Advancing Aiden's Remarkable Year: A Journey from Tumblers to DoodlePlanners

 As we bid farewell to 2023, I don't even know where to start to extend our heartfelt gratitude to our amazing community for the incredible support that has made this year truly exceptional. It's been a transformative journey, and we're excited to share the highlights with you.

Finally... no more glitter.

In July, Advancing Aiden underwent a significant pivot, transitioning from the tumbler space to the world of office supplies and planners. The star of this transformation was the DoodlePlanner – a creative and functional tool that stole hearts upon its release. We're thrilled to have introduced a product that seamlessly integrates organization with self-expression, tailored specifically for the needs of the neurodivergent user of all ages, walks of life, and use cases. All that is left is for us to box up the glitter wall in my office, which I keep saying I'm going to do.... but it's still not done. (in my defense, we are waiting for the bags to get here so I can move the glitter out of the jars into the bags and get rid of the jars before shipping the glitter to its final resting place)

Challenges and Lessons:

This shift wasn't without its challenges, but overcoming them has been educational in ways we could have never imagined. We've learned valuable lessons along the way, which will undoubtedly shape our path as we move forward. As we move forward, our commitment to you is that we will actively listen to your feedback with an open mind. While we may not put your feedback into practice, we want you to know that we value that feedback and would not be able to be where we are today without it. 

Community Voices

The heartwarming stories we've received from our customers have truly touched us. Our entire focus is to continue to provide solutions to everyday issues that the neurodivergent community faces every day. Our desire is to continue to share your stories of how you are embracing how your mind functions, instead of forcing your mind to fit what society says it should. The way we function as neurodivergent individuals is something we want to celebrate and support, and hearing your stories helps us do that.

Looking Ahead...

Our pivot marked a bold step into uncharted territory, and we're proud to say it has been a resounding success. We have already planned all the product releases for all of 2024, and I cannot wait to continue to share with each of you. We are going to be releasing new products every month, with restocks weekly as we can. You can keep up with us by signing up for text and email alerts, joining our Patreon community, finding the Behind the Chaos group on Facebook, or hanging out with us on any of our social media platforms. 

Community Engagement....

To our customers, partners, and supporters – thank you for being on this incredible journey with us. Your feedback and enthusiasm have fueled our growth. Looking ahead, we're excited about the possibilities that the future holds for Advancing Aiden. Your continued support motivates us to reach new heights. Each year we like to share a little bit about the charities we supported as a company. 

We earmark all tips we receive through the website for donation, and last year we received $501.45 in tips, and this is used directly for community support. Additionally, community support is money we have given directly to people in our community for things they have needed. Together, we were able to donate just over $20,000 in the 2023 year. We are beyond grateful for the journey we are on, and want to continue to support our community as best we can. This is not an exhaustive list to places we have donated, but they are the top places.

• The Megan Meier Foundation - cyberbullying
• Megan's story: Megan took her own life three weeks before her 14th birthday due to cyberbullying for an adult neighbor pretending to be a boy on MySpace. She had battled depression, low self-esteem, body image issues and ADHD. Her mother started the foundation in 2007. The foundation helps provide individual counseling, telehealth counseling, school based counseling, and more. In their most recent financial report - they spent 83.4% of their funds on their programs and 9.8% on fundraising.
• MAP - Medical Aid for Palestinians
• Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) works for the health and dignity of Palestinians living under occupation and as refugees. They provide immediate medical aid to those in great need, while also developing local capacity and skills to ensure the long-term development of the Palestinian healthcare system.
• Duke Center for Girls & Women with ADHD
• Founded to advance education for every person with ADHD who identifies as female, as well as provide support for their families, providers and communities. Center provides evidence based information as well as conducts research directly related to ADHD in women.
• Point Foundation - LGBTQIA+ Scholarship Fund
• Point provides more than just a scholarship, they provide leadership training, mentoring and community to college students from around the world. They started with just 8 students in 2002 and supported 575 students for the 2023-2024 academic year.
• Looking ahead...we really hope to be able to provide a corporate scholarship through Advancing Aiden next year. 
• Community Support 
• We were able to pay rent for a community member, provide medical debt funds, grocery funds, sponsor a teacher's classroom, support a NICU family, and so much more this year.

As we embrace the upcoming year, we invite you to explore the Advancing Aiden website, where the DoodlePlanner and other office supplies await. Thank you for an amazing year. Here's to Advancing Aiden and the exciting adventures that lie ahead!

Much love, 

Beka, Nick and the Gremlins