Yeah, I forgot our anniversary.

Come on, you know you've done it, too.

The birthday milestones are pretty defined. Year 1: Yay, you're a year old and your parents survived your infancy! Year 10: Double digits - woohoo! Year 16: Your "sweet" birthday means you can drive. Year 18: You better rock that vote this November 3! Year 21: Cheers! And then you get to 25, 30 (OMG!), 35, 40 (WTF), 45, 50 (Last half!?) and so on...

So yeah, I missed Inside SCV's "15." Who am I to not celebrate a 15 year marker in business!? My first year seemed like a dream (And not mine!). My fifth was in the midst of a recession and the year I gave birth to my first born. You'd think the 10th would feel like yesterday but when working on this month's cover I realized we've lived a lot of life in the last five years. Ten felt a world away and rightly so; while the days and years fly by, my memory of the moments are still vivid.

This is our Crystal Anniversary, not to be confused with Diamond. I already priced the 15-karat celebratory stone and Kyle confirmed this isn't the same thing. You can't blame me for trying!

So, back to "crystal"... if 15 years ago you offered me a crystal ball, I'd have declined. A few years ago a client tried to read my cards and I freaked out and uncomfortably sabotaged her every word with witty banter. Here's the thing: I didn't want to know the future then and I don't want to know it now - because I don't want to miss the lesson. The lesson is the gift. The lesson has made me who I am today!

Were we "supposed" to make it? Here we are. Was it easy? No. Did we make mistakes? Just a few. Did we make them twice? Never. Did I always do the right thing? Yes. Was it hard to do the right thing? No. Boom! Lesson learned.

Crystals have facets - and in facets you see reflections. This is what I see in mine.

I see the smallest but most mighty team one could have. Where one of us ends, the other begins. Our mistakes are few and our accomplishments huge because we are a team and with one comes the others. If you ever thought one got the glory, you aren't paying attention! There are seven of us and we are nothing without each other.

I see business owners who have chosen us to be extended members of their staff. We treat them like family because to us, they are. We matter more because we matter to them.

Who would we be without our small- and medium-sized businesses - as a community and as Inside SCV? We certainly wouldn't be here. So for 15 years, the cheers are for them! No thanks could ever compare to the sincere appreciation I have for our advertisers. Since I've been alone in the office for the better half of five months I hear my audible chatter more than ever. Whenever I read or even think of an advertiser, the words, "God bless 'em!" are what's said aloud. They bless us and I pray He continues to bless and sustain them. They make our community - and our work - so special.

To you, our readers: Thank you! For reals, thank you. If you didn't read this magazine every month and love and support our advertising businesses like you have, I wouldn't be here. On behalf of my team and our advertisers, we name you the MVR (Most Valuable Reader!). You win! Thank you for the real estate on your coffee table and the love for the last 15 years - my cup runneth over.

We not only understand the process of growth but we appreciate it. We will keep moving forward because that's the only way we know how to move. We were filled with hope on Day 1 and we still are. Hope floats and that will never change.
Thank you for keeping us tops, thank you for all the love and thank you to my team for letting me lead us into our next season.

I have grown up here; I love who I've grown to be. And the same can be said for Inside SCV. Born in Santa Clarita, better than ever.

I thank you for turning the pages of over 180 issues. As they say, the best is yet to come.




From the First to the 15th
I'd like to say a very special thank you to these advertisers, who appeared in our first issue over 15 years ago and in the issue you're holding in your hands today.


EDITOR'S NOTE: Jeanna Crawford is a publisher of Inside SCV Magazine, president of SC Publishing, Inc., 2007 SCV Woman of the Year and all-around badass who's not only navigated the emotions and economics of a pandemic for her own company, but has led and lifted other business owners who are so grateful for her guidance. Her staff loves her to pieces and can't wait to be together again - with lots of tequila.