This program was made possible by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you.

Thank you.

It's Your Business with Michael Aikens is brought to you by WCTE PBS, and the Tennessee Tech Center for Rural Innovation, with funding provided by the Rural Reimagine Grand Challenge and the Tennessee Rural Development Fund.

Welcome to a brand new season of It's Your Business.

For several years now, we have dedicated this show to the mission of helping small businesses grow and flourish across the Upper Cumberland.

Because we know the value that locally owned businesses bring to their communities.

Small business is the backbone of every economy, and we want anyone with a dream to be a business owner, to have the means and opportunity to make their dream come true.

So come along as we learn from people in all levels of entrepreneurship, and guide you to the support that you'll need to help start your very own business.

[♪♪] For those of us who like to eat meat, there's a big difference between the meat you buy in a store and the meat that you get fresh off the farm.

Well, Ruth and Chris Vega know the value of that farm fresh taste, and they set out to start a business that connects farm fresh meat to meat lovers across the area.

Their business has flourished with the help of local farmers, and they have high hopes for the future and reaching even more customers with that farm fresh taste.

[♪♪] We're hanging out on the farm in Cookeville, Tennessee, with Ruth Vega, owner of GML Farm Fresh.

Ruth.

Welcome to the show.

Thank you.

So let's start out with the basics GML Farm Fresh.

What are you.

What do you do.

GML Farm Fresh.

Well, right now we sell locally raised farm fresh beef.

From a farmer in this local area in Cookeville.

And he's got a farm in Baxter.

He raises all the cattle.

His name is Heath Randolph.

And then we purchased the livestock from him.

He takes it to the processor and we have it processed the way we specify.

And then we take it to the farmers markets, and we sell it at farmers markets, and we sell it online very soon.

And then we also have people who email us, text us, or call us for orders that we deliver during the week.

So let's say I go and see you at the farmers market.

What kind of products can I expect?

Well, from us we have beef.

We have some spices.

I wrote a book that was released last year and we usually sell that at our table.

But then there's other farmer vendors there that sell chicken and pork and fresh breads.

And then there's people there selling drinks.

Some people, sometimes they come and they sell fresh coffee, that they grow themselves and we usually set up at the Fairfield Glade Farmers Market, and that's in Crossville, that's up in Crossville on Peavine Road.

And we set up there every Sunday afternoon from 1 to 3.

And then we're looking for other local, you know, down here in Cookeville or maybe Birdstown.

We're even thinking about going to Lebanon and setting up too.

Very good.

Just trying to expand our market.

Absolutely.

So in talking about the market, you're doing the re-selling of this beef, right?

How did you get into it and how long have you been doing it?

Okay.

So about four years ago, our friend Heath, he actually graduated with our daughter from high school.

And so they were really good friends in middle school and high school.

And then after high school, he started doing some stuff with my husband, flip the house and things, and, and, so he called me and said, I need to find somebody to sell beef.

I was working full time at Averett Express at the time, and, as it I'll do it.

I love farmer's markets.

I'll do it.

And so I started selling the beef for him on Saturday mornings.

So this would have been the fourth year that he had been in business selling beef, but he wanted to focus more on raising good quality beef, to have a really nice meat product.

And, asked if I would take over the sales portion of it.

So I had to ask my husband to get involved because I don't know how to pull a trailer.

So my husband and I started GML Farm Fresh.

Okay, so you know, I'm always interested in how people name their businesses GML.

I've got their something special there.

Tell me about it.

Yeah, I wrote a book.

Good Morning Lord, 45 Days of Prayer.

I worked on it for two years, actually.

That's why I retired early from Averitt Express.

Had been with them for 24.5 years.

And then I left because I was trying to write this book, and I really wanted to focus more on it.

So it took me two years to write it.

It got released November 21st of last year, so we just wanted anything that we do business wise.

We wanted to tie it all back to Good Morning Lord, the name of the book.

And so we decided to do GML Farm Fresh.

Okay, well that sounds wonderful.

So you were at Averitt for quite some time.

You've written a book, now you're reselling beef.

You know, it sounds to me like you have an entrepreneurial spirit.

These experiences that you've had beforehand, how did they help prepare you for what you're doing now from the business side?

Oh, goodness.

Because there's so much to learn to run a business.

So even the things that I did when I was at Averitt I was a cargo claims investigator for 17.5 years in cargo claims.

Generally, it's a very negative situation because they wouldn't have to file a claim if their freight wasn't lost or damaged.

Right?

So learning how to talk to people and deal with them when they're angry or upset, and then from there, after 17.5 years there, the last six and a half years that I was at Averitt I was a contract coordinator.

So I read and negotiated contracts.

So I really learned, did a lot of meetings, some over zoom, some in person, where we were talking with clients and customers.

And I really believe that all of those things together helped me to grow so much, especially in a business manner, because I would never have known how to deal with people otherwise, right?

Even especially if there was something negative.

But if you know how to deal with people from negative situations, then you can definitely deal with them in positive situations.

So, you know, that's such an important thing that you just said.

I mean, no matter what business you're in and, you know, this day and age of, you know, digital and, and all that, at the end of the day, we're still dealing with people, whether positive or negative.

And having that skill set is so incredibly important.

So when I think about people that I interview, it's always interesting to hear, well, you know, I was in corporate life for your case 24 years now.

You are your own boss, your entrepreneur.

How did it make you feel transitioning over to that?

I know you wrote the book in between, but you know, going from that environment to you're the one calling the shots every day, all day long, how did that make you feel transitioning into it and where you're at right now, several years later?

What do you think that you've learned and how do you really manage it all?

Well, the biggest thing for me was, and I'm sure lots of people have heard it a lot lately.

The last few years.

But, for me, the biggest thing was imposter syndrome and overcoming that because I was so used to being the helper.

Being the assistant, being told this is what you do.

But still, given a lot of responsibility in both of those long term positions I had at Averitt.

But then stepping out on my own and then saying, I'm going to do this, you know, I've been praying.

I just feel like this is where the Lord is leading me.

And so I would start to do it, and then I'd get scared and be like, you can't do this.

You know?

And so I had to battle a lot of that in the very beginning.

And sometimes it still creeps back up on me, you know, every now and then.

And so then I have to just remind myself, you're doing this.

You know, it doesn't have to be perfect.

And that was my thing is, I wanted to think everything through all the way from start to finish and see it fully in my mind before I ever started it.

And I had some really great coaches that I got involved with online, and we have weekly zoom meetings.

Fact one of them, every Tuesday morning she meets with me, and she just kind of keeps me on task of what needs to be done.

And that's very helpful for me, because I tend to want to go back to that perfection and get it all right first before I start.

But she just keeps me moving, messy or not.

Just keep moving, you know?

So, you know, a lot of people watching this show maybe thinking about starting a business, but for whatever reason, they just haven't crossed that fence.

What advice would you give to them?

when you really feel like you have been led to do something that the Lord is leading you to do something, or if if they're not about the Lord, you know, then if they just feel like a gut thing to do something is to not let fear stop you, to get out there, to do it anyway.

Trust yourself.

And even when it's messy, do it and step forward anyway, because you do see growth and a great deal of growth when you do that.

And it's not necessarily a bad thing to do things not right, you're going to learn from it.

You're going to maybe even find a new way to do things right.

Exactly.

You're going to you're going to be like, okay, well, that didn't work.

So we need to pivot a little bit.

Let's try this instead.

You know, we're doing that right now.

This being the first year that we've taken over the business.

We have put a lot invested a lot of money into this for the new website for marketing materials, because we change the business, name all the things.

So we are still in that growing process and learning process of how to make it the most successful.

And one of the things that we have learned is to listen to the processers that process the beef, to listen to the, other vendors who have been doing this longer than us, even though there's may not be beef, we're listening to them because they're so familiar with all different farmers markets and things like that.

And so we're listening and we're learning.

We're taking their advice and we're implementing and we're seeing growth because of it in our customer base.

So, Ruth, I've got one last question for is my favorite thing to ask thinking about back to when it all started a few years ago with GML.

What do you know right now that you wish you knew then?

I wish I knew then that I could do it and trusted myself a little bit more.

I really do, because I think we would be farther than we are right now.

However, at the same time, I don't want to regret anything because every bit of it was learning and growth, and I'm just so thankful for all of it.

So, just, glad that I'm finding gratitude in every single step and just enjoying the journey as I learn and grow more.

Well, Ruth, this has been a great conversation.

I love your story.

Thank you so much for being on the show.

Thank you for having me.

With the motto looking good is rule number one, Section 6 Menswear makes it a point to not just sell nice men's wear, but to provide their customers with tailor made suits for any occasion.

They can help design a whole new look for an upcoming event, or provide an all new style for everyday wear.

They also love the idea of community, and are always happy to just sit down and have a cup of coffee with their customers, and to help solve the world's problems.

[♪♪] We're here in Cookeville, Tennessee, talking with Gary Ray with Section 6 Menswear.

Gary, welcome to the show.

Oh, it's great to be here.

Well, we're certainly glad to have you here.

Let's start out with the basics.

Section 6 Menswear What is it?

What do y'all do?

Well, we are a suit shop.

Make sense?

We sell suits, but we are also a tailor shop, so we, are able to sell the suit, but we're able to fit it with the individual.

Certainly an important service here, especially right here in Cookeville.

So how did you get the idea to do this?

Well, in the beginning, it just was the fact that there wasn't one here and, it was a need, you know, something that was needed in the area.

And so it just happened.

Now you've got all kinds of customers, I understand.

So let's talk about the first customer, person that's living around here.

They're going to be able to buy a suit.

They're going to get it tailored.

Tell us just a little bit more about some of your other customers.

I understand you all have an interesting clientele.

A lot of our clientele are in the security business in Nashville.

We have to fit them so they can carry.

And then, of course we do.

We have some Hollywood and, you know, that, are in the movie business.

And so, yeah, it was kind of interesting.

And the people that walked through this door.

Let's talk about the law enforcement just for a minute.

You said that, you know, while they're carrying, it doesn't want to be obvious.

How do you how do you do that as a as a suit seller?

When we sell a suit, we wear that suit.

We test a suit to make sure that it will do and accomplish what we want it to accomplish for the individual.

So we have a suit that is, actually indestructible.

We call it our indestructible suit, because it's wearable and doesn't wrinkle.

You can put it in a suitcase and take it out and put it on.

We have an individual that, had a karate studio, and, he did a whole, segment in that suit.

So that way it, you know, it'll service what they need.

Section 6, That's a pretty interesting name.

Where did it come from?

Well, yeah, just to be honest, we were part of the spy shop.

Yeah.

If you know anything about, section 6 of the James Bond movies.

Section 6 MI6 And that's where the name comes from, because I, you know, not only do we sell suit for that purpose, you know, that we talked about back in the beginning.

You know, we do a lot of the security business and, that's where the name comes from.

So what do you mean by spy shop?

The owner of the shop, is, a very imaginative inventor, and he's, come up with some, some very, very interesting tools for that particular end of the business.

And so we're that's why we get into the spy business.

So I can come in and buy a suit and I can get some spy gear, too.

Yeah, you can get a tie that you can choke people with.

You can pick a lock.

Any of those little neat things that you need, you know, You know, all those things.

So we do a little bit of that.

Yeah.

We can.

We can make a suit, where you can be protective.

Where, you know, Somebody can't stick a knife through you.

So there's things you can do.

So you all started back in 2018.

What would you say that you've learned about being in this business, especially right here in the Upper Cumberland?

I've learned that that people normally just go buy a suit and then they're never happy with it, because it never fits right and never looks right.

And so realizing that there is a need for an individual to buy a suit if you're going to, if you're going to spend the money that you spend and you want a good suit and then you want it to fit you, you want it to service you.

And so that we found that there was a need for that.

Of course, I work with, the person that started this shop and, he is a tailor.

I sell suits, and that's why we work so well together to make a person come in.

And when they leave here, they're happy.

So what does it mean to be a good suit?

Tell me the difference.

Well, we look at the shoulders.

We look at the way it fits.

You go to shops and you buy suit.

You never think that.

Well, did it fit here?

Did it fit in the size?

Was there a wrinkle in the back?

And these are things that people don't really think about.

But those are the things that we look for so that an individual, when they leave they're satisfied.

And not only are they satisfied, I'd say they're more confident too.

Would you agree with that?

Absolutely.

If you put on a suit and you feel good, then it carries on in what you're doing, your day to day job.

So not only are you into suits, I also understand you're into a few other things.

You're an author.

You have some ministries.

Why don't you tell us a little bit about that?

I could tell you my story.

I drove entertainers busses for seven and a half years.

I, was personal driver for Michael Jackson.

Three major tours for AC/DC I did the last tour that Bon Scott done before he died.

On and on.

I could tell that story, but it came off the road with drug habit.

And became a minister.

I'm a seventh generation minister, by the way.

My dad, my my uncle, my granddad, six generation behind me were all preachers.

So I guess it was a given.

And, then I got into writing books and, so that's that's my story.

I either become a preacher or die, so.

Well, it sounds like you made the right path, so.

Yeah, I hope so.

Well, what what are the books that you write?

The last two books.

This book that's laying on the table- Behind the Veil.

A True Picture of the Church.

I kind of realized that, the churches, had some problems, and, I feel like that that this book kind of gives an insight into what has happened and what we could do to correct it.

So you've gone from tour bus driver writing books in the ministry.

Now, you're with Section 6 Menswear.

How do you think that your history and your experiences have really kind of led you to where you're at today?

The beautiful thing about this particular shop is we're a place where somebody can come in.

If they want to sit and drink coffee, they sit and drink coffee.

If we if we want to talk about, the things concerning the church, if and if they need help because I have a, counseling degree, if they need help with that.

And we like to think that when people leave here, they'll come back because we like for them to, you know, be a part.

And so we make them feel good, make them feel comfortable.

So, Gary, clearly you're here to sell suits, but I feels like there's maybe a higher order to this business.

You know, you're here to make money.

We know that.

But still, our business is more important than that is we are able to direct, people and to help them, choose what they're actually looking for that they don't know because people come in and they're wanting something, but they don't know what they want.

And so we have learned over a period of time how to direct them and get them to where they want to go and make them look good and and get them to look exactly like they want to look.

So much better than an online shopping experience.

Yes, absolutely.

You know, when we think about suits for men, obviously one of the first things that's going to come to mind is going to work, maybe a wedding, but there's actually a lot of life events that really call for a suit.

Well, yes, I could tell you, we sell a lot of funeral suits and and people don't realize that they're going to need one.

But you will one day need a suit.

But we are able to, for, ministry.

We we service preachers and, you need a suit for, for job interviews.

We do, especially with tech being here and the college being here.

A lot of young men are coming in here.

They're fixin to sit down to, for a job.

We're able to service them.

So there's a lot of different reasons you need a suit.

Obviously.

You know, you could go to another city.

You could go to an urban market, maybe have more clientele.

But you chose to stay right here.

Tell me, why is that?

We usually think that tailoring is a big city thing, but it's not.

People here in this area need it, just like Nashville or Knoxville does.

And so we saw a need, and now we can offer that service here.

You don't have to go to Nashville to get it or to Knoxville.

And I think that makes the difference.

And that that tailoring is a local business.

You know, you need it.

You know, you you want your suit.

You want your clothes to fit you.

Yep.

And so that we saw that need and I think we've supplied it.

So let's look to the future.

What does the future hold for Section 6?

More shops.

More shops around here or other places?

Other places.

So you said you started coming here about 4 or 5 years ago.

Started in earnest about four.

Well, the favorite questions that I always like to ask is thinking back to when it all started with you to right now, sitting here with you, what do you wish that you knew then that you know now?

How important the tailoring business really is and how important it is for a suit to fit You know, I've been a salesman all my life.

That's what I do.

But I never realized the importance of of of being able to offer something that's affordable.

But also something that looks good and feels good.

And I think that's the important thing.

Gary, this has been a great conversation.

Thank you so much for being on the show.

But thank you for having me.

It was great.

[♪♪] Hi, I'm Jodi Pitts, program manager for the Business Resource Collective or BRC for short.

The BRC is a collaborative partnership between Tennessee Tech Center for Rural Innovation, the Small Business Development Center.

The Biz Foundry and WCTE Central Tennessee PBS.

These entrepreneurial support organizations wanted to create a no wrong door approach for businesses to get the help and support they need for their business to grow and succeed.

Here's a little more information on how these agencies work together to help local businesses.

Each of these organizations has specific strengths and areas of specialization.

Tennessee Tech Center for Rural Innovation has a team of interns who can help with creative projects like graphic design, product photography, or logo creation.

The Small Business Development Center is great at providing technical assistance, financial guidance, and helping businesses find the funding they need to start, grow or expand.

The Biz Foundry is our local business incubator and they are fantastic with startup businesses.

The Biz Foundry offers classes, social networking opportunities and a co-working space at locations throughout the Upper Cumberland.

There is no shortage of help available for small businesses and entrepreneurs, but knowing where to go or who to ask for help can be confusing.

That's where the BRC comes in.

Through a quick business assessment call, we will discuss what problems your business is facing and which partners have the best resources to help you.

All the services of the BRC are at no cost to you as the business owner.

And even better news, our partner resources are free to you.

You can get access to counseling, professional development, and even student intern workers from Tennessee Tech University at absolutely no cost to you.

The Business Resource Collective is here to guide you and connect you to ensure success for your business.

The Sbdc is excited to help you on your entrepreneurial journey.

Be sure to contact us and we'll get you started today.

Visit BRCollective .org for more information or to schedule a call.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you for joining us yet again for another episode of It's Your Business.

Hopefully, you've learned that there are plenty of great resources right here in the Upper Cumberland to help you achieve your dream of starting your own business.

If you'd like to learn more information on today's topics, please visit the WCTE website and to learn more about free small business resources and expert assistance, please visit the Business Resource Collective website.

Until next time, I'm Michael Aikens.

[♪♪] It's Your Business with Michael Aikens is brought to you by Wcte PBS, and the Tennessee Tech Center for rural innovation with funding provided by the Rural Re-Imagine Grand Challenge and the Tennessee Rural Development Fund.

This program was made possible by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you.

Thank you.