Thanksgiving Gratitude Post - I Appreciate You!

With Canadian Thanksgiving last month and American Thanksgiving coming to a close, I’ve had gratitude on my mind. If we haven’t formally met yet, I’m Jen. I’m the owner of Teacup Tiny Homes. I love what I do more than words can express, but I think words are important, so today, I’m going to try. There is just so much to be grateful for!

Once upon a time, a tiny home-building company was just a whiff of inspiration I caught while watching HGTV on maternity leave. At the time, I worked for a traditional home builder, but I was struck by the tiny intentional spaces on the screen and the authenticity of the lives people were building inside them. Intentional and authentic are two words that always come to mind when I think of Teacup owners.

~

Dear Teacup Owners,

Thank you for trusting us to build the house that, with your touch, will become your home, your retreat, or the dwelling that provides abundance. Thank you for telling us your stories, your hopes, and your plans for the future and for letting our team at Teacup be a part of your journey.

Some of you have your tiny house in Canada, and others in the United States, but wherever you are, know that you and your stories stay in my heart long after we hand over the keys.

~

Creating spaces that foster connection has always been my goal, but as I sat on the couch watching HGTV that day, I realized that tiny homes provided the opportunity to take that passion to a whole new level. And then, the strangest thing happened: five people in my circle told me they could envision me building tiny homes!

~

Dear Friends and Family,

Sometimes life happens so fast that I forget to turn around and look at what’s already been created. To those of you who told me you could imagine this career path for me, thank you for speaking up. And to everyone else, thank you for lending your support in so many capacities all along the way. 

Sometimes it feels like a dream, but then another tiny house gets towed out of the shop, and it hits me all over again that this life is real. Who knew one day it would all turn out like this? All I know is that it wouldn’t have happened without you.

~

Teacup Tiny Homes Ltd. was incorporated in 2016, and this year we grew into a 15,000-square-foot warehouse! We’ve also introduced some spectacular new models including Bernice, Amelia, Ellie, and Florence, that I couldn’t be more proud of. But, you know who else I couldn’t be more proud of? My team. I definitely didn’t do this alone.

~

Dear Team, 

Thank you for trusting me and for going all in. I am so excited that we have made a name for ourselves in this emerging movement, and I am grateful to be surrounded by your enthusiasm, attention to detail, and individual skill sets. Teacup Tiny Homes is what it is because you show up every day to help create it. 

In some ways, I feel like we’re seasoned pros, but in other ways, I know this is just the beginning. Thank you for being a part of it, and I can’t wait to see what we build together from here.

~

It’s no secret that the tiny home movement is exploding. In fact, some estimate that the movement will grow by more than 3.5 billion dollars by the year 2026, but that’s not why I do this.

I build tiny homes because I was tired of seeing people unable to buy into the real estate market. I build them because I want to design the ultimate spaces for people to put down the “stuff” and put the focus back on experiences and relationships. I want people to have the option to live in small, intimate, extremely functional, and beautiful spaces if they choose to. They say you have to be the change you want to see, and I want to see people take charge of their future. So I build them houses to go with it. And I’m not the only one.

~

Dear Industry Collaborators,

Thank you for your contributions to this wild ride! Whether you are a fellow tiny home builder, a product manufacturer, or a small-space living logistics person, I see you, and I appreciate you. 

There are so many industries that get wildly competitive, but I am so inspired by how many of us are freely sharing best practices, referring business out, and taking on things above and beyond our scope to make our clients successful.

Thank you for your support, for making me better at what I do, and for all your efforts to run your business in alignment with the heart of the tiny home movement. It’s an honor to be on your team.

~

As a tiny home builder, I contribute to the movement in a highly specific way. But while I’m proud of my contribution, this movement isn’t fueled by builders; it’s fueled by the passion of everyone foraging a new life.

~

Dear Tiny Home Enthusiasts,

I might not know you personally, but I feel your fire every day when I head to work. Thank you for your vision and your courage to keep going in the face of adversity. It gives me so much hope to see your comments in the forums, your questions in my email inbox, and your turnout at tiny home events. All I want for the world is for people to come back to what matters. So thank you for reminding me that joy is simple and that persistence will always move the needle.

~

I heard there are some Americans still digesting their turkey, so I’ll wrap this up! Before I do, though, there is one last group I want to mention.

~

Dear Future Teacup Owner,

If that’s you, a thank you is in order. I don’t care if you book a Discovery Call today or if your dreams are ten years out; I appreciate you.

Thank you for reading this blog, for following along on Instagram, and for putting in the time to get to know us here at Teacup Tiny Homes. 

Maybe your tiny house will be a vacation cottage, or maybe it will be your forever home. Maybe it will be a starter home, a rental income generator, an artist’s retreat, or an opportunity that allows family to live close by. Or perhaps it will serve different purposes throughout your life; tiny houses are one of the most flexible structures on the planet, after all! 

I hope to meet you soon, but in the meantime, know that I am grateful for your interest and enthusiasm from afar. I truly couldn’t do it without you.

Oh, and when you’re ready, I’ve got a Teacup tiny home with your name on it. 

Happy Thanksgiving, and until then,

-Jen