Chad and Legacy Crown Exteriors are not only committed to excellence in their work, but also in going the proverbial extra mile when it comes to customer service. We wanted to hear more about how they’ve been able to successfully unite the two goals in the Lone Star State. 

Passion for Creating a Positive Legacy

Tell us about yourself
My name is Chad Hays, 38, and I’m from Dallas, Texas. I’ve lived in Lindale, Texas and Dallas most of my life. I enjoy spending time with my family, and I enjoy the camaraderie of meaningful friendships as well. When I’m not working, I’m planning something adventurous – whether it be flying, writing music, camping, cooking, or jumping out of airplanes. I’m very passionate about life, and I strive to be the best leader that I can be. I also enjoy helping out the less fortunate at every opportunity I get. My brother is quadriplegic and one of my long-term goals is to have a charity devoted to modifying homes for disabled people.

What does your company do?
Legacy Crown Exteriors, LLC does residential and commercial roofing, remodeling, and pool and spa enclosures. We specialize in all types of roofing – from asphalt shingles to metal and clay tile roofing on the residential side, as well as TPO and silicone coatings on the commercial side. We do interior and exterior remodels, from designer-grade to “lipstick” remodels. Whether it’s an outdoor kitchen or an indoor bathroom renovation, we can do it.

Which came first – the roofing jobs or the remodeling and pool enclosures, etc.?
Roofing jobs definitely came first – remodeling and the other types of jobs were needs that we wanted to meet, and these were outgrowths of our roofing. The roofing initially gives us an opportunity to showcase our work and build trust. Once do a good job, our customers typically want us to do more work.

Where did the idea of your company come from?
I wanted to leave a positive legacy behind, and building quality roofing systems would be the catalyst for that. “Crown,” of course, is another name for a roof, so it just made sense to pair the two words in our company name.

Going the Extra Mile

What sets you apart from your competition?
We truly consider the desires of our customers and empathetically cater to each project. We strive for perfection with each project we take on, and we truly want to create a positive experience for each one of our customers.

How do you market your business?
We use a lot of brochures, signs, door hangers, and social media platforms right now. Our marketing strategies are ever-changing as our revenue increases and we then have the means to try new marketing vehicles.

How do you “wow” your customers?
We’ll try to throw in “extras” at no cost to the customer. For example, if the customer has a molded sidewalk or driveway, we will power-wash it clean after we install a roof. Small things like that show we want to go the extra mile for them.

What are one or two strategies for gaining customers that you have been successful with?
Brochures, signs, and door hangers have yielded the best results for us so far. Direct selling is very effective for us, too.

How do you compete with competitors that are bigger than you?
Our team’s work ethic is what sets us apart. Our industry is very competitive, so we try to set ourselves apart by building quality roofing systems and superior remodels.

What has been your most exciting (or unusual) job?
Our most exciting job to date was an urgent-care facility that we did a waterproof roof coating for. I had installed a roof for the medical director of that facility, and the job came as a referral from him because he was so pleased with our work.

One Foot in Front of the Other

What is one of the biggest challenges you have had with your business, and how did you overcome it?
Our biggest challenge was getting our name out there, and becoming a company that people actually knew existed. The only way to overcome that is to never give up – we put one foot in front of the other every day and continued to market the business.

If you were to start again, what would you do differently?
I would have started with more seed capital.

What is the one thing you would do over and over, and recommend that others do as well?
Set personal and professional goals. Goals keep the vision alive, and effort is the only thing that can help you attain the goals or vision that you have for yourself and your company.

What is the one book that you recommend to our Signs.com community should read, and why?
The Greatest Miracle in the World, by Og Mandino. It’s very inspirational and its pages will encourage you to be both fearless and compassionate – which I believe are two virtues that everyone should strive to possess.

Something Greater

Can you speak to your growth to this point – and why you think it will continue?
Hard work and doing the next right thing always leads to something greater, whether it’s at a slow or fast pace. Resilience and treating people the right way always pays off, and that’s what I attribute to the growth we’ve had and will continue to experience.

How has the recent Covid-19 pandemic affected your business?
Covid-19 has definitely had an impact on our business! Because we want to respect the concerns of property owners, this has limited our ability to generate new business as effectively as in the past. Even though we’re an essential business, it’s still been a challenge to get momentum with the contact boundaries most people are adhering to.

What is one thing most people don’t know about you?
At one point in my life, I would take a grill to the homeless areas of Dallas every weekend and cook hotdogs for hundreds of homeless people.

Where can you be found on the internet (website, social media, etc.)?

On our website, at legacycrownexteriors.com, on Facebook @legacycrownexteriorsllc, and on Instagram @legacycrownexteriors.

Small Business Success Story: Legacy Crown Exteriors

April purchased a vinyl banner to display at events and on-site tastings to help promote the Swig + Swallow brand.

“Look at banner, Michael!!” Our very first banner arrived in the mail today and now we can’t stop quoting #arresteddevelopment #cocktails #mixology #swigandswallow #goofy #smallbusiness #entrepreneur

A post shared by Swig + Swallow (@swigandswallow) on Nov 21, 2016 at 2:14pm PST

Tell us about yourself

I’m a passionate rock-climber, cocktail educator, and lover of great food and drink. I have worked for over 20 years in the spirits industry in numerous positions ranging from bartender to manager, event planner to spirits brand ambassador and as a consultant. I also host and produce the Movers and Shakers podcast, on people and ideas that are changing the beverage industry. I love learning, so I’m always seeking out opportunities that pull me out of my comfort zone and help me build skills.

April Wachtel and Gates Otsuji of Swig + Swallow

What does your company do?

Swig + Swallow makes fresh, mixologist-designed cocktail mixers. Our bottles are sold half-full, so customers add the spirit directly to the bottle! Our choice was to start with 6 of the most iconic cocktails – the Margarita, Moscow Mule, Mojito, Daiquiri, Cosmopolitan and Whiskey Sour. Our syrups are custom-made and all the citrus is freshly-squeezed. We don’t add any preservatives, flavors or color – our bottles go through a high-pressure processing so this ensures a shelf-life of up to 3 months from production! We also have 2 different sizes – a 32 ounce, party size “halvsie” mixer that makes 10 cocktails and a cute 8-ounce mini “halvsie” mixer that makes 2 cocktails.

Where did the idea for your company come from?

I spent many years working as a spirits brand ambassador where I had to produce cocktails for large volume, high-profile events. There was so much waste and inefficiency, not to mention the many hours of prep and production it takes to produce consistent, high-quality craft cocktails at volume. I started wondering if there was a better solution. After many years of teaching cocktail classes, I saw that people consistently added too much spirit to their mixer and struggled to obtain the right balance between sweet and citrus. The concept initially began as a batching service – designing the cocktail menu for each event, preparing large quantities of mixers off-site, and delivering them in large half-full jugs to each event. There was difficulty in this constantly-changing landscape (catering to the individual needs of every different client for each unique event). Finally, (and happily!) we settled on our Swig + Swallow concept, with the 6 different craft cocktail mixers to choose from. This has allowed us to really hone and perfect our recipes, as well as plan for production and meet consistent standards with our products.

What is your unique selling proposition?

Our unique selling proposition is two-fold: 1) That these are the highest quality mixers you can find, and 2) that we sell our bottles half-full for convenience and portability. Our vision was to eliminate the need for any measuring tools, to strike the right balance between sweet and citrus, and foolproof the craft cocktail-making process. There is no faster more convenient way to make craft-quality cocktails, period.

What is one strategy for gaining customers that you have been successful with?

We have found on-site tastings to be very useful in promoting engagement with our product. Since our concept is unique and we are a new brand, consumers don’t always know what to expect when they hear about our mixers. We find that once consumers get to taste the product, they love it and they buy it.

Today and today only (from 4-6pm) these two crazy cats will be serving cocktails with yummy Swig + Swallow mixers at Food52’s pop up market, the Big Spring Spruce-Up! . . The event is open to the public, and is at Food52’s HQ at 122 W 26th st, 8th Floor. Come say hi:) . Valid 21+ ID is required for service.

A post shared by Swig + Swallow (@swigandswallow) on Apr 23, 2017 at 8:14am PDT

Is there an area that you’ve struggled with in regards to customer acquisition that you believe is critical to future success? If so, how are you overcoming that?

Since our product is sold half-full, it has been somewhat of a challenge to give customers the assurance that the product has been unopened, and is intended to be half-full. The instructions are clearly marked on the bottle, but it is still a new concept we are introducing to the market. This year we designed little bottle tags that you flip over to indicate that the bottle has been ‘filled with spirit’. We are also looking into tamper-evident seals, to further indicate that the product has been unopened. We really want our consumers to know that the half-filled bottle is intentional.

What is one of the biggest challenges you have had with your business and how did you overcome it?

One of our biggest challenges has been the labeling of our bottles. For the first year, we hand-applied all the labels using heat guns! It was incredibly time-consuming and once the product got very cold or wet, the labels did not quite stand the test of time. That has been quite an ongoing challenge. We have finally arrived at a new label printing solution. We’re still working out the kinks of the design, but we are excited to be on a new path and no longer spending days applying the labels by hand!

If you could rewind time is there anything you’d do differently? If so, what?

Not really. If we had lots of money to spend from the start, we’d be in a different place, but we’re very happy about where we’ve gotten in this much time.

If you had advice for other SMB owners, regardless of the industry, what would it be?

Stay positive and keep going. There will always be numerous challenges that arise and sometimes take longer to overcome than you would like. I have found it helpful to keep an open mind – whether it means re-evaluating our concept, by seeking outside advice from industry friends or mentors, or just to re-invest in what my experience has taught me. Just because a product does not immediately take off, does not mean it is not valuable. Sometimes (especially in the beverage industry), there can be a steep learning curve in order to educate consumers about a ‘new’ product. I also think finding the right distribution channels is key. It is all really trial and error, but we keep going because we truly believe in what we do, and we know it’s going to be a success.

How do you “WOW” your customers?

We wow our customers by crafting really delicious, consistent craft-quality cocktail mixers. We really pride ourselves on creating the freshest, cocktail mixers, that can be enjoyed on-the-go or in the convenience of your home.

What do you think the future holds for your business?

We’ve already got a solid presence online, and we’re really excited to enter more foodservice and retail stores and build our national distribution.

Without sharing detailed financials can you speak to your growth to this point and why you think it will continue?

Our product is a funny one. We have been building traction in our DTC channel, as well as in foodservice, but for us, the main indicator of the validity of the idea is that people’s eyes light up when they understand the concept, and when they taste it, they buy it.

Where can we find you online?

www.swigandswallow.com

Instagram

Facebook

Movers and Shakers Podcast

Editor’s Note: We really appreciate April and her willingness to give insight into her experience as a small business owner. Taking over 20 years of experience in the spirits industry and putting into practice by creating a unique product isn’t easy but she’s been able to ‘shake’ up the industry. Focusing on convenience and quality of the product has helped Swig + Swallow craft a recipe for success. Going to on-site tasting events allows the brand to interact directly with customers – this is especially perfect for a brand that do-it-yourself craft cocktails. Through positivity and patience, April has been able to overcome challenges in entering a saturated industry. As she plans to expand the presence of Swig + Swallow through national distribution channels, April has been able to utilize DTC (direct-to-consumer) channels to grow the company. We can’t wait to see  Swig + Swallow continue to make waves and cocktails in the spirits industry!

Small Business Success Story – Swig + Swallow

Maria purchased a clear window decal to display on the door of her photography studio.

The window decal displayed for Freelenz Photography includes a logo, phone number, and business information on a clear background.

Tell us about yourself.

I am an energetic, creative passionate photographer and artist.

Maria Trujillo of Freelenz Photography and the Red Chair Studio.

What does your company do? 

I do commercial and retail photography, graphic design and fine art.

Where did the idea for your company come from?

This is a long time dream… for years I had a family to provide for and I was told since a child that I needed something more substantial than photography and art to make a good living. I listened, so I provided for my family [while working] in the architecture field for over 15 years. Now that the kids are adults I wanted to give it [photography] a shot. I went back to school, where I was constantly discouraged to pursue this dream; I was told on a daily basis that the field is oversaturated and it is very competitive, and that it almost will be impossible to succeed.

However, since I do not have the responsibilities I used to have, the discouragement is just music in my ears, I am one of those kids… when they are told not to do something that is exactly what they are going to do with a huge grin of defiance.

Where did your passion for photography come from?

Early childhood, my father was an amazing photographer, we have beautiful black and white albums full of memories. He used to tell me that his camera was going to be mine one day… I love to capture visual stories

What sets you apart from your competition?

My personal style, I have a very unique approach to see and capture images. Even when plagiarism takes place, and the same idea multiplies like a mushroom, I usually come up with something new.

What is one strategy for gaining customers that you have been successful with?

Maria Trujillo’s work on display in the Red Chair Studio.

Word of mouth [marketing] and there’s nothing like a satisfied customer and also by being active in social media, advertising and marketing – I am being seen [online] and people started to know me – I am not going away, and every day I do or invest more into my dream [social media] account. Every day I do something toward gaining more knowledge, ideas, techniques, advertisement, etc.

Instagram, Facebook, freelance companies, bidding companies, local magazines, art galleries, social meetings and events, free charity events, always expanding.

Have you seen any particular method of social media be more effective for you?

Not really, Instagram and Facebook are the most efficient ones for putting the word out.

Is there an area that you’ve struggled with in regards to customer acquisition that you believe is critical to future success? If so, how are you overcoming that?

The most challenging part of my business in regards of customer acquisition is the town where I live (with a population of 6,000) is a resort town with very little income, lacking well-paid jobs, the town itself does not support businesses. So I expand beyond the town finding clients internationally and from other areas, as I can provide many different services until I find my niche.

How do you compete with the bigger competitors that are similar to yours but have a recognizable brand and large marketing budgets?

I do not compete (that will destroy my creativity) I am the little engine… remember the little kid’s book? I think I can, I think I can, and soon I know I can.

Every day I get better and every day I grow. I know it takes time and patience.

What is one of the biggest challenges you have had with your business and how did you overcome it?

Technology changing constantly and not being reliable, everything these days requires subscriptions, the learning curve is endless, when you think you know something is already obsolete, so time and money are very important when you start, every day is an investment.

Have you found any challenges come from camera equipment and editing software always changing with new technology always coming out?

Yes, I am constantly educating myself and learning how to use equipment and constantly solving problems and conflicts created by updates, making items obsolete and forcing you literally to spend more unnecessary money, it is a constant battle.

If you had advice for other SMB owners, regardless of the industry, what would it be?

Do not be afraid, follow your dreams, enjoy what you do. Work every day toward your craft, dream, etc.

How do you “WOW” your customers?

By being the best I can be, and by carefully listening to their needs.

What’s your favorite photography experience or photo you’ve taken because of this?

Often after I reveal their photos, especially shooting photographs of newborns, families or weddings when I see tears in their eyes.

What do you think the future holds for your business?

The sky’s the limit and I am very open to whatever comes my way.

What’s something that you’ve learned that you didn’t know when you first started your business?

Oh gosh! Every day I learn something new with every single photo I take.

Without sharing detailed financials can you speak to your growth to this point and why you think it will continue?

I am getting busier and busier every month, I am about to incorporate an employee and maybe share my studio space and the work with other colleagues

Where can you be found on the internet?

www.freelenzphotography.com

www.mariajtrujillo.com

Instagram

Facebook

Editor’s Note: Thanks to Maria for sharing her journey as a photographer and small business owner! She went against criticism and discouragement to pursue her dream of photography, turning her passion into a growing business in Sandpoint, Idaho. Growing a business in a small town requires Freelenz Photography to rely on word of mouth marketing and social media to advertise and build a following both locally and internationally. Investing time into her social media account, local magazines, and events have also helped to transition her passion into a successful photography gallery. Maria, we wish you the best of luck in growing your gallery and bringing your photography to the world!

Small Business Success Story – Freelenz Photography

They purchased vinyl banners and yard signs to direct visitors to their photo gallery.

The DustyBlues vinyl banners used to direct visitors to the art gallery.

Tell us about yourselves.

Valerie and Dusty Scott of DustyBlues Photography Gallery.

DustyBlues Photography Gallery is the husband and wife team of Valerie & Dusty Scott. Our artwork is on display in many countries throughout the world in both public and private collections. We are located in the Hocking Hills of southern Ohio, a nature’s wonderland attracting 2+ million visitors a year.

As seasoned IT professionals from our previous life we were driven by our desires to create art from nature’s landscape. After 15 years of honing our artistic skills in performance and urban landscape photography, we launched our new business into fine art photography and digital photographic services focusing on nature’s beauty.   

We recently opened the DustyBlues Art gallery in February of 2017 in a beautiful country setting. It is a perfect fit for us as we both love nature. With Dusty’s dairy farm childhood experience and Val’s green thumb we are rejuvenating the land of an old sheep farm.  

As we settle into our new found life we continue to grow in our business and expand the services of our gallery.

What does your company do?

DustyBlues creates fine art photography of the natural landscapes of the Hocking Hills as well as provide commercial services, primarily to the 1600 cabins owned and managed in this region and license images through a reseller network. We have a small line of graphic design services producing signage for clients.

Our gallery caters to art collectors and visitors to the area. Our larger pieces are offered in canvas, acrylic, aluminum and framed art and the visitors are attracted to the mattes and greeting cards for gift giving and memories.

Our expansion plans for 2018 include offering our National Parks portfolios and expanding on our nostalgia collection. We will continue to explore other offerings as we see a demand for them as we grow.  

Where did the idea for your company come from?

DustyBlues originally was conceived to capture and provide photographic services and artwork based on the performance photography of the blues realm. Over time the demise of many of the original artists and the sustainability of this market led us to transcend our focus towards more of the natural world.

How did you determine the customer desire for your photographic services and artwork?

Developing our commercial services, we were able to define the best initial audience to focus on, create methods for addressing them and brainstorm ideas for our marketing message to that audience. We also had portfolios of images that we could use in our marketing to prove our skills were up to the tasks they required.

Once we began to interact with our initial respondents, we would use probing questions to understand their needs. We would also create awareness of our additional talents/skills that we could provide. This led to them often expanding their requirements, either initially or over time.

From there we made sure to provide them with much more than they requested, at a fair price for our market, and in a pleasant manner. This has led to additional sales as word of mouth in a close-knit community and within a target segment that interacted with each other.

Another aspect was our ability to cross-promote each other’s efforts. We promote them in our gallery and they place our marketing brochures in theirs. This gives more credence to each other and is a win-win for both.

What sets you apart from your competition?

In the Hocking Hills we are the only photographic gallery available to the tourist and locals.

Our focus on producing each piece, from the composition to the finished artwork for display, allows us to control the high-quality standards our passion demands. This allows our finished gallery artwork to have the utmost precision of color consistency, detailing and print sharpness which our clientele appreciate.

Our commercial work, including graphic design services, studio services, and art restoration, is another area where our pride in capture and production for our clients is unsurpassed. This has begun a word of mouth consideration of marketing in this tight-knit community.

What is one strategy for gaining customers that you have been successful with?  

With a majority of the 2+ million tourists visiting this area driving right past our gallery, the key for success in our first year has been our signage promoting our gallery. We have a good amount of road front property and our signs are located at either end advising tourists that our gallery is just ahead and the driveway entrance exhibits our store sign on either side. The signs are new on the major road to the state park so it piques the interest of returning visitors to the region. Many visitors like to buy local when purchasing art. This strategy contributes to 75% of our sales

The Tourism industry leverages rack card marketing. We have found our rack cards are more successful in attracting customers when they are placed directly in the rental cabins. We achieve the placement of the rack cards by networking with the cabin owners and developing a business relationship. Our sales volume from this activity is about 20%.

While we have also marketed ourselves using a number of other methods, we always ask our visitors how they are aware of us and a high degree say they saw our signs.

A vinyl banner, attached to wooden posts, outside the DustyBlues Photography Gallery welcomes visitors.

Is there an area that you’ve struggled with in regards to customer acquisition that you believe is critical to future success? If so, how are you overcoming that?

We have been working on enhancing our social media marketing strategy to attract and develop an awareness of our product line. Our goal in 2018 is to increase our ROI through gallery and website sales using various social media platforms. We now have enough information from this past year that will allow us to focus on our targeted market and track our success by leveraging the analytic tools available online and adjusting as needed.

How do you compete with the bigger competitors that are similar to yours but have a recognizable brand and large marketing budgets?

Our biggest commercial photography competitors are located in the metropolitan area more than 50 plus miles away from the customer. By living in the rural tourism area and providing the local convenience of time and travel, our costs are more appealing with the same or higher quality of end product.   

Our gallery is local and where the tourists pass continually. Other competitors for our local nature artworks are web-based and it goes a long way to having the art in your hands and viewing it up close to sense what it will look like in their home or office versus trying to attain this on a computer monitor or mobile device.

As artists, we have only competed with ourselves. There are other local photographers who have their own style in creating art. Each customer purchases art based on their attraction to the art. We believe our social media marketing strategy will set us apart from others. Our goal is to enjoy our business and provide inspirational art from nature.

What recommendations would you have for small businesses when it comes to social media strategy?

Each small business defines itself and the struggles of each. Each has particular needs and goals and the effort requires incessant dedication and focus just to survive. To this end, each small business management team truly needs to embrace and continually understand the role social media can affect them, both positively and negatively. That stated, the vastness of social media and the relevance of each “service” can overwhelm your limited resources. On top of this growing phenomenon and often misleading are those who claim to be “the experts” in helping, only to make it difficult in defining whose voice is worth listening to.  

At DustyBlues we use our knowledge gained over experiences at major corporations to consider our intended optimal practices.

1. Focus on the top 3-5 social media platforms
2. Understand that a continual refresh of each with relevant content that pushes your message is required.
3. Use of at least one of the major platforms to provide marketing inclusion targeted at your “well defined” audience (demographics), with “well defined” message (keywords) at “well defined” (geographic/presence).
4. Set a budget for this and then use the services’ analytics to evaluate impact as well as working with customers to elicit their awareness of your product/service to ensure you are maximizing its effectiveness. Try several campaigns to gauge audience/message/presence impact and work to optimize ROI.

We find a well-tailored campaign delivers bottom line results that are multiples of the cost of the services.  

We also poll other local business owners to gauge their usage and effectiveness and this allows us to better streamline our campaigns and also provide solace that we are approaching this effort well.

With other social media such as Google Posts, Twitter, Facebook, etc. make sure you create and maintain a continual fresh presence on each.

A great way to develop this even more is working with aligned companies to develop interactive social contacts such that each helps broaden your audience and gives authority to both of your efforts.

Stay positive and address any efforts taken to sully your business name that are untruths.

What is one of the biggest challenges you have had with your business and how did you overcome it?

Our biggest challenge was constructing and bringing online a commercial building on time and under budget yet having no experience with commercial building construction.

Our experience in corporate America trained us very well to handle the diversified workforce of tradesmen, project planning, and conflict resolution. Through best practices, perseverance, and creativity we accomplished this goal successfully.  

What experiences and lessons learned from your time in corporate America have you taken and applied to your business?

We both developed many insights from our years in corporate life. Often these are very similar but, on occasion, we each had unique experiences and lessons that we can now pool together and use as effective as possible to enhance our gallery business efforts.

1. We both spent many years developing project management skills with considerable depth and these now allow us to A) Utilize task sets that align with our skills and personalities. This allows us to maximize our strengths and weaknesses. B) We are cognizant of areas of control and where we must rely on others to accomplish our goals and how to best approach these, both initially and over time as results develop and changes are required.
2. Ability to address people well – on the phone, in person or addressing an audience.
3. Being able to read people as single entities and in group situations and from this evaluation interact as required to deliver results
4. Purchasing skills to continually hone our raw materials to enhance our bottom line and maintain adequate margins.
5. Time management, when to hold em and when to fold em.
6. Prioritization of efforts and minimizing Company ADD.
7. Team work enhancements
8. Quality control and how attaining and always delivering your best effort is totally important; under promise and over deliver.
9. That family and friends are too important in life and that burnout is perhaps the worst counterproductive thing that can happen. Smell the roses, enjoy the successes, and learn from the failures.
10. Preparation is vital.

If you could rewind time is there anything you’d do differently? If so, what?

Dusty would have worked harder and smarter earlier in life to get where we are sooner.

“We get too soon old, and too late smart.” – American proverb 

Life is a learning experience and the experience is what makes your life. Sometimes I wish I would have followed my love for nature sooner than later.

If you had advice for other SMB owners, regardless of the industry, what would it be?

Stay focused, deliver exemplary service and continually analyze and adjust your marketing plans using common sense logic.

Understand and develop your social media interactions with your existing and targeted customer audience.

Many people will provide you product ideas they believe you should have that is not part of your portfolio of products, listen wisely.

Stay focused on YOUR mission. Distractions can be costly in time and money.

If you are technically challenged, become educated on the use of technology for your business. It is here to stay.

How do you “WOW” your customers?

Our physical gallery holds artworks that reflect our unique style of expressiveness with vivid colors and artistic touches that bring each piece to life. Our promise to deliver only the highest quality product at exceptional prices has provided positive feedback from our clients, patrons and collectors of great satisfaction. We continue to strive to always raise this bar as goals for ourselves.

What do you think the future holds for your business?

We received many words of encouragement from our local small business associates and the one that sticks with us is, “the first year is always the toughest.” As we head into the final leg of this year, we expect to weather the initial year quite well. We plan to continue to improve and grow our gallery based on learned insights and improved marketing efforts.  

Our commercial service interests continues to grow and we enjoy customer growth based on word of mouth marketing in the area. While we spent limited amount of time marketing our reseller and image licensing services, we anticipate doubling our sales based on this year’s activities.  

Since we love what we do, invoking creativity and focused on the business development, we anticipate a productive future for our lines of services.  

Without sharing detailed financials can you speak to your growth to this point and why you think it will continue?

Our commercial services grew by 50% this year and will continue based on the tourism business and knowledge of our services.  

Since this was the first year of our gallery, we base our growth numbers for next year analyzed from our proven successes and insights gathered this year.   

Where can you be found on the internet? 

Our web site is at www.DustyBlues.com,  

Social Media links are at:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/dustybluesfineart

Google: https://plus.google.com/108546202421932535532

Twitter: www.twitter.com/DustyBluesLLC

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/dustyblues/

Editor’s Note: We’d like to thank Val and Dusty for their wealth of knowledge for operating a small business. DustyBlues photography Gallery is an excellent example of a business utilizing physical advertising and digital marketing – specifically social media – to draw in visitors from around the world. Signage has played a crucial role in spreading local awareness in the business’ first year, contributing to 75% of sales from visitors. Embracing social media using audience specific keywords and geographic targeting, while setting a specific marketing budget has helped to improve the ROI of the business. Incorporating project management skills with their passion for photography allowed the couple create a one-of-a-kind photography gallery in the Hocking Hills. We wish Val and Dusty the best of luck and success in the coming years as they continue to grow the DustyBlues Photography Gallery. 

Small Business Success Story – DustyBlues Photography Gallery

Emily purchased custom foamboard signs to display product images and the company logo.

Images of the foamboard signs used for advertising and logo display.

Tell us about yourself. 

Most people create a small business around a trade they have experience in. Not me! I graduated from TCU with a degree in Chemistry, then went on to graduate school at Virginia Tech to study Polymer Chemistry. After five years of higher education, I realized that chemistry wasn’t my ‘thing’. I set my roots in Fort Worth and began a career in HR. After marrying my husband, we had our first child and decided that I would be a stay-at-home mom. I loved being home with our daughter but I also missed adult interaction and have a job outside of the home. Once our second child was born, I decided to do something for myself. I signed up for sewing and smocking lessons at a local fabric store and began to find my perfect fit. After smocking a dress for my daughter, I had leftover fabric so I sewed a (hideous) bow to match. I tweaked my pattern, played with fabrics, and perfected the perfect, classic bow.

What does your company do?

The Bow Next Door is a classic children’s accessories brand. We specialize in fabric hair bows, bow ties, belts, and bags. Unlike ribbon bows, we specially create each fabric bows to show their classic shape. We started small, selling to friends, on Etsy, and at local craft fairs. Within one year, our Etsy site took off and stores began contacting us about wholesaling. In 2016, we shut down our Etsy site, created our own website, and signed on with wholesale reps in both Dallas and Atlanta. Our growth is beyond my belief and continues to surprise me! Next month we’ll be opening LOCAL Design Studios + Gallery in Fort Worth with four other local businesses. The space will give us a storefront, work space, and warehouse space.

How did you come up with your company name, The Bow Next Door?

I was searching for a name that would convey the classic, all American, girl next door. My daughter joked and said The Bow Next Door and it was born!

What sets you apart from your competition?

The Bow Next Door is unique because we exclusively use fabric for all of our bows. We search our timeless fabrics and add twists like cording or lace. The result is a beautiful bow that can be worn for years.

What is one strategy for gaining customers that you have been successful with?

I think we’ve been so successful due to our customers. We don’t spend money on marketing so all growth is from word of mouth. Our customers are amazingly loyal. So many say that the bows look great on social media but once they get them in hand, they appreciate the craftsmanship and quality. I make sure to include a handwritten note in each order thanking everyone for their support. There are thousands of bow choices, but choosing TBND truly means the world to me.

A handwritten note with each order! That’s really cool. What led you to do that?

I just want customers to know that I appreciate each order.  I want them to know that I have packaged each item and have taken the time to thank them.

How do you compete with the bigger competitors that are similar to yours but have a recognizable brand and large marketing budgets?

Slow and steady wins the race. Becoming a recognized brand is important but can only be done by creating a quality product. We pride ourselves on the fact that all of our products are handmade in North Texas. We work with other small businesses to create quality to pass on to our customers. Our prices may not be able to compete with our competitors but we’re OK with that. Each bow is hand-sewn in Dallas. Each belt is hand-crafted in Fort Worth. Keeping our manufacturing in the USA is important to us and to our customers.

What is one of the biggest challenges you have had with your business and how did you overcome it?

One of the biggest challenges has been the family / work struggle. Starting a small business, with small children, out of your home could be a recipe for disaster. Working late at night, during naps, and now during school hours has allowed me to grow at a manageable pace. I’m still very much a stay-at-home mom, shuttling to and from school, after school activities, doctor appointments, and picking up sick kids but I find time to get my work done. Sometimes that means bringing my computer to cheer practice, writing thank you notes in the carpool line, or emailing invoices in waiting rooms, I always manage to find the time.

If you had advice for other SMB owners, regardless of the industry, what would it be?

Do what you love. Love what you do. It will create a sense of pride that will take you far.

How do you “WOW” your customers?

I love connecting with our customers! When someone posts a picture of their little wearing TBND on social media, I get giddy! I love having that connection online but also in person. I’ve met so many great people along the way and look forward to meeting so many more.

I see you are on Facebook & Instagram, have you seen one or the other to be more beneficial in connecting with your customers?

Instagram has definitely been the most beneficial. I love seeing customers sharing their pics of their littles in the bows. Instagram has been the best way to spread the word about new products and sales.

What do you think the future holds for your business?

I hope to continue to grow our product line and look forward to our new venture in LOCAL. At this point, the sky’s the limit!

Without sharing detailed financials can you speak to your growth to this point and why you think it will continue?

In 2013, I learned to sew and had the idea of creating a classic bow from timeless fabrics. After launching our Etsy site in 2014, we secured our manufacturer in Dallas then began selling wholesale in 2015. We tripled our business in 2016 and are now opening a storefront in Fort Worth next month. Our growth has been manageable, organic, and unexpected and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Where can you be found on the internet?

www.thebownextdoor.com

www.facebook.com/thebownextdoor

www.instagram.com/thebownextdoor

www.localdesignstudios.com

Editor’s Note: Thank you to Emily for taking the time to answer our questions and share your experience as a small business owner. Starting a small business isn’t easy, especially when juggling the daily responsibilities of raising children. Emily’s self-discipline and dedication to operating The Bow Next Door (TBND) have propelled the business to succeed online, leading to wholesale and storefront locations. Personalized notes and connecting with customers via social media opened the door to effective word-of-mouth marketing and impressive, online customer interaction. It’s not every day a business succeeds without spending anything on marketing but TBND has proven that sometimes all you need is high-quality products, remarkable customer service, and a visual presence on social media to grow a brand. Creating appealing posts on Instagram has given TBND an effective platform for marketing to its target audience, leading its success and organic growth over the past few years. Emily, we wish you and The Bow Next Door the best of luck in the coming years and hope to see the nation embrace your bows. 

Small Business Success Story – The Bow Next Door

Michael purchased see through window decals to display logos, business hours, and clever advertising.

Above are the perforated window decals that Michael purchased for Rising Phoenix Pizzeria. 

Tell us about yourself.

I guess this is the part where I’m supposed to boast about myself and talk about all of my accomplishments in life and what makes me special. Well that’s just not me. I’m not the type of person that likes to stand in the spotlight and show off; I’d rather be cooking for friends and family while getting dirty in the kitchen. But here it goes…

I’ve been cooking since I could push a chair to the stove. I was taught early on from three of the most amazing women that I’ll ever know. My grandma (Nona), my great grandma and my mama; all of which helped shape my love for food. From classic, everyday Italian treats to deep rooted Southern specialties, I was taught to make them from scratch and with love every single time. That was the big secret to cooking in my house. When you cook with love everyone can feel it and that is something that I continue to this day.

This is why I went to culinary school to become a chef.

Cooking with love is definitely the secret to the most delicious meals. However, how can you keep that up on the most stressful of days?

Every day is a stressful day lol. But I come in early in the morning to get some things started before my prep crew arrives, go home and take a nap through lunch time and then come back before the dinner rush starts and load up my playlist on iHeart radio (mix of 80s, 90s and Comedy Caravan) to power through the rush.

When and which Culinary Art School did you attend? Is there a specific reason you chose that one?

I went to Arizona State University in 2003. Hailing from Buffalo, NY, the only specific reason was to get away from the “feet of snow” and to experience the “dry heat”—lesson learned on that one.

What does Rising Phoenix Pizzeria do?

We at Rising Phoenix Pizzeria show the community what “REAL FOOD” is supposed to taste like when they go outside of their own kitchen. We use only the freshest, locally sourced ingredients we can get our hands on. We are the only certified Kentucky Proud Farm to Table restaurant in Central Kentucky. We are also the only restaurant in the county that is owned and operated by a trained chef.

We also help local “Starving Artists” by showcasing their artwork of various designs in our restaurant. Since there is a big need for art venues in the area, we decided years ago to become that venue and it’s been a hit ever since.

How were you able to achieve being the only certified Kentucky Proud Farm to Table restaurant? Did you have a connection to make it happen?

This designation is only given to a restaurant owned and operated by CEC – a certified executive chef (at least 7 years ago when it first started, but the rules have since changed).

I love that you’re helping artists. What specifically inspired you to do that for them?

My husband is an amateur painter and his biggest complaint was the lack of places to show artwork from local artists—so I fixed that problem.

Where did the idea for your company come from?

Ten years ago I started my first restaurant in a small town not too far from our current location. It was a classic Italian seated restaurant, a one of a kind for the area. So over time pizza just kept taking up more space on the menu and soon it pretty much had a whole page and a half. That’s when I decided to flip concepts with pizza being the primary and Italian becoming the secondary.

What sets you apart from your competition?

Me. I set myself apart from my competition by doing what I do and doing it well. Where else in Central Kentucky can you go to watch the dough used for your pizza be made in front of you or watch the pasta you just ordered taken off the drying rack, cooked up and then added to your favorite sauce, all while you watch? Not anywhere but here!

What is one strategy for gaining customers that you have been successful with?

The only strategy that we use is the old tried and true method word of mouth. In this area that is pretty much the only thing people respond to. I’ve tried other methods with very little to no results but yet they cost me a boatload of money. However, I pretty much just do what I do and do it very well and word spreads like wildfire. We still get customers that come in and ask “How long have you been here?” Once we tell them the response is pretty similar, “Has it really been that long?!”

Word of mouth is ALWAYS the best method. Now that we’re in the age of social media and Yelp reviews, word of mouth is quick and easy. Have you had much affect on those outlets? I also noticed you didn’t list an Instagram, do you not care for it? 

LOL, oh no, those sites don’t do much in this area and Facebook is prevalent by the majority, so I stick with that. One hard lesson I learned years ago was that Kentucky is 7-10 years behind the power curve on everything, so what is new and exciting in the rest of the country right now is a foreign concept here.

Is there an area that you’ve struggled with in regards to customer acquisition that you believe is critical to future success? If so, how are you overcoming that?

We continuously struggle with gaining new customers and of course it’s critical to future success, but it’s just something we deal with. We’re told every day by new customers that we are their go-to pizza joint and they’ll never go to the big boys again. But as much as we try to gain exposure further outside of our community, it seems like the big boys begin to take notice and throw out some new deal just to gain back what was lost.

How do you compete with the bigger competitors that are similar to yours but have a recognizable brand and large marketing budgets?

We don’t compete with the big guys. That’s just a lost cause in attempting to do so.

What is one of the biggest challenges you have had with your business and how did you overcome it?

One of the biggest challenges I continuously face is staffing. The current lack of available workforce is very hard to overcome.

You mention “lack of available workforce.” Is it because there’s a certain type of employee you’re looking for? If so, what traits and skills must they possess? And in return do you offer any incentives or perks as an employee of Rising Phoenix Pizzeria?

I look for people that are kind of quirky and have a little sass. If they possess that then they’ll pretty much fit in here. I look for a people person, fast thinker, basic math skills and a general knowledge of the area without the use of GPS. Perks are easy here. Free employee meals and fountain drinks while on the clock, company paid AFLAC Accidental Insurance, paid days off for going above and beyond the call of duty and sometimes I hide money around just to see if things are getting done like I ask. So someone could find $20 just for rotating pizza boxes or $50 for pulling out a mini fridge to clean behind it. You just never know.

If you could rewind time is there anything you’d do differently? If so, what?

Honestly I’m not sure. I don’t think I would. Because mistakes are something I learned from but not everything is a true mistake. It may seem that way at the time but it’s only because it’s a lesson to be learned for later on.

If you had advice for other SMB owners, regardless of the industry, what would it be?

My advice would be to continuously be a part of your business, always stop in to let your staff know that you’re available and get to know your staff and their families because they will do more for you if they know that you actually care about them. Even though I don’t work in my business as much as I did in the beginning (because I get to work on it instead), I’m still here every day even if it’s just for an hour.

Everyone knows that: yes – you are a business owner, yes – your plate is full, yes – you’re beyond busy running your business, Yes – you constantly have people coming at you at all hours of the day from all directions and yes – sometimes it seems like the world is coming down around you and there’s no light in sight. Above all, keep in mind that you MUST make time for yourself and your family! If not you’ll just drive yourself insane.

My great grandmother used to tell me all the time, “Family is the glue that binds us together and if we lose sight of that, then we’ve just lost sight of ourselves.”

How do you balance being a business owner and making time with family?

Honestly it takes time to learn to balance but the first step is trusting the people that you have working for you, then start off by taking one full uninterrupted day off. I remember telling my staff, “You have everything you need to run this building for one day without me. Unless the building is on fire don’t call me.” Once your staff knows that you trust them and their judgment calls with certain things, your job will begin to get easier and you can start taking more time off to enjoy life.

How do you “WOW” your customers?

Simply put we show them what we do and how we do it. We treat every customer like family, we know them by name, we know their likes and dislikes and we go that extra special step in making sure they are taken care of. Now I’m not saying that we’re perfect because we’re not. Treating them like they matter (because they do), instead of treating them like a dollar bill will get you a lot further when mistakes do happen.

What do you think the future holds for your business?

Continued success but beyond that only the Pizza Gods know.

Without sharing detailed financials can you speak to your growth to this point and why you think it will continue?

We are actively looking for location Nos. 2 and 3. It will continue because of our living business model, employee morale and overall atmosphere.

How are you planning on making sure that the atmosphere, quality, employee morale, etc., stays the same as the original location?

That’s a concern of mine as well but what I’ve learned is that if you spend some time in a certain area, you’ll begin to get a feel of the area and the local demographic. When scouting for a possible location I just go and people watch, place myself in the middle of the local culture, kind of feel it out. But most of all I listen to my gut instinct.

Where can you be found online?

Website: www.risingphoenixpizza.com

Facebook: Rising Phoenix Pizzeria

Twitter: @Phoenix_Pizza

Editor’s Note: We’d like to thank Michael for taking the time to educate us on the art of pizza making and running a successful small business. Growing Rising Phoenix Pizzeria in a smaller market has helped Michael understand the importance of catering to the culture of the community, rather than having a cookie-cutter business model. Doing so has helped his company become a staple in town. Training the staff to operate without his constant involvement has given Michael a hands-off approach to ownership. This allows a smooth operation while creating a positive work environment for employees to learn and grow in. Of course, occasionally checking in on the restaurant’s day-to-day operation helps to keep employees on their toes. Employee personality and a family-friendly environment has contributed to the success of Rising Phoenix Pizzeria. We wish Michael the best of luck in future endeavors, especially with the plans to expand the business! 

Small Business Success Story – Rising Phoenix Pizzeria

Cynthia purchased a custom fabric banner to help advertise the Surf-fur brand.

Tell us about yourself.

We are a husband and wife team that are both obsessed with the ocean and all the many things you can do on, under and around the water. Zenon is an avid spearfisherman/freediver, surfer and boater. I’m an infatuated surfer who also enjoys free diving and likes boat rides. Together, we live in Southern California with our two water-minded children.

What does Surf-fur do?

Surf-fur is a creator and maker of quality waterproof clothing for waterman of every age. We’re obsessed with producing the perfect clothing to keep people warm and dry as they’re out pursuing their passion for various watersports.

Where did the idea for your company come from?

Getting in the water is a matter of sanity for our family. So, designing something that allows the waterman to stay out longer and enjoy the water was the primary objective.

We (Zenon and Cynthia) met while surfing one day and started our company several years later, on the beach when we were cold! Our goal was to make the warmest and most versatile blanket-type thing to bring to the beach to keep warm and change under after a session. It couldn’t look like a blanket or Mumu. And since we are rather low maintenance, we needed something that could wash and dry easily; something that would replace the down comforter that we were currently using to keep the shivers at bay until we made it into the water. We got together with a few of our ocean-minded friends and came up with a design that began our journey from beach bums into entrepreneurs.

We perfected the initial design over a couple of years of rigorous testing and began selling our “Waterparka” in 2007. The Waterparka is an essential piece of gear for any type of water sports athlete with its long design, roomy fit for changing under and its specially designed breathable, wind-proof and waterproof fleece. It’s a solid piece of gear for the non-stop activities that happen near the water. Who wants to slow down the fun by getting cold?

Can you tell me more about the process of how you came up with the design? How did you know where to go to get it manufactured, and what was the final push that got you to take a risk and go for it?

I don’t really remember the details it was so long ago. I didn’t see it as a risk, just a following of the heart. We got our factory through word of mouth and asking other manufacturers who their factory reps were.

What sets you apart from your competition?

Our Waterparka is the only one of its kind on the market. We have the only one layer, breathable parka that has the special changing pockets hidden inside for changing discretely on the beach or the boat. You can even hang out totally nude under it for several minutes (or hours) and no one would even know. But, it wasn’t really made for that. It was made to change under, wear in between dives to rewarm your body, block the wind, protect your car seats so you can shower off at home or throw on for protection moving from one dive/surf spot to another. And it dries quickly so you can use it all day long. No other parka on the market can make that claim!

What is one strategy for gaining customers that you have been successful with?

Most of our sales are repeat customers buying their favorite dive/surf/swim buddies a Waterparka after they have deemed it a necessity. Or, they love the Waterparka so much that they break down and get the SurfCheck hoodie, the shorter everyday version of the Waterparka. However, word of mouth and organic growth through social media is the major percentage of sales for us.

Is there an area that you’ve struggled with in regards to customer acquisition that you believe is critical to future success? If so, how are you overcoming that?

We don’t have a huge budget for paid advertising so this stops us from reaching a bigger audience. Slow organic growth is more our style anyway.

With the small budget that you do have, which advertising avenues do you use? Or are you just avoiding advertising all together?

We donate to various races and contests in exchange for free publicity. We use social media a lot. Mostly, it’s word of mouth.

How do you compete with the bigger competitors that are similar to yours but have a recognizable brand and large marketing budgets?

None of our competitors, if you want to call them that, have the same features our product has or our level of quality. If someone wants the most versatile, high quality parka designed for water sports, ours is the only one of its kind. I have seen people with those furry-inside swim parkas at some outrigger races and they just come into our booth with saggy shoulders wishing they knew about our product before they spent way too much on a long windbreaker with furry insides.

What is one of the biggest challenges you have had with your business and how did you overcome it?

During the busy season, inventory is our biggest problem. We run out of a different size every year so it’s hard to predict what to order. This past season was the first time we did not sell out of certain sizes before Christmas, so maybe we have the formula down. On our new style, the SurfCheck hoodie, we had an issue with our zipper heads bending and falling off. As it turned out, the factory put on an inferior zipper head that was not approved by us so they had to send all new heads and pay for four people to replace zipper heads on 1,500 hoodies. It was a mess, but now we have a solid zipper! Whenever we launch something new, it seems like we always have one big issue to resolve before we get to that perfect product. We had snap issues, toggle issues and zippers. It’s always a challenge to make sure the factory isn’t cutting corners and keeping the quality high.

When dealing with the factory, do you have any pointers with building a great relationship with them so that issues like quality aren’t compromised?

Be very clear and have examples and drawings of everything you require. Pay on time and make sure you let them know you are working to grow your business and appreciate your relationship. Especially dealing with Asian factories, they like to hear that they are doing a great job and the relationship will be a long and prosperous one. Send eCards on special Chinese holidays and acknowledge that you were happy with the products they sent.

If you could rewind time is there anything you’d do differently? If so, what?

We really like the way things have unfolded with our brand. We have taken our time and pushed it when it needed to be pushed and backed off when it was time to back off. We don’t have a lot of money to throw around and lose, so we took our time and made sure everything about our brand and who we are stayed authentic and real. We couldn’t quit going in the water for a business or for any amount of money, so moving slow and going with the flow has always been our style. We aren’t the Snuggie so we aren’t going to throw out a bunch of infomercials. We just get out there and try to connect with our market segments in authentic, organic ways. And our customers are the best! Scuba divers are top notch, awesome people and they are our main customer segment. However, we have been getting a lot of traction in the freediving and spearfishing community. The Waterparka was made for boats and fishing!

You mention taking your time to unfold your brand. How long would you say it took from the moment you started to the moment you started making a profit?

That is hard to say because we were always selling and always having to increase our orders every year, therefore we were constantly investing more money into our inventory. I think the last two years have been the most profitable for us and it really does feel like we are a money making business. The growth really takes a lot of time energy and budget.

If you had advice for other SMB owners, regardless of the industry, what would it be?

Be patient, find your brand identity early and don’t be afraid to ask questions.

How do you “WOW” your customers?

Our quality and attention to detail on all our products really shocks people. We aren’t the cheapest dive parka on the market, but we are the most hardcore and heavy duty. We also stand behind our product 100% and have a great warranty. We are a small company, but we really try to give customers the same great customer service as a large corporation. Sometimes a customer will call just when all the kids in the hood are over at our house and it’s noisy as hell, but we try to make ourselves available anytime.

That’s pretty awesome that you make yourself available to your customers in that way. Does that mean you and Zenon are taking care of shipments, customer service and marketing, or are there other employees?

We have a logistics company that does all of our shipping and placing the orders. In the beginning, we did everything, including warehousing and shipping, but it ended up being very time-consuming. There was no time left to build sales or work on anything else. We decided to go the route of the logistics company because everything is insured and staffed and we don’t have to worry about that end of things. We do answer all of the emails ourselves and do all of our social media. We also do any race that we attend and sell product and we do conventions ourselves.

What do you think the future holds for your business?

We are really excited about the growth of our business in the past two years, especially. We added another awesome product to our lineup last season that was designed especially for the water woman and the response has been great. It’s another solid product we now offer. Our SurfCheck hoodies continue to do well and we have three colors available. We hear feedback from customers about gear they want so something is always on the drawing board.

How do you create the hype or introduction for a new product? Is it through email marketing, social media, another source or none at all?

We do some email marketing but mostly social media.

Without sharing detailed financials can you speak to your growth to this point and why you think it will continue?

We have had a steady 20% average growth every year for the past 7 years with this past year’s growth being double that! So, that gets us pretty excited. It has been a lot of work with a lot of sacrifice, but it really is starting to pay off.

Where can you be found online?

Website: www.surf-fur.com

Instagram: surffur

Facebook: Surffur

Twitter: surffur

Editor’s Note: We’d like to thank Cynthia for taking the time to tell us about the growth of Surf-fur and insights into growing a business. The need for a low-maintenance yet effective blanket drove Cynthia and Zenon to create a company with a vision to change the industry. Changing the industry not only stemmed from the product, it also started with superior customer service. A lifetime warranty and available customer support allows Suf-fur to foster customer relations at a personal level. Organically growing the brand through word of mouth, social media, and marketing at competitions has left a strong impression on their target audience, giving the brand a means to branch out to various watersport markets. Small business success hinges on successful and cost-effective marketing through those channels mentioned. Cynthia, we wish you, Zenon, and the Surf-fur company the best of luck in changing the watersports clothing industry!

Small Business Success Story – Surf-fur

Matt purchased a repositionable wall decal for display in the GoodThree office.

The GoodThree logo displayed using a repositionable wall decal on a smooth wall (note: wall decals are not suitable for display on brick walls).

Tell us about yourself.

I am a designer and creative director based in Lancaster, PA. My passion for graphic design really took root through experimentation and independent studies while majoring in graphic design at Messiah College. Exploration and my inability to settle has allowed me to develop my personal and professional character, allowing me to enjoy what I do on a daily basis. From my perspective, I’m in a small percentage of the most fortunate individuals who get to do what they love for a living.

Matt, the Principal and Creative Director of GoodThree

What is it about design that intrigued you and keeps intriguing you enough to do it day in and day out? Is it something you knew you always wanted to do, or was it in college where you got to really experiment with it?

What has always intrigued me about any form of design is that you can find it in anything. It can be good design or bad design but it’s everywhere you look and that is a very powerful realization. Knowing something that started as a blank white rectangle in my sketchbook now potentially has hundreds of thousands eyes.  

Even when I was younger, I can remember exploring design at some level, whether it was creating a t-shirt design or examining an ad. I guess I’ve always known I wanted to be a designer. I only seriously started pursuing it as a career when I realized that I could actually make a lasting impact doing what I love.

What does GoodThree do?

GoodThree is a branding and design firm in Lancaster, PA. Our capabilities range to include anything in the areas of branding, print, digital, illustration and strategy. We cultivate a “design thinking forward” process, allowing us to create work that builds meaningful connections between us and our clients, as well as between our clients and their customers.

When it comes to your clients, how do you know what will resonate with their customers (besides the obvious consultation)?

For us, we always like to meet our clients in person first. That way we get to learn their culture first-hand. Since they know their customers best, it’s crucial to be able to apply our process to their target demographic. From there, we dig deep into their goals for the project (or projects), the content they’ve provided, comparing it to their previous pieces and others in the industry and provide our concepts based on research, discovery and experimentation. Our results stem from what resonates best within our internal team and from our individual experiences as consumers of other companies.

Where did the idea for your company come from?

When I started GoodThree with a good friend of mine, we both held our design values and work to a high standard that we always worked relentlessly to achieve, regardless of the project size. After dissecting our process and obsession for detail and concept, we were able to place any piece of successful graphic design into three layers.

Along with our meticulous practices, we both highly valued efficient use of materials and pursued using only environmentally-friendly materials. Therefore, we implemented green graphic design practices into our business model from the start, allowing us to do good with our design work beyond benefitting our clients.

It’s really neat that you had a friend with the same mindset start a business with you. What took place that made you push the button on starting GoodThree? Was it an idea that was always in the back of your mind or did an event occur that made you take the leap of faith?

To be honest, I had never really considered starting a design firm until we started shooting ideas back and forth. Up until then, I was pretty set on pursuing my career as a freelance designer. The seamless collaboration, similar design-thinking and constant energy between us prompted the switch. Taking the leap of faith was always the intention, it was just a matter of when.

What sets you apart from your competition?

Our process and design thinking. While GoodThree isn’t the only design firm that values a close relationship with our work and our clients, that trait of our business does tend to stand out with organizations we do work for.

One of the most valuable steps in our process is collaboration. We don’t always hit the nail on the head. In fact, it would be boring if we did. Going through the motions of visiting a client’s office, learning their culture and presenting vision boards enable a strong connection to happen between us and the work.

What is one strategy for gaining customers that you have been successful with?

Network and be genuine. Going to a mixer with an elevator pitch and the hope of collecting as many business cards as possible may work for a few industries but I’ve found it very rare that it works when laying the foundation for a sustainable small business. People want to feel like their time is valuable to you when you’re having a conversation and, if your goal is quantity over quality, it’s likely their impression of you won’t be good.

You mention networking. What kind of functions would you take advantage of attending? Without giving away any secrets, how would you approach potential clients?

What’s really worked for us is taking chances. If we know about an event and can make it, chances are we’ll be there, simply because you never know who you’ll meet where. When we approach potential clients, we treat them as partners. The difference here shifts the tone drastically and it becomes a conversation, not a sales pitch. Like I said, when you’re out at a mixer or a conference be genuine and you’ll gain more positive exposure.

Is there an area that you’ve struggled with in regards to customer acquisition that you believe is critical to future success? If so, how are you overcoming that?

Acquiring new clients is always somewhat of a challenge small business owners mind, but frequently receiving projects from a repeat client is a clear sign that you’ve gained their trust and they see the value in working alongside a company that becomes an extension of their team. The struggle is some clients don’t realize that value and only keep you on for one or two projects, regardless of how much effort you put in.

Really great points about repeat customers and also not knowing the value in how much effort was spent. So how has GoodThree been able to acquire new clients and keeping that momentum going or is it still a struggle?

As our client base grows, the struggle has diminished. It’s been really great to engage with clients at a level where they want to refer us to another business or send a new potential client our way. Making connections through a happy client, as you can imagine, is a lot easier than cold-calling.

How do you compete with the bigger competitors that are similar to yours but have a recognizable brand and large marketing budgets?

Our business model, and process mentioned before, revolves around staying true to our values and running a principal-driven studio. This means our clients work directly with us, allowing us to develop a closer connection to their brand and allowing them to receive work of a higher creative caliber that will resonate more with their audience. Housing a smaller team means we get to keep our focus on the quality of our work, right where it belongs.

What is one of the biggest challenges you have had with your business and how did you overcome it?

When GoodThree began, both of us had two or three clients each that followed us as we transitioned from freelance designers to start-up design firm principals. While that got the ball rolling for us, working full-time jobs during the day and fulfilling incoming projects by night meant long hours, little free time and limited availability for new clients. Shifting into full-time, normal business hours was probably the biggest challenge so far. It’s been a hard one to overcome but was also the easiest. You just have to go with your gut, give it 110% and never look back.

From a financial standpoint, would you say your funds reflected a great time to take that leap into full-time? A lot of entrepreneurs still have full-time jobs and are waiting for their businesses to take off before leaving their employers. Was this the case for you?

Our shift happened a bit sooner than expected, so we dug in and really focused to keep our ship on course. Doing that played a huge role and we learned a lot. I’m a believer in the idea that everything happens for a reason.

If you could rewind time is there anything you’d do differently? If so, what?

If anything, I probably would have done a bit more research on the administration end. However, mistakes happen so that we have the opportunity to learn from them.  

Can you give us one specific example and how you overcame that?

Nothing too specific stands out. They’ve all been relatively small oversights like Statements of Work (SOWs) that were a little too vague and needed clarification or updating the contract date for a revised agreement. Thankfully, ours have been minor so far (knock on wood) and our clients have been very understanding.

If you had advice for other SMB owners, regardless of the industry, what would it be?

Your strategy and your brand are two of your most valuable assets to form a solid foundation. Don’t shy away from seeking advice or contracting the right people to ensure you’re taking the right steps towards a prosperous future for your business. After that, an abundance of drive and hard work with a bit of patience will go a long way.

Hiring the right person to do the job and fit the company culture can be challenging. Since you’ve already done some hiring before, how do you go about making the right decision on hiring the right employee?

As with most interactions, the first impression is crucial. For us, the hiring decision goes beyond the way someone is dressed or how impressive their resume is. The two things that hit home are the face-to-face interaction throughout the interview and having a physical portfolio, possibly accompanied by a tablet or laptop for digital pieces. Even if the portfolio is digital-heavy, seeing pieces mounted in a portfolio case shows care and craft, both of which are essential to the work we put out. The face-to-face interaction allows us to see how they’ll fit in with our team and our office.

How do you “WOW” your customers?

When we meet with a client for the first time, we like to show our passion for design from the get-go. That’s proven to be more inviting than off-putting time after time. We then strive to deliver on that passion through concept experimentation and variation, attention to detail and an effective end result. Our clients have always loved our enthusiasm and drive for great design.

What do you think the future holds for your business?

At least for the foreseeable future, GoodThree will remain a small team, based in Lancaster, PA, with our focus on having a beneficial impact on both start-ups and well-established organizations of any size. As our team grows, we’re going to aim to house exceptional, passionate individuals of different capabilities but who all come with a strong eye for design.

Without sharing detailed financials can you speak to your growth to this point and why you think it will continue?

The past year has been really great to us. We moved into a new office in Lancaster, hired a new employee and started working with a lot of exceptional clients. We have a lot more to look forward to in the next two years as well, so, yes, we are seeing a pattern of continued growth.

Where can you be found online?

We can be found on the web at www.goodthree.com or followed through @goodthreedesign on social media: 

Facebook

Instagram

Editor’s Note: We’d like to thank Matt for spending time with us and providing us with detailed insights into how he created a design firm from the ground up. Matt took his talents as a designer and added business knowledge to develop GoodThree. The “design thinking forward” process of the company allows for a close-knit connection between GoodThree, the client, and the client’s customers. This unity drives constant collaboration with clients to create the best design product. Quality over quantity gives GoodThree – and any small business – the opportunity to foster a lifelong relationship with customers. The ability to adjust your business pitch and tone according to potential clients is another factor that has helped Matt bolster the clientele of his firm. Flexibility, while holding true to your brand and strategy, is an excellent way to build a reliable business foundation. Matt, thanks again for the knowledge you provided; we wish you and GoodThree the best of luck in creating exceptional designs and building a reputation for your clients.

Small Business Success Story – GoodThree

Josh purchased clear window decals to decorate the SimpleTire office space. 

The decals placed on the walls in the SimpleTire office.

Tell us about yourself.

I’m the COO of SimpleTire. I work with the management team on the execution of the company’s operations and sales.

I began my career working in the television and media field, and was involved in media operations at The Discovery Channel and ran television operations for the National Football League.

The rest of the time, and best of time, I’m a husband and dad.

What does SimpleTire do?

SimpleTire.com is an online tire retailer. We get people new tires for every vehicle at the best price, and with free shipping on popular tires.

Where did the idea for your company come from?

People had been buying tires the same way for a long time. All across the country, they’d been going to local stores and buying the same tires, but at different prices.

I asked the question, “Why not create a company that enables people to buy any tires, anywhere in the country, and at the best possible price?”

Did your experience in the media field play any factor in leading you to think about SimpleTire?

Yes, after running operations for Discovery Channel and the NFL, I quickly learned how to manage people, and apply my knowledge to create operational controls for our own company. It helped me understand logistics and expectations that we used for SimpleTire.

What sets you apart from your competition.

SimpleTire has the largest inventory and the best prices.

We have access to more than 50 million tires. Those tires come from factories and warehouses all across the country. More than 500 suppliers compete with each other on price and delivery so that SimpleTire customers get the best deal.

Without giving away any secrets, how were you able to build relationships with the factories and warehouses?

It was extremely difficult. It took a lot of cold calling and selling the idea. Many thought it was not going to work, while others wanted to give it a chance. However, now people are calling on us.

What is one strategy for gaining customers that you have been successful with?

SimpleTire has been successful by being highly targeted with advertising efforts. In general, we’ve reached people at the right moment in the shopping process. Each dollar spent has been tracked closely and attributed to a sale or not.

Is there an area that you’ve struggled with in regards to customer acquisition that you believe is critical to future success? If so, how are you overcoming that?

We’ve been successful reaching customers online, but we understand to realize our goals, we need to go offline and reach customers through traditional marketing initiatives.

What do you mean by traditional and how do you think this will expand your reach?

Display advertising and PR are traditional marketing areas that we’ve underutilized. Advertising will help us become a better known brand and understand our value proposition. For PR, we have a compelling business story that I think resonates with the public.

How do you compete with the bigger competitors that are similar to yours but have a recognizable brand and large marketing budgets?

Easy question, better prices and more tire inventory.

What is one of the biggest challenges you have had with your businesses and how did you overcome it?

In the beginning, we seemed to be the black sheep of our industry due to the disruptive nature of our business. Everyone told us this idea wouldn’t work, and no one would participate with us.  We used that negativity as a positive and kept on pushing through. Now, partners in our industry reach out to us to do business with.

How long did it take for SimpleTire to take off?

It took 3-4 years.

If you could rewind time is there anything you’d do differently? If so, what?

I think if we were more transparent from the start we would have gained more acceptance early on. It would have made it easier for us to grow, but you can’t look back now.

If you had advice for other SMB owners, regardless of the industry, what would it be?

Have direction and be willing to stick with it.

Create a product or service that people need and can’t do without.

Have a passion for what you do, otherwise it will never be successful.

How do you “WOW” your customers?

As I’ve said, customers are always impressed by our prices! The second thing is our speed of delivery. We often get tires to people in just 24 hours.

What do you think the future holds for your business?

We are experiencing crazy growth — even by internet standards! I can’t share any specific initiatives, but can say a large aspect of our mission is to make the tire buying process simpler with each project we undertake.

Without sharing detailed financials can you speak to your growth to this point and why you think it will continue?

Since our inception, we have experienced year over year triple digit growth. We have grown faster than any other company I have been part of (and it seems people around us feel the same way). We will never stop developing our process and always look for better ways to serve customer needs. Because of this, we will continue to grow at the same rate.

Where can you be found online?

www.SimpleTire.com

https://www.facebook.com/TiresOnline

https://twitter.com/SimpleTire

https://www.instagram.com/simple_tire/

Editor’s Note: We would like to thank Josh for spending time doing this interview. SimpleTire is proof that industries are beginning to shift from brick-and-mortar locations to online retail. The premise of selling tires online seems farfetched, but the simplicity of the brand’s website allows for customers to quickly and seamlessly purchase tires. A simple online interface, competitive pricing, and a vast tire inventory has positioned SimpleTire as a strong player in their market. Commitment to customer satisfaction – using incredible pricing and fast delivery – has helped the company grow at a rapid pace. Targeting the customer at the right moment during the buying process has also helped SimpleTire become a widely used online service. Josh, we wish you and SimpleTire the best of luck; we know you will continue to succeed and help change how consumers research and purchase tires. 

Small Business Success Story – SimpleTire

Kristina purchased clear window decals and opaque window decals to advertise her business on her storefront windows to instantly catch attention of potential customers.

The Poofy Organics storefront with window decals for branding.

Tell us about yourself.

I am the founder and CEO of Poofy Organics, an organic personal care products company located in Rutherford, New Jersey. I am married and have two children. I am a graduate of Rutgers University where I received a BA in psychology. I received a double Master’s of Education from Saint Peter’s University and Montclair University.

Before graduation, I held several retail management positions, which helped to lay the foundation for Poofy Organics. After graduation, I launched a career in several teaching positions ending as an adjunct professor, teaching students in a master’s program at Montclair University. My career shifted dramatically when a family member was diagnosed with cancer. I was determined for my family to stop using products laden with toxic chemicals. I poured myself into years of research until I felt confident enough to make my own products.

I have spent nearly a decade creating and manufacturing products for Poofy Organics and I have become a well-known name in the personal care industry. Poofy Organics is a USDA Certified Organic operation and I am responsible for overseeing the entire operation, including
all aspects of the certification. In addition, I work as a private label product specialist for several contracted companies and a personal mentor and educator to all of my sales consultants. I am a certified aromatherapist, which shows my dedication to the safety and usage of essential oils in the products I create. I have an avid following and often consult for a variety of blogs and publications dealing with organic integrity and natural personal care products.

What does Poofy Organics do?

Poofy Organics is a USDA Certified Organic company that manufactures personal care products. Each product is made in our facility in NJ where it is hand created, poured, labeled and shipped from our location. We offer an opportunity for those who wish to pursue their own own Poofy Organics business where they can sell products from a replicated website either online or at in-home parties.

Where did the idea for your company come from?

When my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, I found no products that I considered safe enough for my family. I began to make products and figured I would offer them to customers.

Where and how did you know where to go to start your research? Did you have any connections or guidance?

I began my research on EWG’s website, including their SkinDeep Cosmetic Database. I also delved into books and the internet. I had zero guidance—just went with my gut. I have two master’s degrees, so I’m guessing that helped me to separate actual research from phony propaganda.

How long did it take between research and capital to feel you were ready to launch Poofy Organics?

Originally when I began my research, it really was only to supply that information for my own family and our personal care products. It was a process. So, after I found myself making products for us, I figured others may want affordable organic products as well.

What sets you apart from your competition?

We are one of the few USDA Certified Organic personal care companies. We have the largest number of certified products of any certified organic company. While most companies use heavy machines or manufacturing plants to create their products, our products are made in house with simple mixers. For those interested in our business opportunities, we offer low sales minimums and minimal pressure.

By choosing to stay clear of machines and manufacturing plants, do you need more employees to keep up with demand? How do you keep making each product on time?

Yes and no. Thankfully, we have grown in increments. We see the demands coming. Every now and then we get swamped and are not able to keep up—so we work longer hours or come in on unscheduled days. Our products barely stay on the shelves. We try to make them as fresh as possible, but at any given time, we have about two batches of each product on the shelves ready. That has worked for us. If we have an upcoming sale, we know which products are big time sellers for us, so we make more ahead of time.

What is one strategy for gaining customers that you have been successful with?

We chose to use our guides (sales consultants) as our marketing team. Their passion for our education regarding toxic ingredients in the personal care industry makes them a perfect fit for our company.

 If your guides are your marketing team, how do you market to your guides? How are they recognizing you and joining you?

We post on Facebook every now and then, but at this time, it’s really the guides who market to others, such as their friends and families, maybe some Facebook groups where others share the same hobbies and interests. Some who join us are new to the brand while others have been long-time customers and are making the switch to sales.

Is there an area that you’ve struggled with in regards to customer acquisition that you believe is critical to future success? If so, how are you overcoming that?

We’ve struggled with attaining a larger male audience. Although we feel that for the most part, women are the gatekeepers for the family and the products that enter the home, we are missing an integral portion of consumers. We have created a men’s line to help with that.

Creating a men’s line is really being proactive to your problem. How long ago did you launch the men’s line and how successful has it been?

So, we launched about 3 years ago. To be honest, it is a slow-selling line. We do have those male customers who continue to purchase it, but it is definitely more difficult to market to men when it comes to personal care products.

How do you compete with the bigger competitors that are similar to yours but have a recognizable brand and large marketing budgets?

We feel that our unique traits fill a need within the retail market that larger companies are not accomplishing. If customers seek out the gold standard in the industry, they will find us!

When going up against your competitors, you mention unique traits. Can you give us a few examples?

Definitely being USDA Certified Organic is an advantage. It separates us from a LOT of competitors in the industry. In addition, we are a small company so a lot of our customers can appreciate that. We aren’t owned by big-time corporations, such as Clorox, etc. We handmake everything, which, nowadays does not really exist. I create each and every product myself without any outside help—no formulation companies, etc. The business is also a truly family-run business. My brother manages the operation with me. My mother works in the kitchen and my father helps to pull orders and works the retail location. My daughter helps on her days off and my husband, although he has a full-time job, helps me with the financial aspects of the business.

What is one of the biggest challenges you have had with your business and how did you overcome it?

General lack of knowledge in running a business online. When I created Poofy Organics, there were so many aspects of running a business that I had not learned. The financial education was necessary because in the beginning, there was no budget to pay for someone else to handle it.  We also made mistakes with several vendors. While we wasted quite a number of years pursuing the wholesale market, we found out the hard way, that it wasn’t going to work for us. Lastly, obtaining and maintaining our USDA Organic Certificate remains one of the most difficult parts of the business. It is incredibly vigorous.

What was it about the process to get USDA certified that made it so tough?

LOL. EVERYTHING. And, it continues to be that difficult.

If you could rewind time is there anything you’d do differently? If so, what?

No, I would not. We would not be the business we are today without the suffering and mistakes. I feel grateful for the journey.

If you had advice for other SMB owners, regardless of the industry, what would it be?

Be realistic: We go above and beyond every day to solve problems for our customers. In some cases though, they will ask for something that we just cannot physically provide. If we’ve truly exhausted our resources, it’s OK to be realistic with the customer and tell them of our limitations. We can guide them to a product that might work better for them in the long run.

Take your breaks: Working too much won’t solve anything. Take your breaks daily to increase your own productivity.

Acceptance: Accept that you do an amazing job already. Accept that you may need to take a step back on the workload in order to be more productive. Accept that you cannot make everyone happy but you will try to do whatever you can. If you can’t, it’s not the end of the world.

YOU are in charge of YOUR business! No matter where you are in your business journey, it is important to examine your daily process periodically and decide if something new needs to be implemented. If you are consistently working your business and your sales are not increasing and you feel like giving up, instead of closing up shop, assess your process, try to be objective and find a new method/step to try!

How do you “WOW” your customers?

We wow our customers with new products and flash sales.

What do you think the future holds for your business?

I believe we will continue to build our business incrementally. People are really beginning to acknowledge that the government does not have regulations in the personal care industry. While more and more people become enlightened, we will continue to grow!

Without sharing detailed financials can you speak to your growth to this point and why you think it will continue?

We have had a substantially rapid success rate. We have increased each year. We began with a space of about 200 square feet to a retail storefront of 400 square feet. We added on another storefront for production, which was 1,000 square feet, and two years ago, we moved into a facility of 3,200 square feet. In November, we also moved into the next door location and added on more room to make over 5,000 square feet.

Where can you be found online?

Website:

Poofyorganics.com

Facebook

Instagram

Editor’s Note: We’d like to thank Kristina for spending the time doing this interview and providing us with a wealth of knowledge on running a small business. Kristina built Poofy Organics on a foundation of incredible quality for personal care products, while offering unmatched, organic production. Her determination in keeping the company true to its standards has set it apart from larger brands. This gives Poofy Organics the freedom to cater directly to a customer’s needs. Becoming USDA certified gave the company leverage within the industry and positioned it to succeed in a short time frame. With Facebook marketing and an impressive word-of-mouth effort from customers, Poofy Organics has spread awareness of its health-conscious products. It’s impressive to see how Kristina has turned this family-run business into a successful small business. We wish Kristina and Poofy Organics the best in future endeavors. Keep up the great work and continue shaking up the industry!

Small Business Success Story – Poofy Organics