I know we've dropped some big news this week in announcing we were closing the shop indefinitely. I was touched that so many of you wanted to hear more, so here is a bit more of the story!
After our first Kickstarter ended, we celebrated with burgers. It was a small treat, but it felt huge at the time. We were so happy and definitely had absolutely zero idea what was to come. I don't think either of us thought it would turn into a real deal business.
The early days of making the deck were some of the best. Brit was hand-drawing each card, and I focused on the writing and collages. We hung her drawings on the wall one by one, watching it all come together. It was such a dark period of time for each of us outside of that, and the creation of that original oracle deck was such an anchor during times of serious uncertainty. So when the Kickstarter exceeded our expectations, it was incredible to see that people wanted something we’d created from scratch. In hindsight, I see how little we thought of ourselves.
From there, we kept going. We made more decks, added new products, and kept reinvesting in the business. When the pandemic hit, we turned to Facebook ads, which completely transformed everything. Sales exploded overnight. Orders came in so fast that we expanded to meet the demand—placing larger orders, getting an office, hiring a team, and making the business bigger than we ever imagined.
It felt amazing to grow, but at some point, we realized we weren’t running things the way we wanted. We were constantly reacting to what was happening, and the business started to feel more like a machine than a creative outlet. We were on calls with consultants and strategists, talking about numbers and analytics. It didn’t feel soul-centered anymore, and neither of us felt connected to what we were building.
We tried to adjust. We went back to creation —the Empyrean Oracle was a huge turning point for us —and focused on making the process fun again. But the business had changed, and so had we but we didn't really realize that yet.
There were so many challenges we couldn’t control. Apple’s data privacy changes hit small businesses hard, and the pandemic eased, which meant people weren’t shopping online the way they used to. But beyond those external factors, we knew it wasn’t just about sales. A death process needed to be had and the more we fought it (we tried), the worse it got.
Letting go of the shop has been a mix of relief and uncertainty. We don’t know exactly what’s next, but we both agree: holding on to something that no longer fits won’t leave room for what’s ahead.
As for Sowilo, the journey has been a long one. We’re on our fourth development team (yes, fourth!), but we’ve learned so much along the way. This time, we’re taking it slow and insisting on the vision we’ve always had for it.
Thank you for being part of this journey with us. Closing this chapter has been a big decision, but we’re excited for what’s next and grateful to have you along for the ride. We hope you’ll join us for whatever comes next, because if there’s one thing we’ve learned about ourselves, it’s that we’ll always be creating—whether individually or together. Brit’s creativity inspires me constantly, and I know we’ll keep finding ways to bring new ideas to life.
Being able to be ourselves with you, create for you, and share our relationship with you has been such an honor. This journey has always been about more than the products we’ve made—it’s been about the connection, creativity, and growth we’ve all shared together. At the heart of it all is our friendship, and if we had to sum it up, it’s this: we hope everyone finds their own Brit or Blaire.
See you soon 😉 And please, PLEASE feel free to shoot us an email and keep in touch!!
