1 00:00:03,400 --> 00:00:08,479 Speaker 1: Ruby. The views, information, and opinions expressed during this podcast 2 00:00:08,520 --> 00:00:10,760 Speaker 1: are solely those of the individuals involved and do not 3 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:12,800 Speaker 1: represent those of Into It QuickBooks or any of its 4 00:00:12,800 --> 00:00:16,640 Speaker 1: cornerstone brands or employees. This podcast does not constitute financial, legal, 5 00:00:16,720 --> 00:00:19,479 Speaker 1: or other professional advice or services. No assurance is given 6 00:00:19,480 --> 00:00:22,480 Speaker 1: that the information is comprehensive, accurate, or free of errors, 7 00:00:22,480 --> 00:00:25,560 Speaker 1: and the information presented is for information purposes only. Into 8 00:00:25,600 --> 00:00:28,160 Speaker 1: It QuickBooks does not have any responsibility for updating or 9 00:00:28,200 --> 00:00:31,920 Speaker 1: revising any information presented. Listeners should verify statements before relying 10 00:00:31,960 --> 00:00:40,760 Speaker 1: on them. Hello and welcome to another episode of Mind 11 00:00:40,760 --> 00:00:43,960 Speaker 1: the Business Small Business Success Stories, a podcast brought to 12 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:47,920 Speaker 1: you by Intuit QuickBooks and Ruby Studio from iHeartMedia. Y'all 13 00:00:48,040 --> 00:00:51,320 Speaker 1: know me. I'm Jinny's torres Here, author of Financially Lit, 14 00:00:51,400 --> 00:00:53,800 Speaker 1: The Modern Latina's Guide to level up your de netto 15 00:00:54,080 --> 00:00:57,640 Speaker 1: and become financially Polarosa and hosts of the podcast Jocquio 16 00:00:57,680 --> 00:00:58,560 Speaker 1: di Netto and. 17 00:00:58,520 --> 00:01:01,600 Speaker 2: I'm Austin Hankwitz, host of the Rich Habits podcast and 18 00:01:01,640 --> 00:01:04,759 Speaker 2: co founder of Wits Ventures. I also make TikTok videos 19 00:01:04,800 --> 00:01:09,160 Speaker 2: about personal finance and investing. Very excited, Jenise to dive 20 00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:11,080 Speaker 2: into today's topic, Me. 21 00:01:11,120 --> 00:01:14,000 Speaker 1: Too, Austin. Today, we've got a fun one. We're actually 22 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:17,440 Speaker 1: gonna be talking about that transition from side hustle to spotlight. 23 00:01:17,880 --> 00:01:20,800 Speaker 1: You know, it's that moment when that somewhat profitable hobby 24 00:01:20,840 --> 00:01:23,800 Speaker 1: you start in your basement expands and actually becomes your career. 25 00:01:24,240 --> 00:01:26,360 Speaker 1: It is a beautiful thing if you can pull it off. 26 00:01:27,160 --> 00:01:29,360 Speaker 2: It certainly is. And our guest is going to tell 27 00:01:29,440 --> 00:01:32,759 Speaker 2: us her incredible story about how she did just that. 28 00:01:33,160 --> 00:01:35,840 Speaker 2: But first, there's one thing you should always do when 29 00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:38,600 Speaker 2: you start any kind of side hustle, and that is 30 00:01:38,840 --> 00:01:42,959 Speaker 2: to treat it like your main job by keeping it organized. 31 00:01:43,240 --> 00:01:45,480 Speaker 2: Make sure that you're managing those books. If there is 32 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:48,720 Speaker 2: any money involved at all, you definitely want to keep 33 00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:51,240 Speaker 2: it organized, no matter how small it might be, because 34 00:01:51,280 --> 00:01:54,040 Speaker 2: when the day comes where it does eventually blow up, 35 00:01:54,080 --> 00:01:56,400 Speaker 2: because we know it will because you listen to the show, 36 00:01:56,800 --> 00:01:59,360 Speaker 2: you don't want to get caught scrambling to bring everything 37 00:01:59,440 --> 00:02:01,080 Speaker 2: up to speed retroactively. 38 00:02:01,280 --> 00:02:03,400 Speaker 1: No matter how small your hustle is when it starts, 39 00:02:03,640 --> 00:02:06,160 Speaker 1: quick books can help you keep it organized and you 40 00:02:06,200 --> 00:02:08,960 Speaker 1: can continue to use those services as you grow and 41 00:02:09,040 --> 00:02:10,720 Speaker 1: when you get that big break and make it into 42 00:02:10,720 --> 00:02:13,320 Speaker 1: the primetime and turn your passion into your main income. 43 00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:17,000 Speaker 1: You'll have everything you need right there. And then, Austin, 44 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:19,120 Speaker 1: I'm curious for you. What was that moment in the 45 00:02:19,160 --> 00:02:22,799 Speaker 1: spotlight for you? When did you first realize ooh uh, 46 00:02:22,840 --> 00:02:25,200 Speaker 1: I don't know if this is a side hustle anymore. 47 00:02:26,720 --> 00:02:30,040 Speaker 2: It was September twenty twenty one and I was on 48 00:02:30,080 --> 00:02:34,120 Speaker 2: the cover of Bloomberg's website. It was a story that 49 00:02:34,280 --> 00:02:38,760 Speaker 2: essentially said, these financial influencers are now making more money 50 00:02:38,800 --> 00:02:42,519 Speaker 2: than Wall Street investment bankers. It was incredible and that 51 00:02:42,680 --> 00:02:44,680 Speaker 2: was definitely the moment where I realized, wait a second, 52 00:02:44,680 --> 00:02:47,760 Speaker 2: this side hustle is no longer just a little side hustle. 53 00:02:47,800 --> 00:02:49,440 Speaker 2: This is a business, and I need to make sure 54 00:02:49,480 --> 00:02:52,520 Speaker 2: I go all in on it. What about you, What 55 00:02:52,560 --> 00:02:55,120 Speaker 2: was that big break where you're like, yep, this is real. 56 00:02:55,320 --> 00:02:57,720 Speaker 2: I need to go make sure this is my real, 57 00:02:57,960 --> 00:02:59,440 Speaker 2: real career going forward. 58 00:02:59,560 --> 00:03:02,560 Speaker 1: Yeah. So I actually got invited to do a virtual 59 00:03:02,639 --> 00:03:06,120 Speaker 1: speaking engagement, and so I got reached out to by 60 00:03:06,160 --> 00:03:09,440 Speaker 1: a really big company and they were like, can we 61 00:03:09,480 --> 00:03:12,320 Speaker 1: pay you four thousand dollars for an hour long workshop? 62 00:03:12,520 --> 00:03:15,200 Speaker 1: And they wanted me to teach this like on a Thursday, 63 00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:17,239 Speaker 1: you know, at two o'clock or something, and I'm still 64 00:03:17,240 --> 00:03:20,519 Speaker 1: working full time at this point, so I'm like, absolutely, yes, 65 00:03:20,720 --> 00:03:23,119 Speaker 1: where do I sign up? I took the day off, 66 00:03:23,120 --> 00:03:26,160 Speaker 1: I took PTO to go and do this gig. And 67 00:03:26,200 --> 00:03:28,760 Speaker 1: for me, I realized like I had made more money 68 00:03:28,760 --> 00:03:30,840 Speaker 1: in that one hour than I would have made in 69 00:03:30,919 --> 00:03:33,680 Speaker 1: like two weeks at work. And I said, I don't 70 00:03:33,720 --> 00:03:37,160 Speaker 1: know what's happening, but I'm going to follow this and 71 00:03:37,280 --> 00:03:40,119 Speaker 1: ride this train until the wheels fall off. 72 00:03:41,160 --> 00:03:41,360 Speaker 3: You know. 73 00:03:41,440 --> 00:03:43,600 Speaker 1: One thing I didn't realize though, is I was actually 74 00:03:43,680 --> 00:03:46,680 Speaker 1: creating a whole business that needed an infrastructure. So I 75 00:03:46,800 --> 00:03:48,520 Speaker 1: wish that I had the tips that we're going to 76 00:03:48,560 --> 00:03:50,640 Speaker 1: be sharing with y'all that we have pulled from a 77 00:03:50,720 --> 00:03:53,280 Speaker 1: Quick Books blog entry where we're going to be talking 78 00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:57,080 Speaker 1: about how to actually manage your side hustle finances. What's 79 00:03:57,120 --> 00:03:58,640 Speaker 1: the first tip you have for us, Austin. 80 00:03:59,360 --> 00:04:01,840 Speaker 2: The first tip is to get a business bank account 81 00:04:01,920 --> 00:04:04,760 Speaker 2: so you can separate your side hustle income from your 82 00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:08,840 Speaker 2: personal finances. I promise you, when your business eventually blows up, 83 00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:13,120 Speaker 2: being able to have that separation, specifically for taxes, is 84 00:04:13,160 --> 00:04:14,680 Speaker 2: going to be incredibly important. 85 00:04:15,040 --> 00:04:17,840 Speaker 1: Absolutely. I think a great next step is establishing your 86 00:04:17,880 --> 00:04:20,600 Speaker 1: business budget. You want to make sure you're tracking expenses 87 00:04:20,680 --> 00:04:23,040 Speaker 1: and avoiding what happens to a lot of new entrepreneurs, 88 00:04:23,040 --> 00:04:25,919 Speaker 1: which is that shiny object syndrome. Okay, you want to 89 00:04:25,920 --> 00:04:28,400 Speaker 1: know where your money's going, especially in the beginning when 90 00:04:28,640 --> 00:04:29,560 Speaker 1: every dollar counts. 91 00:04:29,720 --> 00:04:32,280 Speaker 2: That takes us to our third tip, which is investing 92 00:04:32,480 --> 00:04:35,400 Speaker 2: into that financial management in those business tools. 93 00:04:35,520 --> 00:04:35,719 Speaker 1: Right. 94 00:04:35,920 --> 00:04:38,000 Speaker 2: It's one thing to see, Okay, I've got expenses here, 95 00:04:38,080 --> 00:04:40,839 Speaker 2: I've got some revenue here. A completely other thing is 96 00:04:40,880 --> 00:04:43,560 Speaker 2: making sure you're staying on top of those invoices. 97 00:04:43,120 --> 00:04:45,640 Speaker 1: And last but not least, making sure that you are 98 00:04:45,720 --> 00:04:49,760 Speaker 1: using invoicing tools to speed up payments. Right, I didn't 99 00:04:49,920 --> 00:04:51,760 Speaker 1: think about how I wanted to get paid for that 100 00:04:51,880 --> 00:04:54,520 Speaker 1: first speaking engagement until they asked me for an invoice. 101 00:04:54,560 --> 00:04:57,320 Speaker 1: So making sure that you have a system for getting 102 00:04:57,320 --> 00:05:00,440 Speaker 1: paid and with QuickBooks payments, your customers have so many 103 00:05:00,440 --> 00:05:02,720 Speaker 1: different ways to pay, so you can stop waiting for 104 00:05:02,760 --> 00:05:04,719 Speaker 1: your money and get paid for your work. 105 00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:08,320 Speaker 2: Like you said, Janie, I wish someone walked me through 106 00:05:08,360 --> 00:05:10,720 Speaker 2: these four tips before I started my business. I feel 107 00:05:10,760 --> 00:05:13,159 Speaker 2: like when you accidentally become a business owner, are just 108 00:05:13,400 --> 00:05:14,960 Speaker 2: flying by the seat of your pants. 109 00:05:15,200 --> 00:05:15,479 Speaker 3: Yeah. 110 00:05:15,520 --> 00:05:18,640 Speaker 1: Absolutely, And I think you know today's guest is going 111 00:05:18,720 --> 00:05:21,240 Speaker 1: to be an incredible teacher for a lot of folks 112 00:05:21,279 --> 00:05:23,920 Speaker 1: because she is going to be talking about her own 113 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:27,480 Speaker 1: journey from side hustle to spotlight. How about this, okay? 114 00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:31,320 Speaker 1: Going from a basement to six point five million in 115 00:05:31,480 --> 00:05:34,760 Speaker 1: yearly sales and an appearance on Shark Tank. As a 116 00:05:34,800 --> 00:05:37,560 Speaker 1: student at the University of Illinois or Bona Champaigne and 117 00:05:37,640 --> 00:05:42,920 Speaker 1: a cycle instructor and competitive bodybuilder, Charlotte Treecarton was very busy, 118 00:05:43,120 --> 00:05:46,200 Speaker 1: and she also knew how important hydration was and carried 119 00:05:46,200 --> 00:05:48,840 Speaker 1: her water bottle with her at all times. 120 00:05:48,560 --> 00:05:51,640 Speaker 2: And that's what sparked her multimillion dollar idea. In the 121 00:05:51,640 --> 00:05:54,400 Speaker 2: fall of twenty twenty, she had a spontaneous thought that 122 00:05:54,440 --> 00:05:56,440 Speaker 2: she would like to be able to hang her hair 123 00:05:56,520 --> 00:05:59,440 Speaker 2: tie on her water bottle instead of having to put 124 00:05:59,440 --> 00:06:02,360 Speaker 2: it around her wrist or in her pocket. This inspired 125 00:06:02,440 --> 00:06:05,719 Speaker 2: Charlotte to start creating. Over the next year, Charlotte designed 126 00:06:05,720 --> 00:06:09,120 Speaker 2: her product, navigated the patent process, and found a mentor 127 00:06:09,200 --> 00:06:12,159 Speaker 2: to show her the ropes of starting a business. Then, 128 00:06:12,279 --> 00:06:15,640 Speaker 2: in September of twenty twenty one, Charcharms made its very 129 00:06:15,640 --> 00:06:16,160 Speaker 2: first sale. 130 00:06:16,800 --> 00:06:19,080 Speaker 1: It turns out Charlotte wasn't the only one who thought 131 00:06:19,080 --> 00:06:22,719 Speaker 1: water bottle accessories were a necessity. Her sales grew slowly 132 00:06:22,880 --> 00:06:26,159 Speaker 1: and steadily, and she joined another mentorship program in twenty 133 00:06:26,160 --> 00:06:28,919 Speaker 1: twenty two and started sharing her story on TikTok and 134 00:06:28,960 --> 00:06:32,159 Speaker 1: built a following. She started landing more retailers and evolved 135 00:06:32,160 --> 00:06:33,520 Speaker 1: her products with market trends. 136 00:06:33,600 --> 00:06:36,000 Speaker 2: By the fall of twenty twenty three, she landed a 137 00:06:36,080 --> 00:06:39,640 Speaker 2: deal with Dick's Sporting Goods, which finally forced Charchcharms to 138 00:06:39,640 --> 00:06:43,919 Speaker 2: outgrow the basement and get into a warehouse. Recently, Charlotte 139 00:06:43,960 --> 00:06:46,680 Speaker 2: had an appearance on the TV show Shark Tank, where 140 00:06:46,680 --> 00:06:48,880 Speaker 2: she pitched a deal to the Sharks, went toe to 141 00:06:48,920 --> 00:06:51,279 Speaker 2: toe with them as they had a counter offer, and 142 00:06:51,520 --> 00:06:58,080 Speaker 2: ultimately walked away and left them in the dust. Charcharms 143 00:06:58,080 --> 00:07:00,680 Speaker 2: continues to grow and expand to this very day. It's 144 00:07:00,680 --> 00:07:03,000 Speaker 2: a very fun product with a great story behind it. 145 00:07:03,160 --> 00:07:06,560 Speaker 2: So everyone, please welcome Charlotte Treecarton to the show. Hi, 146 00:07:06,640 --> 00:07:08,920 Speaker 2: it's great to be here, Charlotte. This is going to 147 00:07:08,960 --> 00:07:11,000 Speaker 2: be so much fun. Thank you so much for joining us. 148 00:07:11,120 --> 00:07:14,760 Speaker 1: I'm really excited, Charlotte, your journey has been pretty quick 149 00:07:14,920 --> 00:07:18,239 Speaker 1: by entrepreneurial standards, right, So you went from an idea 150 00:07:18,240 --> 00:07:21,320 Speaker 1: in twenty twenty to launch age a massive retailer about 151 00:07:21,320 --> 00:07:23,840 Speaker 1: three years later, which is I think a credit obviously 152 00:07:23,920 --> 00:07:27,480 Speaker 1: to what you've created. Can you talk about that hustle 153 00:07:27,640 --> 00:07:28,840 Speaker 1: part of the side hustle? 154 00:07:29,880 --> 00:07:33,040 Speaker 3: Absolutely. I look for opportunities everywhere I go, and my 155 00:07:33,120 --> 00:07:36,160 Speaker 3: intention is to continue to build a bigger business. So 156 00:07:36,560 --> 00:07:39,320 Speaker 3: I think from the start that was what I had 157 00:07:39,320 --> 00:07:41,320 Speaker 3: my heart set on, was like, we are going to 158 00:07:41,320 --> 00:07:44,400 Speaker 3: grow at any means possible. And really when we started, 159 00:07:44,400 --> 00:07:47,880 Speaker 3: it was this small stick on hooks with charms that 160 00:07:47,920 --> 00:07:50,800 Speaker 3: I was handmaking. And when we had the opportunity to 161 00:07:50,840 --> 00:07:53,080 Speaker 3: launch in a retailer and a buyer said hey, can 162 00:07:53,120 --> 00:07:56,040 Speaker 3: you do these other products? Immediately I said yes, And 163 00:07:56,080 --> 00:07:58,120 Speaker 3: I had no idea how we were going to do 164 00:07:58,160 --> 00:07:59,800 Speaker 3: it and how we would ship those products and make 165 00:07:59,800 --> 00:08:02,320 Speaker 3: those products. But I think everything inside of me as 166 00:08:02,320 --> 00:08:04,600 Speaker 3: an entrepreneur is like say yes, figured it out later, 167 00:08:04,920 --> 00:08:06,480 Speaker 3: and that's how we've landed where we are. 168 00:08:06,520 --> 00:08:08,600 Speaker 1: What do you think that tenacity and that like buy 169 00:08:08,640 --> 00:08:11,080 Speaker 1: any means necessary attitude comes from for you? 170 00:08:11,480 --> 00:08:13,400 Speaker 3: I think it's really the fact that like, I, as 171 00:08:13,440 --> 00:08:15,080 Speaker 3: an entrepreneur, want to be the best that I can 172 00:08:15,160 --> 00:08:17,760 Speaker 3: at it. And so when you think about whatever job 173 00:08:17,800 --> 00:08:21,240 Speaker 3: you're in, whether it is entrepreneurship or finance, you want 174 00:08:21,240 --> 00:08:23,920 Speaker 3: to be the best. And so when it comes to entrepreneurship, 175 00:08:24,240 --> 00:08:25,880 Speaker 3: the only way to do that is to produce more 176 00:08:25,880 --> 00:08:28,520 Speaker 3: sales and revenue. That's my number one job and my 177 00:08:28,600 --> 00:08:31,960 Speaker 3: number one goal. And so it just comes from let's 178 00:08:32,000 --> 00:08:35,040 Speaker 3: do this to the best of our capacity and more 179 00:08:35,120 --> 00:08:38,079 Speaker 3: sales and that that really is like, look looking for 180 00:08:38,160 --> 00:08:41,160 Speaker 3: more opportunities, and when a buyer offers you, hey, can 181 00:08:41,200 --> 00:08:43,679 Speaker 3: you do these, You're going to do it. I love that. 182 00:08:43,840 --> 00:08:46,280 Speaker 2: So let's talk about your journey starting from the basement 183 00:08:46,480 --> 00:08:48,599 Speaker 2: and going to the warehouse, which is a journey A 184 00:08:48,600 --> 00:08:50,840 Speaker 2: lot of entrepreneurs that see a lot of success do 185 00:08:51,520 --> 00:08:55,760 Speaker 2: how quickly did you outgrow the basements and then realize, 186 00:08:55,800 --> 00:08:57,719 Speaker 2: wait a second, I need to go get a warehouse. 187 00:08:57,840 --> 00:09:00,000 Speaker 2: This stuff is really taking up some space. 188 00:09:00,040 --> 00:09:03,440 Speaker 3: Yeah, you make it sound like it was a fast transition. 189 00:09:03,600 --> 00:09:06,439 Speaker 3: It wasn't. And everything that I think I tell a 190 00:09:06,480 --> 00:09:08,800 Speaker 3: lot of entrepreneurs like, it takes so much longer than 191 00:09:08,840 --> 00:09:11,480 Speaker 3: you think. Even just hitting one hundred thousand followers on 192 00:09:11,480 --> 00:09:15,760 Speaker 3: our Instagram. Took so long, like embarrassingly long, it feels like. 193 00:09:16,080 --> 00:09:18,160 Speaker 3: And so even those first two and a half years 194 00:09:18,160 --> 00:09:20,640 Speaker 3: in the basement felt like, oh my god, we've been 195 00:09:20,640 --> 00:09:22,600 Speaker 3: here for so long, Like will we ever, you know, 196 00:09:22,640 --> 00:09:24,840 Speaker 3: make the change to be able to grow. So we 197 00:09:24,880 --> 00:09:29,000 Speaker 3: started in twenty twenty one in my dad's basement, and 198 00:09:29,040 --> 00:09:30,960 Speaker 3: so I had this idea of what if we launched 199 00:09:30,960 --> 00:09:33,920 Speaker 3: you know, hydration accessories. And it's so funny because he 200 00:09:33,960 --> 00:09:35,520 Speaker 3: had his ping pong table down there, we had the 201 00:09:35,520 --> 00:09:37,960 Speaker 3: pool table down there, and he was adamant that we're 202 00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:40,520 Speaker 3: not moving the ping pong table. And I'm like, Dad, 203 00:09:40,559 --> 00:09:42,840 Speaker 3: this is the one spot where I really really want 204 00:09:42,840 --> 00:09:44,800 Speaker 3: to have my business, Like it's the perfect location in 205 00:09:44,840 --> 00:09:46,760 Speaker 3: the house. I can like have people here to like 206 00:09:46,840 --> 00:09:49,200 Speaker 3: work with me. He's like no, And so one day 207 00:09:49,320 --> 00:09:51,320 Speaker 3: he leaves for our lake house and he's there for 208 00:09:51,360 --> 00:09:53,320 Speaker 3: like two weeks, and I'm like, all right, packing up 209 00:09:53,320 --> 00:09:55,240 Speaker 3: the ping pong table, like we're gonna make this happen. 210 00:09:55,400 --> 00:09:57,640 Speaker 3: I don't care what he says. 211 00:09:57,480 --> 00:10:00,680 Speaker 1: Better to ask for forgiveness than permission exactly exactly. 212 00:10:00,640 --> 00:10:02,559 Speaker 3: And so by the time he got back, we had 213 00:10:02,600 --> 00:10:04,960 Speaker 3: like fully set up shop. We had all of the 214 00:10:04,960 --> 00:10:07,880 Speaker 3: folding tables out. I mean, we had like a little 215 00:10:07,960 --> 00:10:11,400 Speaker 3: like production area going where I had high school kids 216 00:10:11,400 --> 00:10:14,319 Speaker 3: coming over and hand making these beads and hand making 217 00:10:14,360 --> 00:10:18,600 Speaker 3: these resin hooks. Everything was handmade. We packed everything, and 218 00:10:18,679 --> 00:10:21,640 Speaker 3: so we had walls of just like product. We had 219 00:10:21,640 --> 00:10:24,080 Speaker 3: so many skews at that time, I would say we 220 00:10:24,080 --> 00:10:27,319 Speaker 3: had almost like three hundred skews. It was wild of 221 00:10:27,360 --> 00:10:30,640 Speaker 3: just different charms, and so I really enjoyed it. There 222 00:10:30,720 --> 00:10:33,520 Speaker 3: was a lot of growth in it. Every time we 223 00:10:33,559 --> 00:10:35,920 Speaker 3: grew and we had a new opportunity, I leaned into 224 00:10:35,920 --> 00:10:38,320 Speaker 3: the community near me and I would ask, you know, 225 00:10:38,360 --> 00:10:40,600 Speaker 3: local neighbors to see if they had kids that wanted 226 00:10:40,600 --> 00:10:42,920 Speaker 3: to help out. Things were just changing at such a 227 00:10:42,960 --> 00:10:46,480 Speaker 3: fast pace. But still it wasn't big enough to where 228 00:10:46,520 --> 00:10:48,520 Speaker 3: I could say, like, we need a warehouse, and so 229 00:10:48,559 --> 00:10:50,160 Speaker 3: it doesn't make sense to go to a warehouse. And 230 00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:53,800 Speaker 3: so in twenty twenty three, Urban Outfitters came to us 231 00:10:54,240 --> 00:10:56,400 Speaker 3: and they asked us to do like a small order 232 00:10:56,440 --> 00:10:58,040 Speaker 3: for their online store. And I'm like, how are we 233 00:10:58,080 --> 00:11:01,080 Speaker 3: going to package this for retail? So I hand made 234 00:11:01,520 --> 00:11:05,120 Speaker 3: our like, you know, our cards that these products hung on. 235 00:11:05,840 --> 00:11:08,839 Speaker 3: So that they were retail packed. We hand put the 236 00:11:08,880 --> 00:11:12,160 Speaker 3: stickers onto everything, and again you just learned so much 237 00:11:12,160 --> 00:11:14,679 Speaker 3: of like how to even ship products out through the 238 00:11:14,800 --> 00:11:17,320 Speaker 3: urban outfitters back end to make sure that it gets 239 00:11:17,360 --> 00:11:19,680 Speaker 3: to their distribution center. We were still in the basement. 240 00:11:19,920 --> 00:11:21,959 Speaker 3: We had our first Dick Sporting Goods test order. I 241 00:11:21,960 --> 00:11:23,640 Speaker 3: think it was to seventy stores. And that was the 242 00:11:23,679 --> 00:11:25,800 Speaker 3: first palette that I shipped out. And it was a 243 00:11:25,840 --> 00:11:28,800 Speaker 3: baby palette, maybe like two layers of boxes on this 244 00:11:28,960 --> 00:11:31,360 Speaker 3: and so I had like buy a pallette from Facebook marketplace. 245 00:11:31,400 --> 00:11:33,760 Speaker 3: I went and drove to pick it up. I brought 246 00:11:33,760 --> 00:11:36,360 Speaker 3: it into our garage and I packed this pallette there 247 00:11:36,400 --> 00:11:39,160 Speaker 3: of all the products, again, everything was handmade for this order. 248 00:11:39,559 --> 00:11:42,600 Speaker 3: And the closest store was at you know, in the 249 00:11:42,720 --> 00:11:45,600 Speaker 3: Urbana Champagne area, which about three hours south from where 250 00:11:45,640 --> 00:11:47,760 Speaker 3: I live in Chicago, and so I went down there, 251 00:11:47,760 --> 00:11:49,760 Speaker 3: I visited. I'm like, wow, this is just the beginning. 252 00:11:50,080 --> 00:11:53,679 Speaker 3: And that was the holiday season that Stanley like they 253 00:11:53,840 --> 00:11:56,520 Speaker 3: had more sales at every store than like any other 254 00:11:56,600 --> 00:11:59,560 Speaker 3: products combined. It was like crazy. So of course our 255 00:11:59,559 --> 00:12:02,760 Speaker 3: accessory did well. And then leading into twenty twenty four 256 00:12:03,200 --> 00:12:05,920 Speaker 3: was when I decided to leave our basement and move 257 00:12:05,960 --> 00:12:08,719 Speaker 3: into the warehouse. And that decision was purely based off 258 00:12:08,720 --> 00:12:11,720 Speaker 3: the fact that we got a nationwide Dick sporting goods order, 259 00:12:11,960 --> 00:12:14,520 Speaker 3: and I was really careful about how I chose a warehouse. 260 00:12:14,920 --> 00:12:18,360 Speaker 3: There was a shared warehouse space called war space, so 261 00:12:18,600 --> 00:12:20,240 Speaker 3: I went to one of those. I got four hundred 262 00:12:20,240 --> 00:12:22,440 Speaker 3: square feet. I think I was paying maybe one thousand 263 00:12:22,480 --> 00:12:25,520 Speaker 3: bucks a month, nothing crazy. And that was where we 264 00:12:25,559 --> 00:12:29,120 Speaker 3: grew for pretty much the next full year. And I 265 00:12:29,160 --> 00:12:32,120 Speaker 3: had to find real people that would come and produce 266 00:12:32,240 --> 00:12:34,400 Speaker 3: product that weren't high school kids anymore. Now we were 267 00:12:34,400 --> 00:12:37,360 Speaker 3: actually finding, you know, people that I think could have come, 268 00:12:37,640 --> 00:12:39,680 Speaker 3: you know, for six hour shifts and eight hour shifts 269 00:12:39,679 --> 00:12:42,720 Speaker 3: to make product. So I think because we grew so slowly, 270 00:12:43,240 --> 00:12:45,760 Speaker 3: it allowed me to learn every step of the way 271 00:12:45,840 --> 00:12:48,200 Speaker 3: and I didn't have to I think I made less 272 00:12:48,240 --> 00:12:49,320 Speaker 3: mistakes because of that. 273 00:12:49,720 --> 00:12:54,520 Speaker 2: Charlotte, listening to your story is just the definition of resourcefulness, right, 274 00:12:54,640 --> 00:12:56,600 Speaker 2: Like you mentioned this in the beginning of the episode, 275 00:12:56,600 --> 00:12:58,760 Speaker 2: which is say yes, then figure it out later, like 276 00:12:58,800 --> 00:13:00,840 Speaker 2: take a really big bite, thigure out how to chew it, 277 00:13:01,240 --> 00:13:03,760 Speaker 2: and you are just the epitome of that period. That's 278 00:13:03,760 --> 00:13:06,679 Speaker 2: stuff of an entrepreneur you are, and so I'm curious 279 00:13:06,760 --> 00:13:10,600 Speaker 2: for the operation side of it. Tell me more about 280 00:13:10,600 --> 00:13:13,360 Speaker 2: what happened behind the scenes going from the basement to 281 00:13:13,480 --> 00:13:16,680 Speaker 2: the warehouse. Did you have to start using different software? 282 00:13:16,720 --> 00:13:19,240 Speaker 2: You mentioned you hired a warehouse manager, Like, what was 283 00:13:19,280 --> 00:13:22,600 Speaker 2: sort of the operational advice you can give to someone 284 00:13:22,640 --> 00:13:25,680 Speaker 2: listening right now who is making that transition themselves. 285 00:13:26,040 --> 00:13:29,760 Speaker 3: Yeah. Absolutely. I think the biggest transition actually happened from 286 00:13:30,000 --> 00:13:32,200 Speaker 3: four hundred square feet to ten thousand square feet to 287 00:13:32,240 --> 00:13:35,360 Speaker 3: where we are now, and that was once we launched 288 00:13:35,360 --> 00:13:37,720 Speaker 3: into target and when we got our first target order, 289 00:13:37,920 --> 00:13:41,040 Speaker 3: things really changed. It was kind of that like oh shit, 290 00:13:41,280 --> 00:13:43,720 Speaker 3: moment of oh my god, we're not just shipping twenty 291 00:13:43,760 --> 00:13:46,720 Speaker 3: pallets totally, this is this is one hundred pallets and 292 00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:49,840 Speaker 3: it's I mean everything else was legit, but now it 293 00:13:49,880 --> 00:13:53,600 Speaker 3: was like legit legit. It was multimillions of dollars we 294 00:13:53,640 --> 00:13:55,959 Speaker 3: were talking about, I mean, hundreds of thousands of units. 295 00:13:56,320 --> 00:14:00,320 Speaker 3: And so that was a moment where I look back 296 00:14:00,320 --> 00:14:03,079 Speaker 3: on those couple of weeks during our first target order 297 00:14:03,080 --> 00:14:06,000 Speaker 3: when we were fulfilling that with such fond memories. I 298 00:14:06,040 --> 00:14:08,640 Speaker 3: was working from like six am to ten pm I 299 00:14:08,679 --> 00:14:12,960 Speaker 3: had four shifts of warehouse workers working six hours. I 300 00:14:13,000 --> 00:14:15,079 Speaker 3: had over seventy people coming in and out of that 301 00:14:15,559 --> 00:14:18,000 Speaker 3: first we had ten thousand square feet at the time, 302 00:14:18,880 --> 00:14:23,200 Speaker 3: and that was a system that was not built thoughtfully. 303 00:14:23,280 --> 00:14:25,520 Speaker 3: It was just like, we need to make this happen, 304 00:14:26,000 --> 00:14:27,800 Speaker 3: and we need to shift this out as fast as 305 00:14:27,800 --> 00:14:29,800 Speaker 3: we can and make sure that it goes out on time. 306 00:14:30,200 --> 00:14:33,680 Speaker 3: And truly, you are selling confidence to the buyers that 307 00:14:33,720 --> 00:14:36,720 Speaker 3: you're going to deliver on time in full quality products. 308 00:14:37,000 --> 00:14:38,480 Speaker 3: As long as you can do that as a vendor, 309 00:14:38,800 --> 00:14:41,360 Speaker 3: you will continue to have more business with them. So yeah, 310 00:14:41,360 --> 00:14:43,960 Speaker 3: that's really how we've grown. But it's taken four and 311 00:14:43,960 --> 00:14:45,600 Speaker 3: a half years together, and I still think that there's 312 00:14:45,600 --> 00:14:47,040 Speaker 3: a lot of opportunity for growth. 313 00:14:47,560 --> 00:14:51,400 Speaker 1: Okay, So I think the best ideas that entrepreneurs come 314 00:14:51,480 --> 00:14:54,640 Speaker 1: up with our ideas that are rooted in a problem 315 00:14:54,680 --> 00:14:58,000 Speaker 1: that you're personally experiencing. Right, So, you created this product 316 00:14:58,040 --> 00:15:00,520 Speaker 1: because it's something that you wanted. What did your knowledge 317 00:15:00,520 --> 00:15:03,320 Speaker 1: about your own market and the connection to the community 318 00:15:03,360 --> 00:15:06,240 Speaker 1: who would be your ideal buyer tell you about how 319 00:15:06,320 --> 00:15:07,880 Speaker 1: marketable this product would be. 320 00:15:08,640 --> 00:15:11,320 Speaker 3: It's a really good question. I actually did not need 321 00:15:11,400 --> 00:15:12,520 Speaker 3: water bottle accessory. 322 00:15:12,880 --> 00:15:16,080 Speaker 1: I mean, no one needs these things, but like people 323 00:15:16,200 --> 00:15:19,520 Speaker 1: love personalization. I think that's just like a key human 324 00:15:19,720 --> 00:15:22,760 Speaker 1: instinct to like make your little mark on something totally. 325 00:15:22,880 --> 00:15:26,560 Speaker 3: Uh, personalization, of course is important, and that's really that's 326 00:15:26,600 --> 00:15:28,800 Speaker 3: our like, that's our brand ethos now is like make 327 00:15:28,880 --> 00:15:32,040 Speaker 3: life fun and as long as we create products within 328 00:15:32,080 --> 00:15:35,240 Speaker 3: that sphere where we're kind of like in aligned with 329 00:15:35,240 --> 00:15:37,440 Speaker 3: what the Charcharms brand is or any other brands that 330 00:15:37,480 --> 00:15:40,520 Speaker 3: I launch. So when we started, and I was posting 331 00:15:40,560 --> 00:15:44,119 Speaker 3: on TikTok, this is where community really helps me understand 332 00:15:44,520 --> 00:15:47,840 Speaker 3: what people actually wanted. And so when I started the Charcharms, 333 00:15:47,880 --> 00:15:49,800 Speaker 3: I thought this would be very functional. I thought this 334 00:15:49,880 --> 00:15:52,960 Speaker 3: item and the product itself would be like you can 335 00:15:53,040 --> 00:15:56,960 Speaker 3: hang your keys and your AirPods and it actually that 336 00:15:57,080 --> 00:16:00,560 Speaker 3: really wasn't I think that was a smaller con then 337 00:16:00,600 --> 00:16:03,600 Speaker 3: I thought it would be really what the consumers we're 338 00:16:03,600 --> 00:16:05,680 Speaker 3: telling me. It was like, we want a charm for 339 00:16:05,800 --> 00:16:09,440 Speaker 3: book lovers. Do you have a charm for the softball player? Mom? 340 00:16:09,680 --> 00:16:10,640 Speaker 1: Like do you have? 341 00:16:11,280 --> 00:16:14,160 Speaker 3: It was very specific niche interest that people were looking for, 342 00:16:14,200 --> 00:16:16,800 Speaker 3: and so it really and this was truly just from 343 00:16:16,800 --> 00:16:19,440 Speaker 3: like reading people's comments. I was seeing what people were 344 00:16:19,440 --> 00:16:22,040 Speaker 3: commenting and asking us for. So I think there's just 345 00:16:22,080 --> 00:16:25,120 Speaker 3: so much that we can get from our community. And 346 00:16:25,880 --> 00:16:28,520 Speaker 3: you know, there's a great quote out there where it's 347 00:16:28,560 --> 00:16:30,560 Speaker 3: talked to one hundred customers and you'll see how to 348 00:16:30,600 --> 00:16:34,200 Speaker 3: become better than your competitors, and so that's that's what 349 00:16:34,200 --> 00:16:36,080 Speaker 3: we do, and I think we lean into that, but 350 00:16:36,080 --> 00:16:37,160 Speaker 3: that's the best way to do it. 351 00:16:37,440 --> 00:16:40,320 Speaker 1: Yeah, I love that advice. And I will challenge you 352 00:16:40,400 --> 00:16:43,280 Speaker 1: to say, you know, what's a huge problem everybody's water 353 00:16:43,320 --> 00:16:46,040 Speaker 1: bottle looking the same because everybody's buying the same brand 354 00:16:46,040 --> 00:16:48,080 Speaker 1: of water bottle. I'm a fitness instructor, so I see 355 00:16:48,120 --> 00:16:49,920 Speaker 1: a lot of water bottles being lost out there in 356 00:16:49,960 --> 00:16:52,760 Speaker 1: the world and being able to personally identify yours after 357 00:16:52,800 --> 00:16:55,080 Speaker 1: you spent all that money. I think that's a really 358 00:16:55,080 --> 00:16:57,760 Speaker 1: important problem that you're solving, so totally. 359 00:16:58,200 --> 00:16:58,920 Speaker 3: I'll take it. 360 00:16:59,000 --> 00:17:02,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, all right, So can you tell me how much 361 00:17:02,200 --> 00:17:06,480 Speaker 1: of the demand that you had was organic versus created? 362 00:17:06,520 --> 00:17:09,600 Speaker 1: And what I mean by that is how many customers 363 00:17:09,640 --> 00:17:13,280 Speaker 1: actually just inherently wanted this product versus how many people 364 00:17:13,400 --> 00:17:17,240 Speaker 1: realized that these products would be convenient once they actually 365 00:17:17,359 --> 00:17:20,240 Speaker 1: knew and experienced the chart arms brand. 366 00:17:21,359 --> 00:17:24,560 Speaker 3: I think everything was created. No one was really searching 367 00:17:24,560 --> 00:17:27,120 Speaker 3: for water bottle accessories until they saw it on TikTok 368 00:17:27,119 --> 00:17:29,640 Speaker 3: and they're like, oh, I didn't even know that existed, 369 00:17:29,920 --> 00:17:32,320 Speaker 3: and then they wanted it. So I think everything was 370 00:17:32,400 --> 00:17:35,399 Speaker 3: created from us to kind of build up that demand. 371 00:17:35,880 --> 00:17:38,000 Speaker 1: You know what. I think this is a great reminder 372 00:17:38,040 --> 00:17:41,360 Speaker 1: of Austin those folks that say like, there's no new 373 00:17:41,359 --> 00:17:45,320 Speaker 1: businesses to create because everybody's already invented something. I challenge 374 00:17:45,359 --> 00:17:48,480 Speaker 1: you now, based on this episode, to rethink that strategy 375 00:17:48,560 --> 00:17:49,600 Speaker 1: in that frame of mind. 376 00:17:49,880 --> 00:17:52,240 Speaker 3: Yes, no, I agree with that, And every time someone 377 00:17:52,240 --> 00:17:54,520 Speaker 3: says that, I'm like, well, I kind of did create 378 00:17:54,640 --> 00:17:57,560 Speaker 3: a new product, absolutely one percent. 379 00:17:57,640 --> 00:18:00,600 Speaker 2: I think what's really interesting about this too is I 380 00:18:00,600 --> 00:18:02,959 Speaker 2: think collectibles are starting to make a comeback here in 381 00:18:02,720 --> 00:18:05,240 Speaker 2: the twenty twenties, and so I feel like you're also 382 00:18:05,280 --> 00:18:07,440 Speaker 2: operating in that, like call it secular growth trend, which 383 00:18:07,480 --> 00:18:08,680 Speaker 2: is really really interesting. 384 00:18:09,200 --> 00:18:09,720 Speaker 3: Definitely. 385 00:18:09,880 --> 00:18:12,560 Speaker 2: You mentioned earlier in the conversation that your mentor is 386 00:18:12,600 --> 00:18:15,679 Speaker 2: the founder of Gibbets, which are sort of you know, 387 00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:19,080 Speaker 2: the charms for crocs, Right, how important is it to 388 00:18:19,080 --> 00:18:20,920 Speaker 2: have a mentor everything? 389 00:18:21,200 --> 00:18:23,320 Speaker 3: Oh my gosh, And so He's just one of my mentors. 390 00:18:23,880 --> 00:18:26,440 Speaker 3: The founder of pop Sockets is another one. The founder 391 00:18:26,440 --> 00:18:29,560 Speaker 3: of Simple Modern is another one. I seek out founders 392 00:18:29,560 --> 00:18:32,120 Speaker 3: that have built brands that I think are really interesting 393 00:18:32,200 --> 00:18:36,040 Speaker 3: and are similar to mine or different, but have experience 394 00:18:36,119 --> 00:18:38,880 Speaker 3: that I want to learn from. So mentors have played 395 00:18:38,880 --> 00:18:41,640 Speaker 3: a huge part in my story. I found a seminar 396 00:18:42,200 --> 00:18:45,400 Speaker 3: for IP and patenting, and so I entered into this 397 00:18:45,600 --> 00:18:48,119 Speaker 3: seminar and at the end of the seminar and it 398 00:18:48,200 --> 00:18:50,359 Speaker 3: was free. At the end of it, they say, hey, 399 00:18:50,440 --> 00:18:54,480 Speaker 3: you know, this is sponsored by the SBDC here in Chicago, 400 00:18:54,880 --> 00:18:57,680 Speaker 3: and if you're looking for free mentorship, you know, reach 401 00:18:57,720 --> 00:19:00,119 Speaker 3: out to us because we also do free mentorship. So 402 00:19:00,160 --> 00:19:02,919 Speaker 3: I reached out to the SBDC and this was the 403 00:19:02,960 --> 00:19:06,800 Speaker 3: thirty six Square location, and I connected with a guy 404 00:19:06,880 --> 00:19:09,800 Speaker 3: named Andrew Fogerdi and he was my first business mentor. 405 00:19:10,160 --> 00:19:13,199 Speaker 3: And so really how I looked at that relationship was 406 00:19:13,680 --> 00:19:16,679 Speaker 3: I am going to tell you as I work on things, 407 00:19:16,920 --> 00:19:18,639 Speaker 3: and if you can point me in a certain direction, 408 00:19:18,880 --> 00:19:21,280 Speaker 3: or give me any piece of advice or connect me 409 00:19:21,320 --> 00:19:23,680 Speaker 3: with anyone that you think would be useful. That was 410 00:19:23,720 --> 00:19:25,800 Speaker 3: really how I utilized that. And so then he actually 411 00:19:25,840 --> 00:19:29,440 Speaker 3: introduced me to an incubator, and that incubator had mentors 412 00:19:29,560 --> 00:19:33,199 Speaker 3: that they provided and so then in January twenty twenty two, 413 00:19:33,240 --> 00:19:34,760 Speaker 3: so just a couple months later, I got paired with 414 00:19:34,800 --> 00:19:37,440 Speaker 3: a mentor through the incubator and his name was Bob Easter, 415 00:19:37,960 --> 00:19:41,040 Speaker 3: and Bob was I was on a weekly call with him, 416 00:19:41,160 --> 00:19:44,119 Speaker 3: which is that's pretty frequent for a mentor to have 417 00:19:44,160 --> 00:19:48,359 Speaker 3: a weekly call. But that was the most beneficial. I mean, 418 00:19:48,400 --> 00:19:51,280 Speaker 3: all my mentors were like crazy helpful to me. I 419 00:19:51,280 --> 00:19:53,600 Speaker 3: could not have done without them. And so I was 420 00:19:53,680 --> 00:19:57,320 Speaker 3: at a event in Chicago. It's called m Hub. They're 421 00:19:57,359 --> 00:20:01,199 Speaker 3: like a manufacturing facility for startups, and I met my 422 00:20:01,240 --> 00:20:05,480 Speaker 3: next mentor, Chetta Satia from the SBDC again the Small 423 00:20:05,480 --> 00:20:08,720 Speaker 3: Business Development Center, and I talked to him and he said, 424 00:20:08,720 --> 00:20:11,919 Speaker 3: I've retail experience. I can help you. And I said, phenomenal, 425 00:20:11,920 --> 00:20:13,879 Speaker 3: because I'm trying to launch in retail and I had 426 00:20:13,920 --> 00:20:16,359 Speaker 3: never launched in retail. And so over the course of 427 00:20:16,400 --> 00:20:18,120 Speaker 3: the first couple of months of working with him, he 428 00:20:18,119 --> 00:20:21,439 Speaker 3: helped me put together my first line sheets, and he 429 00:20:21,440 --> 00:20:24,520 Speaker 3: helped me think through pricing, wholesale pricing and how would 430 00:20:24,560 --> 00:20:26,119 Speaker 3: I do that. He helped me think through what I 431 00:20:26,119 --> 00:20:29,760 Speaker 3: would be pitching to retailers my retail packaging. He said, 432 00:20:29,800 --> 00:20:32,359 Speaker 3: go into the stores and see what will your product 433 00:20:32,400 --> 00:20:35,040 Speaker 3: look like there? And so I met with him. I 434 00:20:35,080 --> 00:20:36,960 Speaker 3: think it was more like every other week, a couple 435 00:20:37,040 --> 00:20:39,720 Speaker 3: times a month, but I worked with him for probably 436 00:20:39,760 --> 00:20:42,160 Speaker 3: a solid year and a half as we launched from 437 00:20:42,400 --> 00:20:45,400 Speaker 3: Urban Outfitters to Dicks to Target. And he was such 438 00:20:45,440 --> 00:20:47,639 Speaker 3: a support on the retail journey because he had built 439 00:20:47,640 --> 00:20:50,480 Speaker 3: his own company in retail and now is mentoring people 440 00:20:50,520 --> 00:20:53,320 Speaker 3: for free. And so throughout this whole journey, I mean, 441 00:20:53,359 --> 00:20:56,720 Speaker 3: every single mentor really played its part. And when I 442 00:20:56,800 --> 00:20:59,240 Speaker 3: decided to go on Shark Tank and I walked away 443 00:20:59,280 --> 00:21:01,800 Speaker 3: from a deal, I really thought to myself, like why 444 00:21:01,840 --> 00:21:04,040 Speaker 3: did I even go on Shark Tank, And it was 445 00:21:04,040 --> 00:21:06,520 Speaker 3: because I was looking for my next mentor of like 446 00:21:06,560 --> 00:21:08,760 Speaker 3: someone who will believe in me and someone who will, 447 00:21:09,480 --> 00:21:12,000 Speaker 3: you know, give me some ideas or question my ideas. 448 00:21:12,720 --> 00:21:15,480 Speaker 3: And so that was when I called up Like Beckham, 449 00:21:15,480 --> 00:21:17,399 Speaker 3: founder of Simple Modern, and I said, Hey, Mike, you know, 450 00:21:17,440 --> 00:21:19,720 Speaker 3: I really want a mentor that is in the space, 451 00:21:19,800 --> 00:21:23,679 Speaker 3: understands hydration and can meet with me on a monthly basis. 452 00:21:23,720 --> 00:21:27,280 Speaker 3: And so he said yes, and I work with him now. 453 00:21:27,280 --> 00:21:29,400 Speaker 3: And I have plenty of other mentors like I've mentioned, 454 00:21:29,440 --> 00:21:31,800 Speaker 3: but he's the one that has really kind of just 455 00:21:31,840 --> 00:21:35,120 Speaker 3: like helped me think through how do I become a business? 456 00:21:35,320 --> 00:21:37,080 Speaker 3: How do I grow a business that is a one 457 00:21:37,119 --> 00:21:39,120 Speaker 3: hundred million dollar company, and how do we really ten 458 00:21:39,320 --> 00:21:42,560 Speaker 3: x again. So that's that's how my mentors have grown. 459 00:21:42,880 --> 00:21:46,320 Speaker 3: And I mean, I would recommend a mentor to every 460 00:21:46,320 --> 00:21:47,320 Speaker 3: business owner out there. 461 00:21:47,400 --> 00:21:50,240 Speaker 2: Two big takeaways from that. The first one is it 462 00:21:50,359 --> 00:21:54,560 Speaker 2: is so encouraging to see how many free resources that 463 00:21:54,600 --> 00:21:56,640 Speaker 2: are out there for small business owners. Right you mentioned 464 00:21:56,640 --> 00:21:59,680 Speaker 2: you're in Chicago, You're taking advantage of local meetup, dot 465 00:21:59,720 --> 00:22:02,880 Speaker 2: com stuff, You're taking advantage of the Small Business Development Center, 466 00:22:03,000 --> 00:22:06,080 Speaker 2: So like you're leaning into these free resources that are 467 00:22:06,119 --> 00:22:07,520 Speaker 2: around you, and I'm sure a lot of people have 468 00:22:07,560 --> 00:22:10,160 Speaker 2: around them as well. So that is it's so exciting. 469 00:22:10,200 --> 00:22:12,639 Speaker 2: And when it comes to mentors is I feel like 470 00:22:12,680 --> 00:22:15,320 Speaker 2: sometimes a small business owners, we like to think we 471 00:22:15,400 --> 00:22:17,479 Speaker 2: got it figured out, We like to think that we 472 00:22:17,560 --> 00:22:20,320 Speaker 2: know more than we really do, and so sometimes we 473 00:22:20,359 --> 00:22:23,080 Speaker 2: feel weird about going to people who might be a 474 00:22:23,080 --> 00:22:25,879 Speaker 2: little bit further along in their journeys and asking for help. 475 00:22:26,080 --> 00:22:28,199 Speaker 2: So I think what's really powerful about having a mentor 476 00:22:28,320 --> 00:22:30,159 Speaker 2: is you can leave your ego at the door. You 477 00:22:30,200 --> 00:22:33,680 Speaker 2: can ask real, honest questions, you can get that honest feedback, 478 00:22:33,760 --> 00:22:36,920 Speaker 2: and you can just really learn from someone who's done 479 00:22:36,960 --> 00:22:38,479 Speaker 2: it just a little bit longer than you. 480 00:22:38,880 --> 00:22:41,199 Speaker 3: Totally. Yeah, And you can only grow your business as 481 00:22:41,280 --> 00:22:45,120 Speaker 3: much as you grow yourself. And I'm sotware there we go. 482 00:22:45,840 --> 00:22:48,080 Speaker 2: You can only grow your business as much as you 483 00:22:48,119 --> 00:22:48,960 Speaker 2: can grow yourself. 484 00:22:49,359 --> 00:22:51,680 Speaker 3: Yeah. Yeah, And so if you can't level yourself up, 485 00:22:52,119 --> 00:22:54,760 Speaker 3: you will never be able to level your business up. So, 486 00:22:54,840 --> 00:22:56,720 Speaker 3: like I've hired a business coach this year and that 487 00:22:56,840 --> 00:22:58,920 Speaker 3: was a really big investment that I made in myself. 488 00:22:59,119 --> 00:23:02,320 Speaker 3: And that's more like the leadership side of things. But again, 489 00:23:02,400 --> 00:23:04,240 Speaker 3: it's like, how are you going to grow a team 490 00:23:04,440 --> 00:23:07,560 Speaker 3: if you can't actually be a leader and give feedback 491 00:23:07,640 --> 00:23:11,920 Speaker 3: and positive and negative and go through hr difficulties and 492 00:23:12,920 --> 00:23:16,040 Speaker 3: give a vision to the team. So leadership has been 493 00:23:16,040 --> 00:23:17,800 Speaker 3: something that I'm really working on now this year. 494 00:23:21,520 --> 00:23:23,520 Speaker 2: For everyone listening right now, what advice do you have 495 00:23:23,600 --> 00:23:26,280 Speaker 2: for them who might not be as you know? You 496 00:23:26,280 --> 00:23:29,560 Speaker 2: can call up the founder of Simple Modern, someone who 497 00:23:29,640 --> 00:23:32,040 Speaker 2: hasn't been yet on shark Tank, what advice do you 498 00:23:32,040 --> 00:23:33,800 Speaker 2: have for them for finding their first mentor? 499 00:23:34,680 --> 00:23:36,679 Speaker 3: Yeah, well, I mean the free rank resources that we 500 00:23:36,720 --> 00:23:39,399 Speaker 3: mentioned is probably your best bet. They will mentor you. 501 00:23:39,520 --> 00:23:42,040 Speaker 3: And it doesn't matter if you've made zero dollars or 502 00:23:42,400 --> 00:23:45,280 Speaker 3: ten million dollars. You can find mentors through the SBDC, 503 00:23:45,440 --> 00:23:49,160 Speaker 3: through Score, through local incubators. I also think like if 504 00:23:49,200 --> 00:23:52,360 Speaker 3: you had really good relationships with any college professors, that's 505 00:23:52,400 --> 00:23:55,040 Speaker 3: a great place to reach back out to your university 506 00:23:55,080 --> 00:23:57,160 Speaker 3: and see if you can find mentoring. So I think 507 00:23:57,240 --> 00:23:59,600 Speaker 3: the best bet, especially while you're early on, is find 508 00:23:59,600 --> 00:24:02,200 Speaker 3: someone who's volunteering their time, who works for the government 509 00:24:02,240 --> 00:24:06,200 Speaker 3: and is like paid to do mentoring services or through 510 00:24:06,200 --> 00:24:08,639 Speaker 3: the university, and I think you can get really far 511 00:24:08,760 --> 00:24:09,120 Speaker 3: with that. 512 00:24:09,119 --> 00:24:09,680 Speaker 2: That's amazing. 513 00:24:09,720 --> 00:24:14,080 Speaker 1: I think that is such underrated resource as far as 514 00:24:14,320 --> 00:24:16,680 Speaker 1: you know, because I'm familiar with SCORE as well, and 515 00:24:16,840 --> 00:24:21,040 Speaker 1: I think people just underestimate the amount of free information 516 00:24:21,119 --> 00:24:23,200 Speaker 1: that's out there too. You know. Another great example do 517 00:24:23,359 --> 00:24:27,240 Speaker 1: is QuickBooks Blog. There's like so much useful information on there, y'all, 518 00:24:27,280 --> 00:24:28,840 Speaker 1: SOO make sure that you're checking that out as well, 519 00:24:28,960 --> 00:24:32,280 Speaker 1: especially if you want to become more proficient in using QuickBooks. 520 00:24:32,320 --> 00:24:35,640 Speaker 1: All right, so the spotlight comes fast, and for you, Charlotte, 521 00:24:36,119 --> 00:24:39,240 Speaker 1: I think it came at lightning speed. So how did 522 00:24:39,280 --> 00:24:43,240 Speaker 1: you feel when you were first spotlighted? Like, was was 523 00:24:43,280 --> 00:24:45,639 Speaker 1: there a moment? Was it when you started gaining traction 524 00:24:45,800 --> 00:24:48,600 Speaker 1: on TikTok? Was it landing your first retailer? Like, how 525 00:24:48,600 --> 00:24:52,280 Speaker 1: did you know? Oh wow, like the moment has arrived. 526 00:24:52,800 --> 00:24:55,159 Speaker 3: I think it was Forbes thirty under thirty. That was 527 00:24:55,200 --> 00:24:58,280 Speaker 3: a really big goal of mine. That'll do it. Yeah, 528 00:24:58,320 --> 00:25:00,800 Speaker 3: And if people ask me, like what's cooler, Shark Tank 529 00:25:00,840 --> 00:25:03,280 Speaker 3: or Forbes third under thirty, and it's probably Shark Tank, 530 00:25:03,680 --> 00:25:07,280 Speaker 3: but Forbes felt really like I felt really accomplished with 531 00:25:07,320 --> 00:25:11,760 Speaker 3: Forbes thirty and thirty, And so both of those happening 532 00:25:11,840 --> 00:25:15,119 Speaker 3: within the course of a month was wild because we 533 00:25:15,119 --> 00:25:16,959 Speaker 3: got on the Forbes thirty and thirty list and then 534 00:25:17,000 --> 00:25:19,439 Speaker 3: one month later our Shark Tank episode aired, and so 535 00:25:19,520 --> 00:25:21,400 Speaker 3: I was like riding a high. I'm like, oh my god, 536 00:25:21,520 --> 00:25:23,080 Speaker 3: is this like the pinnacle of my life? 537 00:25:23,080 --> 00:25:23,159 Speaker 1: Like? 538 00:25:23,200 --> 00:25:26,080 Speaker 3: Am I gonna go downhill from here? Have I peaked? 539 00:25:26,640 --> 00:25:29,399 Speaker 3: Was a question I really asked. I said, Oh my gosh, 540 00:25:29,400 --> 00:25:33,000 Speaker 3: that's funny. Of course, you know, I'm optimistic. I think 541 00:25:33,000 --> 00:25:35,399 Speaker 3: we'll continue to go up from where we're at. But 542 00:25:35,800 --> 00:25:37,239 Speaker 3: that was a time in my life. I'm like, oh 543 00:25:37,240 --> 00:25:38,800 Speaker 3: my god, I feel like I just did like everything 544 00:25:38,800 --> 00:25:40,760 Speaker 3: I wanted to do, and I really was like, what's 545 00:25:40,800 --> 00:25:41,520 Speaker 3: the next goal. 546 00:25:41,760 --> 00:25:45,919 Speaker 1: You mentioned about that first huge order with it, was it. 547 00:25:45,800 --> 00:25:48,000 Speaker 3: Dix or yeah, Dix and then Target? 548 00:25:48,359 --> 00:25:51,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, So I'm curious, like, did you have enough inventory 549 00:25:51,840 --> 00:25:54,359 Speaker 1: at the moment that you signed that deal or was 550 00:25:54,400 --> 00:25:57,600 Speaker 1: it like a Matt dash in the background to be like, yeah, 551 00:25:57,640 --> 00:26:00,000 Speaker 1: we can do that, sure when. 552 00:25:59,920 --> 00:26:02,240 Speaker 3: You do you need it buy, Yeah, it was the 553 00:26:02,280 --> 00:26:06,800 Speaker 3: second we had nothing. But that's actually that's actually now 554 00:26:06,880 --> 00:26:10,159 Speaker 3: how we run our operations, so we don't hold inventory 555 00:26:10,280 --> 00:26:12,640 Speaker 3: for the most part. We will take a retail order 556 00:26:12,680 --> 00:26:15,000 Speaker 3: and it's you know, sixteen to twenty weeks lead time, 557 00:26:15,040 --> 00:26:17,240 Speaker 3: and then we place our orders with our factories and 558 00:26:17,280 --> 00:26:19,680 Speaker 3: then we bring everything and then ship it. So that's 559 00:26:19,720 --> 00:26:21,880 Speaker 3: just how our business model works, and it works really 560 00:26:21,880 --> 00:26:23,600 Speaker 3: well for us. I also don't think it's that uncommon 561 00:26:23,640 --> 00:26:25,120 Speaker 3: to do that. I think a lot of other companies 562 00:26:25,160 --> 00:26:27,320 Speaker 3: do that as well, as long as they can see 563 00:26:27,359 --> 00:26:29,959 Speaker 3: ship it and produce it fast enough. But in that 564 00:26:30,080 --> 00:26:33,680 Speaker 3: first order, that was like, wow, I have never dealt 565 00:26:33,680 --> 00:26:36,840 Speaker 3: with needing. We were airshipping everything, which is so expensive. 566 00:26:37,240 --> 00:26:39,840 Speaker 3: I think there was a lot of things that when 567 00:26:39,880 --> 00:26:43,080 Speaker 3: you have those opportunities, you'll do whatever it takes. Like 568 00:26:43,160 --> 00:26:45,760 Speaker 3: I would have broke even on those first orders just 569 00:26:45,800 --> 00:26:47,359 Speaker 3: to be able to get into Dicks and just be 570 00:26:47,400 --> 00:26:49,760 Speaker 3: able to get into Target. It's kind of like any 571 00:26:49,800 --> 00:26:53,040 Speaker 3: means necessary because then it's like you can build off 572 00:26:53,040 --> 00:26:54,600 Speaker 3: of that, and there's so much traction that you can 573 00:26:54,600 --> 00:26:57,520 Speaker 3: get from that. So we would have done it no 574 00:26:57,560 --> 00:26:57,959 Speaker 3: matter what. 575 00:26:58,480 --> 00:27:01,159 Speaker 1: How did you keep up on the book keeping side? 576 00:27:01,359 --> 00:27:01,520 Speaker 3: Right? 577 00:27:01,600 --> 00:27:05,080 Speaker 1: Were you operating as a large business even before you 578 00:27:05,160 --> 00:27:08,840 Speaker 1: were from like a process logistics standpoint, or did you 579 00:27:08,880 --> 00:27:12,120 Speaker 1: formalize things once everything started to take off. 580 00:27:12,200 --> 00:27:14,840 Speaker 3: Yeah, so we had QuickBooks set up in the back, 581 00:27:14,880 --> 00:27:17,400 Speaker 3: but like that was it. So it was set up. 582 00:27:17,480 --> 00:27:20,560 Speaker 3: It was really like it'll just process the numbers as 583 00:27:20,600 --> 00:27:22,399 Speaker 3: it goes and I'm not going to go in and 584 00:27:22,520 --> 00:27:25,679 Speaker 3: change anything or tag anything. Now we have a finance 585 00:27:25,720 --> 00:27:29,280 Speaker 3: manager part time who like manages things and like does 586 00:27:29,320 --> 00:27:31,840 Speaker 3: the numbers and like looks the books at a monthly basis. 587 00:27:31,840 --> 00:27:35,040 Speaker 3: Since's you know, it looks at our AR and AP reports. 588 00:27:35,160 --> 00:27:37,240 Speaker 3: But in the first couple of years that was not 589 00:27:37,320 --> 00:27:39,919 Speaker 3: a thing, and I think I like honestly guessed what 590 00:27:39,960 --> 00:27:41,840 Speaker 3: our revenue was at the end of the first two 591 00:27:41,880 --> 00:27:43,040 Speaker 3: years of our business. 592 00:27:43,280 --> 00:27:45,560 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, I think that's the great part about 593 00:27:45,600 --> 00:27:48,320 Speaker 1: QuickBooks in all of the automations that you can just 594 00:27:48,400 --> 00:27:51,639 Speaker 1: kind of set and forget right. And then now that 595 00:27:51,680 --> 00:27:55,480 Speaker 1: you have your team has more structure to manage things 596 00:27:55,760 --> 00:27:59,080 Speaker 1: on a more granular level, that definitely has to be 597 00:27:59,119 --> 00:28:01,880 Speaker 1: able to help you be more nimble now in the business, 598 00:28:02,000 --> 00:28:05,440 Speaker 1: right you have like this ready to go accessible financial 599 00:28:05,560 --> 00:28:08,760 Speaker 1: data that can help you forecast or you know, plan 600 00:28:08,840 --> 00:28:12,560 Speaker 1: for inventory and things like that. I'm curious for you, 601 00:28:12,680 --> 00:28:16,159 Speaker 1: what's the one thing that you would attribute has been 602 00:28:16,200 --> 00:28:19,240 Speaker 1: like the key to your success, especially in this growth period. 603 00:28:20,000 --> 00:28:22,359 Speaker 3: I think the key to my success has been that 604 00:28:22,480 --> 00:28:27,080 Speaker 3: my job is the job of solving problems, and as 605 00:28:27,119 --> 00:28:29,399 Speaker 3: long as I'm in problem solving mode all the time, 606 00:28:30,240 --> 00:28:33,200 Speaker 3: I can succeed even more. I also, as I mentioned 607 00:28:33,240 --> 00:28:35,800 Speaker 3: in the beginning, like I will take every opportunity that 608 00:28:35,840 --> 00:28:39,480 Speaker 3: I can for growth. I seek opportunities everywhere I go, 609 00:28:39,800 --> 00:28:43,040 Speaker 3: and it might not be the most traditional approach, but 610 00:28:43,240 --> 00:28:45,520 Speaker 3: I look at founders that I find inspiring. I see 611 00:28:45,520 --> 00:28:47,000 Speaker 3: what they did and I try to mimic it. 612 00:28:47,600 --> 00:28:52,280 Speaker 1: All right, So you have clearly transitioned from side hustle 613 00:28:52,360 --> 00:28:55,760 Speaker 1: to spotlight. Is there anything that you wish you knew 614 00:28:55,760 --> 00:28:56,760 Speaker 1: when you first started? 615 00:28:57,520 --> 00:29:01,520 Speaker 3: Hmmm. The one piece of advice that I really tell 616 00:29:01,600 --> 00:29:03,760 Speaker 3: all my founder friends that are younger and that are 617 00:29:03,760 --> 00:29:06,200 Speaker 3: growing their business is to save their money as you're 618 00:29:06,240 --> 00:29:10,800 Speaker 3: building your business. I'm glad I did, because there were 619 00:29:10,800 --> 00:29:13,240 Speaker 3: things that happened in our company as we grew that 620 00:29:13,280 --> 00:29:16,880 Speaker 3: I could have never seen happening. And I'm really glad 621 00:29:16,880 --> 00:29:18,600 Speaker 3: that that first year that I had a million dollars 622 00:29:18,600 --> 00:29:20,120 Speaker 3: in my account that I didn't go buy the Range 623 00:29:20,200 --> 00:29:22,959 Speaker 3: Rover I really wanted because I could have, but I didn't, 624 00:29:23,240 --> 00:29:25,720 Speaker 3: And I saved our money and it saved us when 625 00:29:25,760 --> 00:29:28,560 Speaker 3: we were like when things were like kind of rocky, 626 00:29:29,040 --> 00:29:32,120 Speaker 3: Like don't spend crazily in those first couple of years. 627 00:29:32,560 --> 00:29:35,200 Speaker 3: Every dollar that you make, you know, put it an account, 628 00:29:35,280 --> 00:29:37,840 Speaker 3: either invested back into your company, or save it. And 629 00:29:37,920 --> 00:29:40,520 Speaker 3: I'm really blessed that I made that decision, and now 630 00:29:40,880 --> 00:29:44,000 Speaker 3: I do. I'm really cautious with the finances of our 631 00:29:44,000 --> 00:29:46,600 Speaker 3: company and making sure that we have enough runway and 632 00:29:46,680 --> 00:29:48,760 Speaker 3: if something God forbid happens, you know that I can 633 00:29:48,800 --> 00:29:50,600 Speaker 3: take care of my team for a year and make 634 00:29:50,600 --> 00:29:53,080 Speaker 3: sure that we can like get ourselves back up onto 635 00:29:53,160 --> 00:29:55,680 Speaker 3: the mountain. So I think that's my biggest piece of 636 00:29:55,680 --> 00:29:59,480 Speaker 3: advice when it comes to being a founder, because the 637 00:29:59,520 --> 00:30:02,320 Speaker 3: money can overwhelming when you start making a lot of it, 638 00:30:02,400 --> 00:30:05,160 Speaker 3: but it's not always up into the right. There's ups 639 00:30:05,160 --> 00:30:07,320 Speaker 3: and downs, and so you have to be prepared for that. 640 00:30:07,800 --> 00:30:10,520 Speaker 2: There absolutely are. And I love that advice because it's 641 00:30:10,520 --> 00:30:14,080 Speaker 2: advice that I follow myself. I think as small business owners, 642 00:30:14,520 --> 00:30:16,680 Speaker 2: sometimes when you see that money start to come in 643 00:30:16,720 --> 00:30:20,520 Speaker 2: as revenue, you might conflate it with profits, and then 644 00:30:20,560 --> 00:30:23,280 Speaker 2: it's also the pre tax, right, so you got to 645 00:30:23,280 --> 00:30:25,400 Speaker 2: think about all of this stuff as a small business owner. 646 00:30:25,640 --> 00:30:26,880 Speaker 2: I love that advice, Charlotte. 647 00:30:26,920 --> 00:30:30,320 Speaker 1: So let's talk about success. What are some moments that 648 00:30:30,440 --> 00:30:33,680 Speaker 1: you're like super proud of that feel like incredible moments 649 00:30:33,720 --> 00:30:38,760 Speaker 1: of accomplishment and maybe also some serious moments where you 650 00:30:38,840 --> 00:30:42,360 Speaker 1: had to respond to pressure and you're proud of like 651 00:30:42,400 --> 00:30:43,600 Speaker 1: how you showed up in that moment. 652 00:30:43,640 --> 00:30:46,720 Speaker 3: Totally. The biggest success moment for us, I think is 653 00:30:46,760 --> 00:30:49,480 Speaker 3: building our team. I'm really proud of the team that 654 00:30:49,520 --> 00:30:53,000 Speaker 3: we've built and team building. We have six full time employees, 655 00:30:53,000 --> 00:30:56,200 Speaker 3: we have a handful of contractors and part time team members, 656 00:30:56,280 --> 00:30:58,520 Speaker 3: and every single one of them just the passion that 657 00:30:58,560 --> 00:31:02,360 Speaker 3: they share for Charchcharms and what we're building is so incredible. 658 00:31:02,400 --> 00:31:05,520 Speaker 3: And so that's the one thing that I know, as 659 00:31:05,520 --> 00:31:08,200 Speaker 3: I look back on this journey, like every team member 660 00:31:08,240 --> 00:31:10,520 Speaker 3: that has been here, that has gone, that has stayed, 661 00:31:11,400 --> 00:31:13,680 Speaker 3: that has not worked out, and has worked out, like 662 00:31:14,000 --> 00:31:16,360 Speaker 3: all of them have been so important to our journey, 663 00:31:16,360 --> 00:31:19,520 Speaker 3: and like I am always just so grateful for them. 664 00:31:19,960 --> 00:31:22,640 Speaker 3: I think some moments that have been really hard for us. 665 00:31:23,080 --> 00:31:25,320 Speaker 3: I mean, the one that sticks out is when we 666 00:31:25,360 --> 00:31:27,320 Speaker 3: had that first target order. I really thought I was 667 00:31:27,360 --> 00:31:28,880 Speaker 3: going to have to say no because I didn't have 668 00:31:28,920 --> 00:31:31,400 Speaker 3: the money. I needed a couple hundred thousand dollars for 669 00:31:31,440 --> 00:31:34,520 Speaker 3: the cost of goods and I didn't have it, and 670 00:31:34,600 --> 00:31:37,360 Speaker 3: so it was a really stressful time I was. I 671 00:31:37,400 --> 00:31:40,880 Speaker 3: got that order, and I was reaching out to financing companies. 672 00:31:41,360 --> 00:31:43,520 Speaker 3: That time, I was actually traveling to visit a friend 673 00:31:43,600 --> 00:31:46,240 Speaker 3: down in Charlotte, North Carolina, and I remember sleeping on 674 00:31:46,240 --> 00:31:49,000 Speaker 3: her couch and I cried myself to sleep on a 675 00:31:49,000 --> 00:31:51,360 Speaker 3: weekend that was supposed to be like a really fun weekend, 676 00:31:51,840 --> 00:31:55,360 Speaker 3: and I just was so stressed out about getting financing. 677 00:31:55,440 --> 00:31:57,320 Speaker 3: I decided, like, I'm going to have to tell Target 678 00:31:57,360 --> 00:31:59,000 Speaker 3: I can't do this deal if they don't give me 679 00:31:59,000 --> 00:32:01,800 Speaker 3: an extension. I hopped on the call with our Target team, 680 00:32:02,280 --> 00:32:04,840 Speaker 3: and I mean god, there was just this pit in 681 00:32:04,880 --> 00:32:06,960 Speaker 3: my stomach of like, oh my God, like I'm gonna 682 00:32:07,000 --> 00:32:09,240 Speaker 3: have to give up this multimillion dollar deal. And so 683 00:32:09,240 --> 00:32:12,600 Speaker 3: I get on I'm like, hey, girl, like I need 684 00:32:12,600 --> 00:32:16,600 Speaker 3: an extension, not a cancy this and she's like, oh, 685 00:32:16,640 --> 00:32:20,720 Speaker 3: six weeks, like no problem, Like Jesus Christ, I was 686 00:32:20,760 --> 00:32:23,080 Speaker 3: so stressed out. I was so stressed out. She said yes, 687 00:32:23,200 --> 00:32:25,560 Speaker 3: and it was like the best thing ever, and so 688 00:32:26,000 --> 00:32:28,680 Speaker 3: luckily I was able to get the financing. I really 689 00:32:28,720 --> 00:32:30,120 Speaker 3: thought that I was going to have to say no 690 00:32:30,240 --> 00:32:34,400 Speaker 3: to an order that I really really wanted and there 691 00:32:34,440 --> 00:32:36,680 Speaker 3: was nothing I could do except for ask, and she 692 00:32:36,720 --> 00:32:38,520 Speaker 3: said yes, and I was like, I bless her heart 693 00:32:38,600 --> 00:32:40,000 Speaker 3: because I was so thankful for that. 694 00:32:41,120 --> 00:32:44,720 Speaker 1: You know, I'm not a particularly like woo person, but 695 00:32:44,800 --> 00:32:47,680 Speaker 1: I do firmly believe that what is meant for you 696 00:32:48,000 --> 00:32:50,600 Speaker 1: will wait for you until you are ready to receive that, 697 00:32:50,720 --> 00:32:52,880 Speaker 1: and I think this is a prime example of just 698 00:32:52,960 --> 00:32:56,560 Speaker 1: like you were ready, Okay, you were ready, a challenge 699 00:32:56,600 --> 00:33:01,280 Speaker 1: accepted and you absolutely executed. So, I mean, Charlotte, your 700 00:33:01,320 --> 00:33:03,640 Speaker 1: story is so inspiring. I know people are going to 701 00:33:03,720 --> 00:33:06,600 Speaker 1: want to know where does Charge Charms go from here? 702 00:33:06,680 --> 00:33:09,520 Speaker 3: What's next for you? So much, there's so many places 703 00:33:09,560 --> 00:33:12,200 Speaker 3: that it's gonna go. Twenty twenty six is going to 704 00:33:12,200 --> 00:33:15,040 Speaker 3: be a year of expansion for us, so you'll be 705 00:33:15,040 --> 00:33:17,600 Speaker 3: seeing us in new categories, which I'm really excited about. 706 00:33:17,640 --> 00:33:20,480 Speaker 3: And so you can find me talking about all of 707 00:33:20,520 --> 00:33:23,600 Speaker 3: the things that I'm doing. I just posted an Instagram 708 00:33:23,640 --> 00:33:26,520 Speaker 3: post about how I've hired over sixty interns over the 709 00:33:26,640 --> 00:33:29,920 Speaker 3: last four years, and so I write a substack weekly 710 00:33:30,640 --> 00:33:32,760 Speaker 3: about you know, all these tips and tricks of everything 711 00:33:32,760 --> 00:33:35,760 Speaker 3: that I'm learning or how to's, and so the most 712 00:33:35,800 --> 00:33:38,640 Speaker 3: recent one is on interns. But yeah, so that's where 713 00:33:38,640 --> 00:33:40,480 Speaker 3: what I'm up to. And there's gonna be a lot 714 00:33:40,520 --> 00:33:42,160 Speaker 3: of growth from my personal brand this year too. 715 00:33:43,560 --> 00:33:45,680 Speaker 1: You know, I definitely see you in a boardroom one 716 00:33:45,760 --> 00:33:49,520 Speaker 1: day getting pitches of your own. So I'm super excited 717 00:33:49,560 --> 00:33:52,640 Speaker 1: for that next era of your entrepreneurial Journey. Charlotte, I 718 00:33:52,680 --> 00:33:54,320 Speaker 1: want to thank you for your time, for being here, 719 00:33:54,360 --> 00:33:58,360 Speaker 1: and for really giving us the encouragement that there are 720 00:33:58,400 --> 00:34:00,760 Speaker 1: still plenty of money to be made and still plenty 721 00:34:00,760 --> 00:34:03,000 Speaker 1: of brilliant ideas to go and pursue. 722 00:34:03,280 --> 00:34:06,320 Speaker 3: Definitely, yeah, go, go, get after it, find the opportunities, 723 00:34:06,520 --> 00:34:09,000 Speaker 3: and remember the only job that you have is to 724 00:34:09,080 --> 00:34:12,359 Speaker 3: sell the product. Nothing else matters if you can't sell 725 00:34:12,400 --> 00:34:14,839 Speaker 3: the product, So focus on that, and if you can 726 00:34:14,920 --> 00:34:16,400 Speaker 3: make that happen, you'll find success. 727 00:34:16,960 --> 00:34:18,080 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for being here. 728 00:34:18,120 --> 00:34:28,800 Speaker 3: Thanks Charlotte, thank you for having me by Wow. 729 00:34:28,960 --> 00:34:33,080 Speaker 1: I mean that was a masterclass in like finding opportunities 730 00:34:33,160 --> 00:34:36,120 Speaker 1: and really capitalizing on them, wouldn't you say, Austin. 731 00:34:36,200 --> 00:34:39,920 Speaker 2: I certainly would. And her advice about making sure that 732 00:34:39,960 --> 00:34:43,600 Speaker 2: you hold onto your money is so important. As you 733 00:34:43,640 --> 00:34:45,640 Speaker 2: grow your business, you want to spend more money, you 734 00:34:45,680 --> 00:34:48,520 Speaker 2: want to invest in other things, but keeping the belt 735 00:34:48,600 --> 00:34:52,800 Speaker 2: real tight on that business when disaster sometimes strikes is 736 00:34:52,840 --> 00:34:54,680 Speaker 2: a very important strategy to have. 737 00:34:55,200 --> 00:34:58,799 Speaker 1: Absolutely, I feel like you know, Charlotte's book would be 738 00:34:58,840 --> 00:35:00,480 Speaker 1: called from Basement Bawling. 739 00:35:02,320 --> 00:35:05,880 Speaker 2: From Basement to Bawling, I love it. And Charlotte's Journey 740 00:35:05,960 --> 00:35:07,960 Speaker 2: is so fun to talk about, and she's got great 741 00:35:07,960 --> 00:35:11,080 Speaker 2: insight into preparing yourself for those big opportunities when they 742 00:35:11,160 --> 00:35:12,479 Speaker 2: finally come your way. 743 00:35:12,920 --> 00:35:15,120 Speaker 1: Absolutely, you have to be ready to dance when the 744 00:35:15,120 --> 00:35:19,520 Speaker 1: spotlight finds you. And Charlotte definitely was speaking of which 745 00:35:19,960 --> 00:35:21,840 Speaker 1: let's get our audience's feet tapping. 746 00:35:21,920 --> 00:35:24,000 Speaker 3: Charlotte, Well, let's get some dance and go and here 747 00:35:24,000 --> 00:35:24,319 Speaker 3: we go. 748 00:35:24,719 --> 00:35:27,279 Speaker 2: All right, listeners, So this week we want you to 749 00:35:27,320 --> 00:35:31,480 Speaker 2: try to evaluate your social media presence. How big is 750 00:35:31,520 --> 00:35:34,480 Speaker 2: your marketing footprint, how many followers do you have? And 751 00:35:34,520 --> 00:35:37,520 Speaker 2: what can you do to begin attracting more? What's your 752 00:35:37,560 --> 00:35:39,920 Speaker 2: posting schedule like, can you post more frequently? 753 00:35:40,080 --> 00:35:42,680 Speaker 1: Look at your current numbers and orders or clients or 754 00:35:42,680 --> 00:35:46,440 Speaker 1: whatever revenue generation applies to your business, and utilize quick 755 00:35:46,480 --> 00:35:49,960 Speaker 1: books to create mock invoices or fake orders and see 756 00:35:50,000 --> 00:35:53,120 Speaker 1: how that impacts your workflow. Can you handle that increase 757 00:35:53,120 --> 00:35:56,840 Speaker 1: in demand? Try different drills with incremental increases in the 758 00:35:56,880 --> 00:35:59,759 Speaker 1: amount of demand, and if not, what can you do 759 00:35:59,800 --> 00:36:01,440 Speaker 1: to be ready for an increase like that? 760 00:36:02,200 --> 00:36:05,880 Speaker 2: And finally, determine what legal or paperwork logistics you would 761 00:36:05,920 --> 00:36:09,200 Speaker 2: need if your business suddenly became very popular on a 762 00:36:09,280 --> 00:36:12,399 Speaker 2: larger scale like Charlotte's. Would you need to turn your 763 00:36:12,680 --> 00:36:15,759 Speaker 2: LLC into an escort? Are your finances in order for 764 00:36:15,840 --> 00:36:18,920 Speaker 2: the national or global stage? And if anything needs to 765 00:36:18,960 --> 00:36:22,040 Speaker 2: be changed or fixed before a major expansion, think about 766 00:36:22,080 --> 00:36:24,800 Speaker 2: doing it right now or at least having a plan 767 00:36:24,880 --> 00:36:26,600 Speaker 2: to do it when it's needed. 768 00:36:27,239 --> 00:36:30,359 Speaker 1: And with that, that's it for today's episode, y'all. You 769 00:36:30,400 --> 00:36:34,439 Speaker 1: can find me on social media at joquierronnetto podcast, and. 770 00:36:34,360 --> 00:36:37,120 Speaker 2: You can find me at Austin Hankwitz. You can follow 771 00:36:37,160 --> 00:36:40,360 Speaker 2: Into It QuickBooks on all social media at QuickBooks. To 772 00:36:40,400 --> 00:36:43,240 Speaker 2: get the tools you need to start, run, and grow 773 00:36:43,239 --> 00:36:47,680 Speaker 2: your business, head to QuickBooks dot com slash mtb today. 774 00:36:48,239 --> 00:36:50,400 Speaker 1: Don't forget to follow the show wherever you listen to 775 00:36:50,440 --> 00:36:53,160 Speaker 1: podcasts so you can stay up to date on future episodes. 776 00:36:54,040 --> 00:36:55,799 Speaker 2: We also want to hear from you, so be sure 777 00:36:55,840 --> 00:36:58,200 Speaker 2: to leave us a rating and a review. See you 778 00:36:58,239 --> 00:37:03,680 Speaker 2: next time. This podcast is a production of iHeartRadio's Ruby 779 00:37:03,719 --> 00:37:07,400 Speaker 2: Studio and Into It QuickBooks. Our executive producers are James 780 00:37:07,480 --> 00:37:11,360 Speaker 2: Foster and Ryan Martz. Our supervising producer is Meredith Barnes 781 00:37:11,800 --> 00:37:15,160 Speaker 1: Our writer is Eric Leeja, and our bixing engineer is 782 00:37:15,280 --> 00:37:15,880 Speaker 1: Eric Zeiler.