You're an interesting woman

I love Peruvian Connection, a catalog of beautiful art knits inspired by a variety of global textiles.  The garments are usually hand knit by local artisans who earn a fair trade wage for their work. Stranded, intarsia,and jacquard knits in bold colors and gorgeous graphics, they are not inexpensive, nor would you expect them to be.  They’re art, after all, and worth every penny.

Their most recent email had the subject line “You’re an interesting woman…do you dress like one?”  They went on to entice me with a stunning collection of statement pieces with a chic modern aesthetic that takes traditional techniques to a new level.  Take a look at their stuff, and you’ll see what I mean. But it was that subject line that really stuck in my head -- “You’re an interesting woman…”

I thought about that line all day, and something kind of crystallized in my mind, bringing clarity to my recent thoughts about the shop. For any business, even one as small as Crazy for Ewe, it’s essential to clarify the brand - who are we as a shop, what do we stand for, and who is our customer.  I have no problem with who we are and what we stand for, but not the last. All the business gurus say we have to find our stereotypical customer and direct all our efforts to her. I’ve never been able to condense our customers into one homogeneous entity. If you look around the table on any given day, there isn’t a stereotype -- we are all so different.  But here’s what hit me: The Crazy for Ewe customer is interesting. Through that lens, everything falls into place and makes sense.

Yes, you are wildly different from one another when it comes to age, race, education, and background.  Almost without exception, though, you travel, read widely, and come to the shop with a fascinating story to share. You’re interesting, and you’re interested.  Facebook posts about scientific discoveries related to knitting or fibers, get thousands of likes and shares. The conversations we have at the table run the gamut - science, art, history, literature, education, parenting, relationships, and more.  You are anxious to hear about new things, you are open to new experiences, and you are engaged with the world. It’s quite amazing, and I value it the interactions we share more than you know.

As Crazy for Ewe enters its 15th year in business, I thank you for being part of the shop.  We are all richer for your presence.

As always, I look forward to seeing you in the shop and around the table.  You are always welcome here.

Back to 5 March 2019 Newsletter