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After 17 years, the esteemed and talented Elf Larkin is hanging up her scissors and spreadsheets as she and her family are moving onto to new adventures in Malaysia. Although we are not sure what Larkin's plans are upon returning Malaysia next year, we hope it will involve Softstar. It's hard to imagine our workshop without her!
Larkin is a former owner of Softstar and has invested heavily in the success of the company over the years. Always patient and pragmatic, she helped us build our first ecommerce site, implement Lean manufacturing culture, and build production dashboards. Additionally, she fixed equipment, wired our new facility, forecasted sales, and kept projects running smoothly. Nonetheless, that only begins to scratch the surface of the myriad of work she has poured into our past, present, and future. The team recently gathered for her send-off with a lovely party in the garden and reminisced about all the changes the last two decades have brought.
A piece of trivia is that Larkin's maiden name, Ettie Larkin Friberg, meant her childhood initials and nickname were "ELF". Perhaps it was always her destiny to become co-C.Elf.O of Softstar back in 2005? Whether destiny, luck, or both, it has been our good fortune. We are so grateful for everything that Larkin has shared with us.
Trish has been an entrepreneur, marketer and maker ever since she crushed her first lemonade stand at age five. Growing up in rural Wisconsin, she spent many summers running barefoot with her sisters. These early memories later inspired her to build a brand which embraced the joy and freedom of childhood with the health and science of minimal footwear.
Trish relishes evolving the company to grow stronger and more competitive with each passing year. She is a frequent expert panelist for both e-commerce and entrepreneurship conferences. Trish enjoys spending time with her family, dogs and ducks on their property in Oregon and loves the proximity to both surf and snow. She has a background in Engineering Physics and an MBA from the University of Chicago.
Learn more about the Elves, our company and the shoes we make for healthy feet!
