Missy and Doug Hogmire are the owners of Lulu’s Fireflies, an online boutique that was revived during the pandemic. They are an amazing, fun-loving duo, and dear friends of Venture. In the Venture community, they’ve been dubbed everyday “superheroes.”
Recently we were able to interview them and ask them a few questions about their history with Venture, what drives their work, and their involvement with Venture’s Business for Good program. They embody what it means to use the “loaves and fish” they’ve been given to make an incredible impact for the Kingdom. Read the interview below, and make sure to check out their shop (especially as you make holiday purchases).
Q: How did you first hear about Venture?
I first heard about Venture in 2017 when Paul Hurckman (Executive Director, Venture) came to speak at Watermark Church in Stillwater, MN. It didn’t take us very long to get in touch with the org and start to volunteer. We cooked meals for groups going out on biking expeditions, helped with gala activities, and administrative tasks. Really whatever we could do to help Venture with its mission, we were all in.
Q: What was it that compelled you to do something about injustice?
Close-knit relationships with people who have suffered trauma from sexual abuse have taught us this crime is not rare. We started volunteering because Venture works tirelessly to bring food, justice, safety, and the life-giving Gospel to the least reached, least resourced corners of the planet. We believe when we sow seeds into a ministry that addresses this trauma, God will be gracious to help us reap a harvest of hope, courage, and strength for those we know who are fighting to heal from the trauma they’ve experienced.
Q: What type of business do you own and operate?
We have an Etsy shop, that we opened in 2016, named after our special-needs adult daughter. We let it go dormant as life took on new challenges for our family to tackle. In July of this year, quarantined at home with time on our hands, we decided to jump back in with a new business model: “goods for good”. Our mission is to produce and sell quality handmade goods, and funnel the profits into Venture.
Q: What’s next for you?
There’s a lot to learn about the technical side of running a web-based business, how to generate sales, and so on. We’re students of the process, and are hoping to start a monthly mentoring meeting with other people who work in the “business for good” space.
Q: What’s your superpower?
As a dynamic duo, of course we have superpowers. We’re just concerned if we let those leak out to the media we’d be spending all our time answering the call for help from the LuLu signals in the sky!