It’s official: we’re a teen! The business that started as my Etsy shop has now reached the ripe age of 13 — how will we commemorate this? Will we grow a mohawk, like Tom did when he was a teen? Or be sullen and moody and pour our feelings into a Xanga? Or will we be a Type-A, honor roll teen? (ahem, me.)

One theme that fits is tapping into our independence. P.F. is still independently owned and operated by Tom and me. What does that mean? It means we answer to ourselves and our customers, not investors. Sometimes, like when facing the 40-foot tidal wave of COVID, this is supremely scary. But other times, it’s freeing. We can grow the company how we want: creating a good work environment for our staff that doesn’t just make productivity the only goal; prioritizing sustainability in our practices, even if it costs more; having fun with our releases (looking at you, Watermelon & Chili), and expressing ourselves with weird memes that generate DMs quipping “not yr brand.” It means that we can re-invest in better machinery, systems, and wages without having to worry about shareholders’ profits. It means that the bottom line does not drive us, so we can increase quality, not squeeze the customer.

On a recent re-watch of the Labyrinth, I found myself relating to Sarah’s push/pull with childhood, or rather, her flirtation with adulthood. I don’t want to lose the sparkle of a young company — where everything feels like magic as it happens for the first time (your first sale, your first press placement). We are on the verge of becoming a 100-person company, something I never envisioned when I started P.F. at 22. The last thing I want is to become an impersonal and overly bureaucratic corporation. Remember, this business started on my stovetop. In turn, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about how culture scales. Because we’ve stayed independent, we’ve been able to keep our spirit alive but have become more professional where it’s needed. I’m continually impressed with the complexity of work our team pushes out — such a far cry from my stovetop/laptop 2008 situation.

So many of you first came across our business at a craft fair, likely when Tom or I sold to you directly or from an independently-owned shop that you still frequent. However you found us, the fact that you are still here speaks volumes. You get it; you have grown with us. Thank you for the last 13.

-Kristen