Behind Fancy Nancy Designs: Her values and growth

This episode, we sit down with Nancy Gonzalez of Fancy Nancy Designs to talk about her small business journey, what inspires her creations, and the realities of being an entrepreneur. Tune in for a fun conversation filled with stories, advice, and a little chisme along the way! 

Transcript

SPEAKER_03 0:42

Hey everyone, welcome back to Seminole Two Cheese Man, where we talk all about small businesses, local vendors, market life, and a little bit of cheese in between.

SPEAKER_01 0:53

Today we're hanging out with a fancy Nancy Designs. Um we're super excited because we watched her journey for a long time. She's been with us since the beginning, basically, yes. And we just want to be able to have you guys hear her full story and show the behind the scenes of her.

SPEAKER_05 1:14

So well, thank you, ladies.

SPEAKER_01 1:16

Yes, thank you for coming.

SPEAKER_05 1:19

Thank you for having me. So excited to be here with you guys.

SPEAKER_01 1:23

Yes. And wait, first before we start, how long have you been with us? Do you remember like the first market you've ever been with us?

SPEAKER_05 1:31

I do. It was September of 2023.

unknown 1:36

Wow, I have good memory.

SPEAKER_05 1:37

It was at Arizona Charlie's. Well, I looked it up, so I was like, I literally so I cheated.

unknown 1:45

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 1:46

That's why we were going through what we were like, what vendors have been with us since the beginning? So I pulled up the old vendor list, and I'm like, oh my god, there's been a lot of.

SPEAKER_01 1:57

Yes, but you haven't missed like one day, like literally, you have not missed one day through the wind, through the slow markets, through everything you have been consistent. And you put it on the question, like, why is she still with us? Like, what makes us so special? But it's nice to have you. It's really nice to have you still.

SPEAKER_05 2:19

Thank you. Well, I love your market. I love your family. Like since the beginning, you guys are very welcoming. You're always there for us, you're always looking out for us. So to me, that means the world, especially when I was first starting, and you were my first outdoor market, and I didn't know what I was doing. You guys were like, Oh yeah, do this, do that, and giving us tips the whole time. To this day, you still do.

SPEAKER_01 2:45

We try, we try our best.

unknown 2:49

We do.

SPEAKER_03 2:50

But before we get down into talking about your business and everything, what was your dream job as a kid?

SPEAKER_01 2:57

Let's like go back in time and let's get like more behind the scenes of Nancy.

unknown 3:02

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 3:02

Like who's Nancy?

SPEAKER_05 3:04

So my dream job was actually to be a nurse. So I started when I went to college, I started going for nursing. Um, at that time, I got my CNA certification to be like a certified nurse assistant. But and I was actually volunteering at a hospital because my goal was to be a pediatric nurse to be with the kids. So when I actually started going to school and they told me that I had to start mixing like medicine to give to the kids, like they tell you, like, oh, you have to give them this medicine. But I had to put it together. And I was like, I can't do this because if I mess up, if I'm like lacking sleep or something, I don't want to be the cause of them getting sick or worse things happening. So at that point is when I switched my major. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 3:59

And what did you switch it to?

SPEAKER_05 4:00

So I switched it to actually be a teacher. So my degree is actually to be a high school history teacher.

SPEAKER_02 4:10

Wow. Okay.

SPEAKER_05 4:12

But do I do that? No.

SPEAKER_01 4:15

That's okay. I mean, why didn't why didn't you why didn't you go forward with that?

SPEAKER_05 4:21

So when I was working through college, I was actually working at a bank, and I still do. Um so I started moving up in the bank role. So I decided just to stick with it because at the end of the day, unfortunately, our teachers are not paid what they need to be paid. And I was making a lot more money working in the bank than I would be working at a school. Okay. So I just stuck with it, and I've been with it till this day.

SPEAKER_01 4:55

You have to choose what's best for you and your family.

SPEAKER_03 4:58

So it makes sense. So when we're struggling with teaching my daughter school, we're gonna reach out to you.

SPEAKER_02 5:06

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 5:07

I am a teacher in history, econ, geography, and world history. So any of those subjects, I'm here for you.

SPEAKER_03 5:16

We'll keep that in mind because the the stuff they're like Sabrina said, the stuff they're teaching in school is insane.

SPEAKER_01 5:22

Because we homeschool um Samantha's daughter, so it's like we're the teachers. It's so much pressure that we have to teach her, make sure that she's like um understanding and learning these things. Sometimes we feel like to history, we're like, this happened back then. Like when we even have that they make you go in a circle instead of just going straight. But I guess we have to teach her that way too, you know.

SPEAKER_05 5:46

So it's right, it's just a way of they teach now, they do it in so many different ways, just so that each kid finds their own like way that makes sense to them. But I'm like, they have to teach on all of them, and I'm like, some of them get confused.

SPEAKER_02 6:02

No, we're getting confused too.

SPEAKER_03 6:04

So if before we get into the business um side, if you weren't doing your small business, what would you be doing? Would you be just focusing on work or would you be trying something else?

SPEAKER_05 6:17

I'd probably just be focusing on work and family, um, which I still do, but I just as we talk about the business, um wanted something more so that I had something to give my daughter in the future. You know, I have a degree, so she has that example. Um, I work at a job and I move myself up. So she has that, but what else could I have shown her? So that's why when you guys see me out there, and my daughter's with me, even though she's grouchy the whole time, she's there. She's there with me because I wanted to teach her that, you know, money doesn't come easy. You have to work hard for it and you have to have dedication. And sometimes it, you know, it's hot outside, or you know, things get rough or they're twindy, and you just have to learn to adapt to all those possibilities.

SPEAKER_01 7:15

I like uh that mentality that you have. It's it's pretty cool that there's more people in the world that have the same mentality, like moms wanting to show their daughters or their kids the right steps to show them to be hardworking, that things don't come easy, stuff like that. I think that's something that Samantha actually does want to teach her daughter too. So I agree with you 100% on that.

SPEAKER_03 7:38

I do.

SPEAKER_05 7:39

Yeah, because you know, growing up, I did have humble beginnings. My parents didn't have a lot. So we learned like we had to work, you know, we had to make sure we hustled. And my parents, one main thing that they always said was get an education, get an education, you know, um, make something of yourself because at the end, that's gonna be our legacy to you, is making sure, you know, you grow up and you have values, you have schooling, you have a good job, because that way you can provide to your family without hustling. And I'm not saying hustling, I don't hustle, but you know, like be less like burned down and be like, oh my God, I have what's what's tomorrow gonna bring? Like, what am I gonna be able to do to get this? You know? So that was one thing that my parents instilled in us is making sure that we we had the tools necessary to make it and not be burdened like they were when we were growing up. You know, like even though we never saw it now as an adult, going back, I can see like my mom worked countless hours just to make sure that, you know, we would have food on the table the next day, or had a roof and make sure that we were happy. Like we didn't know the struggles they went through when we were young because we had it, we had what we needed. You know, we had a roof, we had food, they would try to make us give us all the stuff that we were happy with, and we were happy, even though now we look back and we're like, oh, we kind of were not that well off.

SPEAKER_03 9:22

Yeah, no, yeah, that is a hundred percent true. I think when you're like you said, as a kid, you don't see the hardly goes. And then now that you get older, you kind of see it now.

SPEAKER_05 9:36

Yeah, you go back and you're like okay.

SPEAKER_03 9:39

Yeah, it makes m sense now, you know. So it does make sense. But going into that, you wanna yes.

SPEAKER_01 9:46

So our next topic would be the row business talk. So we have like the each would. So what is something customers don't understand? Well, no, let's let's go back.

SPEAKER_03 10:04

Okay, okay. What is your business?

SPEAKER_01 10:06

Yeah, let's okay, that's true. Let's explain uh fancy nancy designs now. Yes.

SPEAKER_05 10:12

So my business, I think I have a little bit of everything because everybody has different tastes. So I try to listen to the customers when they tell me, oh, do you have this or do you have that? And I'm like, I may not have it now, but if you give me some time, I can do it for you. So it's always making sure I listen to my customers because at the end of the day, that's who I'm pleasing, is my customers. And I want to make sure I have a variety of different things. You know, I have cups, I have tumblers, I have the blind date with the book, I try to have bookmarks and try to change it up. I do the aprons, that's how I started was with my aprons. That was my first item that I ever made. Um, because they said I researched and they said find your niche. So I was like, okay, I don't ever see anybody selling aprons. So that's how I started. And I wanted to incorporate my culture in those aprons, like funny stuff. Because as Mexicans, you always have sayings for something. Everything is the same. Um, everybody has, you know, uh a nickname. You're never the that's not your nickname. Yeah. So that's not your name. So, like my nickname because my hair is black, my mom calls me Prieta, like Darky.

SPEAKER_02 11:30

Like, okay, okay.

SPEAKER_05 11:32

So that's what my mom calls me, because you have a nickname, right? Everybody does, as Mexicans. So it's just I wanted to incorporate my culture because that means a lot to me. And also making sure, like I said, my daughter's been with me at all the events because I have to show her, you know, things, you know, this is how we make money, this is how you we make money, and you can take this over, and you don't have to work at fast food job. You can have this and just work on the weekends and then go to school during the week.

SPEAKER_01 12:06

That is true. So um, we actually I we went through like old footage, me and Samantha, and we were looking at Arizona Charlies and looking at your setup back then to compare to now, girl. You like you made one up yourself.

SPEAKER_03 12:23

We remember it's funny because we remember back in Arizona Charlies, we would be like, damn, Nancy's always coming with something new. Yes, like every single event that we would see you, you would up your game even more. Something new.

SPEAKER_01 12:37

And I know that when we first started, it was I think your theme was very neutral. And then you started we rebranded ours to more pink, and then out of nowhere you kind of followed, and you changed yours very girly. So we were like there she's following what audience we bring, probably, or maybe she's rebranding herself, but you just at each event, I feel like you're one-uping yourself and putting so much creativity and effort. I mean, at Boulevard, I noticed your bookshelf and I was like, that that shelfing you had, and I was like, wow, she really keeps putting effort like it, even though she's been with us for so long, she's still putting effort in her business, so that tells us a lot. Like you really love, you really love and you're really passionate about what you do.

SPEAKER_05 13:26

I do because you want to have something new and exciting. I mean, I know we have some new, some same customers because they come back and they're like, Oh, I bought from you like a week ago or like last last event, and then I'm like, okay, and she goes, Oh, you have something new. So it just keeps bringing people back to see like what else do I have? So I tried to like bring stuff, and I do remember like my first pop-up, I had like a blue janky little canopy that we had that we used to take to the lake, and it was all like on its last leg, but I'm like, that's all I had at that moment, and I remember like that first setting. The table was like almost bare because I didn't have anything other than like t-shirts here and there and like wreaths when I used to do them.

SPEAKER_03 14:15

So I was like, Yeah, so I was like, Oh my god, that's crazy. But uh the Sabrina asked the question um before I changed it. What's something that customers don't understand?

SPEAKER_05 14:30

So I don't think they understand that, you know, some of the stuff is handmade. Like I like the little pouches that I have, I think people think they're expensive. But I had like I cut, I had to figure out a pattern, then I have to cut it, then I have to cut the batting, then I have to quilt it, then I have to figure out and put a the zipper on it and then close it up. So it does take some time. And I think what some people don't understand is, you know, you have to calculate the material you use and then how much time it takes you to make them, and then that's how you price your items. So I think sometimes they think some stuff is pricey, and I'm like, it's because it's like made from like the beginning. Like I don't buy anything other than the fabric and the zipper, and then I do everything because growing up, um, my mom was a seamstress, so that's how I learned how to sew.

SPEAKER_01 15:30

Okay, that makes sense now. Okay. So does she still help you?

SPEAKER_05 15:36

She does.

SPEAKER_01 15:37

Okay.

SPEAKER_05 15:37

Yeah. She helps me. Like sometimes I'm like, mom, I can't get the zipper to go, or like it's crooked, and that she's like, okay, let's let's do it again. So she still has her industrial sewing machine. So sometimes I go over to her house and I'm like, can we make like some of these so that I don't have to do it in my little my little machine at home?

SPEAKER_01 16:00

That's yeah, I didn't, I mean, for me, I didn't think about how much you really put behind the scenes. I didn't know you did it too. I didn't know you were sewing the bags yourself. I thought maybe you're getting the bags and then putting a logo on it or something. But to hear that you're creating it from scratch, that's amazing. But yeah, props, yeah, props.

SPEAKER_05 16:24

I'm working on a template for like book sleeves to put your books and like make sure that they don't get damaged. But I'm not having a very good look with the template right now, so it's uh it's in the works. So I'm working on actually making like book sleeves from scratch. So I will be sewing them and putting them together. And these are like protectors you can put your books in and carry them and look cute. So I'm working on that, but the template is not coming up to what I want it to be, so look out for that. That should be coming hopefully in a couple months if I can get it going.

SPEAKER_01 17:00

Okay, um, where do you get your ideas? Do you do research or how do you come up with them overnight? Or how does that work?

SPEAKER_05 17:10

So I do do some research, like I go on um YouTube and I see what other people are doing, and then I'm like, can I switch it to make it unique to me? So, or I look at you know Facebook, the reels, um, and then I see like people what people sew and then switch it up to see make it something that is gonna fit my booth. Okay.

SPEAKER_03 17:38

Yeah, I mean Pinterest too. Oh, yeah, I'd be trying to do that. Yeah, Pinterest too.

SPEAKER_01 17:42

Okay, yeah. That's the one that we I mean, we get inspiration from our souls, yeah, our backdrops, things like that.

SPEAKER_03 17:48

We're like, oh, that's smart. Okay, how can we change it? So we understand that's the way to go is just looking and then trying to figure out how can I switch it to my inspiration. Yeah, right.

SPEAKER_05 18:02

What can I do to make it more combined? Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 18:15

So what's something that surprised you about owning a business?

SPEAKER_05 18:22

I think it's just like all the back-end stuff. Um, like Instagram, I'm really not tech savvy. So I try to like make my own posts, but they take hours for me because I'm not tech savvy. So I'm like, and I'm like, they're not at what I want them to be. So sometimes I just repost um different things because it's easier for me. My daughter tries to teach me, then she gets frustrated and leaves me. But it's just because, you know, I never done it before, and for me, that would be my biggest thing is like technology. So getting stuff done to the standard that I want it to be, um, and not just something half-ass that doesn't look nice. So that is my next goal is to make sure I do more um Instagram posts, more just put it out there.

SPEAKER_01 19:17

Yeah, well, if you ever need help, that's why we're here too. I mean, my parents they have difficulties too sometimes. My mom, she's the one who like reposts this stuff, but to create something, I know that it would be something that she would need help with because it's something new for them to learn. Which we understand sometimes. I mean, we can't lie, we do get impatient, which we shouldn't be because it's for them too. Um, but we're always here to help small businesses. I mean, if you need help creating something, we can help you. If you need help branding your social media or you need have any tips, just let us know. I mean, I think we've helped other people kind of start up and help them get more out there, and then now they've been showing their face more or making more videos, and I think it helps. I'm not sure it's something, but yeah.

SPEAKER_05 20:11

I mean, just to get it out there for other people to see like what you're making and what you have on there. So, I mean, I think that's the next step because that's you know how you get your stuff out there. It's just a little hard with everything going on, and you know, time sometimes gets away from you. And I'd rather be crafting than working on a computer.

SPEAKER_01 20:35

Yeah, that makes sense. Social media is like a whole different world, it's a whole nother level, it's overwhelming, it's time consuming. So we understand how you guys feel you have to do business, you have to do your life, and then you have to do social media on top of that. It's too much.

SPEAKER_03 20:53

But with that, a lot of a lot of people see like the good, and they don't see the struggles behind what vendors deal with, kind of thing. So, what can you tell us about like a moment, like a bad market that you attended?

SPEAKER_01 21:07

Or um like uh a market that left you thinking like okay, like give I guess you can say like give tips to vendors that are listening. Like the markets that you've done in the past that you've learned, okay, I don't want to do that market no more. I'm gonna look to do these markets instead. Or um maybe a market that just didn't do good successfully, like give those kind of tips to vendors that are listening today.

SPEAKER_05 21:37

So I think for me it would be I've tried um different festivals around the city, and I think for me, the festivals are not the place for my business. So I think just learning who your audience is is very important. And I feel like my audience is very similar to the audience that you guys bring to the market. So that's why I always come to your markets. Um, each market has their own like clique of people that come. Um, I've done markets where it's an older generation that comes. And when they come see my stuff, they don't, they're not interested because it's for a younger crowd. So I've learned, you know, researching the organizers, researching um who's gonna be there is key. Like, is it is a demographic gonna be suited for the products that you sell?

SPEAKER_03 22:36

Okay, okay. So when you so let's get into that. When you do research, what do you re what do you look at on a page? Like what calls to you?

SPEAKER_01 22:44

What's your red flags, green flags when looking, researching? Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 22:49

So I look at to see like, are they just video recording where there's a crowd, or is it like a recording of the entire event? Um, be having drones is really good because you can see like the whole layout of things, so you know where they place the vendors. Like, for example, last year I did a festival, it was a three-day festival, and it was food, they had a stage, they had the vendors, but the vendors were placed right where people would go in. So people would pass us and go straight to where the food was. So we were separated by a whole like um fence. So they would come to uh, they would pass us on the way in, and then they would pass us on the way out. So on the way in, they're hungry, so they're not gonna stop. And then on the way out, they already spent all their money from the food that they ate. So it kind of was like not the best event, and I guess what I was selling was not what was something that they would want. I mean, it was a Mexican festival, so I had a lot of my, you know, aprons out there with the Spanish things and shirt and everything, and it still was not what ex what I was expecting for a three-day festival. For example, I make a what I made in three days, I can make it with you guys in four hours. That's how.

SPEAKER_04 24:22

Thank you.

unknown 24:23

Thank you.

SPEAKER_05 24:24

So I was like, okay, this is not for me, you know. Lesson learned. We came, you tried it, it didn't work, and then you just move on.

SPEAKER_01 24:34

So another question I had, I just thought of so do you look at like their social media presence, if they have following, if they have the likes too good? Do you like pay attention to all those things or it's not about that?

SPEAKER_05 24:50

So I do see like the following and like how many likes they have on on links, if it's a new market that I'm trying to get into. Um, but usually I found like a couple markets that I work with now. Um, and I just stick with those. Um, you guys are my number one, so I make sure you guys are my priority. And then if you guys only have one event, then I look for one more. Other than that, I kind of don't branch out anymore.

unknown 25:21

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 25:22

So it's like it's within your comfort zone, basically.

SPEAKER_05 25:25

Yeah. And then, you know, sometimes people over um promise and undercompensate. So they say, oh, we're gonna have all these people coming in, and you know, uh, you know, bring enough product for all these people. And when I think that's a red flag because how can you tell how many people are gonna go? You know, you don't never know what's gonna happen in their life that they might not show up. So I think that's a red flag. Um, so to me, a green flag is like we don't know how many people are gonna come. We're gonna put it on social media, we're gonna sh put it out there and see who comes. Because honestly, that's reality.

SPEAKER_01 26:06

That's honestly something that we learned from the beginning. We did this, um, it wasn't like a pay ticket, but it was like a great event right the RSVP, and we got so excited, we got like from the beginning 500 attendees that RSVP'd, but the day of the event, we were like, there is no 500 attendees showing up. So we kind of learned, okay, we can't guarantee anything to vendors because they can always come back and say, Hey, you told us there's gonna be a thousand or five hundred uh attendees coming and there was not. So that's something that we learned, and we now like if people ask us how many attendees or how many people traffic flow do you have, we tell them, Oh, we can't guarantee every market's different, but we're gonna do our marketing side and do our job and push the event as hard as we do usually.

SPEAKER_05 26:57

Yeah, well we've learned that. Yeah, and that's just at the end of the day, that's what you know makes it happen. Even if people that have storefronts, like they can't guarantee, you know, they're gonna have a hundred clients that walk in their door. They can't, you know, people might come, some people might not. So it's kind of the same thing. I just feel like you're out there, you're doing your pop-up. You can't expect a thousand people to come to your booth. It's unrealistic. So, I mean, the more you have, the more attractive your booth is, the more people are gonna come and see what's what's on there, what's there, you know? So that's why I like to have a little bit of everything, just because if I'm not I'm not catching the eye of that person, I might catch the eye of somebody else.

SPEAKER_03 27:43

And I think that's what makes your booth stand out is your pre the presence, how much you have, but also you never sit down. You're always standing greeting, you're always standing the whole entire market. We have never seen you sat down at any of our markets.

SPEAKER_01 28:02

So that kind of shows us that you you kind of give that welcoming energy to people to feel like, okay, I feel like I can go to her booth and look at her stuff. It looks more professional. It gives eye catching, yes. So that's something that I think we kind of like give our vendors um like what's the word? We give them a tip, yeah, tips, such an advice um to be more friendly to customer support uh service is very important. And we tell them standing is very important because if you're sitting there, the people are not gonna feel like they feel welcome to go in your booth.

SPEAKER_05 28:42

Or if you're on your phone as well, like people are not gonna they're be like, oh, I'm gonna bother them. And I'm like, no. So I'm like, no, you have to be out there looking at them, making eye contact. And I think it just comes from many years in customer service where my main responsibility was customer service, you know, making sure that I'm there for the clients, making sure I'm greeting them, making sure I ask them, like, is there anything I can help you with? Is there, you know, is there something? Do you have any questions? Making sure I have little tags on stuff, price tags, because some people are shy and they don't want to ask the price.

SPEAKER_01 29:20

Yeah, that is true. So it sounds like you're really learning your audience. Like every market you're learning and trying to do better. And I think that's pretty cool that you want to grow with your business, you want to keep doing better.

SPEAKER_05 29:34

Yeah.

unknown 29:35

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 29:35

And if you don't learn something, it's then what can you learn? Like what kind of what can you pick up from that event that you're like, okay, maybe I should do this differently, or I should bring this. Um, one thing with my husband, he's in charge of the aprons. So if you see him, he's always putting those up and making sure like if one sells, he puts another one up. And he always wants to make sure we have all the different colors up there. He's like, people are attracted to color. He's like, we have to put them up there. And I'm like, okay, you take care of that. I'll take care of the rest. So that's his thing, is like the aprons. He's like, No, my aprons, my aprons. And I'm like, Okay, you do your blue.

SPEAKER_02 30:14

He's on apron duty.

SPEAKER_05 30:16

Yeah, he's on apron duty. He's like, Yeah, they have to be all different colors, and they have this is how you attract people. And like he tries to give me all this stuff, and I'm like, I got you, I get you, okay.

SPEAKER_01 30:27

And your daughter, does she have like a her own duty too? Or is it mostly you that handles the business?

SPEAKER_05 30:35

So it's mostly me. Um, I try to like have her, because she's more tech savvy than me. So sometimes I have her do designs for like tumblers or the sippy cups for kids. So I tell her, okay, you know how to do this. So figure it out and make me some things. So I'll tell her, like, do sesame straight or do baby loony tunes for me. And then she's like, okay. So she does that. And I go, okay, I'll pay you like $2 per design.

SPEAKER_02 31:02

Oh wow.

SPEAKER_05 31:03

And then she's like, okay. And then she does like two or three, and then she's like, I'm done. I don't want to do this anymore. So it comes in phases for her. But yeah, and then I make her like help me set up, like you guys see the rec, the black rec that's there. It's all her. She sets it up, she puts it together, so that's all her. And then we want to incorporate um a checkout stand. So that's my next thing. Um, incorporating a checkout stand for a kind so that I'm not going back and forth. Sometimes I'm like running in between like all the different because we try to set up as much as we can. So I'm just running back and forth. So my daughter's like, I can do the checkout stand, I'll do it. And I was like, Okay, so if I make a checkout stand, that's gonna be your job.

SPEAKER_01 31:52

So we're excited to see what you come up with. That's something that actually I've wondered is how can you be in multiple places at once? Because we see, like, when I used to do videography and there's many people at your booth, you would be talking to someone here, but then someone is talking like wants to pay here. So I was like, how can you do both at the same time? Like, you're a good multitasker.

SPEAKER_05 32:14

I'm a multitasker, yeah. So I'm like, okay, I could do this, I that, and I'm like, Well, this is ringing up, I'll talk to her or or see what other people need. And then my husband, like I said, his apron, so he's manning that station, him and his apron. So you'll see him, like his, he's like making sure the aprons you probably see him now. It's true.

SPEAKER_02 32:36

I never made it overseeing watch them. I'm not even paying attention to it.

SPEAKER_05 32:40

You're gonna watch, and then like he's like, that's his thing, like the aprons. So yeah, watch him, watch him when he sets up. He's like meticulous with them.

SPEAKER_02 32:49

At least he's busy with that, I guess.

SPEAKER_05 32:53

Yeah, yeah. And then he gets so proud when he sells one, he's like, see, I sold one, and I was like, Okay, I'm like, I sold five like an hour ago, but all right.

SPEAKER_03 33:13

We said in the beginning how you've been since day one, and you also said why, but we want to know because you're a part of the 702 family, what how did you end up finding us and what made you say, yeah, this is the market I want to join? So here's a funny story with that.

SPEAKER_05 33:31

So I was just starting, right? Doing looking for pop-up events, and you guys came up on my Instagram feed, and I was like, okay. So I looked at it and you guys had maybe, maybe a thousand followers at that time. And I was like, okay. So then I talked to friends and other vendor friends, and they're like, oh no, it's a brand new market, you know, and they want Zell payments, you know, that's a red flag. And I was like, so from working at a bank, you know, Zell payments, yeah, you know, you don't send Zell to anybody willy-nilly because you can't get it back. So I was like, you know what? I'm just starting off, they're just starting off. I'm gonna give them the benefit of the doubt. I go something in my gut saying, do it. So then I was like, okay, so I applied to you guys, you guys accepted me, and that's how it all started.

SPEAKER_01 34:26

Oh my God, how did we not know this? And we honestly we had a feeling too. Like, I know that people used to like call Arizona Charlie's and was like, is this a scam? Yeah. Um, is this for real, real legit market? We were like, yes, it's real. Like, we're outside, we're gonna be set up. But I understand like their point of view too. We understand both perspectives, but it was like in the beginning, it was so hard getting that trust, getting that those vendors to be, oh, it's a legit market. But damn, I didn't know you went through that too. You're one of the things.

SPEAKER_05 35:01

Yeah, and I was like, because you guys were my first like pop-up, like outside. Like I had done like casinos inside, which were not good. So you guys were my first like outside pop-up. So I was like, okay, so that's why I'm telling you, I had a janky little canopy that probably wouldn't fit in the parameters because it was like the slated legs things, and then I had like a couple things here and there, and I tried to fill it the most I could, and then I was like, now looking back, and I was like, oh my god, I showed up looking like this. I was like, oh gosh, everyone starts somewhere.

SPEAKER_01 35:37

I mean, look at us, we were probably scammers of the town, but every yeah, because they're like, oh no, it's oh that's a red flag.

SPEAKER_05 35:47

And I was like, Well, you know what? I'll just I'll just trust it. And thank God I did. Cause look, three years later, we're still going strong.

SPEAKER_03 35:57

Yeah, most definitely. But um let's get into let's get into some fun. Yes, even though we've been like lapping, we want to hear some vendor confessions. What do we want to get into the gossip? Yeah, but achievement of this. So, what would be the funniest customer interaction that you've had?

SPEAKER_01 36:23

Something that's you left the night and you or left the day, and you're like something you keep like till this day you laugh about. Yes, it reminds you and you laugh about it.

SPEAKER_05 36:32

Okay, so this happened at Fantastic, and it wasn't that long ago. Um so at the Fantastic Swapping, there was a lady, I don't know if she was all there, but she would come to the booth and she would be like, Oh yeah, amiga here, da-da-da-da. And I was like, Okay, I don't even know her. But I'm like, Okay, so I go, Yeah, how are you? And I was talking to her, and then after we talked, then she called me comadre. And then um, she went to my daughter and called her, like, oh, you're so amiga. And I was like, Oh my god. I'm like, she went from like amiga, comadre, now she's her tía, and I was like, okay, and then she goes, Yeah, you know, we go way back, and I was like, I just met you like 10 minutes ago, and I was like, okay, so I was trying to be nice and like smile at her and stuff, and then she left, and then when we were packing up, she came back and I'm like, You've been here the the whole thing, the whole time. And and I was like, Okay, so she came back and she's like, Oh yeah, come on then, you know, call me. And I was like, I don't even have your number, but I'm like, okay, I'll call you. I was like, I'll call you. And then I saw her again. I think it was like the second event at Ferguson, and she came back and I was like, Oh my god, she's back.

SPEAKER_02 37:48

Oh, I think I I think we know who you're talking about.

SPEAKER_01 37:53

She that she gave me, oh my god, continue your story. I think I know who you're talking about.

SPEAKER_05 38:00

Yeah, because she was there again, and I was like, Oh my gosh, she's back, and then she goes, Come on, then you remember me. And I'm like, Yeah, I remember you. And then she goes, Yeah, all this stuff. And then she's like, I want this and I want that. And I'm like, Okay, that's fine. Just let me know what you like and I can get it wrapped up for you. And then she's like, Oh yeah, I'll be right back. And then she would leave and then she would come back, and then she was like, telling my daughter, like, Santa Claus isn't gonna bring you anything if you're gonna help your mom. And I was like, Okay, but I mean, to me, that was like the most memorable thing that I still remember to this day. Even my daughter remembers, she goes, What happened to that lady? And I was like, I don't know. I go, I haven't seen her. I'm like, it's your Tia. It's Michael Maverick.

SPEAKER_01 38:48

I think we know who you're talking about. Because when we at Fantastic, this lady showed up and she acted like she knew us. She was like, um, she loves our market, she loves us, and we were like, wow, she's really a supporter. I didn't think too much of it. It did make me feel like a little uncomfortable the way she was like really close to me and wanting to hug me. And then I wanted to hug me YouTube. I was like, no, but then she hasn't showed up, so we are like questioning, like, is she okay?

SPEAKER_05 39:16

I know that's why I was like, I haven't seen her. I saw her at a Fantastic, and then I saw her at Ferguson, and then I haven't seen her again.

SPEAKER_03 39:23

Yeah, we and then I was like talking about that the other day. Like, where is she? She's okay.

SPEAKER_05 39:31

I know. Well, she's gonna show up now.

SPEAKER_01 39:34

I know she is probably yeah, yeah. Now I remember her. I didn't know, I know that she knew like some vendors or like she was talking to vendors and people yeah, but I don't think she knows them.

SPEAKER_05 39:45

I think it's just her, just she's just like that.

SPEAKER_02 39:49

Probably, yeah, she was acting like she knew us, and I mean it sounds like she knew you too. She worked down for a family tree, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 39:59

She was like, Miha, you have to make sure you help your mom, and because she was sitting down, and I was like, Okay, I was like, see, I go listen to her, so I would just humor her, but it was funny.

SPEAKER_03 40:12

What's the craziest weather that you've been through?

SPEAKER_01 40:16

You're gonna say the one that you were with us.

SPEAKER_05 40:19

Actually, there was one worse than that, believe it or not.

unknown 40:23

What?

SPEAKER_05 40:23

Yeah, it was actually um a couple months ago. It was when in April we had like wind advisories, and I was out there in a park.

unknown 40:36

Oh no.

SPEAKER_05 40:37

So it was like 50, it was like 50 mile winds. I had like all the walls on because I couldn't like have because the glass, I felt like the glass was gonna fall and like tip over and break. So I was trying to hold the tent down the whole time. Like by the end of the festival, because it was two days, I couldn't like lift my arm because it was so sore from like putting pressure against it to go against the wind, if that makes sense.

SPEAKER_03 41:07

Oh my god. It was too I know no, none of it broke.

SPEAKER_05 41:14

I took off the the tent from the top and then just left the walls. I put like um the walls that go on the tent, and I was like, hopefully this will work. I took down things, I put like my racks against the the table so it would help like with the wind hitting.

SPEAKER_03 41:35

That should that should be your like headliner, is buy for me because it was Sam's wind.

unknown 41:40

I know it was terrible.

SPEAKER_01 41:42

But wait, was your husband worried about the aprons?

SPEAKER_05 41:45

Did the aprons no, because he was actually out of town for that one. I was by myself. I was by myself. He had a death in the family, so he had to leave. Um, and it was just me and my daughter, and then my parents would come periodically and try to help me, and then my dad's like, okay, my shoulder hurts, and then he would leave. I was like, Dad, you can't leave me out here.

SPEAKER_02 42:11

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 42:13

We're sorry again for your loss. Yes, for your husband's loss. We know we talked about it offline, but I mean that's something that vendors that's a struggle, is they do have personal lives and people don't see that. And that's something that we want to start showing is that peop vendors do have personal lives. It's not just a business, they're not perfect. These are working people that work so hard behind the scenes, and then when it comes to market day. Sorry, I changed the subject. We went like that's okay.

SPEAKER_05 42:45

We went all sad. Yeah, it is. It's it's unfortunate that you know things like this happen. I know it's life, but it is sad, and you just have to, you know, take it and whatever doesn't like they say, whatever doesn't kill you only makes you smoke stronger.

SPEAKER_03 43:04

That is true. Yeah, that is true. What would be the product that surprised you um that surprised you the most that sold out?

SPEAKER_05 43:14

That sold out. I think I have that bag. It says mis pinches cosas. And when I made it, I was like, I don't know if people are gonna like it because it has a bad word in it. But that purse, that little tote bag is like my best seller.

SPEAKER_01 43:30

And we've seen it, yeah, we've seen people carrying it around the world. It's been on reels, it's been oh yeah, we put it on reels too. Yeah, we don't care if it has a bad word. Um, and then Samantha, I told Samantha you should get one. Yeah, but we never have time to.

SPEAKER_03 43:45

Yeah, I need to get one because I do like it. I do because it is true.

unknown 43:50

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 43:52

I think I I have another one in the works, so hopefully I can have it done. I don't like how I designed it, so I am. trying to work it out. So it'll say another bad word. But it'll it'll be funny. It'll be funny. I think it'll do well. So hopefully if not this market, the next one.

unknown 44:17

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 44:18

We'll look out for that one. Yeah. Okay. Alright. So what's your favorite local restaurant?

SPEAKER_01 44:25

Let's get like more I don't know. This isn't rapid fire yet. Yeah. So this is like more not more any more business talk. No personal talk. Well kind of personal. But we're going to talk about favorite things.

SPEAKER_03 44:39

Yes. What's your favorite local restaurant?

SPEAKER_05 44:42

Okay, so my husband gets mad at me because he's like you never want to go to a fancy restaurant. And I'm like, just take me and eat some tacos and I am happy. That is just take me get some tacos and like I'm a happy person. So there when you guys when we were at Fantastic there's a little like taco shop up the street, Peppa's Tacos.

SPEAKER_01 45:03

Okay. Okay.

SPEAKER_05 45:04

And that's where I love to go because it's so good.

SPEAKER_02 45:09

So it is.

SPEAKER_05 45:12

I'm like yep just give me tacos and I'll be happy.

SPEAKER_01 45:16

Okay. That's how we are. I mean my mom too she doesn't like she rather just eat fast food or she's not like expensive dinner type.

unknown 45:25

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 45:25

So my lucky yeah yeah.

SPEAKER_05 45:28

I'm like buy me McDonald's I'll be happy I don't care.

SPEAKER_01 45:33

Yeah that's we don't we don't need all those we don't need plus we're gluten free so it's so like rare it's hard it's hard to have McDonald's or that kind of stuff.

SPEAKER_03 45:46

But we can have tacos so we can have tacos okay well we can graze some tacos yeah I'm down yeah okay so another maybe easier question favorite thing about Vegas were you born and raised out here or where no I'm a Kelly girl so I'm from LA yeah so I was born and raised in Kelly and then when the market got a little expensive in Kelly my husband and I decided to move here so it's kind of been almost the same amount of time because we've been here since 05 2005 so about 21 years okay I think oh one oh two for us I think maybe what year did we move out here 2000 2000 okay a couple years before you guys yeah yeah what's your favorite thing about Vegas then my favorite thing is actually that no matter what time of day you can find something open that is true I mean Callie everything closes open closes yeah elote shops or like spal those shops where we know it's like nine and we're like damn we closed five and no one closing that time so that's that's okay yeah they close early and I'm like oh my god there's no people out after eight and I'm like I'm like where are we no it's weird it is so I agree completely on that what's you miss Cali are I miss the weather okay yeah yeah the weather and the beach of course but I mean we're only four hours away so it's not far if you go on a plane it's like 45 minutes. Yeah so yeah it's a quick trip so it's yeah right around the corner.

SPEAKER_05 47:38

But what's a trend that you're tired of a trend oh the one my daughter does all the time that she dances they make dumb dances and everybody dances to them and I'm like oh my god TikTok she did tick tock dances yeah she does those TikTok dances I'm like you look so dumb and then she's because I want to help you with social media yeah and then she does that stuff and I'm like it's useful yeah and I'm like that trend I'm like oh my god you could have her do is do a TikTok dance when you're selling so I can I know isn't it cute I know I tell her I because she used to do it for me like um on my TikTok there's like when we were doing events and stuff she would videotape it but then she got into her teenage years and now she is like too good for that I guess that's how it is that's how it is yeah yeah so she's a teenager and I'm like it's hard we get that we're worried about Khaleesi going into that stage that's something we're not ready for yeah we're preparing I'm mentally preparing myself already she has her little her little personality but we're scared like when she hits that teenage year oh my god we know she's gonna have the same I know she's gonna have the same attitude like Samantha it's gonna be times worse probably it does it's like I'm like I don't understand where's my little girl that was so nice to me and now she's like you know like crazy and I'm like and she's like no I don't want I want to do this and I want to do that and I'm like okay you do you so going more deeper now so we had enough fun we'll have fun again later going deeper what is something that you're most proud of I think what I'm most proud of is my daughter she is my pride and joy she is everything to me like I had a lot of issues trying to conceive so um having her I think it's in God's way of not rewarding me but giving me something to live for that's beautiful yeah so everybody's like you don't have any more kids I'm like one and done do you want more kids or that's it I did want to have more unfortunately it wasn't in the cards for me so I did have about three losses so sorry yeah my mom went through a loss too so I mean I can't imagine what that feeling is I don't think anyone can unless they experience it themselves unless they experience it yes so it's it's heartbreaking and my husband's like I'm done seeing you cry and cry so he's like we're done I'm like okay so we just have our one that motivates you then um to me motivate that motivates me is my family so I have my parents like I said they raised us the best they could with the best means that they could so making them proud making sure like we take care of each other um my mom is very big on keeping us united I do have two younger sisters so we just try to make sure we're always together we're always you know parties or you know get togethers it's just us so we just all try to get together and have fun and talk and catch up because you know life gets away from you and people are all busy like we all have jobs we have families around um all our the kids are in sports so it does get a little hard to get together so that motivates me you know family I guess I can say that's something that um we have in common that we have a lot of things in common like after learning more about you but that's like something that we're big on is family.

SPEAKER_01 52:07

So us the five of us is like the core and we're so close I feel like so knit close and we're so um I don't know how to explain it but it's just us. Like we have other family but we've the way that my parents have raised us is that we can go talk to them we can trust them like it's it's a different I don't know if other people have the same family mindset but it sounds like we have similarities in that way.

SPEAKER_05 52:39

Very similar on our side both of us so that's why I'm not that's awesome that's awesome to hear that we can connect on that besides business we can connect on that level also of how mentality is with our mentality not a not a lot of people have that same mentality it's very I know some people are very like oh family or they disown each other and I'm like why at the end of the day like if you're if you've fallen who's gonna extend a hand to you it's you're gonna be your family like they're gonna be there to pick you up and my sisters are like my biggest supporters my parents like you guys they're always saying you could do it you can you can make this you know we have faith in you or they come and visit us at different events and just being there you know for you yeah I think the only thing is that with us it's just us supporting each other.

SPEAKER_01 53:37

I wish that we had more support like you said from your sisters you have that I wish we had more support with extended family but I I'm thankful for what we do have. Yeah I think this what I have right now is enough. Yeah yeah it is it is and you know and family are continu will continue to grow you know you'll have more kids and then you'll have your spouses and you know and that's how the family just keeps growing coming into your little nucleus yes I like that little nucleus what is something that you're working towards so for your small business do you have a vision or a goal that you're working towards or do you like where you're at do you like being doing markets and festivals or well festivals I'm kind of I'm done with them.

SPEAKER_05 54:30

I've had enough issues with the okay I've had enough so I think just doing markets and then making my present known online I think that's my next goal is making sure I have an online store to reach more people I do have an Etsy um but I think having like an online store will elevate my business a little bit more. So I'm currently working on that as well.

SPEAKER_01 54:58

Okay that's really good we're proud of you thank you so now let's go back to fun. What is uh let's do like a rapid fire kind of you have to answer like immediately.

SPEAKER_05 55:12

Okay no thinking about it just a quick answer you look nervous oh my god let me get ready okay so this or that's okay let's just no let's just do rapid fire okay we can do that favorite theme that we've done so far um the gaye that was my favorite okay favorite food tackles make sense favorite holiday okay one word that describes your business cute one word that describes you um honest one word that describes 702 market family good we're not gonna ask like bad questions it's simple easy fast but getting towards the end we have what like two because you've pretty much asked what's coming for the business so going down uh to like the last couple of questions where where can everyone find you so they can always find me at 702 Market I'm always there um doing pop-ups super excited for next month because there's three of them so super excited for the new venue that's coming um and then you guys can follow me on Instagram under fancy nancy designs or on TikTok I'm on both platforms and soon to come and I'll have a website as well.

SPEAKER_01 57:00

That's exciting oh okay it's crazy because people think that we're family or people wonder like who's fancy Nancy why is she always in that location or why is she at every market or she's the OG vendor but at least now they get to hear who you are they get to meet you.

SPEAKER_05 57:20

Yes and we're happy that we're able to give you a space that you can talk about yourself talk about your business and give more behind the scenes and the last question would be what's one piece of advice to someone wanting to start a business I would say just do it learn you know learning is gonna come to you just do it you have an idea just put it out there and that it's not gonna be for everyone but you can always talk to customers and get feedback and then use that feedback to either modify your product or bring additional products that you didn't even know you needed okay I like that yeah yeah that is good advice honestly it is it's at the end I think it comes down to learning customers and what they want what they like and listening to them. I mean you have to listen to customers you have to talk to them and see I ask them like what exactly are you looking for I might not have it out but I might bring it with me and just have it like on my extra stuff and because if you don't talk to them you're never gonna know no I completely agree.

SPEAKER_01 58:38

I do it is true you have to make your customers happy that's that's who's retailing the money that's how you're in business.

SPEAKER_05 58:44

So and that's who's gonna recommend money to somebody else so exactly that goes a long way that does recommendations too yeah but yeah we hope you enjoyed on our podcast and we really thank you for like you said you had that feeling that gut feeling to join our market and we're glad you did and we really appreciate you you know you've been very you're our OG honestly you are our OG vendor we have so much love for you and your family we've seen your daughter grow within three years which is crazy we really appreciate you we appreciate you sticking with us believing in us um when other people didn't other people questioned us other people hated on us or wanted to see us fail but you did the opposite and you gave us a chance yeah so we really really appreciate that I think without you we wouldn't be where we are today without the type of vendor you are yes well thank you no I like I said I've told you guys like if you guys have enough events in the month I am not looking anywhere else I you guys are my priority when I look in for future months is always like when do you have and now I love that you guys put the calendar for the whole year. So I'm like I can like work around that and see what I could do and where I'm like nope can do that because I'm busy you know so I've been with you guys since the beginning so I think we've grown together um and learned from each other and I think that's the best thing um a lot of people like get scared of me because my husband says I have like that oh my god I was gonna mention it because my mom she'll never let this story down but she I I still will never forget when I first saw Nancy and she joined the market she was staring at me and I remember she yeah that's what people tell me and she's like but look at look at how we are today we're basically like friends and that's it is crazy it is yeah my husband always tells me he's like it looks like you're pissed off and I was like I am not I'm like the nicest person he's like but your face and I'm like when I'm serious I have that you know face and I'm like I can't help it I'm like that's just how I am and then I think he started buying like bonuellos from us yeah and that was like more talking to you and we're like oh wait she's actually nice like she does like what beefets does or something. No it's just it's just my face so I mean don't just people don't get discouraged from coming to me I'm a very nice person it's just my face they call it a poker face no so the rest of the face yeah that's exactly yeah I've even had um feedback like because I used to do interviews for staff and they're like we thought you were like the meanest person he's like we couldn't even read you in the interview and I was like oh my god am I that scary well now everyone knows that you're nice just ignore your face you're not just ignore the face yes you're the nicest person the the RBF yes see past that but thank you again Nancy for joining us and thank you but um thank you so much for thank you for hanging out with us guys today um make sure you support local shop small and make sure to come to our events coming up yep yeah you won't want to mess it yeah we have like a lot so but we'll see you on the next episode of Seven I'll teach my thank you thank you for