I used to be an interior designer. I got my degree in Interior Design from UW Madison.

Full disclosure, my mom chose my degree. She filled out my college application to Madison too. My mom doesn’t let moss grow under her feet. When the application was ready to be filled out, I was busy doing something else, and she just had to get it done. So…I became an interior design major. It worked out. I loved my major and pretty much everything else about being a Badger. 

When I graduated, I was lucky enough to get a job with a company called Commercial Environments (CE). It was a small Commercial Furniture dealer in the southern suburbs. We designed office layouts and supplied office furniture for companies all over the Twin Cities. We reconfigured workstations (cubes), provided desks and chairs, moved companies from one location to another. We sold floorcovering too.  All sorts of stuff.  

It was a great job. I was 22, just out of college and I was living the dream. I worked with interesting, creative, passionate, hilarious people. They taught me so much. In addition to learning how to sell office furniture, I learned so many life lessons.

Gordy taught me how to ask for help and how to take a joke.
Annie taught me to pay attention to the little things. She taught me that laughing helps everything.
Becky taught me not to sweat the small stuff. She showed me how to be calm in a crisis.
Nancy taught me that women run the world. Really.
Pam taught me how to go after it if you want it!
Denise taught me the importance of family by showing me hers.
Heather taught me about sacrifice, grace and humility. She continues to teach me. 
Mary taught me more about life than just about anyone.

And then there was John. John was the owner of CE and my boss. He hired me. For some reason, he believed in me. 

I went with John on countless sales calls. I watched how he approached a project, how he nuanced situations, how he nurtured his relationships with clients and vendors. I’d never had a “real job” before. I watched him engage his employees, learn about their families, help them with personal issues. Help them find a place to live or a car to drive. Give them tickets to a Timberwolves game or take them to lunch. I learned that being a boss is more than making smart financial decisions. It’s about creating a healthy team. 

While many (many) people came and went through Team CE. That core group of us stayed. We were a family;)

I had been at CE for 15 years. By this time I had gotten married and had 2 babies. It was time for a change. 

So, when I made the decision to open the store, I told my co workers first. I said the words out loud “I think I’m going to leave CE and open a yarn store”. They were surprised, but supportive. They were excited for me.

It took John a little longer to reply. I saved the email. It’s in my Dream Yarn Store Binder and I stumbled upon it a few days ago.

Thanks John, for this email. Thanks for taking a chance on me and guiding me all those years ago. I am grateful for the lessons you and everyone at CE taught me.