Your reminder to proofread bedder!

Well, it finally happened. My first massive typo, scheduled to go live in front of thousands of people.

We were in the final stages of producing a video commercial for Ken’s — something we had spent weeks planning, filming, editing, and carefully reviewing. This was it: the version we were about to submit to go live. It had already been through multiple rounds of reviews. Multiple sets of eyes. Multiple approvals. Everyone signed off, excited to finally wrap it up.

But thankfully, before that final final step, I decided to sit down and give it one last slow, careful watch. You know, just in case. That’s when it hit me: smack in the middle of the screen:

"Mattresses" spelled incorrectly.

I couldn't believe it. How had all of us — especially me — missed something so obvious through all those reviews? My heart dropped. I felt the blood rush to my face. I was already imagining the phone calls, the comments, the memes...

But after my initial horror, something important happened: everyone laughed.

The horror of owning up to missing a massive mistake nearly cost me the perspective that mistakes happen. AND it was caught in time!

We corrected the typo, submitted the right version, and no one outside our walls ever knew about "mattrasses." (Well, until now.)

Fast Forward to Today...

Recently, we designed some massive banners for the store — I’m talking several feet tall, giant signs announcing sales and promotions. As we were setting the largest of them up,

my friend and boss shot me a glare chilled me to the bone. “You misspelled a word.”

For a split second, my heart stopped and my vision swam.

Until she started laughing.

I am so thankful for this reminder and coworkers that help me keep perspective. Mistakes happen, and we're in this together.

Even if we hold ourselves to the highest standard, we can't put ourselves under so much pressure that we forget to enjoy the work we're doing.

Shown: Owner Gail Leetch setting up with the help of brave employee; Eugene.