Progress Is Messy (But We’re Moving Forward Anyway)

If there’s one thing we’ve learned on this journey to opening, it’s that progress rarely looks the way we expect it to.

Recently, we hit a pretty major snag in our plans—a design idea we were really excited about didn’t pan out the way we’d hoped. (Yes, it involved wallpaper. No, we don’t want to talk about it. 😅) It cost us time, money, and a bit of creative energy. But it also reminded us of something important: setbacks are part of the process.

When you’re building something meaningful, it’s easy to think that every decision has to be perfect. But the truth is, the road to any worthwhile goal is full of missteps, pivots, and unexpected challenges. What matters most isn’t avoiding failure— but how we choose to deal with it when we fall short of our goals.

We’re choosing to stay flexible, and stay grateful. We’re reminding ourselves that changing direction doesn’t necessarily mean giving up—it means growing. It means staying open to better ideas, and having the courage to let go of what isn’t working so we can keep moving toward what will.

So yes, we’ve had a few setbacks. And yes, we’ve “wasted” a little money along the way. But we don’t see it as failure—we see it as part of the build. Part of the story. Part of what will make this place honest and layered and real.

We’re still moving forward, step by imperfect step. And we’re more excited than ever to open our doors and welcome you in.

Thanks for walking this winding road with us!

—The Cat’s Kettle Team