Danielle Rosellison
Co-owner
Trail Blazin’ Productions
Bellingham, WA
Did you miss me? After writing a monthly Living the Dream column for years, the last you heard from me was May 2020, as COVID was ramping up and our hard work at the Governor’s Office helped declare us as an essential business. Many of you have followed Trail Blazin’s journey and been able to relate to so many trials and tribulations.
I gotta be honest … things have been fantastic! After the better part of a decade of brutal hardship, tears, toil and gut-wrenching stress, our business turned a corner in the summer of 2019 and has maintained that positive streak.
We have invested in all our employees, and their ability to “adult” seems to be increasing daily. We purposefully hired people with the intent to be the change we wish to see in the world, helping to create equity for all socio-economic demographics, which means we have a vested interest in seeing them succeed. While the hand-holding feels excessive at times, nothing makes me happier than watching their growth.
Sales have maintained a level that we have disposable income to reinvest in our company. No longer are we scraping by, holding our breath for payroll, rent and the electric bill.
We have engaged in partnerships with sungrowers to help expand our brand while maintaining the genetics and complex terpene profiles of our well-known strains. Partnerships have always made us nervous due to the lack of control, but our extensive interview process makes us confident that this is a mutually beneficial relationship and we are excited about the expansion.
Operating agreements are also being revisited, since our business relationship has never been better and our original legal documents are basically written in crayon.
And although my dentist tells me I have ground my teeth down to nubbins due to the stress of starting Trail Blazin’, I am immensely thankful for what we have created as I try to breathe in our success, radiate gratitude, enjoy the moment and brace myself for the next phase.
My lack of contributions to Living the Dream was due to not thinking there was anything worth writing about that people want to read. However, I have decided that it is important to share that there is light at the end of the tunnel. For those of us who have an unwavering belief that they can and will make it, the reward for perseverance is all I could have hoped for and more.