The story behind the name Fresh Figs Marketing tickles people. Not only does it speak to the values of the business – authenticity, creativity and quality – but it reflects the sense of curiosity and adventure that underlies all our activities. It suits us!
I recently returned to the country where that original adventure began – Italy. Almost three decades later the beauty of the landscape, the deep sense of history and the culturally-rich food still inspire me. Walking through Florence awoke many memories of being young and wide-eyed, embracing the challenge of managing living daily life within a completely new culture and in a different language. I visited my apartment, the school I went to, the local market where I had breakfast and did my daily food shopping. The city has changed, but fortunately these old spaces cannot escape their history. And, as I wandered the meandering cobblestone streets, I realized that we cannot escape ours either.
Is it possible to avoid self-reflection when you return to the place of past transformation? I think not. What I discovered is the things that led me to Italy in the first place are still inherent in who I am. My life continues to be guided by leaping into adventure with two feet along with a guiding small dose of reality, fully living in the moment while also happily anticipating what will come next, fearing what I will miss by not doing something more than the possibility of failing, and embracing new experiences, people, places, ideas, technologies, etc.
It has been my intention from the start to infuse Fresh Figs Marketing with the same ideals because in the end, I started this company to enjoy my work life! My partners share my vision. Emelie is very much her own person, quirky, creative and loving. She is fully committed to her craft of writing (she’s written a book, you know, but we are not allowed to see it yet). She takes creating powerful content for our clients – both written and visual – personally. However, what I admire most about her is how she finds adventure in the smallest ways while planning and taking HUGE trips to unruly places! Grace, our web developer and graphic design partner, is intensely passionate about her work and offers tremendous creativity to our firm. Her ability to visually capture the personality of a company is unparalleled. She works odd hours just like I do, so late-night problem solving has been a key to our partnership along with Trello and emojis. Finally, our cadre of experts who support and partner with us are a quirky bunch. Their unique perspectives make our work better and a heck of a lot of fun!
Fortunately, our philosophy has been embraced by our clients, who have allowed us to become a part of their own histories, dreams and adventures. Each of them has had a transformational moment that led them to join the crazies we call business owners. Revisiting mine affirmed that building off of that moment for the rest of my life is the right path. One of those choices, and the namesake of that time – Fresh Figs Marketing – has been a wonderful addition to the mix. The adventure that began in Italy so many years ago continues!
