I just came across this image just now while looking for a better hero image as I'm setting up my Medium profile.  It's a good image.  Made me smile.  I was listening to a group of successful entrepreneurs/investors speak yesterday - and this was the mantra they kept on repeating.  Action and execution is what separates those that succeed, and those that do not.  

Get out, go do, learn and improve.  Repeat.  

--Arry

It's possible to feel so exhausted and yet so energized to take on the world, at the same exact time.  We can vouch for that - the entire team.  Cranking away - line by line, email by email, human by human, gift by gift, image by image, ...  it's a marathon, after all.  That's a photo of me and my cofounder, Christie Gettler, by the way.  :)  

That's one of the lessons that Jonathan Sposato gave to me early on - that this is a marathon and that we have to pace ourselves.  You want to work hard, yes.  You also want to be mindful of where your burnout zone is - and how far you are from imploding before everyone's eyes from just pure insane exhaustion.  For me, I can feel "it" beneath my skin when I get close.  I'll actually call it out loudly and verbally to another witness as a way to monitor myself to take a breather.  It's like that daily now.  Today, we went for tater tots and burgers.  Yesterday, after we had our pitch night with investors, I drank 3 big glasses of wine and ate a big bowl of white rice with kimchi.  It was amazing.

Today, I might hit up that piano again and throw it up on Periscope (@ArryinSeattle).  

GiftStarter is looking amazing every day - we are just SO EXCITED to share with you our progress.  More launching soon.

xo,
Arry

I went to @Jason's Launch Festival about a month ago - and there learned about Fred W.'s email deal.  I'm a big fan.  I couldn't pass up not trying - so partially because it would be AMAZING to meet Fred, and partially because I have to say I'm curious to see if it's really possible.  I don't know how many emails he gets a day.... but let's say he gets 200 random unsolicited cold emails he will never likely read a day in addition to the 300+ emails he may skim through.  I bet he at least reads the first two lines of those emails.  ...  So... I'm trying out our odds at making contact with Fred.  

Yes.  That's right.  I'm emailing him every single day.  About GiftStarter.  Today will be #6 headed his way in just about half an hour.  Crazy.  I know. Never hurts to be slightly "crazy" and go for it.  The worst case is that 1) I've "lost 20 minutes" of every day, 2) he never read/responds to me, and 3) I get much better at communicating with Fred and the pitch/startup.  It helps to take the time to think through and write down exactly what you want to say.  Nothing to lose at all in this deal.

Today is #6.  Wish us luck.  AND if anyone "out there" wants to help nudge, put in a good word for us, help facilitate the reply --- would greatly appreciate it.  If I were at all famous or wealthy, I'd say, we'll fly you to NY or Seattle to have dinner.  Maybe include a signed copy of something interesting.  Something.  Since I'm not famous or wealthy, we'll promise to Tweet our gratitude, do a 5 minute Vlog to you in person and post it on YouTube, ...  and send you a handwritten thank you at the very least. 

Cross your fingers, toes and eyeballs for us.
--Arry

With a lot of time on his hands (me, the wife, being occupied at all hours of the day and night with GiftStarter), Dae is now on a roll with these videos he's been making.  The latest video is a inspirational motivational video to the team.

Now, that is Love.

xo,
Arry

This video "GiftStarter does Mexican food-to-go" was taken sort of randomly while waiting for Mexican food to go --- then turned into a fun video, courtesy of Yunderson Labs.  

Hilarious.  Go GiftStarter!

Hugs.
Arry