Sphyrn’s Forever Co-Pilot, Layla, The Boba Bish.
Sphyrn started with 2 people, Jean and Layla.
Sphyrn would not have existed without Layla’s encouragement.
Our first pop-up occurred in February this year. 4 months later, our team has expanded from 2 people into a network of close to 20 people with Layla being our backbone and foundation.
Soon, she will be sailing away from Texas to start a new life on land with very few boba tea shops. “Bon voyage!” was hard to say with a smile on our faces. To prevent any possible tear-shedding, we had to brush it off as if she was only going for a short vacation.
Her absence will leave us with a void so deep and a crater so large that no one would ever be able to fill it.
Relying so heavily on Layla's expertise in leadership and streamlining the operation to execute each pop-up, it had crossed our minds to terminate the dessert box project, knowing that she won't be around for our next.
However, @cocomarienails came to us and said, "I know that I am not a Layla and no one can fill in her spot in Sphyrn, but I'm a Lucy, and let me help you."
We looked around and felt the expectations to carry on this project, including Layla herself. She came early in the afternoon for theOcean Boxes Pop-up and of course, she asked about our next. We let her know that it would have a coffee box and something else in the other box. She looked proud and we knew that we must elevate. Hoping that whenever she visits, we will have more fun stories to share.
There will always be a spot in Sphyrn for Layla, as an advisor, a consultant, a leader, and a very early example of how IG stalking can flourish into a friendship for many many years to come. The boba trips will never be the same w/o her presence. The dessert boxes pop-up will never feel the same without her guidance. Sphyrn will never be the same without her driving us (literally, and figuratively).
But we are in good hands now despite all of us will be missing her weekly (daily sounds a bit too cringy). We are missing her now. Until we meet again.