I’ve got to hand it to you, Poulsbo. It’s not even a full moon right now and you’re giving me all the feels. This week, some 300-odd million of us Americans are preparing to belly up to the table in celebration of that time honored tradition that is Thanksgiving. This of course also means that a nearly equivalent number of us are dusting off the gratitude goggles and having a real think about the many, many things we have to be thankful for, today and every day.

As a mama, as a wife and as cofounder of Vibe, I’m certainly no exception: I have a whole hell of a lot of things to be thankful for this year. (Fear not, I also have a whole lot of things to be worried, mad, anxious and stressed out about this year, too, just like you, but we’ll stick to the good stuff… gratitude goggles, gratitude goggles, gratitude goggles…). So here it is: 10 Things I Love About You.

Just kidding. We haven’t had enough wine for that just yet. But my happy little heart IS overflowing with thanks right now. These are 6 reasons why:

1. Kitsap is a gem of a place to call home.
   If you’re ever passing through NYC, there’s a good chance you’ll see a giant billboard that says: “Raising a baby in an NYC apartment is like trying to grow an oak tree in a thimble.” Well, we’ve been trying to raise two babies in an NYC apartment and I can tell you it ain’t for the faint of heart. Seattle’s value-for-money isn’t looking much better. So imagine my excitement to be moving back to Poulsbo. After all, where else can you find that magical mix of water, mountains and green, a welcoming community, cool breweries, solid public schools and a place where you can still afford to live? #thankful

2. We’re surrounded by visionaries.
   Co-what? I know. Coworking as we understand it at Vibe is still sorta new. But we are fortunate to be surrounded by people in our community who understand Vibe’s potential to dramatically alter the way we live+work in Kitsap—people who didn’t send Marcel and I to the looney bin when we started dreaming up the idea, but have instead started dreaming with us. People like Dan Ryan, Craig Steinlicht, Mary Ryan, Dan Weedin, Nick Johnson, Jan Harrison, Rachel Bearbower, Steve Rice, Brett Eddy, Kathy Cocus, Mayor Becky and so, so many others. Yeah. We’re pretty thankful for all of you.
    
3. My employer didn’t fire me.
   It’s the ultimate entrepreneur dilemma: when do you tell your employer that you’re moonlighting? Vibe was born out of my dream to work remotely from Kitsap for WaterAid—an international nonprofit that I’ve grown to be immensely passionate about since joining the team nearly 4 years ago. But Vibe is neither a small nor subtle endeavor, and there was no way to keep it under wraps (thanks, Facebook). Not only did they refrain from showing me the door, they’ve been as supportive as any entrepreneur could ever hope for. #grateful
    
4. There are people out there who actually paid attention in art class.
   And I mean that in the most grateful, genuinely respectful way possible. We’ve had the good fortune of working with some incredibly talented designers, architects and builders these last months, all of whom are the real geniuses behind the Vibe Coworks look and feel. From Nick at Cima Creative, to Steve, Rachelle, Kristen, Stephanie, Matt, Sean, Richard and all the team at Rice Fergus Miller, Inc., I’m thankful to all you creatively-minded for all the work you’re doing to set the tone for the modern, inspiring place we know that Vibe will be.
    
5. Our investors and mentors believe in what we’re doing.
   Lest you be led to believe we have a secret stash of cash somewhere, please hear me when I say that we’re working our way through the same hurdles as any new business. You know, basic things like where do we get the cash to make this happen? (Did I mention I’m throwing more than 65% of my salary at childcare and exorbitant NYC rent right now?? Lovely.) That’s why I am so, so grateful that people with far more business start-up expertise than Marcel and I are going out of their way to help us come up with creative, sustainable solutions to make it all work.

   Here, I’d be remiss not to mention Tim Ryan Construction who, as both developers and investors, believed in our vision of a new kind of hub for community innovation so much that they went all in, investing in the design and construction of an entirely new building that’s perfectly located, and specifically fit-for-purpose. Yeah. That kind of thankful.
    

6. You’re as excited about Vibe as we are.
   Over the course of the last seven months, we’ve received an overwhelming show of interest, enthusiasm and support from people like you who are excited about becoming part of the Vibe community—a community of creatives and professionals who are passionate about the work that they do and choose to work together while doing their own thing. We’re already running a waitlist for private offices, and we’re fielding membership inquiries daily. Thanks for joining us on this journey to re-imagine the future of work+life in Kitsap… together.

From our crazy busy, crazy thankful family to yours,

Happy Thanksgiving.

Alanna, Marcel, K+N