Fierce Hazel

In these uncertain times, you don’t have to sell your soul, but it was so nice to encounter a deal like this.

Fierce Hazel

To suggest I’m a bit of a luggage whore, yeah, spent enough time on the road, I am not on the road much these days, and not much of baggage whore, not anymore, as I have a suitcase and a shoulder bag, all I need.

Not even in use, at the moment.

However, I do have an ever-changing demand for various plugs, dongles, wires, cables, charging blocks, the odds and ends of digital demands. I’ve been looking at smaller and smaller pouches for just the items that I want or need, on a daily basis, in a daily carry.

Honestly? Need is too strong of a word, more like preference. Couple of cables, a phone charge, a tablet charger, lip balm, pen, pencil, paper notes. Pretty simple. Some business cards, but seriously, not too many of those.

Think it was off a social media feed, but the luggage itself looked inspired so I clicked through, and that’s how I happened upon Fierce Hazel. It’s a few products, not too may, and I don’t really need anything, but the least expensive little baggie looked like it might just be perfect, so, late at night, I clicked on “buy.”

Fierce Hazel

Simple process, straight through to PayPal and back again, with promise to ship in timely manner despite exigent circumstances. There was a note — someplace on their website — about “all work is performed done in a humane manner, not a sweatshop, and everyone is paid a living wage” — and I might be extemporizing.

The cheery automated online replies all felt fuzzy and warm, while not as unctuous as Amazon, there is boilerplate format, I suspect. I picked the package up at the mail box the other afternoon.

The package was like a flat, brown paper bag-like material, conveniently labeled, and when I got home, there was a final notice that the package had been delivered. Points.

Inside, was more like an “unboxing” event, as the little wallet seemed wrapped and enclosed, plus it was lightly stuffed, so it filled out a little, and then there was the usual packaging, a receipt, a short letter explaining process and production plus a return policy, and then, on a separate piece of personalized cardboard, a handwritten thank-you note.

The only other business I know of, comes to my mind, is Dave Piper and Piper Sandals, with personalized note each time I get them resoled, “Walk well!” The note sort of sealed the deal, the sandals, they speak for themselves, but the Fierce Hazel products, with that note, it was the cheapest thing they had, and I’ll admit, I’m very impressed. The packaging, the carefully thought-out material, and the way it all worked together. Before I even stuffed anything into the pocket itself, I was sold, and I would recommend them. It’s that personal touch.

The pocket itself? It’s really a pretty simple pocket, nothing too fancy, not waterproof, or even zombie-resistant — but the size looked about right, and it had a pen pocket. It’s a little more than a checkbook wallet with zippers and an external pocket, plus a not-so-secret stash slot.

Mine is already filled up and stuffed into my EDC bag, and while I was filling the new pouch from Fierce Hazel, I happened across a little piece of technology I’d lost, just an adaptor thing, but there it was.

So that’s two gains, and when I make a little money, if I ever get back to doing live consultations, I would certainly consider more of their products. Maybe not, as I don’t want more of anything, I prefer less stuff, but at least this is a company that is doing business correctly.

The bag I ordered came in a bag, along with a note and documentation, plus a recyclable shipping thing, more than a plain envelope, less than a box. The card, the handwritten note, the tissue paper stuffing, I was guessing that the packaging, shipping, and state sales tax ate up half the profit.

I’m thinking, these are fiercely nice people. Person. Not sure, still good. Man, I want to be like that.

The website: Fierce Hazel

Tell them bubba sent you.

#FierceHazel