Three years ago on 6/18 I launched my first collection of hand-lettered products on my very own website and online shop. A few months prior I took a leap and left my nearly decade-long corporate job I actually liked. When I finally pressed “launch”, I felt I'd officially graduated from the early days of side hustling and Etsy.
It’s been slow and humble beginnings. You’ve seen it. There’s no overnight success story in this corner of the internet and thank goodness, because big trees grow slow, strong roots grow deep, and well-learned lessons rarely come easily.
Like learning to rest instead of giving up.
Getting out of my own way to accept that done is better than perfect.
Doing something inconsistently is better than not doing it at all.
Figuring everything out as I go means it will take 5 times as long to accomplish.
The business will always be there, the babies will not.
Many will watch yet only a handful will encourage, and learning how to ignore both the loud and imagined opinions is daily work.
Trusting hard that God will provide answers & fill in any gaps with each step I take forward, despite my own fear, insecurity and sometimes plain incompetence 🤪
Accepting that feeling foolish and occasional failure is just part of the process and tomorrow will be better, usually with the help of a God-wink.
And finally that it's okay to bet on yourself and listen to that pull. You are capable of hard things.
These lessons run deep and are still being learned.
With all that said, this was my last launch as “Pillows of Grace”.
No, I'm not throwing in the towel. We're finally stabilizing and I'm too stubborn to give in just yet ;) But we are evolving.
Something I’ve learned about myself over the past 3 years is my love for the water. My mom started going into labor with me while on a boat. I'm fortunate to be born and raised with water close by, and I’ve based many life decisions around it - where I chose to go to college, live after college, and where my husband and I chose to root our family. I’ve always been aware of this love, yet unaware of it's depth. So I was somehow surprised for water to create such a presence in my business, too. Lake life is my favorite collection every year and a staple in my brand because *smacks forehead* helloooo, Kerstin, it’s who you are!
A boat ride of any form leads to those deep breaths where you feel most at home. The rare opportunities to race on a sailboat now bring happy tears and the highest of thrills. The free movements of swimming are my favorite therapy. Over the last year or so I’ve felt the nudges. The water is constant, it’s always coming in waves, and I need it in every area of my life 💕
I’ve been working on a rebrand since the end of 2021. I’m learning how to accept my limits, and enlist the help of professionals to move things forward faster and better than I ever could. Laura from Dotted Design has done just that (patiently) and is still guiding me through the process.
I'm really excited to invite you in.
Changes are minor but with big impact.
So what has been known as Pillows of Grace for the last 3-5 years
(back to when I was just an Instagram account!), I'm now proud to introduce as
Waves of Grace Letter Co.
Now we can avoid the confusion when you realize I don’t have a robust line of pillow products ;) And we bring two pillars of my life together - grace that comes from faith, and waves that flow from water.
It’s never just about the water.
It’s about embracing the season you’re in, the wave God currently has you on and the ebbs and flows of each journey, giving all the grace along the way.
With that said, I'm not exclusively about lake products. I'm so thankful to include all of my passions in this business and that will not change.
It’s about water, faith, life as a mama, design/home decor and encouraging you the best I can. Everything I create and share revolves around those 5 things, and now it has a business name to match.
Website changes will come next and this transition will take time.
For today, I’ll simply press “launch” on this email and find a boat to cruise with my husband, just like I did 3 years ago, counting all my blessings as they keep coming in waves, thanking God for 34 years of this crazy beautiful life I get to live 💕
Thank you for coming along with me.
For every “like”, comment, email reply, word of encouragement and purchase.
You’ve carried me through.
I don’t know what lies ahead but I’m excited to let it flow and leave the rest to God.
Cheers to the next chapter as Waves of Grace Letter Co.
Soli Deo Gloria
PS I talk about this change and more of my business story on the “Making a Life” podcast (which was so fun!). Click here to listen.