(upbeat music) - [Announcer 1] This program was made possible by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you.

Thank you.

- [Announcer 2] "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 Reimagined Grand Challenge.

- When it comes to owning a business, fear of failure can keep some people from stepping out and taking hold of their dream.

But today we meet business owners who push past that fear, took those uncertain steps, and now have thriving businesses.

Join us as we listen to their stories and learn what made these brave entrepreneurs take that first uncertain leap.

Let's get started.

(upbeat music) Owning multiple businesses can be overwhelming, but sometimes passion can help overcome the pressure.

Cigi England had already started one business when she saw a need for another special endeavor, a nonprofit that provides employment opportunities for individuals who never had the opportunity to realize the greatness they were capable of.

(upbeat music) We're here in Cookeville, Tennessee with Cigi England, owner of Cigi's Boutique and the Exceptional Bean.

Cigi, a big welcome to the show.

- Thank you, happy to be here.

- So, we have so much to talk about today.

- Yes.

- You own two businesses.

Let's start out with the boutique.

- Okay.

- Tell us about that.

- So, Cigi's Boutique was started eight years ago.

We just celebrated eight years.

I wanted to have a boutique for women, to cater to all women, no matter your age or your size, and to be affordable.

So, we opened, and this is technically our fourth location, but I feel settled here and I think we're gonna be here for a while.

- So, tell us a little bit more about that.

How did you get the idea?

When did you start, and bring me from four locations ago to today?

- So, I moved back to Cookeville in 2014.

I had been in Atlanta working in the fashion industry, graduated from Tennessee Tech in '06.

So, after that moved to Atlanta, and then all my friends stayed here and had babies, and you know, were doing life.

And I moved to the big city and I would always come home to Cookeville.

Now I'm not from Cookeville, but this felt like home because all my friends were here.

So I moved back in 2014, honestly didn't have a plan, but I knew that I wanted to be here and I felt just led here.

So, my friends were like, "Open a boutique."

And I was like, "Okay."

And they said, "With every career you've had, you've worked every piece of the puzzle.

You've worked behind the scenes, you've worked in wholesale, try boutique."

So, that's what I did.

I opened November 1st, 2014 in 400 square feet, tiny, what you would call a pop-up shop.

And I thought, I'll try this.

I'll see if it works.

If I sell X amount of dollars, that'll be my sign that this is what I'm supposed to do.

And we sold like 10 times X.

So, I was like, okay, I can do this, I can do this.

And so six months after that we grew to 1,200 square feet.

Then three years after that, we moved.

So, we were on the main road, had more, you know, representation, more visibility.

Once the Exceptional Bean was over here, this space became available and it just felt like the right move.

- So, you're right next door to your passion right now?

- [Cigi] Yes.

- The Exceptional Bean.

- [Cigi] Yes.

- So, tell us what is the Exceptional Bean?

- We started a coffee shop to employee individuals with disabilities.

So, we wanted community and we wanted employment, and a coffee shop felt like the right fit.

I have several friends that have disabilities and struggle with getting employment.

So, we wanted to literally build a space that was their space, had a ramp, had an ADA door, had ADA bathroom facilities, had tables and chairs that they could, could actually use and had counters that they could actually use.

And so we built that space for our friends with disabilities and we employ 33 people right now.

- Now you and your husband, Michael, you all co-founded The Bean.

- Yes.

- And like you said, you started it as a place to be able to employ people with special needs, disabilities.

What have you seen so far from your employees angle?

How does, how does that really affect them?

- So, the biggest change that I've seen in our employees, and the biggest difference that I think we've made are we have individuals living on their own for the first time.

They've never had a job, therefore they've never been able to afford rent and have an apartment.

They've lived at home with their parents and their caretakers, because they've had to.

So, we have three individuals that got their own apartment and we were helping one young lady move in and she said, "Is this what it feels like?"

And my friend said, "What?

What do you mean?

Is this what it feels like?"

And she said, "When girls move off to college and get an apartment, is this what it feels like?"

And he said, "Yeah, it is."

She's 39 years old, she's never lived by herself.

She's fully capable but has never had a job, so she couldn't afford it.

So, those are the biggest differences I've seen.

We have relationships and friendships that have blossomed at the Bean, their first boyfriend and girlfriend that they've ever had, because where do you meet people?

At work.

Where do you hang out with people?

At a coffee shop.

So, it has been life changing in their community and their social aspect, as well as having a job.

- [Michael] You mentioned earlier your friends.

Is it empathy, is it passion?

What's really your higher calling here?

- I think I've always wanted to help others, and just because it's not my problem, just because it doesn't affect me personally, if I see someone struggling, I want to be a helper.

So, I got involved with Rising Above Ministries, which is a special needs ministry here in Cookeville.

And I begin to just do life.

Like I say, I begin to go to dances and go to birthday parties and go to the movies and go bowling.

And I would just notice and and hear in conversation, you know, once they reach the age of 22, they sit at home all day.

They age out of the state programs, they age out of the public school programs.

And so when you're 22, there's nothing to do.

So, they look forward to these events through Rising Above, or they look forward to their friend's birthday party at the bowling alley.

And I needed them to look forward to every day.

So, even if they're not on the clock working, they come there and hang out and I love it.

- So, you mentioned just a moment ago, this is a nonprofit.

Is that correct?

- Yes, that's correct.

So, we wanted to have this business, and I obviously owned a for-profit business, a typical business.

We didn't know which direction to go, for profit or not for profit.

So, my husband and I really just had a talk and we were like, okay.

We are not special needs parents.

And I'm being very honest with you here.

It felt like we may be exploiting if we had this business that employed people with disabilities.

What if it takes off?

What if it's killing it and we're making tons of money?

That just wouldn't feel right, that Cigi and Michael England were the owners, and we were benefiting off of this mission, right?

Because it's a mission disguised as a coffee shop.

So I thought, how cool would it be if we did a non-profit version?

And we introduced it to the Upper Cumberland and we said, "Hey, we're the Exceptional Bean.

Our mission is to employ people with disabilities.

Our vision is to create this workspace that is safe.

It's set up to help them excel in life, and we want you to join us in building it."

And every single donation is a family.

It's not a big corporation.

It's literally families here in the Upper Cumberland that said, I believe in this.

I wanna be a part of this.

I want to help this, and here's how I can help.

- [Michael] So, for the viewers watching the show, how can we help now?

- The easiest way to support us is to buy a cup of coffee.

Every single purchase that you make, whether it's a cup of coffee, a blueberry muffin, or an Exceptional Bean t-shirt, 100% of those proceeds stay within the Bean, and help us to keep those 33 people employed.

- How would you characterize your leadership?

- I'm hard, first of all, I found out that I'm a hard boss to work for.

My girls have always told me that, but I'm like, no, I'm not.

But then after watching management, after watching my husband manage the Bean, I expect things to be done a certain way, and I'm a list person.

And so I'll give you a list and this is what I expect of you.

And if you don't do this, you are of no service to me.

So, I give very clear instructions.

This is your job description, this is your job expectation.

I literally tell them, "Mimic me.

How do I act with customers?

How do I engage with customers?"

That's what I expect.

I don't want a warm body behind the counter ringing up transactions.

Come out from behind the counter, meet them.

Everybody that walks through that door needs something or wants something, and they pay your salary.

You know, every person that walks in.

That's why we're here.

So I feel like I model how I want them to be, how I want them to act.

- So, you moved from Atlanta, you started the boutique, now you've got the Exceptional Bean.

We're here in Cookeville, the rural Upper Cumberland region.

Speaking to the leaders of the region, what can they do to help support small businesses and nonprofits?

- I think we already have great leaders that do support.

We've had local politicians, you know, from a state level and a local level that come in daily, come in weekly.

They see what we're doing, they believe in what we're doing.

I have reached out personally through emails and text messages, and I say, "Hey, this is what I need.

This is what I see that we need.

How can you help us?"

And so far, I mean, we've only been open since July, but I have gotten feedback, and I think that our leaders see that I am pouring into my community, right?

And I think that they believe in the mission that we're doing, therefore they are gonna do everything that they can to help us.

So come in, have a cup of coffee at the Bean, and it's contagious.

Like you can't have a bad day once you come in there.

So, if you are a local leader, if you are a local, you know, politician, please come in, and they know ways that they can help us more than I do.

- So, the last question I have for you, I always like to ask this, thinking back to when it all started, you're in Atlanta, you're thinking about coming up here.

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

- I honestly wish that I would've moved sooner.

I think that Tech graduates and Cookevillians in general, you think you need to go and do and be great somewhere else.

We need them here in the Upper Cumberland.

And I grew up in Whitwell, Tennessee, very small.

I came to Tech, then I moved to Atlanta because I thought I had to move to be successful, whatever my definition of success was at 21 years old.

But Cookeville is growing, and there are people moving in here from all over the country, all over the world, really.

And so we need you to be great here.

And I thought that I needed to go be great in a big city, but if I would've known that I could have been who I am today.

And, I'm very cautious to say I wouldn't have moved, but I think that I needed to move to gain the skills to be who I am today.

But never say never.

You know, I always said never.

I was like, oh, I'm leaving Cookeville, peace out.

I can't wait to be gone, spread my wings.

But here I am and I'm a nonprofit founder and I'm a business owner.

So, you know, maybe go and get that experience and learn, but come back and be great here.

- Well Cigi, this has been a wonderful interview.

Thank you so much for coming on the show.

- Thanks for having me.

(upbeat music) - There are those who say never work with family, but that didn't stop Jennifer and Kate Officer from making their dream of owning a business come true.

In fact, that unique connection between them is one of the most important factors that has made this mother-daughter owned business thrive in the world of entrepreneurship.

(upbeat music) We're here in Livingston, Tennessee with Jennifer and Kate Officer, owners of Keaton Place.

Jennifer, Kate, a big welcome to the show.

- Thank you.

- Thank you.

- [Michael] So, let's start with the basics.

Tell us about Keaton Place.

What do you all do here?

- We are a gift, accessories, home decor store.

We've been in business for five years now.

- Five years, yeah.

- On our sixth year I guess.

Is this our sixth?

- [In Unison] Sixth Christmas.

- Yeah, so, so we love to help people find the perfect thing for their home, for a gift to share with people they love.

It's our favorite thing to do.

- [Michael] So, you all are a mother-daughter team.

Tell me about that dynamic.

I'm assuming that each of y'all has several skill sets that you capitalize on.

Tell me about those.

- She's the other half of my brain.

That's how that works.

- That's very true.

- I don't think we could do it without each other.

We always know each other's thinking, which is nice too.

We have the same vision, same idea of what direction we wanna take things, most of the time.

- But complimentary, I think.

- Yeah.

- We each have strengths, but we also have differences too, and Kate's a marketing guru.

- So Kate, tell me a little bit about your marketing.

You mentioned that you do social media in the website, but really I'm thinking there's probably a lot more involved with that.

Walk us through it.

- Marketing is everything from where you're gonna put it in the store, how much it's gonna cost, who your customer is, the pictures you take, how you list it, how you sell it, the music, all the things.

So, it all comes together to be one.

And if it doesn't work or if one piece is off, something's not gonna sell.

So, you have to really make sure that all your T's are crossed and your I's are dotted, that you're not leaving any aspect of it out.

So marketing is more encompassing than it is just posting on Facebook.

- How are some of the ways that you all learn your customer?

I see so much stuff around in the store, there's a lot to offer, but how do you know what to put here?

- I think part of it is that, if you come to Keaton Place, you're likely gonna see one of us.

And so we are interacting with our customers every day and hearing the things that they're looking for.

We also have a lot of store friends who are in other communities and we get a chance to see things that we might not see that are doing well for them.

And we think, oh, that might be a fun thing to try for our customers.

When we go to market, we have an opportunity just to see a bunch of stuff.

But I really think it comes down to knowing our people.

We know what our customers are looking for.

We know who they are.

We know 'em by name, we text them pictures.

It's just, we have a very personal relationship with our people.

- I think it helps that we're generational too.

Something, if she likes something and I like something, it's probably gonna be a good fit, because it can cover multiple ages.

And even my grandma, if she likes something, if it's something like all three can agree upon, then it's normally a good fit, 'cause it can cover so many people.

- [Michael] So, we're in Livingston.

I know that Livingston's a very tight-knit community.

What does it mean to you all to be entrepreneurs?

To own a small business here and serve the community of Livingston?

- I was born in Livingston.

This is my community, this is my people.

And so to get to be a part of seeing the revitalization of our downtown square and to see all the businesses that are thriving, it means the world to me.

I can't imagine.

I mean, I get to see friends and family, and people I've known my whole life shopping with us.

And it just, it means so much to get to be a part of seeing a community truly thrive.

Where I know so many squares, so many downtown areas have businesses and buildings that are empty.

It's beautiful to get to be a part of that.

- You know, you mentioned there is a lot of revitalization going on here in Livingston and a lot of that has to do of course with the small businesses, but there's also a leadership component to that.

So, speaking to local leaders, what would you tell them that small businesses like yourself in a rural area really need to survive?

- I know our downtown revitalization committee works with businesses on their storefronts and just things like that, that are big expenses for small businesses, to be able to get some support in those areas, to make sure that the flow of life around small businesses make sense.

That they communicate and ask simple questions.

Even when it comes to things like parking or the direction that traffic flows and streetlights and just to involve businesses and to make them feel like they are a part of what's going on in a community.

Ultimately it's those tax dollars from those businesses that gets reinvested into the community, that improves our schools, improves our infrastructure.

So, feel like it's a two-way street.

- Yeah, and I would say we're the ones who are here every day, whereas they may not be around every single day.

And so listening, asking questions is huge.

Really helpful.

- [Michael] Well, you know, you're here on the square, there's several other small businesses here too.

Do y'all network with each other, support each other?

- [Jennifer] I really do feel like when one of us does well, we all do well.

- [Kate] Yeah.

- We see people come to Livingston and park and eat and shop at all of our stores.

And I mean, that's what draws people to a community is just that life.

- Well, y'all have mentioned Christmas a couple times, you know, in owning a store like this, I'm guessing that that seasonality really plays a big role in what you all offer.

Walk me through Christmas, but not only that, just seasons in general.

How do you all prepare for this?

- Kate shifted my mindset, probably about two years ago, thinking more towards collections.

And that has made a huge difference in how we buy, I think.

- [Kate] Yeah.

- [Jennifer] And it partners well, I think with the marketing.

- Yeah, being very purposeful about each season having its own moment.

Obviously Christmas is on a whole 'nother scale, but you know, each season gets its own moment.

It gets its own collection, its own featured items, its own marketing, its own graphics, its own everything.

So, making each special, 'cause it all has something fun to offer.

So, I would say that's huge for us.

- I mean, obviously Christmas is, a huge percentage of our sales happen in November and December every year.

But I think we've done better as we've grown and been able to think about each season and not just maybe hold our breath until fourth quarter.

- [Michael] So you've been in business for five years, you're learning along the way.

I'm willing to guess that there's probably been some challenges that have come up.

- I think a big challenge for us was we grew to the point where we realized that we needed help.

That as much as we want to be here every day, we want to be the people that are interacting with every single customer.

There's times of the year, especially Christmas, when traffic flow just means that we needed some extra help.

And I was scared to start that process, because I didn't know how it was gonna go.

Thankfully we ended up with two really great part-time employees out of the process.

But boy, it stretched me.

- Yeah, small businesses are like your baby, so you don't wanna just leave 'em with anyone.

So it is, it's daunting for sure.

- It was.

- It is daunting.

- I think the other, I think we've grown in our inventory management.

I think financially figuring out how to have the right product and the right quantities.

While it's always a bit of a guessing game, I think that we've gotten stronger at being able to trust ourselves about things and order the right amount and not be carrying more inventory than we need, but also not miss an, you know, have an opportunity missed for a sale.

And I think some of that just has come with experience and a lot of, oh, we're gonna have to mark that down, because that wasn't a good fit for us.

It still happens.

- [Kate] It does, yeah.

- But I think that's less frequent than what it was maybe four years ago.

- Yeah.

- You know, we have a lot of people that watch the show that are thinking about being an entrepreneur or owning a small business, but they just haven't gotten over that fence yet.

What advice would you give to them?

- It's the greatest feeling I've ever had to own a small business.

And it's also the most work that I've ever done in my life.

So, I think being prepared for that, I don't know that I knew that necessarily on the front end, but how much I would love it, but also how much it would completely monopolize my time and my thoughts.

You know, we try to have some healthy boundaries, - Some boundaries.

- And not talk about it every time we're eating out or whatever.

But it's hard not to because it's both of our passion.

- Yeah.

- And so we are, we're constantly thinking about it.

- So, you mentioned that it is monopolizing your time quite a bit.

How do you all deal with the boundaries?

How do you all set that up and how do you balance your personal life with the business life?

- My personal life is my business life.

No, I think it's hard.

It's really hard.

Every time we're together we wanna talk about it, or we'll work 12 hours, 14 hours, and then go home and start texting about it.

It's just, I think it's part of it.

You have to know when to put it down.

But I think we, I think we do a good job of knowing when the right time to put it down is.

But we truly love it.

If we didn't love it then we wouldn't talk about it all the time.

We wouldn't be obsessed with talking about it all the time, and figuring out new things, and what's next and what displays are next and what product is next, if we didn't truly love what we do.

And we're so lucky that we get to do it together, because family dinners are business dinners also.

- Well, last question for you, thinking back to before it all started five, six years ago, you've got this idea for a business.

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

- I wish that I had known then that it was possible.

I think it was so scary, and there's so many moving parts to owning a small business.

I wish that I had appreciated how much of a support system that I would have.

Everybody's involved in some aspect, from my husband doing finances to building the props for Christmas, for Christmas displays, to my mom and dad's support, to us being able to do it together, to all of our friends who come alongside us and bring us food when we're in the midst of redecorating for Christmas.

And I don't know that I appreciated the support system that we have around us to make us successful.

- I wish I knew how much I was gonna love it.

I didn't really step into it until, a couple years in I was helping mom, but it was just kinda like, oh, I'm just helping my mom.

I took a back burner seat and I wish I would've stepped into leadership a little bit sooner.

So, I'd say always just take risk.

Follow your gut and just jump into that leadership role even when it's, even when it's scary or you may not know if you'll even like it.

It's always worth a shot.

- Well, Jennifer, Kate, this has been an awesome conversation.

Thank you so much for letting us come and talk about your business.

- Thank you.

- Thank you.

(upbeat music) - Hello, I'm Tyler Asher, center director for the Small Business Development Center here in the Upper Cumberland.

As you're aware, many business owners face grueling challenges when operating their business.

Whether it's finding employees, running the business, marketing their services, or looking for ways to expand, these are all very difficult tasks on a business owner.

See, many business owners are good at one or two things that are associated with the business.

Each one normally specializes in a certain area, and moving to add or assign different tasks sometimes make it very difficult for the business owner to let go.

Working alongside a business, our job here at the Small Business Development Center is to give a business owner the tools they need to think differently, working on your business, not inside your business.

We help you figure out ways your business can run, sustain, and fully operate, without you in the picture, which will allow your business to be more efficient and allow you to scale the business.

There are a multitude of services we provide with helping in accounting, bookkeeping, developing financial projections, looking at a cash flow outlay, marketing plan to allow for growth or establish a new product line, looking for additional capital for a next expansion, new product or purchase of an additional business, or competition.

But most importantly, we believe listing is our biggest service we provide.

Business owners sometimes just need a shoulder to lean on or an ear to listen.

They normally carry the weight of the world on their shoulders when operating their business.

They have to make sure they're doing things right.

Did they get payroll made?

Are bills paid?

Sometimes a business owner needs to hear it from someone who has been there, in their shoes before.

The staff here at the Small Business Development Center has owned businesses before.

We understand the struggles and challenges that each business owner face.

Are you making the right decision?

Is this marketing plan going to work?

What social media should I be using?

Are you serious?

I should be doing TikTok, those crazy videos?

Yes, you should be doing TikTok with those crazy videos.

How do you get funding when the business doesn't have any assets?

Where do we go to get funding?

Is there other funding alternatives?

Should we be a woman-owned business?

Should we look to be a minority-owned business?

Those are all the questions that we help you answer here at the Small Business Development Center.

Whether it be online or in-person, stop by and see us.

- Thanks for tuning in to "It's Your Business."

For more information on today's topics, please visit the WCTE website.

To learn more about free small business resources and expert assistance, visit the Business Resource Collective website.

Until next time, I'm Michael Aikens.

(upbeat music) - [Announcer 2] "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 Reimagined Grand Challenge.

- [Announcer 1] This program was made possible by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you.

Thank you.