Another Trip Around the Sun, Another Reflection

As I sit down to write this blog post, I am filled with a sense of gratitude and reflection. It's hard to believe that another year has passed as I inch closer to another birthday. I've grown as a person, mom, and especially a business owner. I still have a very long way to go. This journey is a day by day process and I layer my experiences (good and bad) onto each other one day at a time. Your loyalty and trust in our brand mean the world to me, and we are so grateful for your support of our ranch family and Thomas Cattle Company.

I got my first tattoo this year. I hadn't really planned it and I have always said 'I've never really liked anything enough to commit to it.' I felt a moment where I had this clarity of what to get and the meaning behind it. It was strange but I just trusted the instinct and now I have the word 'grit' on my left wrist in my dads handwriting. To the onlooker, it might appear as though I have this word on my wrist because I am full of grit. Quite the opposite actually. I see it each day, many times, and I remind myself to stick with things like my dad always did. It reminds me to have grit like him.

My dad had cancer for 10 years before passing in 2016. He suffered in so much pain for so long and kept fighting. One day he told me 'I keep fighting and hang on because who knows, there could be a new medicine or development that could help me.' He was an eternal optimist, through it all, and he never gave up. Even when the pain kept him up all night, in bed all day and on levels of pain medication that would kill a normal person. 

This photo is my dad, one year before his passing, weak as could be, doing push ups on the edge of his bed. He wasn't perfect but he left his mark on everyone he came in contact with, with him, people were seen and heard. When I see that word on my wrist, it's a reminder from him to me, that I have the strength to keep going, that a lot of times those that win are the ones that just don't quit, and that you can chase your dreams, be humble and create an impact along the way. 

Looking back on the past year, I can't help but feel a sense of pride in the progress we've made as a business. Being a small business is always challenging, and there were certainly times when I've felt overwhelmed and unsure of myself. I've cried, laughed, wondered if I should quit, wondered if I can really do this at all. But with each obstacle I've faced, I've learned new skills, developed new strategies, and grown as an entrepreneur.

We're not in this to be everything to everyone, we want to focus on partners that align with our values and those that want to deliver premium quality beef to families across America. It's hard work, but if it were easy, everyone would do it.

To all of our customers, friends, family and supporters, I want to say a heartfelt thank you. Thank you for supporting our business, for believing in me, and for helping me grow and learn as a person and an entrepreneur. I am excited to see what the future holds, and we look forward to continuing to serve you in the years to come.