It has taken me a while to write about this. Many of you have been long time Femail Creations customers and supporters and readers of The Barefoot CEO blog, and are really like part of my big extended Femail family. And our family has lost our beloved Airedale Zoë. Sadly a few days after her 14th birthday on May 2nd she lost her battle with cancer. She had a wonderful life and we miss her dearly.
Almost by accident Zoë became like the Femail Creations mascot. In the very early days of the catalog when I had to do one of my very first photo shoots, the photographer arrived at the house and much to her shock she found me wearing jeans, and—as usual—I was in my bare feet. The photographer asked me when I would be changing into my business clothes for the photo shoot. I explained to her that wasn’t really my style. I was a more casual CEO, in fact a Barefoot CEO—literally! Well, that just seemed to startle the “professional” photographer who found me to be less than professional sans my business suit and all. Eventually, I ended up putting Zoë in the pictures with me—so I could hide behind her! I have always been somewhat camera shy, and Zoë came in handy as the ultimate prop! And the customers loved her! Soon she was getting her own fan mail! Zoë went on to appear in hundreds of catalogs.
Zoë has been the perfect pet for our family at every stage of our lives. It was as if she knew exactly what we needed at every stage of our ever-changing lives. When the kids were little, she was there, playful and protective. When the kids went off to college and the house felt empty she mellowed out and spent her days keeping me company at my desk. If I was having a bad day, she never left my side. And in the end, we never left her side.
Lisa Hammond
The Barefoot CEO ®