I Am A Mom and Pop

America is quickly fading away. I remember the days where people...

Thu, 09 May 2013 13:16:19 -0400

America is quickly fading away. I remember the days where people worked hard to make a living. When the day was settling down, you could look out as the sun set and know that today was a good day. Now we hand out free things left and right while also living way above our means. I know we can’t go backwards but I hope that we hold onto the old days of where everyone worked hard for what they had for as long as we can.

That’s my HOPE.

-Becky Pierce

“I stand by what I believe in and no one can take that...

Wed, 08 May 2013 12:59:00 -0400

“I stand by what I believe in and no one can take that away from me. Not even the government.”

A Life Worth Living

Wed, 01 May 2013 10:45:10 -0400

I grew up in a wealthy home as a kid. My dad was obsessed with making money, his car and living “the good life” in front of everyone around him. It affected me because I thought that was how things were because it’s all that I knew. There were so many times that as a kid that I wished he would take the time to go camping with me or have an adventure together instead of always working.

My mom was so different from my father. She didn’t need much, she was humble and loved her kids with all of her heart. I was always closer to mom growing up because when she spent time with you, she wanted to be there in that moment with you rather than feeling like “it had to be done.”

My dad wanted my brothers and I to take after him and become a doctor or work somewhere in the medical field. The sad part was that he did most of it because of the lifestyle and not to help actual patients. I never understood that even until this day. In college my dad came to visit me and while sitting at lunch he told me that he was leaving my mom. As I sat there in disbelief all I could say is, “Why?” And he replied with, “I’ve never really been true to your mother for years and now it’s time for me to move on with my life.”

Some of you may have your mouths dropped right now or some may be thinking “I can totally relate to you right now.” That was such a blow to me in that moment. I had always wondered how the two of them fit together but now it all made sense. Mom loved being a mom but was in some ways trapped but had a good life being taken care of…

In that moment, I went back to my dorm room and called the administration office to let them know I was no longer attending medical school. Sure, it may have been a quick call but as I saw my father make the choices he did, I knew I did not want to go anywhere near that path he was going down. Not in any way am I bashing the medical field, this was solely a decision due to what I grew up with.

I was 20 and had dropped out of college not knowing what the heck I was going to do. There’s a pier that I always use to go to right off the North Carolina shore. I was sitting there one afternoon just trying to do a little thinking about what to do with my life when I noticed this homeless guy sitting there on the beach. He turned around and looked right at me. You could feel his eyes just staring into your soul too. I looked away and when I looked back he was already making his way up to me. Of course I had a thought that he was going to come attack me or ask me for money which I didn’t have. He came and sat right beside me. He didn’t say anything for a few minutes and as I tried to break the awkwardness he says, “Shhh, just listen.” We sat there for another few minutes and then he asked me, “What are you searching for son?”

Me: “I have no idea what direction to take with my life. What I’ve known or grown up with is now just a blur.”

Man: “Don’t look at bad things that happen in your life as being punished, look at them as if your next chapter is about to be written. I had everything you could ever want or that money could buy about a year ago. I lost my job, my house, friends (that weren’t real friends) and what others might call the ‘good life.’

Me: “You lost it all? How are you making it now without anything?”

Man: “Ah, you see that’s just it…I didn’t really need a thing, I needed a new perspective. Too many feel like they have to have this perfect life when really there is no perfect life even though people like to pretend on facebook. Yes, I know what facebook is kid. Now that I don’t live the fast life I’ve learned to slow down and notice things around me, even people just like you.”

Me: “So you want to stay this way or do you have an idea of what you want to do from here?”

Man: “You see that for sale sign over there hanging in that beach front store? I would love to open a restaurant right there where people can walk to and from the beach while enjoying some good southern food. That’s what I would do at least.”

Me: “That actually sounds like a great plan. I have always wanted to own my own business but never shared that with my dad because he wouldn’t get it. He tended to look down on many small business owners.”

Man: “Well then what are you waiting for? Life is short kid to spend it doing things that you hate or wasting it away just away a ton of money. You don’t have to have all the answers, you just have to have faith.”

Me: “You’re right. I’ve just never had anyone tell me that. I’ve always been given everything rather than working for something and I feel like that’s what I’ve been missing. This is always what I wished my dad would have done with me, just sit and listen to me. How did you know that I was searching for something?”

Man: “It’s called slowing down and it’s what I do.”

As the man stood up, the sun hit his face just at the perfect moment that literally almost blinded me where I had to turn and look away. I stood up and he stuck out his hand to me while saying, “Go find what makes you happy, don’t be afraid but also never let money consume you that it blinds what you’re here to do.”

He walked away and back down to the beach. As I started to walk away, I turned back to see if he was still down there and he was gone. Yes, gone.

Fast forward 5 years later…

I now own a surf shop on the beach and also teach disabled kids how to surf. I’ve never been happier. A few months after I spoke to the man on the beach, I talked with my mom about what I wanted to do and she said to me, “I knew you would find your way and do something amazing with your life.” She had put away money over time in hopes that my brothers and I would break out of the family mold that my dad built around us. She helped me fund the beginning stages of my surf shop and helped me in every aspect possible to make it one amazing business. Who knew that mom was such a business savvy person?

I went back to the beach a few months later to try and find that man I had spoken to but he was nowhere to be found. I asked a local cop if he had seen him around but he said to me, “Son, I’ve been working this area for 10 years and never seen the man you’re describing to me.”

I had to really think about it and wondered if it was a dream or something but I know it wasn’t a dream at all. It was real. Maybe he was an angel, I wouldn’t doubt it at all. Whatever he was, I owed him a big thank you for taking the time to listen and making me realize it’s ok to slow down and pay attention.

Here’s to doing what you love and a life worth living.

-Graham

There use to be a time where a handshake was...

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 20:06:54 -0400

There use to be a time where a handshake was “enough” to do business.

I saw this on Huffington Post and this really puts things in perspective. I’ve been in business for 10 years and the last 5 years have been a fast track for technology/social media. I was talking to a friend the other day and they asked what our twitter handle was, our instagram account, facebook fan page etc.

Let me be clear, I am up to date with things but I choose not to use the social media stuff because it takes up way too much of my time and I partly think it’s a joke. I’m sure your mouth is dropping right now and judging me for not “keeping up with the times” BUT my friend, that is where you are wrong. My father ran a business for over 40 years on a handshake, honesty and face to face interaction with customers. He instilled these values in me with my own business that are the core of what businesses today are missing out on.

I’m 33 and most think that I’m crazy for not using social media for my business or even personally but what can I say, I don’t like to follow the crowd. I’ve had more people tell me that they love the fact that we provide the “old school” way of customer service rather than only responding by email, tweets or even automated phone messages.

Why am I telling you this? Because, you need to know that it’s okay to run your business the way YOU want to run it. Don’t get caught up in the nonsense that society tells you run with and that it’s the only way that your business will succeed. The business depends on you and your hard work, not how many tweets you send out a day.

The old school way is not out of style…

-Jeremiah in TN

Grandma's Cookies

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 22:20:25 -0400

When I was 8, I can remember sitting there in my grandmothers kitchen watching her bake all afternoon. She made these cookies that were her specialty and what she called, “love patties.” They were a chocolate cookie with chocolate chips with a hint of mint in them. They would melt in your mouth when they first came out of the oven.

This was the first time I realized that baking was going to become a huge part of my life…

Fast forward 20 years later and I now own a small bakery in the heart of downtown Nashville. When I first opened my store 4 years ago, I didn’t have the money to start. I weighed all of my options and almost had to give up this dream that I had for so long until grandma Georgia came over to my apartment and laid a small envelope on my table. It was the startup money that I needed to make my dream a reality. As tears started to roll down my face, I turned to her and said, “I can’t take this from you!”

She says to me, “You can and you will. My dream is to see you make your dream happen and that’s what would ultimately make me happy.”

3 months later, I opened my store and it has been one amazing journey. It has not been easy by any means and there are even days I just want to throw in the towel. But I have built something based on something and someone that I love dearly which is the driving force behind what I do. Grandma Georgia passed away a year ago but I feel like she is with me everyday in that kitchen.

I was about to give up on my dreams simply because the funds weren’t there and yes that is a very important thing when it comes to STARTING a business. But if you’re persistent then things will happen like they are suppose to and who knows you may have someone who believes in you to help make your dream come true.

Never stop believing in the possibility that things CAN happen.

Love from Nashville,

Kristen

5 Words To Toss Out Of Your Business Vocabulary

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 23:02:00 -0500

Can’t
Excuse
Greed
Impossible
Fear

“Be REAL and optimistic.”

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 13:14:19 -0500

“Be REAL and optimistic.”

What does "small business" mean?

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 14:46:16 -0500

I had a customer ask me this question the other day:

“What does ‘small business’ mean to you?”

Here’s my reply:

To me, small business is that warm feeling of comfort and home. You know that feeling when something makes you happy and you are completely comfortable with your surroundings? That’s small business.

It’s a small town in the fall, you take it in and love that feeling you get when people smile at you while you walk the streets. That’s small business.

It’s seeing old faces that bring a smile to your face because they know who you are. That’s small business.

-Brenda Eaton, GA

Keep Fighting and Be an Honest Business Owner

Sat, 16 Feb 2013 10:57:28 -0500

I’ve been a business owner for 30 years in Nashville, TN and sadly I had to shut my doors two weeks ago. My plan was to pass down this business to my sons but idea has completely gone out the window.

Why did I shut my doors you ask?

It’s simple. Our economy has been in the toilet the past 4 years and caused many of our customers to not spend money or become scared of what’s to come. I understand that completely because even as a business owner, you’re looking around thinking, “how can I make it fair for my customers while still putting food on the table?”

Over these 30 years I have never seen our country become so self-centered and to the point where literally nobody can get along. I miss the days where you could make a deal on a handshake rather than now a large contract that even between friends becomes an issue.

I’m heartbroken with losing my business but mostly because I couldn’t pass it down to my sons to carry on with. That was my goal besides being successful enough to always have food on the table. My heart is also broken for our country and for our kids with where the economy is heading right now. My generation needs to get their act together and fight to keep this country from crumbling from the inside.

As a business owner, father, American and Christian, I say this in the best way possible…stop focusing on what’s in it for you and focus on helping those around you because that my friend is what living is all about. Real people don’t care what kind of car you drive, the house you live in, your perfect life (which doesn’t exist) or how much money you have in the bank. If they do, they are not your friends or someone you should surround yourself with.

Getting off the soapbox now…

Fellow business owners, keep fighting and always be honest with your business.

- a southerner who cares

“Failure has a way of making you realize what you can and...

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 13:56:32 -0500

“Failure has a way of making you realize what you can and can’t handle.”

A Truck Driver's Story

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 14:25:00 -0500

I’ve been a truck driver for over 16 years and I’ve had the chance to see a lot of places and not to mention, met some great people along the way. About 2 years ago I was cutting through Oklahoma and decided to stop for a hot coffee to warm up and get a shot of caffeine. I went into a small cafe and ordered a coffee. As I walked in I noticed an older gentleman on the pay-phone talking to someone about how he was doing his best to get there on time. I got my coffee and as I was headed out the door, I saw the man quietly walk outside by himself. I went up to him and asked if he could use a ride and his eyes immediately lit up and replied with, ” You don’t mind? That would be so great!” I asked where he was headed and he said he was headed to TN which is exactly where I was headed to make a drop off.

We jumped in the truck and headed towards our destination. The old man was quiet for a while so I decided to ask him who he was talking to on the phone with at the cafe. He said to me, “Let me tell you a little story… about 25 years ago I went into business with my brother. We had big dreams and wanted to make them all come true together. One day we didn’t see eye to eye over something so stupid and small that it caused us to not speak to each other for the last 10 years. 2 days ago I got a phone call that he had passed away from cancer. He had asked for me to come see him when they knew he didn’t have much time left but I couldn’t set my pride aside enough to go see him and now I am left with this to deal with this pain. I’m headed to TN to lay him to rest and face family that I left behind because of our pointless fallout.”

The man got quiet again and then turns to me to say, “Do you have sisters or brothers?” And I said to him,”Yes, I have 2 older brothers who I haven’t spoken with in a while.” He stares off out to the window again and then says to me, “Son, don’t take life for granted and most of all, set aside your pride and mend broken relationships with those you care about. I have so many regrets and I was that person who told everyone else to live with no regrets but couldn’t make that happen in my own life.” I just told him, “Yes sir.”

We didn’t speak again until we got to our destination. I dropped him off and as I went to shake his hand, I saw tears welling up in his eyes. He says to me, “Whatever reason you have not touched base with your brothers, fix it.” I nodded and watched him slowly walk to the car he got into to be on his way. I completed my drop off and I decided to call my oldest brother first. We chatted and as we were catching up he said to me, “I’m so glad you called, I was just diagnosed with pancreatic cancer yesterday and I need your support right now to get through this.”

My heart sank.

I know you hear people talk about things happening for a reason and after meeting the man that I took TN, it was even more real to me. It took a stranger telling me about his past and mistake for me to open my eyes. My brother passed away about 4 months later but it brought my other brother and I together again. I now help with the business they were running together to help carry on my brother’s dream and legacy.

My advice to you is to never write off a stranger or someone passing by. They may be the key to waking you up when you need it most and most definitely never let something that you care about fade away.

I Am A Mom and Pop

Phillip Tremble

“If you can run a business, you can do anything.”

Tue, 15 Jan 2013 16:10:00 -0500

“If you can run a business, you can do anything.”

A Tale of a Cook

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 14:36:13 -0500

I had a lady say to me as she took her sandwich, “You did such a great job making that as I watched you.” I smiled and at her and as I said “thank you,” a flash of memories came over me…

I was cooking in my restaurant and talking with all of my regular customers while sharing laughs as they ate their food. I was a small business owner for 20 years and owned a breakfast/lunch shop in Texas. Just last year I had to shut my doors unfortunately due to the economy. It was the hardest thing I had to do and learning to set your pride aside is not an easy thing to do, especially as an entrepreneur.

I handed her the sandwich and said, “I appreciate that, I use to own my own restaurant and love doing what I do.” I now work in a Publix deli making sandwiches. You wouldn’t believe how many others are out there that are doing the same thing as me right now. The thing that you learn and take away from this is, don’t ever consider something a failure. What you do right now only leads you to the next chapter in your life. I’m doing what I need to do right now and I know that there’s a reason I’m doing just that.

A forever mom and pop,

Melonie

“Sometimes life throws you a curveball.”

Wed, 09 Jan 2013 20:29:43 -0500

“Sometimes life throws you a curveball.”

Written, photographed and directed by: Robert Hooman This video...

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 12:41:22 -0500

Written, photographed and directed by: Robert Hooman

This video was produced to promote the crowd-funding platform, Fairstreet.com, which is intended to help small businesses raise start-up and expansion capitol. When we were approached for this project, we thought we want to focus on the heart and passion behind a small business. After a few days of scouting Mom and Pop Shops throughout Brooklyn, we met Meghan and Jeff or Mable’s Smokehouse and decided they’d best represent our intentions and goals for this project. Plus, they were literally a mom and pop!

Meghan and Jeff’s story was exactly the stuff that goes into starting one’s own business: love, passion and sacrifice, especially in this economic environment. The challenge after that was telling their story effectively.

In only two weeks, this video has seen over 11,500 hits on youtube. Fortunately, social media, blogs and video are allowing small businesses to compete and prosper on their own, without the limits and expenses brought about by traditional TV and Magazine advertising. Thanks to youtube, videos like this can easily rake up hundreds of thousands of hits and help promote the business and drive customers to websites.

- Robert Hooman

Watch on Youtube or Vimeo

“Hang around like minded people, you attract what you...

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 09:41:25 -0500

“Hang around like minded people, you attract what you are.” via Karen & Leslie, FeeltheHugs.com

Two Brothers, Two Different Dreams

Sat, 05 Jan 2013 11:00:05 -0500

My brother and I grew up in Alabama where we worked in a small family restaurant. As kids it was great because we didn’t have a care in the world and we would rather be there than playing outside. As we got older, my brother and I started to have totally different tastes in what we liked even in our taste for what we did for fun.

Dad passed away when we were getting out of high school which left the business to my mom. About a year later she was diagnosed with cancer and had to take it easy on running the business on a day to day basis. In turn, that meant that my brother and I had to step it up. I was willing to dive in and take over for mom but my brother was hesitant. As much as he said he was down with working with me, you could see it written all over his face that he was not into it like he said he was.

About a week later, my brother came through the door and said he was headed to Chicago and going to finish his law degree. Before I could change his mind, he had already made up his and was packed ready to go. As he left he turned to me and said, “There are far better things out there for me than working at some small restaurant in a small town.” I didn’t have a reply for him except to say, “I’ll miss you brother.” When he walked out the door I knew it would be a long time before we saw each other again.

7 years later…the restaurant was running strong, mom was doing better and from the few times we spoke with my brother he seemed to be living the life he wanted. He got married, had a kid but traveled all the time and liked “things” and was truly all about himself to the core. One morning a man drove up in a sporty BMW and I could swear it was my brother. He got out of the car and you could tell he was just lost which is when I knew it was definitely my brother Jeffrey. He walked in and we sat down at a small table in the back to talk. We started off with small talk and then he told me, “I’ve cheated on my wife.” As I was about to open my mouth, he blurted out that it was not the first time and he never really wanted to get married but it just seemed like a good thing to do at the time. He then tells me he wants me to tell his wife about what he’s done so he can move on and continue doing the things he wants to do which include the fancy cars, women, clean clothes and his blackberry that he can’t let go of for the life of him. I asked him, “Why don’t you just come clean and move back here where you can enjoy what you have and the people around you?” He laughed and said, “This isn’t a life, this is just a joke. Once you have the nice things and get out of the po-dunk way of living, then you’re living.” I could tell he meant what he said as he flashed his fake smile while he spoke. At that moment I realized that I could not change his mind and that I was the one meant to be a small family business owner, not him. He walked away and said, “Don’t forget to help me break this to Angie. I have to catch a flight but take care and we will chat soon.”

Why am I telling you this story? Because whether you are a business owner, husband, wife, sibling or someone battling looking to find your path in life, you can relate to this story in some way. Can’t you? Many small businesses are owned by families and sometimes we think that all family was meant to be a part of the business. That’s where we’re wrong. Everyone is different and not everyone is meant to do the same thing. There is nothing wrong with pursuing what you want to do in life but don’t make the wrong choices and continue to hurt people along the way. My brother would constantly say to me when we were kids, “Why would I screw this up when I have it so good?” I’m assuming that’s what he said to many people around him while he had other plans on his mind. Life is going to be messy but don’t put yourself in situations where there’s a chance you will mess up faster. I’ve been living in the same town and working at the same place for years but I am truly happy with my life. Don’t think that where you live, what you drive, what you wear is what defines you in this life.

My advice to you as a person and business owner is to not let money or things blind you. Surround yourself with those who make you better and not mediocre. Running a business is not easy but it’s a way of life and if you’re ready for it then jump in with all you have. With the new year ahead of you, think of it as a clean slate for yourself and your business.

I Am A Mom and Pop

-Michael M. in Alabama

“When family passes down a business, you make sure to...

Fri, 04 Jan 2013 18:12:14 -0500

“When family passes down a business, you make sure to continuously protect the name.”

New Stories and Quotes Coming soon!

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 14:10:57 -0500

Just to update you, we’ve been on a hiatus and enjoying our holidays just like you have (or we hope you have!). New stories and quotes are coming your way starting tomorrow.

Have a story you want to share with fellow business owners, entrepreneurs and many others listening out there? Submit them to iamamomandpop(at)gmail.com

Make sure and enjoy past stories too!

We’ve made life too complicated.

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 21:56:00 -0500

We’ve made life too complicated.