Photo of designer Sari Ahokainen with her dog Panda sitting by the ocean with a tote bag by SHALMIAK. Design: ELLIE LOVE fin.

Small Business Journey in 2025

December 31, 2025

Some years shine brightly. Others grow their roots quietly underground. For SHALMIAK, 2025 has been one of those quieter years - a year of learning, building, and laying foundations, even when the progress hasn’t always been visible.

Early this year, I began my studies in digital marketing. I wanted to understand how stories travel online and how small brands find their people. I was curious about how creativity and strategy can work together. Slowly, I started to build a clearer marketing strategy and a more active social media presence for SHALMIAK.

My current studies will come to an end in May 2026, but it feels like my learning journey is only just beginning. What started as a wish to understand digital marketing has grown into a deeper curiosity about storytelling, connection, and building something meaningful over time. The more I learn, the more I realize how much there is still to explore - new tools, new perspectives, new ways of thinking. Instead of feeling finished, I feel inspired and eager to keep growing.

Growth You Can’t Always Measure

This year brought new designs and products - colorful pieces created with intention. SHALMIAK continued to stand for joy and self-expression in a world that often moves too fast. Sustainability, slow fashion values, and made-on-demand thinking remained at the heart of everything.

At the same time, this year was largely about building the foundation: developing the store, strengthening SEO, and working consistently on social media. Creativity was used more in planning and strategy than in hands-on designing. My hope is that once this groundwork is solid, there will be more space again for design to take the lead.

The year also brought wonderful customers and partners. Messages that made my days brighter. Returning shoppers who truly understand the brand. Collaborations built on shared values.

Sales didn’t meet the hopes I carried into the year, and that has been challenging. But 2025 has still been a year of building strong foundations. A year of learning, adjusting, and making thoughtful adjustments - changes that I hope will support long-term growth.

A lot has happened this year, even if much of the progress has taken place below the surface - in strategy, learning, and preparation. My hope is that in the coming months, this foundation will begin to show more clearly in growth and results.

Looking Ahead With Cautious Hope

As this small business journey continues, I’m hoping for courage to keep going and curiosity to keep learning. And honestly, improved sales are needed too - not only for growth but to keep motivation and belief alive.

I feel that next year will be a defining one. A year that will show whether I can truly keep building SHALMIAK into something sustainable, or whether it’s time to rethink the path forward.

Thank you to everyone who has been part of SHALMIAK this year - by shopping, sharing, commenting, or quietly supporting from afar. You are part of this journey, even if you don’t always see it.

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