Catherina Gomes

Dare to Dream

Hello friends!

 Happy New Year! I love New Year’s Day. My mother used to tell me that whatever you do on the first day of the year, sets the precedent for what you will do for the entire year. I did not like this in the past because it meant that she would usually make us do additional homework from our math textbooks to set us up for a studious year, clean the house so our future would be orderly and organized, and eat healthy foods for good health and strength.

I still hold this thought and tradition in my mind (albeit with less math homework) and consciously design my day centered around what I want my year to involve and cultivate. Today, I am travelling back home from a quick end of year trip, so I hope that means my year is filled with great travel and adventure. I am having dinner with my family, so I hope this year is filled with family and creating new memories. And I am dreaming bigger than I ever imagined for 700 Rivers so I’m hoping for a year of great growth.

Last year, at the beginning of 2022, I wrote down a list of goals for 700 Rivers and a second list of dreams. The list of goals consisted of smart, strategic goals and numbers that would be difficult to reach but with hard and consistent work, I believed we could hit those targets. The list of dreams were a bit more out of reach, but maybe, just maybe we could pull it off. Well friends, I’m so happy to say that in 2022, the 700 Rivers community helped us surpass our dreams.

In 2022, we

  • Celebrated 3 years in business! (This is huge because we not only survived but saw continuous growth after a global pandemic in which our artisans in Bangladesh had to shut down for one year)
  • Attended our very first national wholesale market (Atlanta Market in July 2022) to introduce 700 Rivers to retailers all across the USA
  • Launched the long anticipated natural candle line!
  • Placed the largest soap order with our artisans in Bangladesh in the existence of 700 Rivers (12x bigger than our first soap order 2.5 years prior)
  • Participated in 45 markets
  • Invested back into the business to purchase equipment to increase future product manufacturing
  • Doubled our sales from 2021!!!!!

Lauched our brand new candle line made with 100% soy wax! 

 Attended Atlanta Market to showcase 700 Rivers products to new retailers!

 

I know it is wild that we are sharing such a transparent look into our business’ numbers. But I hope you know that to us, you are not just our customers – you are the community growing this business alongside myself and the 700 Rivers team. We are walking this journey together.

So, this year, for 2023, I am dreaming even bigger. I am dreaming of growth for the business and myself personally. I’m dreaming of new product launches, hiring and employing more people overcoming vulnerable situations, increasing retail partnerships and sales goals, and donating more money to education and non-profits we believe in. I hope you will share in these dreams with me.

Cheers to 2023 and all our future impact!

 

With gratitude,

Cathy