Beyond Marketing Checkboxes: Living Our Values Every Damn Day
There’s an air freshener hanging from my car’s rearview mirror that says: “Just be f*cking nice.” A sentiment that should be so simple… and yet it’s not. It can be hard to be nice—it takes effort. But if we can live that sentiment through our actions, in who we choose to celebrate, support, and engage with, then we might just be on the right track.
About five years ago, Luke, former chef Paula McDade, and I rewrote our business values. We were not alone in our decision to take a hard look at our values in 2020 and reconsider who we were—and who we wanted to be. That moment was an opportunity to acknowledge the choices we’d made as a much smaller company up until that point, put words to them, and commit to who we were choosing to be moving forward. Our hope was that—even though Luke’s Local is small in the grand scheme of things—we could touch countless lives through how we treat and advocate for one another.
Fast forward to 2025. We've got a new store on the horizon, our team is growing, and—let’s be honest—the world keeps shifting in challenging ways. Then comes Women’s History Month. Again.
Truthfully? These months can feel performative. Luke’s Local says we live our values (and we do—we’ve spent fifteen years building them, refining them, walking the walk). But sometimes the big “heritage month” moments feel more like a marketing checkbox than something real.
And then Olivia—one of our Grocery Buyers, and one of those people who just gets it—pitched an idea that let us put those values into meaningful action. A celebration rooted in real relationships, with the women-owned brands we already love. A genuine recognition of these vendors and their values. She reminded us that showing up with heart and intention is the work, the stuff that makes this job magic.
I have to admit: when this idea first surfaced, I was delighted… but also skeptical. I never want to limit our support of vendors and our community to one month. That feels inauthentic to who we are and what we care about. But when I think of these heritage months as dedicated moments to spotlight the people we already celebrate all year long? That’s when it starts to feel grounded. Intentional. And—thanks to Olivia—the outpouring of support we received from our vendor community this past March really affirmed that.
Growing up, the story went that my mom kicked my dad out of the kitchen when they got married—because she loved to cook. She was a full-time working mom—smart, confident, and inspiring (she still is!). She’s the reason I’ve always felt connected to food and gathering around a good meal. Every night, she insisted on a homemade family dinner, which she made after a full day of work. It wasn’t a chore—it was a choice, a creative outlet, a way to care.
It wasn’t until college that I realized cooking for the family was a stereotype many women had been forced into. For my mom, it was joy. She made choices that resonated with her and supported those she loved.
I’m now the age she was when I was born, and I see how deeply that shaped me—how I lead, how I support young women at Luke’s, how I try to affirm their instincts the way she affirmed mine. Maybe I’ve never had a business formal female mentor, but I had her. And that’s shaped everything.
Encouraging the ideas and spirit of employees like Olivia is truly the best part of this job. I get to see a little bit of me in them, and watch them run with that passion in ways I likely never would have. Giving someone the freedom at work to celebrate the values she’s passionate about? Yes, chef! Work isn’t always fun—but it can be rewarding and fulfilling when you take an active part in how you show up for the people, values, and things you care about—and lead the way for others to do the same.
These days? The world feels loud, messy, and deeply divided—and I find myself coming back to our values like they’re a kind of compass. Not just the words, but the heart behind them. What they mean in the real moments—how we show up for our team, our vendors, our neighbors.
And honestly, it feels more important than ever to say it out loud (and often): We care.
We care about people. About dignity. About joy. About building something that uplifts everyone—across identities, backgrounds, and beliefs. We choose to work with folks who believe in those things, too. And we’re not shy about it. And it doesn’t just matter during Women’s History Month. Or Pride Month. Or Black History Month. It matters every damn day that we actively create a space that is welcoming, safe, and inspiring for everyone. And I say “active” because it is a choice—to invite someone into your community, to share your resources, to nurture that relationship. And that act? It’s something we love.
I’ve learned to care from the women who shaped me—from my mom showing me what it means to lead with heart, to the incredible team I get to support and cheer on every day. What these women show me every day, not just during Women’s History Month: it’s not just about being f*cking nice—it’s about the effort, the deliberate choices we make every day, to show up with kindness and intention. Little. By. Little.
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