Pouur Decisions
Bold Stories of Business Journeys, Legal Tips and a Toast To Doing It Anyway
Hosted by Attorney Sharece Miller-Curry
Pouur Decisions
Starting a Business With No Plan… Just Relationships
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What does it actually take to start a business when you don’t have a plan, a budget, or certainty it will work?
In this episode of Pouur Decisions, Stephanie Kluk, founder of Future Ink Graphics, shares how she built her business from years of experience in the nonprofit and creative space, and why relationships became her biggest asset. From launching during COVID to choosing a location inside a nonprofit-driven building, her path was anything but traditional.
The conversation goes deeper into the parts most business owners don’t talk about, including legal challenges, navigating leases and contractors, relying on word of mouth instead of marketing, and learning through mistakes. This is a real discussion about building something from nothing and figuring it out as you go.
Alright, um welcome back to Poor Decisions and I am so excited I'm here with Stephanie Kluke with Fig Future Ink Graphics. Um so the this um whole idea and concept and the building we're in and everything is just really cool. So I can't wait to get into it and you know find out more about your journey. Yeah. Um okay, so tell us about Fig and um the inspiration behind it, how you got started.
SPEAKER_00Sure. So um I have been an arts nonprofit for about 20 years. I'm a visual artist myself. I went to school for um photography actually, um, and then spent the last 20 years. I lived in Chicago. Um, I was working for organizations there, and then came to Cleveland and have been working with about five or six different nonprofits through the last 15 years that I've been back in Cleveland. Okay. So um I grew up in Cleveland and was born here and then left for about 10 years to go to school and uh to go in, get into the arts community in Chicago.
SPEAKER_01Okay.
SPEAKER_00Um, so the last job that I had, I was the director of a Prince Co-op. And um then COVID hit and um I said, you know, like I really wanted to start this organization. So I wanted to start an organization that I could work with artists um and take the experience that I had from all the other organizations in Cleveland and Chicago um to create my own space. So when COVID hit, it was like the best time and the worst time to start a business. Yeah. Um it was kind of like the world was upside down. So this was and I I turned 40 and I was like, you know what? It's it's now what I want to do. Like it's you know, so um I was able to, I left a job and was able to come into this to the pivot center um and get to know the developer, and uh he gave me a chance uh in the space. So the building is a bunch of like large, not large nonprofits, um, and we are the only for-profit small business inside.
SPEAKER_01Okay, and uh just to explain um for viewers that or listeners that don't know the pivot center, um, it's in Cleveland, and um it has how many different nonprofits inside the building?
SPEAKER_00So people are surprised because we are new-ish, but still we've been around for a little a minute. Um, the Cleveland Museum of Art has a 30,000 square foot community art center here that's open to the public. Um, we have Rainy Institute, which is modern dance, they have a large studio space here. Uh we have Rainey Institute, which has been around for a hundred years, and they decided to create a satellite location on the west side um so that they could work with more um kids from the west side. Um so those are some of the big ones. We have Latin Us, which is an all Spanish speaking theater here. Um, we have the Cleveland Roy Prices Center, has their main headquarters here. Um, and then there's a sprinkling of other small nonprofits in the building.
SPEAKER_01Okay, so how why this this location, if you especially with you being a for-profit um company, why did you want to be in a building with other nonprofits?
SPEAKER_00And um, well, one I just love the building. So I had learned about the building through Inlet Dance. Um, and they brought us in, and the building was like gutted, but it's was like gross and still like no, there was no walls, and like the floor was all beat up. And I was like, this is the space. You know that I knew that this is what I wanted to do. I just knew this was the space. So um, so yeah, it was like I said, you know, I took a leap. I didn't take a little leap, like I didn't just start from like you know, garage. Um, I went into this space, like thinking, all right, like I'm gonna have some big neighbors, and that hopefully too would attract, you know, interest in our organization, our business. Right, that makes sense. Yeah, okay. But and it says it's challenges being a for-profit in a nonprofit league-based building, um, because there are things that they can do for free that I cannot do. So um it's been interesting, but for the most part supportive, and I feel really lucky to be in this building.
SPEAKER_01Oh, wow. Yeah. Okay, so let's go back to your journey, you know, to open. So you said you're you're taking this leap, you're gonna start and walk us through like the like the steps. Um obviously you you know found you know this building and decided on a location, but um yeah, you know, how finance, everything, yeah, everything.
SPEAKER_00So when we came into this space, um they only had lighting, and then the exterior walls were built for this this size of our studio space. Um, so I actually got to work with an architect um and a contractor, which was an experience, um, to actually build out the space, which included plumbing, um, all of the internal walls, uh additional electrical, and that was its own experience. Yes.
SPEAKER_02Yes.
SPEAKER_00I mean, this is a historic building, so um there's been more kind of permits and things that you need to go through. So that was definitely a learning lesson. Um, but it was it was really nice because it gave us the opportunity to build up excitement about SAG opening. Um, and so every time we had something, my husband built movable walls so we could have uh you know exhibitions in the space before we even had walls.
SPEAKER_01That's a great idea.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, so the museum was opening and I said we can't, we weren't open yet, and I said we can't, you know, not take this opportunity. So um our first opening was we were just a white box and we had you know some fake walls up and some artwork, and we had about 400 people come through. So it was really cool. Oh my gosh, that's awesome! Yeah, so um, so we were just really able to kind of build from you know, like my experience and the people that I've worked with throughout, you know, my years here at Cleveland. Um, and so those were just already kind of wonderful relationships, and so once we moved into this space, um, a lot of those clients and things came to me and said we went to work with you. So that was great.
SPEAKER_01So oh wow, just I mean, very creative, thinking outside of the bus, which not surprising, you know, being in the creative space of cool. Yeah, okay. Um, now so how do you how do you generate clients? Um, especially since a lot of the people coming here are are thinking maybe, oh, I'm gonna go, you know, nonprofit. I don't necessarily have to pay for services and all.
SPEAKER_00How do you find clients? So a lot of ours is actually like business to business um in some of our most of our programming. So um that is relationships with other nonprofits or businesses that will hire us to do the services. So we have a community screen printing program where we go to the rock hall and they will commission us to have an artist create a poster design and then we live print that at the rock hall. Um and so really we haven't done a lot of marketing. We're so we're still very young. Um, so I say we we officially formed in 2020, but 2021 is when we started doing programming and then 2022 out of the space. So we're still pretty young, but um, but it a lot of it has been word of mouth, so we don't have a big marketing budget, which is always the problem for small business. Um, but that mostly it's been word of mouth, and then um seeing sometimes people literally are just in an event and they're like, we want to do we want this at our space, and then I gave them the information. Yeah, so that has been mostly how we've built our clients, and then we have, you know, obviously we have Instagram and we have a newsletter that we send out um every other week or every week talking about what we have going on. Um, but I was lucky that I built relationships, you know, through my time and multiple nonprofits here in Cleveland.
SPEAKER_01Yes. So, with those, did you like reach out to people that you had worked with before and said, hey, this is uh, you know, my business, a company that I'm I'm offering these type of services? Yes, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00So it's been great. And we did a lot of inviting. My parents used to make in the very beginning. They had like a little cookie factory at their house. Oh, um, because my dad would make the cookies and then my mom would like, you know, put them in little packages with little signage for us. So we probably had, you know, a few hundred people through come through the first before we had walls. And so everyone would leave with these cookies, and it became like a thing where people would email me and be like, These were the best cookies ever. So we had a little running joke that the whole first year that we were here, we were just giving everybody cookies to bribe them to come back.
SPEAKER_01Right, right.
SPEAKER_00So, and it worked it did for a lot of people. It was it was a really nice way for people to remember us and to come back when we were built up. So no, what kind of cookies were they? There was a variety. Oh double chocolate, there was chocolate chip, there was oatmeal raisin, like there. That's my favorite oatmeal raisin. Yes, there was um, so yeah, it was funny. Okay, it's great. And what's the name of their cookie? Oh, they don't have one. That was just their sweet joke that it was like their cookie factory because they did that. Oh, so they were making like I have pictures of them in their kitchen with like cookie sheets, like covering that counter. There's like my mom is sitting at the table, like putting these in little beds. So awesome. So it was just for just for you. Yeah, just for the getting the business off the ground.
SPEAKER_01Oh, okay.
SPEAKER_00That is that's so nice.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it's awesome.
SPEAKER_00And my 79-year-old aunt, um, she does all my embroidery. So our like we have our logo on our like uh aprons and our hats, and she and our we have cozies and things, and she does that for me too. So it's a family affair, yes, yes, yeah.
SPEAKER_01Now, do you sell that? Um the sh the we do.
SPEAKER_00Sometimes I give them away, like it's kind of um a nice way they'll I'll say if you tag us on Instagram, yeah, you can have this hat. But um we do sell them, so okay, yeah, it's they're up for sale, and we have a new shirt that's kind of up for sale, but we haven't really gotten into a lot of retail, so there just hasn't been a lot of people buying art in Cleveland, and so selling you know, some of the artwork that we have or our you know branded material just it sells, but just not outrageously, yeah. It's it's not our best revenue. Right, okay, yeah.
SPEAKER_01So uh what would you say um is okay, so what services all do you offer first?
SPEAKER_00Sure. So we are mostly an educational space. Um, we are a maker space, so artists can come in, they can use our screen printing facilities, they can use our tech lab. Um, and then we have artists that are here that can also assist in helping them sometimes with a specific project. Okay. Um, but then we have programming where um we will go into the school systems. Is that what you I'm sorry? I was losing my train of thought there. So um where we go into the school systems. So I will hire out all the independent artists. So it's me, I have a very small staff, and then I have artists probably about 20 that I will reach out to for different teaching or different design work. Um so, like for teaching, we do a program with Natural Hospital called Safe. Um, we're actually doing it now, and it kind of takes over our October. Um, it's awesome. It's uh two high schools, uh, Lincoln West and Glenville. And we are working with all of the ninth graders, 11th graders, and 12th graders in both of those schools. Um, and so that is to provide arts programming, and then it's very specific to um themes that they have to help kids get through high school and understand coping mechanisms and stress and transitions and things like that. So they use the visual arts and dance and theater and music, but we're the visual arts component for that. So um that's one thing that we we do a lot of. Okay. Um, and then we have a lot of these commissioned work where organizations will have a benefit or um the rock hall has an event. Um, and they will call us and say, we want you to live screen print at our event. Can you customize a poster? And then we just go out and we do that. So that's another, those are two kind of big ones that we have. Um, and then I also write grants. So even though we're a for-profit, there are programs and things that I would like to do and um services that I like to provide that I can't necessarily do because if people can't afford them or you know, art is more expensive, I think, than people realize behind the scenes. Yeah, um, and so we have a program for seniors, we have a program for adults with disability, um, and then we have a residency program specifically to support women in the arts. So, and those are all grant um funded programs.
SPEAKER_01Wow. Oh my gosh. So, do they do the um different individuals, whether it's the um women or the seniors, do they physically come here? Yep, yeah.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, we do workshops here. We had um just last this year, I got the first grant for our senior citizen programming, and it was awesome. It's definitely one of my favorite programs. I was like, that we had five uh workshops and they came in like almost every Monday. Okay. Um and they were bus tier. Um, it was all women, it just happened to be all women. Um, but by the end, like it was like an assembly line of hugs. So they would come in and we could like really got to know them. And so I'm hoping that I have another grant out that we will get it for next year so we can actually do an exhibition of the women's work. So and that would be really cool to do.
SPEAKER_01So yeah, so then they'll um they'll go through the process of creating it and then an exhibition to present it to everyone. Yep. And how long um do the programs run? Is it like all year or it just depends.
SPEAKER_00So a lot of it depends on funding or it depends on another organization's goals and how they want to do that. So um, yeah, just kind of depend. I would keep going if I had the funding, I would just keep having these programs because they are filling, and there seems to be this need and desire to want to do that. And I think especially now, as programs are gonna cut, education is getting cut, um, creativity is really important. Yes. So I think there it is. Yes, it is so important. Yes.
SPEAKER_01And like, you know, it opens up your mind, and you just um you start one idea cut goes to another idea, and then it just you know, yes, just so well as well.
SPEAKER_00Creative thinking and thinking, you know, for yourself, yeah. The big part of our and going through a process of failing and fixing it and things like that. So um, yeah, and it's been a nice um I also have an internship program um where we have so sorry, I forgot a couple of programs if I can bring it back up. Yes, please. Okay, so I have an internship program where I have two high schools or high school kids. Okay, the high school kids are awesome, they've been fantastic. I uh they're like a new breed of kids, they're great. Um, but they'll come in and maybe do like a six to eight week um internship here where they have to learn about digital art and graphic design and screen printing, and then they work with their school and their class, their digital art class, um, to create uh a collaborative kind of t-shirt logo or something with their class when they're back at school. And then their final is sometimes we have an exhibition of the students' work, um, but they also have like family friends come in and then they live create t-shirts for all of their you know, student colleagues. So we have a gallery space too. Okay. Um, sometimes those like I was sharing with you the last show we had um was grant funded through the Metro Health Foundation. Um, but then sometimes we have schools or organizations or individual artists that want to do exhibitions. A lot of times they'll get funding to do it. Um, so they'll kind of rent out our space and then we market them and we have a big opening for them. Um, so that's another thing that we do to bring in some revenue. Yeah. And this is the great part about being in the building with like Cleveland Museum of Art is to have your artwork up at the Fibot Center next to I I think we're important, but I think next to the Museum of Art it really kind of stands out.
SPEAKER_01Yes. Yeah. Now, do your um like the students that you have or anyone, do they showcase their work around the building or just in your um side office?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, so we have the internal space where we just hang work. Okay. And sometimes if we have a big enough show, we will have work come inside. But the nice part is um it's actually like our hallway, our shared hallway is our community gallery, and then the front wall of our space in the main lobby. Um, and that is in my lease that that's our space for our exhibitions. Oh, nice. Um, so yes, so that's where we will hang work. But what's nice about that too is we don't have to be open for people to come in for the show, it's just the regular hours of the building, yeah, which is really nice. I mean, it's a little like you kind of want to lock it up at the end of the night, but it's really nice that people can come whenever they want, and we don't we could be off at a school and people can still come and see it.
SPEAKER_01So cool. Now, um, so what do you what do you enjoy doing the most?
SPEAKER_00Oh, hmm. Um probably it's met our work with our seniors and then um our artists with disabilities. That has been really rewarding. Um, the artwork that's coming out of the programs is fantastic that they're creating. So um for me, I'm very hands-on. I'm a part of the process. I will hire artists to be like the lead artist, but a lead instructor, but I want to be at the programs and I want to interact with the kids. Um, with the SAFE program, we talk about some pretty heavy topics, and I'm always just like so honored and amazed that these kids will share it. They will they will be super honest with you about it, and it's it's some of it's hard, but it's like it's really great when you connect. And then from that program, we've had four interns. So, like, just they come and are like, hey, I they're kids that want to make our that want to be a part of it. Um, and we'll say, you know, can we come do it? I'm like, absolutely, come on, we'll figure it out, we'll figure out how to get you here. But if you want to be here, I want to make sure you have that opportunity.
SPEAKER_01Oh, nice. And are they getting school credit for that or they just yes?
SPEAKER_00So um, two of the schools that we work with, they do get credit for it. Um, the other kids, the school actually let them leave at their seniors. Sometimes, like, we had a program with Glenville where they would let the student leave because it had to take two buses to get here. Oh um, so they let him leave at like one so that he could get here and then have time for the internship. So um the schools are pretty much involved and and it's like that's so cool.
SPEAKER_01Now I wanna you mentioned that the artwork doesn't sell as well here. Did did you do you find that um or what steps do you think you could take to um I don't know, engage Clevelanders more to buy it? Did you find that there was a difference in Chicago?
SPEAKER_00Um I didn't really do too much of like I was doing a lot of nonprofit work in Chicago, um, but people would buy art. Here I think it's just they'll buy prints, maybe like we kind of sell stuff around$100,$150. So what's nice about screen printing is an artist can have like an original piece and then screen print multiple copies and then be able to sell that for cheaper. Oh I think they're definitely I'm not too well versed in galleries in Cleveland. Um, just from our experience, people will buy stuff, but sometimes they're very small, you know, cards and things like that, which is great, but we just get a percentage of it. So sometimes it's not even you know kind of worth it for us to do it. So we were selling, just not enough for me to have a staff person man an art store. Got it, got it. Um but I think there are groups, especially like the Cleveland Foundation, that are working with younger people about becoming like collectors, so looking at art in a different way in Cleveland, and then you know, who has the funds to be able to buy a piece of artwork. So, and you know, uh economically again it's been kind of rocky, so that's just another thing. Unfortunately, art is usually the first thing that gets cut.
SPEAKER_01I know, yeah, it's yeah when we need it the most, right? COVID means it's so much, and so much, it's inspiring, it's comforting, it's you know, just it it allows you to like you know get out any you know anxiety or you know, just to be able to release it, and then you know, the end result is like some amazing piece or something that you created, yeah.
SPEAKER_00And sometimes it's just the process of doing it. So yes, it's like just actually like spinning because we find like you know, kids are on their phone all the time, and we've been doing just like magazine collaging, and just like their phones are away, they're sitting there just like focused and going through magazines, which they don't do very much of now. I was like, I did that, but no, um, and so it's it's a great like way for them to focus on something other than what's going on outside. So if it's an hour or 30 minutes, it's a great way to you know focus and get some creative energy out. And um yeah.
SPEAKER_01Now, where you were going through the process of you know opening, deciding to open and everything, um, were there any legal things that you encountered or you were like, man, I wish I knew an autonomy or handed an autonomy that I could ask this question to or run this by at all the time, not even just when I started.
SPEAKER_00Um, because I actually use a lot of free services, which has been great, like Hispanic Business Center, they do you know, accounting and um like help you with your business plan. Um, so there's a lot of organizations that will help in those ways, but I haven't found one that I could qualify for for like legal support. So even just um when I did my lease here, yeah, um, I had a a woman who volunteered, she was a lawyer, retired lawyer, and she stuck with me through the multiple amendments because you know we were like the build out. Taking longer than I was supposed to do. And so we had a change of lease. And so she was lovely, but she said, you know, I'm not gonna negotiate for you. Like this is just so I'll give you, you know, eyes on these leases and what it looks like. But like understanding what went into that, some of the stuff that's in the lease would have been, you know, something that I could have refused at the time. Um, and then as we work with art and we work with artists making work that we sell, um just looking at like copyrights and who is what and what could we use, and so and how could we use it and what is the language? So there's a lot of that question is with too. Um, and then I have people that come in and out of the space a lot. So just what is the you know, legality of that of having people on the what do you call it, liability of people coming in? Right. So just making sure that I am, you know, yeah, yeah. Um, but definitely there's always um, especially because it's me and I'm an artist. I didn't really go to business school, I didn't do any of that, so I am just kind of having mentors and people support me as we go, but legal has been the hardest one to find.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, well, and and that's so important, um, because as not just an artist, but like business owners, period. Yeah, a lot of times the the nitty-gritty things are not even thought about. It's yes, you get your location, you know, you have to get a printer, internet, and yes, you know, computers and all of this thing, and you're you know, bogged down with that. Yeah, and those things like, yeah, you need someone to look over your lease and negotiate on your behalf, or yeah, and have insurance and you know, other like agreements with other vendors you're lucky with.
SPEAKER_00It's the adulting part of owning a business, you gotta call it because it's not it's like you know, uh no offense because you're uh oh no, you're like that's not usually the most fun. Although I really enjoy like kind of learning about it. Yes, that's so so people don't want to do it as much because no, I'd rather hang the artwork and you know, do that than get into those details. Yeah, okay. Yeah, but it's so important.
SPEAKER_01It's so important, yeah. It is, yeah. And I'm glad that um I'm glad you found someone to help with the lease and um and that you understand that there's there are legal issues that have to be yes addressed, taken care of, and determined.
SPEAKER_00I sent that lawyer a lot of cookies. Oh she got on the cookies, so nice. Yeah, because she knew she was like, I know that it's just you against you know, not against, but like you gotta figure this out. And you have city worker, people working for the city, you have contractors, you have a lot of people, and I was like, it's just lovely to have someone that can support me and just be on my side. So I just know someone had my back, and that was that was really wonderful of her.
SPEAKER_01Now, how did you how did you find her?
SPEAKER_00Um, it was she was a friend of my aunt. Okay, okay, the family connection. So my aunt had introduced us, told her what I was getting into. Um, and really, like it was from zero to this now. So, like people, you know, kind of jumped on board, and I was like, I have no idea if I'm gonna survive a year, I don't know what's gonna happen. Um, so yes, so she my aunt introduced me to her, and then she was like, I'll take this on. It sounds like a cool project, and you are all by yourself and you don't have any funding for a lawyer. So I'm called, yeah. She was awesome. She stuck with me for a couple of years too. Like finally, I was like, I can't. I'm like, I feel bad. I'm asking you for things and you're volunteering, and so um, but yeah, she's great. That's awesome. Yeah, yes, but now no, now I don't have her legal advice. So um I've gone to a couple different lawyers for different things on copyright. Um, but it really, you know, either it's very quick because it's expensive, or it really doesn't fit within the arts, like if someone doesn't understand the arts and kind of how that works, but um, but yes, definitely small businesses need more email support and eyes and ears and understanding what they're signing. Yes, that's a big one. Yes. Um, I had many grants through the city, so I got grants for through the city to help for building up a small business, but I don't, you know, just kind of sign your life away and you're not sure what's in there. Oh my god, this is like a 25-page document, and um it's like fingers crossed, sorry, and that's not a good way to go. It's fingers crossed, it's nerve wracking.
SPEAKER_01So yeah, hopefully I'll be okay. Right, right, yes, yeah, because the the contract's not there for when things are good, it's there for when things go bad. Yes, hopefully it never happens, but if they're and it does, you have you know the agreement that dictates how things are done. Yes, everything in writing.
SPEAKER_00I've gotten really much better about that.
SPEAKER_01Yes, good, yes. Now, um, how about during this process? Um, were there was there a or any poor decisions that you made that you know you learned from, you overcame, um, and you're obviously still standing and surviving it all.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Um definitely we would need like another hour. I mean all the things that I goof up on. I just also have a thing where I say I believe kind of in the yin and the yang. So I may like not get three grants, but then get a grant, and I'm like, well, that was it evened out, right? Like that was meant to be. I'm gonna not get some, so I'm counting. So I'm counting my mistakes as that's part of the journey. Some are harder than others to take. Um, there's probably some where it was, you know, not getting the contract signed or um like a contract with the vendor or contract can it be a contract with a vendor or something like that. Um, definitely through the contract, like when we were building out the space, that was kind of insane. And I think there are things that I would definitely do differently when interacting with the contractors and how that all kind of came together. Um wow, I don't I'd have to think a little more about that. But there's definitely mistakes that I've made. A lot of them are also um more so about like staffing and just like how you know interacting with as I'm getting to be an you know a little bit older in age and understanding the workforce as it's changing has been um also a very big learning lesson for me. So yes.
SPEAKER_01Can you think of um okay, so was is there an example of some of like a was it an interview or just you know, maybe not training or probably some I tend to be like really nice, I think.
SPEAKER_00Like so sometimes I am too friendly. I am friends with because there are sometimes they're artists that I worked with or have known for a long time, yeah, or um, they're just wonderful people, so I kind of fall in love with them, and so um that's something that I've had to learn, you know, the hard way that to be it's great to be friendly and wonderful, but like yeah, being this is a business and how it's running is the top priority of what's going on. So um, yes. I don't know if I have I have some examples, but I don't know if I'll share. But yeah, it's definitely been interesting. A lot of texting, a lot of the new texting. I'm like, just email me, yeah, email me something important because a text I'm not gonna remember, it's just gonna go down the line. But a lot of um people, young people are texting, and I'm like, you know, it's 3 a.m. You don't need to text me. I've gotten many of those. So um, but that was just you know, communicating, like these are actually, you know, things that I kind of thought we just all generally knew. Yep. And then it's totally, I think COVID especially just kind of put that all out the out the window. So um figuring that out and navigating how I respond to it as well has been has been a journey.
SPEAKER_01No, that that is such a big thing, and I hear that a lot with um, you know, just the generational differences and in how um communication is and expectations in the workforce, all of that. Yeah, because three o'clock in the morning, I mean, everybody's up at the you know, on social media, what hooray, you know, yeah, something like but that doesn't mean that's an okay time to test, but yeah, but that's actually been take care of the you know mistake we had.
SPEAKER_00But it just meant having a conversation about it when I thought absolutely. I didn't think I had to have a conversation about it, but uh well you do now I know, yeah, yeah, our future references going forward.
SPEAKER_01The next people that I you know hire and all it might even be something that you're like, oh yeah, I make sure that I mention that in the interview. Like we don't my hours are these times, right?
SPEAKER_00So right, because I have a saying too where I'm like, I'm will only text you for an emergency, otherwise, I may email you in the middle of the night, but you are not answering your email in the middle of the night, so it's not coming to you. But um, I may have ideas throughout the week, but I will not text you. I feel like that is I'm in your phone. I mean, you know, that's not unless I really need to, then right. So I'm going to yeah.
SPEAKER_01Well, no, those are good. Um all of these things just help us become better business owners. Yes. And um to provide a better environment for staff or clients and everything to just be able to, you know, make it even more enjoyable for everybody that's working or you know, patronizing. So that's great.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it's like those those lessons where you're like, okay, this is, you know, you also I also gotta say, I'm like feeling a little bit older, feeling it, feeling a little bit. I know. And I'm like, okay, you're I am old enough to probably be here, but the opera part where you're like, okay. So anyway.
SPEAKER_01I know you don't feel like it, but then when you're when you're age, you're like, oh, yeah, yes, I could.
SPEAKER_00Or just like the um, there's a lot of young people that I have to understand. Um, and I'm not trying to say I'm wonderful, but look at me as like a mentor. Yeah, and so you know, I have kids that are teenagers, and so I kind of sometimes fall into that a little bit of like, you know, but I think it's necessary and um it's obviously needed because a lot of these young women that are coming to work for me, it's definitely obvious.
SPEAKER_01Nice, yeah, yes, well, that's great that you're able to provide that mentorship and you know, for them to look up to you and you could talk to them because I don't know, maybe I'm sneaking in.
SPEAKER_00No, I'm sure. I'm just like great, great.
SPEAKER_01I'm sure. Well, that is a great um segue to us toasting to you know all the great things you're doing. All right.
SPEAKER_00This is great. Thank you. Oh no, never know.