Mid-Year, Small Notes

Long time, no Substack.

We’re halfway through the year — how’s everyone holding up?

It feels like just yesterday we had our vision mapping workshop. This is a quick check-in, both with you and with myself.

I’ve been thinking about how I’ve been using this space. Substack wasn’t meant to replace email marketing, but with some feedback, I realized that’s what it was turning into. That changes now.

From here on, this will function more like a journal. A space to think out loud, document what we’re building, and occasionally bring in guest writers I admire.

What have we been up to?

+ We’ve been quiet, but we did show up at Fashion Souk a few weeks ago. It was our second time attending, and we went in with two sales associates and a clear plan. We promoted more than we ever had, set a sales target, and hoped for the best.

We didn’t meet our target. In fact, the sales were slower than expected. It felt a bit disorienting, a mix of doing everything “right” but still not seeing the outcome we hoped for.

One thing we didn’t anticipate was the kind of turnout we had. We assumed most of the attention would come from people discovering us for the first time. Instead, most of the people who stopped by already knew us — customers, followers, and friends of the brand. It shifted how we thought about visibility and reach, especially at offline events.

+ We recently created two candles in collaboration with Esit.co, inspired by the idea of a Nigerian summer. Unlike other parts of the world, our summers are a mix of heavy rain, thick humidity, and short bursts of stillness. We wanted something that captured that mood, something that feels like stepping into a garden after the rain.

The candles aren’t online yet, but if you’re in Lagos, come find us at Gather Market at Alliance Française, Ikoyi on the 19th of July. You can sniff and shop in person.

+ Also, we turn two on July 16th.

The past year has stretched us in so many ways. From supply chain issues to staffing and marketing, it’s been one challenge after another. But we’re still here and that’s mostly because of our small but steady community. Thank you for trusting us, even when it hasn’t been perfect.

I’ve been thinking about hosting a small community gathering to mark the anniversary. Nothing fancy — just a chance to meet, connect, and share space. Let me know if you’d be into that.

What should the second half of the year look like?

At the start of the year, we asked our community what their word for 2025 would be. You can see their answers here. Choosing a word helps you stay focused on the kind of year you want to have.

Now that we’re halfway through, if you don’t feel like your word is showing up in your life, it’s okay to change it or rethink how you want to approach it.

My word this year is harvest. But honestly, the last six months have felt more like a season of sowing. At first, I thought life was being unfair, but I’m starting to lean fully into the process. That means gentle career shifts, upscaling, listening more, and learning from others.

I can’t tell you exactly how to navigate your year from here. But I do know that staying open and being intentional about where you put your energy will make all the difference.

Thank you for rocking with us.

Here’s to making the second half count.

Love,

Lù