Yesterday, we had our first real Christmas party. Every other year, we have had some kind of just-after-the-shipping-cutoff-standing-around-in-a-stunned-daze acknowledgement-of-the-end-of-the-craziness, because we were such a small team (usually just a duo) anything else seemed too exhausting.
But this year, we had about a dozen people get together at the workshop for the traditional Christmas Eve foods of pizza and cookies (that's everyone's favorite holiday meal, right?).
Everyone around the table held a critical role in the growth we've had this year. Everyone around the table contributes to the overall "offering" that we brought to you this year... from the lovingly made products, to the hand-written notes in the orders, to the customer satisfaction after your order... everyone knows their valuable contribution that makes Outlaw worthwhile.
We passed around a certificate and signed card sent by Yankee 3 Air Force Task Force (which I'll post more about later). Amy, whose husband is an Air Force Veteran, read the certificate aloud.
We talked about how much we appreciate the friendship and camaraderie we have with our customers -- truly excellent people doing truly amazing things in the world -- and how honored we are to bring something into the lives of amazing people around the world, in every imaginable circumstance.
It was also a little bittersweet, because in 2020, we're relocating our business to Sparks, Nevada. This is our last team Christmas in Grass Valley, and it was also kind of our first. So even though it was wonderful to sit around the table with everyone who has made Outlaw what it is today, I was a little sad to know (as we all do) that change is just around the corner.
We have built a family in Grass Valley over the past year. We've brought lots of people on, and had to let several people go. We got through snow days and power outages (pretty much the whole month of October was chaos). We've had disagreements and misunderstandings, and we've worked through those together to be where we are today... which is a very good place.
Thank you so much for being part of our Outlaw family. No matter where you are or what you're doing, we appreciate you being part of this little gang.
Sincerely,
Danielle & The Outlaws
