I've been thinking a lot lately about what it actually takes to build a brand that operates the way we do.

It's not just about having a good product (though that helps). It's not just about beautiful packaging or a compelling story. It's about the people who show up every single day to make it real.

When I had to let go of our first real employee in December, it was one of the hardest decisions I've made as a founder. Inconsistency in a small operation isn't just inconvenient .. It's dangerous. When ⅓ of the team isn't there you are operating at 66% efficiency. When you're handcrafting products and managing wholesale accounts, there's no room for shipping errors or missed commitments. Our reputation is everything.

But here's what I've learned: making the hard call early creates space for the right people to come in.

Enter Idarah Smith. She'd already helped another brand you may know - The Quiet Botanist - scale their wholesale logistics. But more than her resume, what stood out was this: she's not looking for just a job. She's looking to build a career while she's young, to be part of something that matters.

That's the energy we need right now. We're not just packing hand balms and shipping wholesale orders anymore. We're opening a brick-and-mortar store in April. We're managing 320 retail doors (and counting). We're launched on Ulta online. We're preparing for Expo West next week. We're scaling in a way that still honors the smallness and intentionality that got us here. I am also not creating a company to just keep it all to myself. I want to grow a team that wants ownership. Picking people that go above and beyond is all we can have at My Neighbor’s. 

Oona Albert, our Head of Production, has been with us for almost a year now, and I honestly don't know how we'd function without her. She's the backbone of our day-to-day product creation (since I gave birth), the person who makes sure production doesn't fall apart when I'm on the road pitching or demoing or on 1000 calls trying to get us in more doors. As of May 1st our two-year company anniversary and her one-year work anniversary - she'll be moving to a salaried position with equity. She's earned it, and frankly, we can't afford to lose her. I also want people to know that when you work at My Neighbor’s you have the ability to become a part stakeholder over time. 

We also brought on Emmy, who works in production and brings something really special to the team: she's a certified herbalist. More on her in a future post, because what she's helping us build in the product pipeline and gardens to the side of our lab/store front. 

This team - these women & men - are the reason My Neighbor exists beyond me. They're the reason we can hold the line on quality while growing faster than I ever imagined. All while I nurse a new baby girl. 

Building a business isn't about doing it alone. It's about finding people who believe in the mission as much as you do, and then getting out of their way so they can do what they do best.

I'm lucky to work alongside them.

— Harri