The Spirit of the Organization

Now that we've been up and running for a few weeks it's time to take a moment to look back and see what we've learned so far:

1. There's so much more to this operation than just baking cookies.  We've been making a real effort to reach out to each and every person that has supported the organization in its earliest stages to let them know how much we appreciate them and to solicit feedback on how we can keep improving things.
2. No matter how hard you plan things, there are always a few kinks to work out in operations.  When we first decided to open our doors in early October we were hesitant as we expected there to be fewer orders in October than in November or December.  We didn't want to launch too early and have our potential customers forget about us by November, when they really want to use us.  However, opening early proved to be a blessing in disguise as we were able to catch some key operational glitches and potential bottlenecks early - before things really heat up. 
3. Patience, patience, patience.  We have to keep ourselves from checking for new orders every five minutes, as inevitably, we'll be disappointed.  We'll admit it, a part of us lights up every time we receive an order and wishes that we would get a new order very five minutes!  However, it IS still early in the Holiday Baking Season!  We have to remind ourselves not to judge our success by where we stand today, but by how this organization thrives over the next few months.
   
   
4. Every meeting, outing, gathering is an opportunity to spread the word.  We'll admit it, at times we've shied away from talking about Silver Lining Cookies...we don't want to come across as single-minded amongst friends and colleagues while at social gathering.  However, a good friend pointed out to me that "you ARE the organization" and should be proud to spread the word.  There is literally, NO ONE else who can market on your behalf.  Even if friends and loved ones do find it obnoxious. at least the idea and organization will stick in their mind and ultimately, they want Silver Lining Cookies to be a success.
5. Which leads us to the most important lesson we've learned so far....
   With all of the baking, posting, spreading the word, packaging, processing orders, and so on, it's easy to forget that the ultimate purpose of the organization is to give back to the community.  So as I take a few moments to reflect on these last few weeks, the stress, the anxiety and the late nights, I remind myself that all of those "hardships" are absolutely worth it if our organization can bake cookies that people enjoy and provide some much-needed capital to charitable organizations. 

Thus, as the leaves continue to fall from the trees, the days get shorter, and we all begin to get wrapped up in the upcoming frenzy of the Holiday Season, I'll do my best to keep updating you all on our progress.  To date we have raised $52.50 for charity.  We look forward to serving cookies to you and your loved ones these next few months.  The more you order, the more we'll be able to contribute in the end. There's still time to get your orders in for Halloween.  As long as you place your order by Monday, October 25th we should be able to drop a Haunting HodgePodge at your doorstep in time for Trick or Treating!