On Your Fifth Birthday.

Dear Sweet PJP,

By the time most of the world reads this, you’ll officially be FIVE YEARS OLD. We’ve been at this together for 1,825 days…can you even believe it? And look, if there is anything I’ve learned in this past 1,825 days, it is that entrepreneurship is a TERRIBLY TENUOUS GAME. According to the Internet, a retail food establishment that makes it past five years is a veritable unicorn. For the most part, I am just thankful and humbled that Jeanne and I have gotten you to this milestone life event. (The other part of me is amazed that we actually did it, because we certainly gave ourselves enough opportunities to go terribly wrong.)

More than anything this year, we’ve really endeavored to understand you as you’ve started to come into your own…and to always know what you need to continue the path to success (and also how to give that to you so that you keep excelling consistently). And look, by all accounts, you are a complex girl. Lucky for you, complex things are our very favorite. You are never the same every day and that is our FAVORITE thing about you. You are also demanding, extraordinary, and noteworthy. And that said, you remind me of Jeanne and I…but isn’t that how this works? You are us and we are you. Is every entrepreneur so fortunate to have a love like ours? Likely not, but I adore that this is our story.

“Do what you love, and you’ll never work another day in your life.” According to Pinterest, this quote is attributed to Confucius, Mark Twain, and Marc Anthony (the one that was married to J. Lo, not the Roman politician…which I find to be very sketchy, because does Marc Anthony actually still work?). Confucius and Mark Twain were wise men indeed, but sold us all a bill of goods that loving our work exempts the blood, sweat, and tears that you’ll need to add in to become successful. I think this is because Mark Twain never got up at 2 am to bake for $5 Friday and then cried 18 hours later on the drive home because he was sticky from corn syrup and tired. I’m no Mark Twain expert though. I just know enough to know that when you love your work, you are willing to lay it all down - the blood, the sweat, the tears - to make the business work. That’s really doing what you love. And PJP, you are worth it.

In Year Six, we are going make some big moves, both literally and figuratively. You are ready for more, PJP. I just know your potential to expand and do even more amazing things is sitting there for the taking. We are lucky, lucky, lucky women to be here with you through it. Thanks for holding on to us through it all.

All the love -