Reset and resolve: what we’re planning to focus on in 2024

New year’s resolutions have been made for centuries and I’m sure broken for centuries too. However, I hold firm to the value in the process of creating resolutions – no matter how often I break them!

As we all reset and consider the year ahead, here are my resolutions for Rubies in the Rubble:

1. Invest in customers: Customers are extensions of your brand. They need to know and believe in why you exist and feel a part of everything you do. Striving for the best relationships with our customers and communities will lead them to share what they feel is working well, or what might need to be improved. Transparency and collaboration are key for development and growth.
2. Nurture our team: All of us at Rubies in the Rubble care about the brand and care about the planet. We nurture the team and support each other to grow in our knowledge and interests. A lot of work goes into recruiting and cultivating a great team and we all operate best when we feel fully understood, supported and loved. Therefore, we strive for a strong team culture, good communication, great work-life balance and access to skills. This doesn’t always need to be financially costly – sometimes it means spending good times together – but it does mean taking time and consideration for everyone.
3. Share our story: One of the main reasons I started Rubies in the Rubble was to raise awareness about the need to better value our food system and change practices to better serve our planet. This is hard to do on pack or at shelf, therefore I want to ensure Rubies is more than just a product but a platform for change too. 2023 was a ‘head down, stripped back’ year for us. Out of necessity, we pulled back on a lot of activities that weren’t purely sales and operations related. This year, we want to reignite our fun, engaging and creative sides again.

Since Covid hit us, the number of physical engagements has dropped so we want to focus on connecting in person, again through farm visits – gleaning produce for our communities and charity partners and getting creative with ‘what’s left in your fridge’ challenges! We want to ensure all our activities and touchpoints delight the customer and reflect our mission.

I wish you all a wonderful 2024 – do business your way and always strive for change.