Valentine’s Day is soon upon us. Hard to believe, isn’t it? Last year this time, Covid-19 was on our radars, but mostly on the periphery.
Fast forward after a year or lock downs, school closures, and many small businesses and restaurants shuttered (read: WE ARE SO BORED!) and I wouldn’t be surprised if some of you would rather 15 minutes alone than a bouquet of roses!
Valentine’s Day originated as a mid-February Roman festival celebrating the coming of spring. Called Lupercalia, the festival also celebrated fertility and the pairing off of partners.
By the 14th century, it was all about LOVE, baby! And by the late 1700s, Valentine’s Day had already started to become commercialized, with cupids, candies, hearts and flowers becoming the common “marketing” imagery of the day.
Basically, Valentine’s Day and all it represents, has had some serious staying power. Which is something all of us hope to see when it comes to our businesses and/or creations!
Our “Throw Away” World
Here’s a fun fact: According to a 2019 study, “Canada is the eighth most waste-producing country among the member states of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), according to a new study.” We’re also not that great at recycling, believe it or not. We recycle only about 20 percent of our total waste, compared to Icelanders, who manage to recycle more than half of the waste they produce. Well done, Iceland!
There are various l levels of “waste product,” I know, but many boomers are also discovering (much to their horror) that their offspring just don’t want their 70-piece set of fine-bone china, or 12-foot-long dining table and chairs (that once was great-grandma’s). There was a time when part of one’s wealth was gained through inheritance. Of THINGS. Important purchases were scrupulously cared for and intended “for life,” treasured and then passed on to the next generation. Mass-production, cheaply-made goods, and lower prices have changed that particular circle of life, and today, thrift stores and online auctions are rife with someone else’s antiques.
Maintaining a Connection to the Past
Staying connected to the past is important. Family lore, stories good and bad (let’s face it, we all have a few skeletons in our family closets!), help us understand who we are today. Choices we’ve made. Changes we’ve initiated. Our family culture and history influences our perspective on life – social, political, business, and otherwise. And grounds us in a feeling of being. Of belonging. And for better or for worse, of love.
On this week’s “I’m a Millionaire! So Now What?” I spoke to an entrepreneur who recognized the deep importance of “a family heirloom.” She also recognized that today, the younger generation is often on the move, or living in cramped quarters. Mom’s china cabinet from 1962 does not the perfect heirloom make!!
But small, beautiful creations, made to last and easy to transport, can become treasures to hand down from generation to generation.
Meet Kim Dixon
Ottawa-based Kim Dixon went from being a global technology-marketing executive, to doing what she truly loved – creating! Just over three years ago, she and her sister, Sue Sadlier, launched Paisley & Heart, a design company creating and retailing beautiful artisan scarves and jewelry.
How does a global technology-marketing executive end up at the helm of a company selling scarves and jewelry handcrafted by luxury goods professionals, using only the finest silk, cashmere, wool and silver? By following her heart (wink) and doing what she loves. Kim’s always been an avid vintage jewelry and scarf collector and has been known to have the odd fashion magazine (or 20!) stacked around her office.
She also believes in the power of the heirloom, in well-made pieces that can be passed down, in “slow-fashion” as she calls it, “When I was in my 20s, I got one of my first ‘career jobs,’ and someone gifted me a scarf. And I was just in love and in awe of the quality - I still have that single scarf today. It is still beautiful. I still wear it. And when I wanted to create my own line, I wanted the same type of craftsmanship. So, these ones are screen printed and the edges are hand sewn. The material is really high quality. They're going to last for as long as you take care of it. This is not fast fashion, it’s ‘slow fashion’ and heirloom’ish. I have a friend who has her all of her mom's scarves. They're just types of accessories which transcend time, and they transcend age. And I always feel really good when I wear something that has meaning, it has quality and kind of gives you confidence. The mantra of the company with my sister was we are beautiful. Because, you know, I truly believe everyone has their own special, unique ‘style personality.’
In the full episode, we touch on attending New York Fashion Week in the middle of a global pandemic, the business processes of launching a new company, volunteer work, and how it’s never too late to follow your heart, shift gears, and spend your life doing what you really love. I know many of you in the Self Made Nation can relate. Have a listen!
Maybe this Valentine’s Day, instead of gifting flowers or candy, think longer-term. Think of a gift that can keep on giving, generation after generation.
Are you an entrepreneur looking to exit, or at the helm of a thriving business or startup? I would love to talk with you about your stories! You can drop me a line here.
And watch this space for more details about future Elevated Conversations.