STRENGTH for the Next Year!!! Fraques Nola Outfitter is one year’s old today. Our baby teeth have cut, we’ve taken our first steps, and we proudly aced toilet training. But even though we’ve learned so much and feel ready to run, there is still a ton of uncertainty. So where do we get the foresight to use our newfound knowledge correctly in our second year of life? Where do we get the strength? The name, “Fraques” came to us one day on our front porch. It was the simple combination of our names, Frank and Jacques, and sounded like, ‘frock’. After an internet search to ensure it that wasn’t a dirty word in another language, we pleasantly learned that it meant, ‘Gentlemen’s Tailcoat,’ in Portuguese. We loved the coincidence, and both agreed that ‘Jank’ sounded like something caught from a rusty nail. I brought home a cow skull I found in the back of my momma’s house and Frank, inspired by an art exhibition about living matter, brought the bovine back to life by covering it in moss and giving it eyes that lit up. Together we experimented with photography and light painting and created the Fraques logo. The birth of our store on November 2nd, 2013 had its complications, but overall was successful. Family and friends were present to celebrate and introduce us to New Orleans and the world. It was incredible to feel the love and support in the room as we began our first day of life. There have been many bumps and bruises this past year. We underestimated time and expenses, and overestimated our energy and sales. Some months we gasped for air, and questioned if it was our last breath. But through patience, hard work, and support from others, we made it through and continued living. A few weeks ago, as Frank and I planned for our store’s one year birthday, I came across an article that stated over 50% of small businesses fail in their first five years. My heart sank, and I no longer felt as accomplished for surviving 365 days. My body and mind were exhausted, and I didn’t know if I had the strength to continue. Frank and I discussed our situation in our backyard one day, and questioned if the risks we’d taken had been worth it. As we evaluated what we’d been through, the projects we accomplished, the people we’d met, the knowledge we’d gained, I realized that it was the best year of my life. Fraques was a dream I’d carried around in my back pocket for twenty years because it seemed so wonderfully impossible. And it was, because I hadn’t joined forces with Frank, the incredibly strong and talented “Fra” to my “ques”. Even though it feels as if the world is on my shoulders, I know that I’m not holding it alone. Frank is there right besides me feeling its weight and helping me carry it through our second year of life. Surrounding us are our family and friends to help us keep our balance. Together we have the foresight to make it to age two. Together, we have the strength!!!
Posted on: Sun, 02 Nov 2014 15:31:51 +0000
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