Friday, August 14, 2009

Community of the creatively engaged...























This is my inspiration board. It lives in the dressing room. I think of it as a collection of "Ah ha!" moments, images that immediately engage me through beauty, relevance, love, wit, synchronicity, foolishness. Now that I've hung it in the shop and posted a picture of it here, it's suddenly public. It's become a piece in the larger search for "the tribe". Those fellow humans who "Ah ha!" at the same cultural cues as I do. The idea of building a broad community of like-minded types. I find that potential to be the most exciting idea of this entire endeavor. That begs the question, "Hey, isn't this a retail store after all?" Of course. So I'll make my living seeking out that which delights me to, in turn, delight others, and, hopefully, pay the bills in the process. What could be better than work that provides the opportunity to encounter compelling and inspiring people?

Which brings me to Natalie Chanin, who holds her business model to a very high standard. A lovely reminder that, when we refuse to compromise our values, and remain true to our authentic selves, we will be rewarded. Much easier to do this with the right kind of support. Natalie has done this with the Bureau of Friends, an initiative that I would love to see expanded. Here perhaps?

Thoughts?

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