TOGETHER.

WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE TOGETHER.

WE CAN DRIVE CHANGE.

>> NOW OWNING A SMALL BUSINESS COMES WITH ITS CHALLENGES.

BUT THE HOLIDAY SHOPPING SEASON CAN BE A WELCOME GIFT.

FOR MANY SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, ACTUALLY, ACCORDING TO MASTERCARD SPENDING.

PLUS, RETAIL SHOPPING WAS UP ABOUT 3%.

THIS HOLIDAY SEASON COMPARED TO LAST YEAR.

JOINING US WITH MORE OUR NIGHT OF FOUNDER OF PLANTS, A LINE AND WEST TOWN AND BUCKTOWN AND MARVEL COOKSEY FOUNDER OF NEXT AND IN BROWNSVILLE.

LADIES, THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH FOR LET'S START WITH YOU NICA.

TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE OFFERING TO FOLKS AND WEST TOWN IN BUCKTOWN.

SO I'M THE FOUNDER PLANT SALON.

AND WE HER HOUSE PLANTS.

>> AND SELF CARE FOR PEOPLE.

SO WE WE SPECIALIZE IN BEAUTIFYING PEOPLE, PLANTS.

>> CANDLES, ALL KINDS OF THINGS THAT PEOPLE CAN GET LOST IN THE SHOP AND THEY WANDER AROUND AND THEY FIND SOMETHING TO I HEARD YOU SAY SELF CARE AND I FEEL LIKE THAT'S A BIG THING THAT PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT DURING THE HOLIDAYS LEADING UP TO NEW YEAR AND WRITE THEIR NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS.

>> HAVE YOU SEEN A BIG KIND OF INCREASE OF CUSTOMERS COMING TO SUPPORT YOU WHETHER IT BE FOR CHRISTMAS ARE NOW AS WE GEAR UP FOR 2024, DEFINITELY FOR THE HOLIDAYS.

WE HAD A LOT OF FOLKS THAT ARE FOCUSED GIFTS SO THEY FATALLY APPRECIATE ITS HEALTH CARE AND THEY WANTED TO SHARE.

SO THEY CAME IN THINKING OF WE HAD LOTS OF STOCKING STUFFER, OUR PEOPLE COMING IN LIKE I NEED 6 THINGS LIKE THESE ARE THE PEOPLE AND GOING INTO SPRING BE KIND OF PIVOT A BIT.

AND WE FOCUS ON CLASSES AND POP-UP EVENTS THAT PEOPLE CAN COME IN PERSON.

>> NOW, MARK, I YOU HAVE A LITTLE SELF CARE THAT YOU'RE WORKING UP FOR YOUR FOLKS WELL.

YOU HAVE A THAT PRIMARILY PROVIDE SERVICES.

HAVE YOU KIND OF AN INFLUX IN THAT OF PEOPLE LOOKING TO GET INTO THEIR HEALTH CARE WITH YOU THIS HOLIDAY SEASON.

>> YES, RECENTLY AND EVEN THROUGH HOLIDAY SEASON, EVEN BEFORE THE THIS BEEN UPTICK SO NEXT, MAN IS A SPOT CATERS PRIMARILY TO WHERE WOMEN ARE.

WELL.

OURSELF, PARENTS COME CITY BUILDING SERVICES THAT THEY MIGHT NEED SUCH HAIR CUTS AND BLOCKING OF THE HERE.

WE ALSO OFFER MANICURES AND PEDICURES SIDE I HAVE A STEAM ROOM IN SHOWER HERE ACCESS AND ALSO EVEN HAVE A LIQUOR LICENSE YEAR FOR THOSE.

JUST WANT TO KICK BACK AND JUST HAVE A >> BUS WHEN YOU'RE GETTING YOUR HAIR DONE KNIFE.

YEAH.

IF I UNDERSTAND, BUT I DO ALSO KNOW THAT RISING COSTS ARE RISING COSTS FOR ESSENTIAL GOODS, A BRIGHT, JUST WHAT IT COSTS TO GET YOUR HAIR DYE, MAYBE THE PRODUCTS ARE.

YOU SAYING HAVE YOU SEEN THAT KIND TAKE ISSUE AND THE WORK THEY ARE DOING OF MAYBE HOW PEOPLE ARE UTILIZING THE SERVICES THAT YOU OFFER.

NOT AT ALL.

>> MY STAFF, I'M SORRY, MY CLIENT'S APARTMENT WITH THIS IS NOT WE DO NEED THE SERVICE.

WHEN IT COMES THAT LIST COMPETITOR AND START TO LIKE A DUCK.

BUT ASKED PRODUCT PRICES IN RECENT KNOW.

>> AND I COULD GOING BACK TO YOU.

HOW ARE YOU TAILORING YOUR BUSINESS LIKE LOOKING INTO THE NEW YEAR, RIGHT OFFERING THE SELF CARE SERVICES FOR FOLKS THAT LIKE I SAID OR DONE WITH THE HOLIDAYS BUT HAVE A RESOLUTION THROUGH KIND OF LIKE MOVE ON FROM STOCKING STUFFERS TO WANTING GET THEIR HANDS AND LIKE TALK TO PEOPLE.

SO WE FOCUS A LOT ON.

>> WORKSHOPS, A PLANT PARENT ONE-ON-ONE CLASSES.

WE HAVE A LOT OF SMALL BUSINESSES THAT WILL USE OUR SPACE FOR THEIR OWN TEAM BUILDING EVENTS.

AND SO IT'S A MORE WAYS TO INTRODUCE PEOPLE TO A SHOP.

WOW, THAT'S SO WOULD YOU SAY THAT YOU'RE SEEING AN INCREASE OR DECREASE IN THOSE SERVICES WITH IT WITH THE WEATHER ALSO BECAUSE WONDER HOW THOSE >> CLASSES SPECIFICALLY HELP PEOPLE GET INTO WITH THEIR PLANTS.

I'M NOT A PLAN I KNOW I WOULD FOR CRYSTALS AND CANDLE.

BRING HOME A TREND.

DEFINITELY PEOPLE THAT I'M GOING TO LIKE, YOU KNOW, JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH, THEY WANT TO GET OUT OF THE HOUSE, ESPECIALLY CHICAGO.

IT'S JUST GREAT.

SO ANYWHERE WHERE THERE'S LOTS OF.

>> WE HAVE TOLD THE COMMONS TARA TREES AND IT FEELS LIKE A JUNGLE.

SO COMING PEOPLE SET UP SOME PARTY AND MAKE IT YOU KNOW, WE'LL HAVE.

BUT WE THERE.

BUT CUT PLANTS WILL POT PLANTS.

THEY MEET NEW PEOPLE AND IT'S A CHANCE FOR THEM TO KIND OF A CAB.

THE SCREEN EXIT EVEN LOOK FORWARD TO.

RIGHT WHEN YOU SAY THAT PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR THOSE KIND OF NEW YEAR SALES AND DEALS ARE, HOW THAT KIND OF IMPACTING THE DEFINITELY.

GIFT CARDS WAS HUGE FOR US.

AND I THINK PEOPLE THAT ARE WANTING TO SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESS AND THINKING LIKE I DON'T EVEN HAVE TIME TO GO BY THE CAN HOLD BY THE SMALL HEALTH PLAN.

BUT I'M GOING GO PLACE AN ORDER ONLINE.

AND THAT WAS REALLY HUGE FOR US.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT.

AND THEN SELL.

OUR CLASSES ALSO ARE VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON.

SO THEY'RE ONLINE PERCENT.

WE TRIED TO BE FLEXIBLE.

WOW.

NOW MARVEL.

HOW WOULD YOU SAY THAT YOUR BUSINESS HAS EXPANDED BEYOND STOREFRONT WHEN WE THINK OF MAYBE PEOPLE WERE COMING IN TO GET THERE.

>> THEY'RE HERE TOGETHER FOR THE HOLIDAY PARTIES, BUT MAYBE A LEADING INTO THE NEW YEAR.

THEY'RE NOT IN THE SALON THIS MUCH.

>> OH, NO, I'M FOR THE NEW YEAR'S COMING UP.

THE SPOT IS BUSY BECAUSE WE'RE NOT US A LOT.

WERE BUSY BECAUSE THE GUYS ARE COMING IN TO GET THEIR MANICURES AND PEDICURES.

IT'S COME IN AND GET THEIR PATIENTS.

THEY WANT TO LOOK GOOD FOR THE NEW YEAR.

DON'T KNOW THIS TIME WE HAVE AN UPTICK IN BUSINESS AND THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST TIMES POP.

WELL, STEPHEN, AND ALSO SHE WAS SAYING ABOUT THE GIFT CARDS, DEBT WE SELL SO QUITE A BIT GIFT CARDS THIS MOST PEOPLE ARE COMING INTO PACKAGES.

THEY WERE JUST COMING IN TO GET JUST ONE SERVICE FOR WHOEVER PERSON BY 4, THEY EVEN PURCHASING MY PACKAGE JUST TO HAVE GET OUTS.

THE MEDICARE MEDICARE FACIAL RIGHT, SO QUITE A BUT YEAH, AND GIVES IT TO PICK IS MOVING UP THIS PEOPLE CAME INTO THE BECAUSE SOME OF THEM WANTED TO HAVE AN ACTUAL GIFT CARDS.

BUT YOU CAN ALSO JUST MIGHT GET PARTS ONLINE.

SO I DO SEE AN PURCHASES AND ALSO PEOPLE WALKING INTO THE STORE WALKING TO THE SPOT.

>> YEAH.

THANK YOU FOR CORRECTING ME.

WHEN I THINK OF, YOU KNOW, GETTING YOUR HAIR DONE, I INSTINCTIVELY GO TO A SALON.

BUT SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE A DEAL OF SERVICES THAT PEOPLE CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE ARE OFFERING MAYBE SALES FOR THE END OF THE YEAR ARE THINGS THAT PEOPLE CAN LOOK FORWARD TO FREE DISCOUNTS FOR THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.

WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE FOR YOU?

>> FOR THE WHOLE ENTIRE MONTH DECEMBER US.

HE'S ALWAYS BEEN LIKE MY THEY'RE MY FIRST TIME CLIENTS AUTOMATIC 50% AND THAT'S OUR WAY OF SAYING THANK YOU WELCOME TO THE NEXT MAN UP SO THAT'S ALL IN ALL THE TIME.

ONE ALWAYS GETS 50% MY FIRST TIME PORTS.

SO THAT'S THE THING NOT SO PACKAGES ARE DEADLY DISCOUNT.

ABSOLUTELY YOU?

THE FACT IS DISCOUNT FOR THEM IN?

>> NOW WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME.

BUT LIKE I JUST HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION FOR YOU.

YOU ALL HAVE BOTH MENTIONED THAT PEOPLE CAN UTILIZE YOUR SERVICES BY GETTING GIFT CARDS ONLINE ARE KIND OF ONLINE.

BUT ARE THERE ANY IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU'RE DOING IN THE NEW YEAR WHETHER IT BE A POP-UP OR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LOCAL BUSINESS OR ANYTHING TO JUST KIND OF GET PEOPLE MORE INTERESTED IN WHAT YOU HAVE COMING SO WE SELL PLANTS AND WE GROW PLANTS.

SO I CARRY MY COLLECTION.

YOU CAN COME IN AND SEE ME AND MY SPOUSE AND THEY'RE LIKE HIDING GROWING IT.

AND SO PEOPLE WILL COME IN LOOKING FOR LIKE.

>> ARE MORE LIMITED ADDICTION.

ADDITION, ONCE WE CALL THEM THE PRIVATE COLLECTION PLANTS