06/02/2021
Dear Diary,...😳😜 Can't believe it's been about TWO YEARS since I SOLD my business The Reserve Vintage Rentals (technically furniture/assets) to So Staged Event Design + Rentals owned by Beth/Gary Kompothecras. Makes my heart sad to no longer be doing something that I love, but I know it was well worth it in the end. I would never have moved to Atlanta in August 2019 or seriously started dealing with my trauma that summer and fall. The 60-80 hour weeks were exhausting mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually and despite my love for what I did, it wasn't sustainable. I couldn't imagine being hired as the Director of Operations in December 2019 with my start date on January 6, 2020 having taken what I thought was just a temporary work-from-home job in September 2019 to do website and inventory management as a contractor, to supplement income until I found the perfect job in Atlanta. I was given an opportunity ( or so I thought and was told) by Beth to make the company what it "could be" and to remove the toxic persons/staff within the company as needed/ necessary because she didn't have the heart to. It was my every intention to make So Staged a more reputable, more successful and exceedingly more efficient company than it had ever been. And I know that I succeeded in part by meeting one of those lofty goals in the "Two and a Half" months of my tenure with So Staged as the Director of Operations alongside Keith, who also acted as the Director of Operations while I was still in Atlanta part-time. Two weeks in Sarasota at the office and two weeks in Atlanta working remotely wasn't ideal but we were far more efficient and there was greater accountability and better communication all around than when I began on Jan. 6. June 2020 was supposed to be when I took over as Director completely without Keith but life, trauma, and other people had other plans. After being put on a leave of absence for two days from March 15-17, I was let go from the company that (to be quite honest) I had already almost quit in mid February from, was a shock and a relief at the same time... I'm sure that may bring a quizical look to some of your faces, but may I add that you really NEVER really know a company, Until you WORK for them!!!! Trust me, socialites, parties and pretty furniture isn't exactly a recipe for success. As Gary put it, I want to take my wife's"hobby"and make it a viable business and actually make some money (aka, be in the black) like my company had/done. Note to self, when a company fires you for being too "expensive" as a contractor revamping the inventory management system and website experience for clients/ staff via email AND then CALLS come flying in from two staff members immediately after reading "said email" to NOT READ that email but to call Keith about said email and probes you whether you ACTUALLY want MORE of a role in that company (as opposed to being fired moments prior)... DON'T hesitate or ponder whether this is a good thing because you love a good "project" because your pure and honest intentions would be to get it to a really good place in a couple years financially, logistically, communicatively, accountability-wise, etc. SO that you could ACTUALLY have a "life again, meet the love of your life, settle down, have babies, have friends again, have your weekends back, etc." .... SAY HELL NO and politely tell them you'd rather work at a company that has more character and back bone and doesn't let those " TWO BAD APPLES" ( known to many as having TWO FACES, not ONE!! 👫) Steal, cheat and Lie for personal gain, that upon the first couple days of working AT the office in January being told by Beth/Keith that "said Bad Apples" needed to be FIRED sooner or later, BUT that just the day prior on your first day AT the office, they wanted YOU FIRED, because I Actually was HOLDING THEM ACCOUNTABLE FOR NOT DOING THEIR JOBS WELL... IS IT ANY WONDER WHY NONE OF THE PRIOR OPERATIONS MANAGERS HAVE WORKED OUT BECAUSE OF THOSE TWO BAD APPLES AND THE TOXIC ENVIRONMENT THAT HAS BEEN COMMONPLACE AND ALLOWED TO CONTINUE... NO WONDER THEY HAVE TERRIBLE REVIEWS!!! I would also say, YOU had NO IDEA what you were dealing with or WHOM and you did the BEST you could with a TERRIBLY TOXIC ENVIRONMENT and it was absolutely NOTHING like the DIGNIFIED, HONORABLE, TRUSTWORTHY, ANNOYINGLY DETAILED, OVERLY COMMUNICATIVE, SINCERE, GENUINE AND QUALITY COMPANY THAT YOU HAD SO TIRELESSLY AND PROUDLY BUILT FOR SIX AND A HALF YEARS. NO COMPARISON. Thank you Lord for protecting me from what I thought were genuine people who had earnest and good intentions by hiring me...Whaaaaaaaaaaat aaa TRAIN WRECK!!!!!! You never really know someone until you run a business alongside them, work alongside them or try to lead them with integrity and grit and sincerity and every good intention and they do this and more to you. Sarasota, Bradenton, Tampa, St. Pete, Boca Grande area, etc... You're Welcome for being an Honest vendor with quality, beautiful, well-kept, regularly cleaned, keeping up with the trends/making trends, not overpriced but fairly priced, furniture for Six and a half years ( before they ruined it 🥺 )!!!! Dearest diary, thanks for listening...🥺😭
-Priscilla Henriques (Founder+Proud Owner of The Reserve Vintage Rentals)
This month makes it 6 years since I officially launched The Reserve Vintage Rentals - the long hours each week, weekends spent working, managing personnel & logistics, balancing work/life and failing at it....it's all led to this time and the thoughtful decision to close my business. It is a bittersweet moment but for the most part I am looking forward to the future and can't wait to step into the next phase of my life and really get back to myself. I've lost a bit of who I am in this process and have put my own well being, health, and relationships on the back burner to try to grow my business and be the best I could be in the process. Obviously, that's taken a huge toll which has led me to this moment. I am super Thankful and grateful for the relationships I've forged through this industry and the wonderful couples and clients' I've met along the way.
We'll be selling off the balance of items in our office & warehouse this Friday and Saturday that we'll be posting about.
And one more thing - you can still find our pretty inventory with a local company that I am excited to see live on at your events
