough. Lessons learned - sometimes perfectionist Claire needs to stop designing and start launching already.
And we’re really looking forward to:
(1) Presenting a cheque to Shades of Colour, the organization chosen by our collab artist Spencer to receive fundraising dollars from our 2022 Pride campaign. (2) Introducing you to our newest team member, Anna, who’ll be supporting operations, order fulfillment, and customer service - right in time for the holiday season. (3) Taking you behind the scenes of our fall/winter production cycle, where you’ll see in real-time what’s selling fastest and how we sew to keep up. (4) Inviting you into our new digs and introducing you to our delightful across-the-hall neighbours, Two Carrots.
We love having you alongside us through the ups, downs, and side-to-sides of growing a business. We’re entering into the time of year where we all put down roots, nourish ourselves and each other, and create the warmth that sees us all through the winter months. If you live in Edmonton, or are passing through, grab a coffee at The Colombian and come pay us a visit, friends.
Unbelts HQ
8815 92 St NW
Edmonton, AB T6C 3P9