We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Michelle Moseley. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Michelle below.
Michelle , we are so appreciative of you taking the time to open up about the extremely important, albeit personal, topic of mental health. Can you talk to us about your journey and how you were able to overcome the challenges related to mental issues? For readers, please note this is not medical advice, we are not doctors, you should always consult professionals for advice and that this is merely one person sharing their story and experience.
This question feels like it was meant for me, as someone who has both personal experience in navigating mental health issues and as a licensed mental health counselor in private practice. Mental health is a part of the picture for all of us, and some folks need a bit more support in order to face the challenges that may come along with trying to maintain mental wellness. I have dealt with anxiety and bouts of depression since adolescence, and was late-identified within the past 2 years as being neurodivergent.
Therapy has been an important part of acknowledging and understanding the impact of my mental health challenges. Working with a licensed therapist who was a good fit for me allowed me to explore how my mental health was impacting my daily life, and gain skills to help make it easier to navigate the associated challenges. At times, medication has also been a part of the picture for me as well.
Acceptance and knowlege have been two of the biggest factors, for me, in persisting despite mental health challenges. Accepting that anxiety is a part of who I am, that it serves me well at times, and that it tends to cause issues when it’s allowed to “drive the bus’ helps me maintain perspective. Sometimes I just have to remind myself, “This is the anxiety talking. It’s trying to help you and keep you safe. It doesn’t run the show.” Additionally, for me, the more I understand about something, the less overwhelming it feels. I understand that my periods of depression don’t last forever – they will pass. That helps me persist in the periods of time when the depression is strong.
Finally, I’m willing to seek out help and support – therapy, medication, supportive friends. There can be a lot of relief in being able to say, “I’m struggling right now” even if the other person doesn’t have a solution in the moment.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
A major focus for me over the past year has been SimplyNCgoods, a new professional endeavor. SimplyNCgoods is all about bringing the uniqueness of North Carolina directly to peoples’ door via our quarterly subscription boxes.
I, along with my partner Gabriel, have a passion for supporting small businesses and keeping money flowing in the local economy. We are both also lifetime residents of NC, having lived in various locations from the mountains to the coast. We know there are amazing small businesses, creators, farmers, artists, and artisans in every corner of this state and SimplyNCgoods allows us to share unique NC-made products with others.
Throught SimplyNCgoods, we provide quarterly subscription boxes filled with unique products from small businesses located in North Carolina. We work directly with the business owners, who we refer as Vendor Partners, to curate each box and ensure that each small business is paid fairly for their products. Every SimplyNCgoods box includes a printout with information about the included products, the small business Vendor Partner who created the product, and details about how to order more products from each business.
What sets us apart from other options for gift boxes? We know North Carolina – we’ve lived here a combined total of almost 100 years! We are committed to ensuring that our Vendor Partners are paid well for their products and that we direct business toward them to purchase more. ALL of our items are made right here in North Carolina. You will not find NC-themed items that were made elsewhere because we are committed to supporting small businesses and artisans right here in NC. Every SimplyNCgoods box, depending on size, supports 4-8 small businesses!
SimplyNCgoods boxes come in 2 sizes – The Classic and The Mini – to meet a variety of needs and budgets. The Mini contains 2-3 items made in NC, and includes details about the Vendor Partners who created those products. The Classic contains 5-7 items made in NC, along with details about the Vendor Partners who created the products. Our pricing for each box is a flat rate – no additional taxes, shipping, or handling fees. Each SimplyNCgoods box has a product value of at least $10-15 more than the cost to our consumers.
Who is likely to enjoy a SimplyNCgoods box (or multi-box subscription)? Folks who are passionate about supporting local small businesses. Those who may be newer to NC, and want to explore what the state has to offer. People who have a deep love for the state. Those who have moved away from NC, but carry some of the Old North State in their heart and would love a reminder of home.
We’re also able to curate corporate boxes for employees or clients. This provides a personalized way to show your appreciation while giving something that makes a difference in the local economy.
We are in the early stages of curating our holiday-themed box for 2024, which ships in early November. This special SimplyNCgoods box includes items from across NC that highlight the holiday spirit of all the end-of-year celebrations. These boxes make a great gift option – they are thoughtful and distinctive, while helping you feel good about keeping small business dreams alive.
Orders are always open in our online store – www.SimplyNCgoods.com/store We invite you to make your list of who would love a special gift, and head on over to place your order. You’ll discover new businesses in every box!
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Gabriel and I have worked together to create this business into what it is today. Three of the qualities that have been impactful in this journey are commitment to vision, utilzing our strengths, and being willing to pivot.
Our vision for SimplyNCgoods is to highlight and support NC-based small businesses. We have kept that vision at the forefront of every decision we’ve made from how we market to our communication with small business owners to the product we deliver to our customers. This vision helps us stay on course when we hit roadblocks. It is also the filter through which we consider opportunities. It’s important to figure out your vision early on in your journey because it really does give you the guiding point for other decisions and activities.
We each bring our own strengths to SimplyNCgoods. Focus on utilizing our strengths within the business allows us to make the greatest impact. For example, Gabriel has talent for website/computer related things and has special interest in screenprinting our boxes. So, those are a few of the tasks where he takes the lead. I have strengths in the organizational and administrative side of things, so I keep tabs on email communications, handling details with Vendor Partners, and dealing with finances. It can be tempting to try to do all the things when you’re first starting out in your journey. However, knowing both your strengths and weaknesses helps you figure out where you can best invest your time and where it may serve you better to invest in learning or having someone else complete a task.
Being willing to pivot with ideas and plans has also been impactful in our journey with SimplyNCgoods. There are times when an idea sounds very promising, yet when you start fleshing it out or talking with others, you realize it’s not actually feesible. Those are the moments you have to be willing to toss it out or go back to the drawing board and figure out how to make the idea workable. For anyone starting out, know that your initial plan may not be how things work out. Be willing to reevaluate and to pivot when needed in order to fulfill your vision.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
SimplyNCgoods is always looking to connect with small business owners and artisans based in North Carolina. We have a whole section of our website dedicated to this – look for the “Artisans” tab at www.SimplyNCgoods.com There you will find more details about being a Vendor Partner, as well as a survey for interested folks to complete that provides us with information to follow-up as we are curating boxes.
We are also looking to partner with those who may want to purchase SimplyNCgoods boxes. This might be a person who goes directly to the website and purchases 1 or more boxes (or multi-box subscriptions) for themselves or as gifts. This might also include folks such as realtors or business owners who regularly purchase gifts for their employees or clients. We would love to chat about how we could personalize a box just for your needs. You can email us with ideas or questions at [email protected]
If you love NC and are passionate about supporting small business, we’d be thrilled to discuss ideas for collaboration!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.SimplyNCgoods.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/simplyncgoods
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/simplyncgoods
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/simplyncgoods
- Other: Online Store: www.simplyncgoods.com/store
Image Credits
SimplyNCgoods
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