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Did you have a dream, but you got sidetracked?
I did. I listened to someone else instead of my inner voice, and I lost my way.
Sometimes it's easier and more comfortable to let go than to dig deep.
Or is it?
I let others' opinions stand in my way.
Damn, I am human. But as luck would have it, the discomfort returned, and so did my voice.
What I have learned is there are no mistakes, only accidents on purpose.
I stopped writing blogs because I was advised to get a ghostwriter.
I was told I don't have what it takes to write professionally, and I believed in the experts and authorities. But you know what? I miss saying what's on my mind, and honestly, the only person who can speak for me is me.
I am back.
I want to share my journey with words from my heart.
I want to share with you my business journey and my personal journey, both in reflection and dreams of what is possible.
So the best place to start is from the beginning.
I started Pinnacle with Rick in 1987.
And so we begin…
In life, I believe we have many new beginnings. The obvious ones: birth, starting school, first love, your first job, possibly getting married—you get the idea.
Life is full of new chapters. Some we await in anticipation, others we are thrown into because of circumstance. What I know for sure is we grow and learn from every new beginning.
This blog is a new beginning.
Thirty-seven years ago, when I started Pinnacle with Rick, there was no internet, no social media, and no blog. We did trade shows and cold-called on the telephone to connect with our customers.
I realize the one thing that remains constant: the human experience of needing one another.
And so I begin...
This is my first blog with you, my business counterparts and friends. Together, I hope to share thoughts, memories, and my soul with the sole intent of connecting with you.
I am reflecting on when we started our business, what has changed, but more importantly, what has not.
Let me start from my beginning.
Pinnacle was a dream to offer private-label cosmetics that would be different from the rest—upscale, premium, high-quality products. In the 1980s, private-label meant white packaging and inexpensive-looking products.
We had our dream in place. Now we sat in the weeds—how do we start?
Well, we just did. We jumped in full force. There was no money to start, so our basement became our headquarters. A phone and folding tables would do.
We started by trying to get our supplies to make our beautiful products, and here is where the weeds got thick. How can you possibly get started when every avenue leads you to a minimum order request? Really?
It turned out the biggest stumbling block was building inventory because you need money to build inventory. Who knew?
Until you find someone who believes in you and takes a chance.
I was very lucky to find another entrepreneur who was a little further down the road than we were and saw we had something special. They took a chance on allowing me to buy the supplies I needed without a minimum order.
Had someone not taken a chance on me, I honestly am not sure how I could have started our business.
I understood how important this act of goodwill is, and it just made good business sense—not to punish a budding business with minimums when you could order what you want when you want, and reinvest in the inventory you need.
This principle is what we built Pinnacle on.
Thirty-six years later, we still have this philosophy. No one else was offering this no-minimum policy, and frankly, I think we started a trend.
We wanted to help others who were also getting started. I truly feel it takes a village, and if you are successful, then we all are successful.
With love and gratitude,
Vita
xo
