This week we celebrate Oliveology’s birthday. It has now been 16 years since our first stall at Borough Market. 16 years since the idea, and the need to bring quality ingredients to London came to life, and evolved into what has now become my life’s work.
Over the years I’ve grown as well, becoming a mother, but also becoming more mindful of my own mental and physical health. Oliveology has been a big part of my personal journey of mindfulness and evolution. I now choose real foods, fermented foods, foods made ethically, foods made by people who share the same values as us. I pay attention to the messages my body is trying to send, to my gut health, to my mental well-being.
The 16th of July marks Oliveology’s 16th birthday. It’s also the day I’ll run my first mini-marathon, the culmination of a running journey I never thought I’d embark on. As with running, creating (and running!) a business takes not only passion, but also dedication, patience and perseverance. Many of you, especially those who have been with us from the beginning know the many challenges we, and many other small businesses, face today. It’s not only about increased operating costs and smaller profit margins; it is also about broader environmental and other changes in the world that affect the microcosms in which we live. In these challenging times, moving forward takes consistent effort, mental resilience to overcome obstacles, a clear vision, pacing yourself, endurance, perseverance and a positive attitude. But we never lose our passion for the idea that started it all: bringing good quality food to you all. Waking up in the morning and working towards a dream, be it running a mini-marathon or a small business, is life-affirming, and even in the most troubled times we find the strength to keep going.
I couldn’t have done it all without my vibrant, caring team. To each of the brilliant people at the shop, in the warehouse and behind the scenes: thank you. My gratitude also goes out to all of you who have been part of our journey and have shaped Oliveology with me. Thank you for the messages you share with us, for the talks we have at the shop, for cooking our recipes, and for letting us be part of your lives.
So on our 16th birthday, my wish for Oliveology -and for all of us- is to continue evolving, to keep facing the challenges of our daily lives, to find joy in our daily routines, to set small goals and work towards achieving them, never losing sight of the bigger dreams, values and connections.
