200 Months On ...

everythingCHILLI has been trading for 200 months this summer. 

It's a weird scale to notice, I know, but that's how I roll ... and who wants to hang around for a 20th anniversary before celebrating?

I almost ignored it because micro-business life tends to be about the next order, the next event, the next thing on the Everlasting To Do List ™, the next challenge.
However, it nudged me to stop and look back properly at everythingCHILLI since that first innocent whimsical batch in 2009 when I couldn't find any chilli jam locally. Who knew?

I cannot tell you how much water has flowed under my metaphorical bridge since the humble part-time beginnings. Ups, downs and a couple of sideways! More late nights than are good for me, and lots of good times with good people too.  Since then I've built the range, connections with other makers and businesses, and built the business.  Watch out for some 'throwback' posts over the next couple of months!

I'm still making every jar myself. Still laying out my stall at markets, events and pop-ups, supplying to shops and of course selling online.  Still coming up with new varieties and still listening to customers.

Still standing.

The milestone feels worth acknowledging, and so I'll be celebrating it properly during the next couple of months with a few wee special things for customers, trade outlets and corporate pop-up venues and supporters. I'm going to some new events so that I can meet even more of you, contacting more potential outlets with a great relaunch package and putting something special on online orders too.

(and if you're wondering, 200 months is approx 47,323 lids tightened by hand.)