Small Business Saturday has always been a favorite holiday of mine, but this year it’s taken on a whole new meaning. Despite how incredibly challenging this year has been, this small, women-run business is still standing and it’s all thanks to you and the unwavering support from my team. 

Even when things felt completely out of control and tough decisions had to beg made, like to close our Costa Mesa location and to pack up the LA pop-up that was only open for a week, I felt so supported. There’s no way we would have made it through without my management team, Alyssa, Lena, and Sam, who stuck by me and came in each and every day to continue serving our customers even when the shop was closed. I also couldn’t have survived without our marketing team, working from home and rallying together to adapt our strategies and transition Prism into an online-only shop. But it’s our community we owe a debt of gratitude to - I’ll never forget how hard you stood by us during these difficult times. 

While things have been hard and stressful and draining, it hasn’t been all bad. We’ve really taken stock of what’s important and have been working on ways to make this business a true reflection of what we care about. We started with our community by making runs to Long Beach Memorial Hospital with food and gift bags for frontline workers. We widened our scope by matching customer donations to Black Mamas Matter and partnered with the EmpowHer Institute to deliver gift bags to the young women in their program. We’ve taken the time to check in on our marketing representation and have been working hard to be more inclusive to women of all shapes, sizes and skin colors. All of these are part of an ongoing effort to make Prism a place all feel welcomed and seen. 

Events might still be a no-go these days, but we’ve found a way to celebrate shopping small and staying safe with Shop Local Saturdays; outdoor pop-ups with local brands we love each Saturday leading up to Christmas. Supporting small businesses and independent makers is more important this holiday season than ever. When you shop at Prism you’re not just keeping my dream alive, but the dreams and livelihoods of the over 50 brands, artists, and makers we stock and our nine employees and seven freelancers. 

From the bottom of my heart, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for continuing to love, support, and inspire us. I wish you the happiest (and safest) holiday season.