It is a privilege to own and operate the Bliss Clean + Care Co. in Chiang Mai. I am grateful for the opportunity to live here—to offer a chance, a lift up, to support women learning something new. The Bliss company is here for these women with skill training courses and job opportunities. Every day I work in the office to ensure Bliss is staying committed to our mission and growing in our ability to meet the needs of our community.

Once in a while, I sneak away from the city and head up into the mountains that many of our Bliss staff call “home”. The roads don’t feel as safe to me as I would like—although my staff assure me that I have nothing to worry about. In the village, I am met by fresh air and generous smiles from everyone. Welcomed more warmly than I deserve, my new friends scurry around making sure I see the beauty of their land, their food, their hearts. Every time I get to make trek, it is a gift.

I reminds me of the reason I started Bliss almost 10 years ago. The personal engagement with the people teaches me new things that challenge me to grow in my understanding of how Bliss meets the real needs of the people--not just the needs I assume they have.

This working in a business with mission and purpose isn’t a once-in-a-lifetime experience—but an ongoing sojourn of learning and gratitude.

People are the most valuable creation on our planet. It is a privilege to know this truth and to be part of ‘ making a difference’ in the lives of those that cross my path.