"Mom! Top secret big news," Emma texted me about two months ago. "Em John was selected for Oprah's Favorite Things."
My immediate response: Hahahahahaha.
I wasn't laughing at my daughter; I assumed it was a big joke on me.
"I'm not kidding," she said. "This is for real."
Turns out, Emma sent her latest Em John creations to a slew of magazine editors in hopes of landing coverage in the competitive holiday gift guides. Of the nearly 50 pitches she sent, her first yes came from the hardest list to crack: Oprah's Favorite Things.
My excitement quickly turned to panic when Emma told me what the O team selected: initial key chains and bag charms.
Why did I freak out? Anything with initials means having 26 different items in stock. It gets worse: she designed each in three colors.
Quick math: that's 78 SKUs.
SEVENTY EIGHT!
When I gently chastised Emma for not thinking it through ---- whatever happened to making a single item and offering it in a couple of colors? ---- she snapped back: "Like you always say, I can do anything, so don't be a dream killer!"
Sure enough Emma was ready when yesterday's list was released by Oprah
---- and she hit the trifecta: Oprah, Gayle and Adam all raving about her all-new
Em John keychain/bag charms.In all my excitement for Emma, I also took away a great lesson for the rest of us: Instead of worrying about what can't be done, focus clearly on how exactly to make it happen.
Thank goodness my kids have the confidence to dream. It prevents them from allowing hurdles to derail their goals. They're not blind to the challenges, but instead of giving up, they give their all.
(Like that hilarious scene in our favorite Billy Madison when a dog is lost. Billy says, "You don't look for an hour and call it quits. You get off your as- and you find that f-ing dog.")
Save 20% with promo code OPRAH on the all-new key chain bag charms at
EmJohnJewelry.com.
Go make great things happen this weekend!
Cheers and gratitude----
Tory
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