Truth Be Told

Truth be told, it was fun!

A couple of weeks ago we participated in the annual General Assembly of theCooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF). We have a good bit of tenure with CBF–over twenty two years–so we always enjoy these gatherings, catching up with friends and colleagues and learning what is happening in the organization at large. This year was a bit different though as we were greeted in various meetings and gathering places. Instead of Hey guys! Great to see you! I was often greeted with, Nell, I have been following Threads by Nomad. This is exciting; tell me more about it! Or, Nell, I can’t wait for you all to launch! Be sure and let me know when I can make a purchase. A personal favorite was Nell, I loved the prototypes! When can I get one? Will you be offering accessories?

Yes, it was terribly fun to realize that not only were people following us that closely but they were excited about what we are doing. But then it was time to get down to work. Sis and David drove to meet us in South Carolina for her dad’s birthday party and we took time to pull out the fabric we had selected and finalize a few of our designs. We did research online for the silks and the crochet thread we will need for a couple of our basic pieces.

We also met with David Warner at the Technology Incubator at Knowledge Park in Rock Hill, SC to talk about our business plan, getting to know our customer base and building a network.

All of this reminded of why I am personally excited about Threads by Nomad. Here are just ten reasons:

1. Sis is a very talented young woman and working with her has made me appreciate her gifts all the more. Of course it helps that we are both a little OCD and highly organized!

2. I love fabric. Touching the cloth, imagining what it will look like made up into our design, working through the process necessary to fashion it into something unique, etc. The creative process is just a blast but the fabric itself is a thing of creative beauty. I am itching to see our designs made up and wear them myself!

3. As I thrilled at people’s reactions, worked alongside Sis and took in all we learned at Incubator technology, I became even more excited about what this venture will mean to the refugees we are hiring, those overseas sourcing fabric for our designs, and future micro-enterprise opportunities for those creating accessories.

4. Re-reading our mission statement, I appreciate that it is designed to lead us in having a social impact both locally and globally; it has an impact on us personally as we pour out our creative juices; and it impacts our future customers as we share the beauty and diversity of other cultures. How cool is that?!?!

5. I am 58 years old and am in the process of learning what is a completely different set of skills. I thought learning how to use a computer and managing websites and social media was a big learning curve. This one has been huge, but so invigorating!

6. I am reminded again of the beauty and the necessity of community. It would be difficult to list all of the people who have offered us help, encouragement and support as we have gone through this process. It would have been an impossible task for me otherwise. Beloved community has made all the difference.

7. I am excited about not just serving our clients but getting to know them. I am an extrovert and thrive on human interaction. Not only do I get to share our vision and hope for making a difference, I get to hear from others their visions and hopes.

8. The whole process has helped me yet again look at my priorities. As my friend David Warner from the Incubator Technology put it, “It is not about being rich or getting rich, but changing the world.”

9. I am a minister by trade and education. Helping to meet the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of those around me is what I do. At first I wondered how Threads by Nomad would fit with that. This was definitely outside my “ministerial box.” Learning how business can be used to impact in a positive way has been eye opening for me.

10. I like to have fun. I like to laugh. This has been so much fun and I have laughed a lot!