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

Thank you.

- [Man] "It's Your Business" with Michael Aikens is brought to you by WCTE PBS, and the Center for Rural Innovation, with funding provided by a grant from USDA Rural Development.

This series was produced under an agreement with Tennessee Tech University Center for Rural Innovation.

- Welcome to "It's Your Business," I'm your host Michael Aikens.

If you have a passion that you're just itching to turn into a small business, but are afraid that you can't compete with larger businesses, just remember, everyone had to start somewhere.

Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and help drive growth and innovation in the community.

Join us, as we sit down with two entrepreneurs that weren't afraid to step out and take that chance and now have thriving businesses.

(upbeat music) I think we can all agree, the American dream is to own your own house, your own little part of the world.

Well, Amber Flynn Jared saw an opportunity to use her talents, to help people make their American dream come true.

She loves the personal aspect of her career and sees it more than just a job, it's a chance to make friends, and help those friends find the perfect place that can become their forever home.

(upbeat music) I'm here at Cookeville Tennessee, with serial entrepreneur and real estate maven, Amber Flynn Jared, Amber, welcome to the show.

- Thanks Michael, I'm super excited, you guys have been doing a great job with this, love WCTE, love what they represent, and I'm just happy to be a part.

- Well, We love doing it, and we love having guests like you on the show, so, let's get right into it.

I've so many questions, but let's start out with the basics.

- Okay.

- You're a real estate broker, you're also a serial entrepreneur, tell me all about that.

- Oh my goodness, how much time do we have exactly?

So I got into the business of real estate, actually in 2009 when nobody was buying anything, that was a great idea.

But I had a friend that was in it and kinda looked interesting to me, they were starting to see some of the HGTV type deal, and so like a lot of people who get into real estate, I'm like, that looks fun, little did I know it's absolutely nothing like that.

Real estate is one of those ecosystems where a hub and spoke business model, you know, seems to naturally evolve, and so you find yourself branching out, you know, into other avenues, so I did, I had a construction company for awhile where we were building spec homes, and then kind of transferred into custom work, and that just became way more than I wanted to handle.

Also I've done property management, and worked on in the rental side of the business, which is also a totally different animal, you know, when you're used to mostly residential real estate.

So we've done a little bit of, you know, all kinds of things in the real estate space, but at the end of the day, the residential work with buyers and sellers is really where my heart is.

- Why is that?

- You know, really it's the people, you know, it's the people, I don't love the number crunching and the P&L's, and you know, all of that stuff that comes with business, I'd say, you know, you can have the numbers, but give me all the peoples, and when you actually get to work with buyers and sellers every day, and what is most of their largest capital investment, it's, you know, it can be scary for them too, and so you just walk along that path with them, you forge these really deep relationships, and now I have hundreds of friends that I didn't have before, you know, because of a real estate journey.

- You know, so as a real estate agent or a real estate broker, you know, you're working for a company, but I would imagine you're an entrepreneur at heart.

- Absolutely.

- Tell me a little bit about that.

- It's kind of an odd business in that, yes, you do have to hang your license at a company, which mine is at at the reality firm, and it is a family atmosphere, and I do love that about it, but you really are kind of every man for himself, you know, you're a 1099 contract employee, you don't have a boss, and what I now tell my new agents that come in, you know, as of today you're starting your own business, and you can make it look like whatever you want it to look like, and in real estate, especially, so you have some, you know, people that were like me when I got my license as a stay at home mom, and kind of just did it as a hobby or some extra money, you know, all the way to, you know, what we're running here now with, you know, full fledged enterprise.

So, anything in between, you know, there's no right or wrong way to do real estate, I wanna tell everybody, you can do it, whatever you want it to look like for your family, it can be done.

- So, you know, real estate obviously, very important for a growing community like we have here in the upper Cumberland.

Can you talk to me a little bit more about, you know, the intersection of business, real estate and why that's so impactful for a rural area?

- Oh yeah, sure.

So, especially, you know, in a rural area like ours, one of the funniest things is, people are so shocked at how much volume of real estate is sold in an area that is as small as ours, you know, our Upper Cumberland Association of Realtors covers about 16 counties, you know, the Upper Cumberland region, and the amount of real estate that actually trades hands, you know, through our association alone is staggering, and people don't realize that there is that much that transacts, and that represents buyers and sellers, you know, who are either, you know, move up buyers, who are buying, you know, their second, third home, getting something a little bit bigger, people who are downsizing, and, you know, we love to be able to be a part of that, but it's huge because it's that, that employees, these agents, you know, that are spending their tax dollars, and, you know, buying homes themselves here and now running their businesses, and funneling that money back into our local economy.

- Now, you said a moment ago, that there is a staggering amount of real estate transactions here in the Upper Cumberland, but I'm also willing to guess that maybe if you were in a Nashville market or really anywhere else in an urban market, you know, there's a lot more opportunity, but you've chosen to stay right here in our rural community, why?

- Well, you know, that's so funny, because I really, I get that question a lot, from my other colleagues and friends in the business that are in these bigger cities, and, you know, the numbers that they're pulling in, just because they're per transaction, you know, volume is gonna be so much higher than ours, our average price point, you know, is obviously, as you can imagine much less than a metro area, but there's just no better place to raise a family, we've got four grown children who are all still here in Cookeville, or have come back to Cookeville, two grandkids and two on the way, and they're making Cookeville, you know, in the upper Cumberland their home, and that's super special, I mean, it's grown, it's changed, the landscape has changed, the way that our local governments, and the university and the hospital all work together, you know, to be able to be a nice playground for folks.

That's huge when we're selling this area, like, hey, you can come to a place that's still affordable you know, as far as housing goes, but you'll feel safe here, your kids can go to a good school, you know, all of these things that really add to the quality of life that we have, you know, here in a more rural area, you're gonna have lower taxes, and, you know, be able to maybe buy more bang for your buck, you know, here than you would somewhere else, and so all of those things are huge advantages when we're selling our area.

- Well, yeah, you know, we've got people, we've got networking opportunities, we even have resources like the best founder in small business development center.

What would you say to somebody that's thinking about starting that business, but just hasn't really crossed the fence yet, what would you say to them?

I would definitely encourage them to get connected and get plugged in, with the organizations that you've talked to, and even other business owners, like I said, that they know, you know, they'll go and just be willing to sit down and say, "can I buy you a cup of coffee and just pick your brain?"

I can't tell you how many times, you know, I get a phone call like that, and I never say no, you know, I mean, and most of the folks that I know would be willing to do the same thing and just say like, "hey, here's an idea that I have, "what's wrong with it, "you know, what do I need to do to fix it, "and who do I go to next?"

And most of your, I think most people who were in a leadership position are very passionate about helping people connect.

- So we've got the support for individual businesses, we've got community connectors like yourself.

Speaking specifically to the policymakers, the legislators here, what would you tell them, what do we need here to continue on this path of thriving and surviving for small business?

- Oh yeah, that's awesome, I think that having a local government that really does care, you know, that is connected to our small businesses, one of the things that I'm super excited about with the chamber, that they're doing, there were a few objectives that they had, that were real estate specific, and so, you know, I had a good conversation, you know, with some of our friends over there about this is super important, and yes, I'm so glad this major radar, this one here is not such a big deal, and let me tell you why, and then don't forget about, you know, this other avenue that maybe we need to explore, and so, just having those conversations with the people who are actual boots on the ground, I think that's one of the things that causes disconnect, you know, when it comes to local policy makers, you know, is if they don't really know, they only have the people that are in their ear, you know, speaking to them, and so if they're not connecting with the folks that are doing it in the trenches on a day-to-day basis, you know, it's easy to disconnect, but I think we're super lucky to have, you know, the local government that we have, that really do care and wanna hear what we have to say about that.

- You know, I couldn't agree more.

And, you know, we talk a lot about leadership, what does leadership mean to you?

- Oh, that's a good question.

You know, I don't know that anybody ever says, like, you know, when you just say, what do you wanna be when you grow up in the third grade?

Like I wanna be a leader, you know, how do you quantify that?

But when you think about, I've done a lot of leadership classes and studied a lot, read a lot of leadership books and been to seminars and, you know, whatnot, and everybody kind of has a different picture, you know, of what leadership is like, but one of the best quotes I had ever heard about it is, you know, if you're considering yourself a leader and you turn around and no one is behind you, you're really just on a walk.

You know, and so thinking about your journey, who are the ones that are watching what you're doing, you know, who are trying to implement the same things that you're trying to pull them alongside with you, you know, if you're just go, go, go, and you turn around and nobody is behind you, you're just on a walk, you know, so I think paying attention to the people that you lead, and making sure that you give them what they need to be successful, that's my passion.

- What's your leadership style?

- Well, you know, my husband would probably tell you, that I'm way too easy on folks, I'm definitely not a dictator when it comes to leadership style, but for me, I'm a servant leader, you know, I mean, I think, again, that sounds like, you know, I'm not, like don't put me on the back, I'm not doing this as a hobby, you know, but, at the end of the day, I wanna work side by side with my folks, I'm never gonna ask them to do something I wouldn't do, but they know I've got their back.

- Well, Amber, clearly you're passionate about everything, this has been a wonderful conversation, Thank you so much.

- Absolutely, anytime we can get together and hang out, there's gonna be good stuff going on.

(upbeat music) - Although Diego Alvarez has lived in San Diego, life brought him here to the Upper Cumberland, and now this area has become his home.

So when the opportunity to start a business in this region presented itself, he took a bold step, and is now using his taste and talents in his business, The Royal House of Cheese.

Customers rave about his delicious, beautiful creations that add class and style to any occasion.

(upbeat music) We're here in Cookeville Tennessee with Diego Alvarez, owner and founder of Royal House of Cheese.

Diego, welcome to the show.

- Thank you for having me, I appreciate it.

- First of all, what is Royal House of Cheese, what do you all do?

- So Royal has a cheese is a catering business that I started about three years ago, and we specialize in cheese boards, charcuterie and grazing tables, and any artistic food arrangements.

- [Michael] How did you get the idea for this business?

- So, like I said, about three years ago, I was entertaining having friends over, I was cooking, but then I got tired of the cleaning afterwards, so one day I said, you know what?

I just need something simple for my guests, and during that time, the whole cheeseboard and charcuterie trend was happening, and so, I was on Pinterest and I saw some cheese boards, I was like, oh, I like those, I think I'm just gonna do one of those, and so I did, and my guests loved it, and then I started doing more and more of them.

And then I noticed on Instagram and on Facebook that cheeseboard started coming up more, you know, the more I researched it, the more they were coming up, so the more ideas I got, and then I realized that there was businesses in Australia that were doing grazing tables and luxury picnics, and they do all that.

So, that's kind of how I got the idea.

- So you started out your business with really just an idea, you were serving it to friends, and then it has become what it is today, three years later, so, you know, as a business owner, what is some of the most important things that you've learned so far.

- Going into business, I mean, I never went to school for business, I knew nothing about business, I was really intimidated, cause I knew that it wasn't gonna be easy, and I'm really just learning as I go, you know, I learned time management, I learned, you know, I've already been good at talking to people, I was already good at that, but I'm learning things like that.

Networking is very important, and I'm learning every day.

- So you said you don't have any formal business training, but yet you've turned this into a successful business.

Where are you going to learn and what resources are you utilizing?

- So Google, YouTube, I watch videos all the time on entrepreneurship and how to run a business, I ask people in town who run their own businesses and who are entrepreneurs, I kind of pick their brains, I ask them questions whenever I seen them out, or whenever I run into them, I just, you know, use the tools that I have.

- So, why do you think it's important, especially in a rural area to have resources like The Biz Foundry and the Small Business Development Center?

- Well, like I said, it's kind of intimidating starting your own business, a lot of people that go into entrepreneurship like me, they don't really know what to do, they don't know what the next step is, what to do next, and so, having, you know, the Small Business Development Center and resources like that it's just so helpful, you feel like you kind of have someone that's there for you, and you just go to them for help and they help you out, and they saved my life honestly.

- You know, so you talked about owning a business, you know, starting out is intimidating, and I'm sure, you know, and talking to a lot of business owners, just the fact of owning a business is stressful.

How are you balancing that stress and intimidation at the same time?

- I just kinda, you know, just kind of roll with the punches, you know, it's like, I get stressed and then I think to myself, it's okay, we're gonna get through this, you know, just keep ongoing.

Stress is gonna happen, I mean, it's a normal thing, and so, I just kind of push it to the side, you know, and just kind of try to focus on what I got to do.

- So I understand that you were a medic in the air force for several years.

First of all, thank you for your service, second of all, how do you think that military services prepared you to be an entrepreneur?

- Well, first, thank you for your support, and like I said before, you kind of have to push stress to the side, you know, things are gonna come up, you just kind of have to focus on what you're doing, and that's one thing that the military taught me how to do in basic training, and then my career in the air force was a medic, so, if you have a patient coming in and they're bleeding and dying, you don't have time to really stress or worry.

- And that translates right into business, doesn't it?

- Yes.

- So, you're originally from San Diego, California, and now you're doing business here in the rural region of Upper Cumberland of Tennessee, how did you get here?

- So, I was like you said, I was born and raised in San Diego, I moved here when I was a junior in high school, my stepdad is from Byrdstown Tennessee, so he moved us all up here, and it was kind of like, you know, the clamp it, but it was like, you know, the opposite, you know, it was like city meets, you know, rural Tennessee, and so, I'm not gonna lie, I didn't really like it when I first moved here, so as soon as I graduated high school, I joined the air force, left, but then after my air force career I ended up coming back, and I actually enjoyed it, and I learned to love it, and I mean, Cookeville is just amazing, so, and it was a great place to start my small business and this community is great, and they've helped out so much, and you know, I've fell in love with Cookeville, I love Cookeville, and I feel like I'm here to stay now.

- What do businesses in rural areas like the Upper Cumberland, what do they need to survive?

- The community, for sure, the people that live in that small rural area, I mean, that's like the backbone, that's who you need, you know, that's who is gonna give you the business, so, that's why it's important to go out there and, you know, shake hands and kiss babies and meet your neighbors and everyone, because they're the ones that are gonna support your business, they're gonna, you know, elevate you and push you, we have each other when it's a smaller community.

- Well, similar question, but speaking directly to the legislators, the policymakers in the area, what can they do to help make small businesses thrive in our area?

- What they can do is draw more attention to small businesses, and supporting small businesses, and the people already do that, so I feel like, the people that are above us when it comes to politics, they should also try to push for that, you know, instead of corporate.

- You know, one of the great things about entrepreneurs and small business owners, is they give back to the community.

What are some ways that you've given back?

- Well, I don't know if you've heard about the Steven Center, so the Stevens Center is a nonprofit organization, and what they do is, they're huge advocates for child abuse and neglect prevention, and they support healthy families, and so, I have tried to give back to the community by joining the board of directors for them, and helping them with their fundraisers and just giving them more exposure, it's a great nonprofit here in town, and so I try to give back.

- So pivoting a little bit, let's go back all the way back to when you decided you were gonna make this a business.

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

- How expensive cheese and cured meats are.

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

- Well, you know, I had decided to go into the charcuterie business, well, a lot of the stuff that goes on it, you know, the fresh fruits, even the dried fruits, the nuts, the cheeses, the cured meats, all that it's pricey, you know, so, in order for me to make a profit, I have to charge more, plus I had to take into consideration my time and my artistry that goes into it, it's something I wish I would have been more aware of, you know, that and how many things you need to start a business.

You need an accountant, a bookkeeper, you need someone to do your website, you need someone to take your photos, you need, if you're in catering, a certified kitchen, you know, also health department will get you, so it's like, there's so many things that I wish I would've known, and like I said, I was just learning as I went, and I'm like, okay, here's a list, and I would check one or three off, and as soon as I checked one off, five others would pop up, I'm like, okay, now I've got to check that off, and so, I just kept on going and going and going.

- But now you're here, you're clearly successful, you love what you do.

So this show speaks directly to people thinking about creating a business, but maybe they're on the fence and just haven't really decided to actually do it yet, what advice would you give to them?

- Just take that leap, you know, take that jump, start that business, especially if it's a passion of yours, why not?

You know, and let's just say it doesn't work out.

Okay, you know, just move on to the next thing, at least you tried, and then you won't be, you won't regret not having started that business, you know, and so, yeah, any person out there that wants to start a business, just do it, that's all I can say, cause I mean, that's what I did.

I was hesitant, but I just, I jumped and I did it and I'm glad I did it, and now looking back, I'm just, you know, I wanna thank myself, you know, Diego, three years ago, I just wanna thank him and be like, thank you for doing this, thank you for having the courage to start your own business.

- So we've talked about Diego three years ago, talked about Diego right now, what's the future for Royal House of Cheese?

- So, I want my business to grow, I want all of the Upper Cumberland to know what the Royal House of Cheese is , I want, you know, like I said, maybe to expand to other areas, maybe Nashville, maybe Knoxville area, I want to share my passion, and you know what I do with the world.

- Well, I have no doubt you'll get there.

Diego, thank you so much for being on the show.

- Thank you, thank you for having me, I appreciate it.

(upbeat music) - Hey there, my name is Kelley Hunter, the intake coordinator for the Business Resource Collective.

The Business Resource Collective is your one-stop shop for all your small business needs that include free resources, to ensure your small business will survive and thrive.

The BRC was created by the Upper Cumberland partners, the Small Business Development Center at UCDD, WCTE, the central PBS affiliate, Tennessee Tech Center for Rural Innovation, and The Biz Foundry.

You may have heard of BRC partner, Tennessee Tech center for Rural Innovation, on the last episode of "It's Your Business," speak about the resources out there for entrepreneurs or small business owners like you here in Upper Cumberland.

I'm going to elaborate a little bit on the specific assistance we can offer and provide you with an overview on how you and your business can start connecting to free resources and to the professionals who can provide mentorship, and the specific steps need to take to grow your business today.

So who do we help?

So if you are located here in the Upper Cumberland, and wish to start a business or grow your existing business, we are here for you, our partners that have created the BRC, all have a specific expertise in how they can assist your small business.

If you have a business idea and you have nowhere to start, we can connect you to the Tennessee Small Business Development Center, to learn and work with their lead counselors on creating a business plan and learning more about potential funding options that you may qualify for.

You have a business plan, but you need more direction as an entrepreneur?

Let us connect you to The Biz Foundry who offer multiple workshops, and social networking opportunities.

Need graphic design help?

No problem, Tennessee Tech Center for Rural Innovation can assign a student intern to assist you, the logo creation, a branding package and more.

No matter what stage of business you're in, we have the direct contacts you need to plan and meet your goals.

We have assisted a little over 100 startups and growing businesses here in the Upper Cumberland, and we know we can help you as well.

The process is easy, and you're literally just a click away from being connected.

Go to BRCollective.org, enter your info and select a time and day to schedule a zoom call with me, and we will take a deeper dive discussing your current business needs, goals or any roadblocks you may be experiencing.

Once we talk, I will send you an email with all of the resources and direct contacts who will help you through each stage of business as you move forward in your journey to becoming a successful entrepreneur.

Having access to a group of small business supporters and mentors is vital, to success as a small business owner and entrepreneur.

We are here to help you every step of the way, and I look forward to connecting with you soon.

You can also find us on Facebook and Instagram @BRCOLLECTIVETN.

- 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) - [Man] "It's Your Business" with Michael Aikens is brought to you by WCTE PBS and the Center for Rural Innovation with funding provided by a grant from USDA Rural Development.

This series was produced under an agreement with Tennessee Tech University Center for Rural Innovation.

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

Thank you.

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