Small Business Bestie
Entrepreneurship is hard, and sometimes we could use a friend to walk a mile in our shoes. Small Business Bestie is here to provide that friendship, support, and inspiration that small business owners need from time to time.
Small Business Bestie
21: Melissa Alsip's Path from Science to Stunning Interiors
This week on the Small Business Bestie podcast, we’re thrilled to welcome Melissa Alsip, the owner of Alsip Designs in Lexington, Kentucky! 🏡✨
Melissa shares her extraordinary journey, transitioning from a background in chemistry to the rough-and-tumble world of construction, and finally, to interior design. 🛠️🎨 Hear how her commitment to quality and craftsmanship helped her excel, even as she faced unique challenges as a woman in construction.
Curious about the creative process behind transforming spaces? Melissa dives into her unique approach to interior design, blending her expertise in construction with a passion for custom furniture and abstract art. From simple consultations to complete room makeovers, her story is one of creativity and originality! 🌟🛋️
We also chat about the realities of running a business during life’s transitions, the power of networking, and even some technical hiccups with her website! 🚀💻
Tune in now to get inspired and learn from Melissa’s incredible journey! Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe to support our growing community of women entrepreneurs! 💪👩💼
#InteriorDesign #WomenInConstruction #FemaleEntrepreneurship #LexingtonKY #CustomFurniture #HomeTransformation #CreativityInBusiness #NetworkingSuccess #QualityCraftsmanship #ArtisticInnovation #SmallBusinessBestie
Connect with Melissa:
Facebook - Alsip Design
Facebook - Melissa Alsip
Check out the Small Business Bestie Website
Follow along on the Small Business Bestie Pod Facebook
Connect with Michelle on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/bestiemichellesmock
Check out the Small Business Bestie Website
Check out Cultivate Accounting
Welcome to the Small Business Bestie podcast. I'm your host, michelle. We are creating community and coaching women entrepreneurs, and we are so glad that you're here. Let's meet this week's Small Business Bestie. Let's meet this week's small business bestie. Melissa Alsup is here with me today. We are going to be talking all things design and small business. I'm very excited about this conversation. So Melissa owns Alsup Designs here in Lexington and, melissa, if you don't mind, take just a second and kind of tell us about yourself and about your business.
Speaker 1:Obviously, I'm Melissa Alsup here in central Kentucky, lexington. I've lived around Central Kentucky most of my life, went to the University of Kentucky here and I started my first business about 19 years ago. It was in construction, have since, in the last year or so, switched over focus of the business more to an interior design field. And I'm married. My husband, mark, and I are actually celebrating our 10-year wedding anniversary this year in August. So yeah, that's fun. I have no children, no pets. We just kind of enjoy traveling and basically taking off at a moment's notice when we feel like it, which we just did. You just got back into town a few hours ago, right? Yes, yeah, it was supposed to be last night, but you know the usual world of airlines and travel. It didn't quite work out the way it was supposed to, or maybe it did.
Speaker 2:Maybe it was perfect. You know, we'll see, we'll see. So you said 19 years ago you started your first business and it was in construction. What type of construction were you working in? And I just have to give you some props here, because it's rare even today. We were just talking about this on my last episode. It's rare to see women in construction. But 19 years ago, I'm assuming it was even more so.
Speaker 1:So tell us about that experience work and woodworking and painting, and I don't know of any other females in Lexington who were doing tile work unless they were maybe an employee of a company or, like a significant other, of a business owner. I think I was the only female business owner doing the work myself. Wow, I think it really gave me an edge in that industry because a lot of female homeowners sometimes feel more comfortable with a woman in the home. So you know, I had that little bit of an estrogen angle, yeah, an estrogen edge. But yeah, I did that for a long time, did all the labor myself.
Speaker 1:Every now and then I would bring somebody in to help me when I got really, really overloaded with work. For the most part I did all of it myself. I am pretty nitpicky about things, a little OCD about things, and so it was hard having somebody work under me because it wasn't their name on the business and it wasn't necessarily anything more to them than a paycheck. But for me it was my reputation. So you know, I truly cared about the quality of the work and that kind of thing and so didn't really ever have anybody working with me most of the time, just so that I could maintain the quality control, and you know.
Speaker 1:I would assume then, that limited the types of jobs that you could bid and things like that, if you were the only laborer to do the work Some of it it just depended on the homeowner, their timeframe, because I mean I could tile a whole house I wasn't going to do it as fast as a crew of five guys. And so they usually, when I would get called in to, you know, give an estimate for a job or something like that, I would, you know, simply let them know look, I work by myself, I can do the job, but I'm not going to do it as fast as a crew. You know, if you're not under any kind of time constraints or anything like that, I'll take care of it for you. I did get several jobs where I mean I was in a home one time with a family where we were exchanging Christmas gifts. We basically were together for so much time. So, yeah, if the homeowner was fine with it and they didn't mind, then you know I would take on pretty big jobs, literally almost entire homes.
Speaker 2:Wow, so it just depended on that. So you worked, doing tile work. You said woodworking as well. Is that what you did all the way up until when you've kind of recently transitioned into more of the design aspect?
Speaker 1:It was Like I said, I did interior painting, I did the tile work, pretty much everything. I did backsplashes, floors, showers, bathrooms, everything. As far as the woodworking is concerned, you know I wasn't framing houses and building or anything like that. I was doing more like built-in shelving, that kind of thing. I've actually been designing and building furniture wood furniture for more than 21 years. I've been doing that the entirety of the business. That hasn't changed at all. Wow. So yeah, I've been doing design of that aspect for years. So yeah, I still do that. But yeah, that's pretty much what I specialized in, those three things.
Speaker 2:So before the construction, was there a career or job path before that, what got you into?
Speaker 1:it. There's been a couple of job paths. I actually, like I said, I went to the University of Kentucky. My degree is actually in chemistry. I've always loved science, enjoyed it, did well in it. So I did that for probably about nine or 10 years.
Speaker 1:A few different places worked at the University of Kentucky, primarily one of the hospital labs, starting out College of Agriculture doing some ag research. Finished up in College of Pharmacy doing pharmaceutical research and I was getting burnt out on it. You know it wasn't quite the things we were doing weren't quite what I went to school for that I excelled at. It was things that I didn't necessarily excel at that much. Yeah, unfortunately, a lot of carcinogens in the lab we worked in. My sister worked in another one of the labs as well doing the same kind of pharmaceutical research I was doing, and unfortunately she developed a brain tumor and passed away from it.
Speaker 1:At that point I was already burning out on chemistry, wasn't really excited about it anymore and after that I just I didn't have any passion for staying in the lab at that point.
Speaker 1:So I had watched a lot of HGTV, which I know probably a lot of women out there are going to be like oh, me too Is that on a dime, exactly so, and I loved that kind of stuff, and I had bought my first home 21 years ago, I guess and so I started doing a lot of that stuff in my own home. I did the tile work, I did the painting, I did woodworking. When I moved in, I had three bedrooms and I'd moved from a one bedroom apartment and so I wanted to create an office. I wanted a certain type of desk. I could not find what I wanted. If I found anything even close to what I wanted, it was so far out my price range it just wasn't going to happen. So I bought about $300 worth of lumber, probably about $600 worth of power tools, and I built my first desk, my first piece of furniture, 21 years ago, and I'm still using that desk today. It's still valid.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 1:So that, just like I said, that kind of kickstarted the whole thing, was doing those kinds of things around my house and then when I lost my sister I decided it was time to leave the labs.
Speaker 1:You know, I just didn't want to be in that environment anymore. One, it was burning out on it and two, no telling you know what potential health risks I was facing with that. So I actually kept the job at UK full time for a while while I tried building the business on the weekends and then at nine months in I think, I went part time at UK, kept three days there and then, at nine months in I think, I went part-time at UK, kept three days there and then built the business the rest of the week just to maintain that solid income and know that I still had something to pay the bills, even if the business was kind of going up and down. About a year and a half in I quit UK altogether and ran the business very successfully up until just a couple years ago wow so yeah, yeah, I think that that is such an interesting way to do it.
Speaker 2:When you have like a passion, you know you want to kind of test the theory, to start doing it in your spare time, but keep your you know your stable income, if you've got benefits or whatever is going on with your job, but like, let's test the theory first. I love the way that you kind of stepped it up. It's like I'll do it on the weekends, okay, now I'll do it on the weekends. Okay, now I'll go halftime. Okay, now I think I can do this full time. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:Well, I mean, I'm a little bit of a risk taker, but I'm more of a calculated risk taker. I wasn't just going to just step from a job full time to nothing and try to build a business. Yeah, but it worked well the way I did it.
Speaker 2:So you know, I it.
Speaker 1:Started With a Desk.
Speaker 2:Because from there you were like well, I'll just go all in and learn how to do all of this stuff and build a business with it.
Speaker 1:That's actually funny. I started writing a book right before COVID and then everything with COVID and some different changes in my life. It's like I didn't believe in some things anymore, the way my life was going, and so I haven't picked that back up yet. It's not off the table, I'm possible I will pick that back up, but yeah, that's essentially what I was doing with the journey. I actually had a title. I think I was calling it from chemistry to cabinetry. I love that. So I have no idea, listeners, you may never see that book. You may see that book. I have no idea if I'll ever finish it or not.
Speaker 2:Well, I think your title is definitely better than mine, so keep that one. So you said that you took that business, you went full time with it and you were running it very successfully up until a few years ago. So what happened a few years ago to change things?
Speaker 1:Basically aging processes. Yeah, obviously I'm a small woman. You know I can lift about 50 to 60 pounds, but over time, I mean, that takes a toll on your back, your knees, your hips, in this case, your shoulders. So I just found that the physical labor was starting to wear my body down.
Speaker 1:And it wasn't something that I knew that I could continue doing and I didn't want to keep doing it until it forced me to quit doing it. I didn't want to cripple myself. So I started shifting the focus of the business over to just interior design Because, like I said, a lot of the things some of the tile work I'd installed, obviously, the furniture I was building I'd been doing a lot of design work over the years anyway in my installs and so for me it felt like a natural progression of something I really love doing, Felt like I had the skills to continue doing that. So I started trying to make the push to shift the focus of the business completely so that, you know, my body would still function until I die.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's very wise to take care of the vessel that you're living in. So with your design, I mean, I've heard you talk about it many times now, but for the sake of the listeners, tell us more about kind of what your process is with design and how it you know how everything kind of flows with you.
Speaker 1:Obviously I've got a little different perspective than a lot of designers because I've been on the backside of it with the construction side lot of designers because I've been on the back side of it with the construction side. But basically I do everything with the client that they need. As far as I can, come in and do something as simple as an hour consult, help somebody, pick up maybe new wall paint colors or you know that kind of thing. I can come in and do like an entire room. I just recently helped a client who has permanent residence in Indiana, has what used to be a rental house here in Kentucky but the renter moved out and this person is in real estate in Indiana and Kentucky, so occasionally needs to be down here in Lexington.
Speaker 1:And with the renter having moved out, the house had no furniture in the living room and that kind of thing. So they just needed some basic pieces to come in to furnish it so that they weren't sitting in the floor when they were here. The kitchen had, you know, basic utensils like, I think, maybe one plate, one mug, that kind of thing. So I actually helped stock their kitchen for them as well as bringing in some furnishings and some decor and that kind of thing, so that it functioned for them when they were in town. So I can do something like that if somebody needs it. Like I said, I do a lot of furniture design. Some of what I did for this client I just mentioned was, you know, actual furniture that I designed and implemented into the rest of the whole design as well.
Speaker 2:So you can do kind of like mix and match, some off a showroom floor and some original pieces, and I know also you do art.
Speaker 1:Do some yeah, some artistic, more creative type things, home decor. I do some just canvas art and it's all abstract. You know I'm not going to paint you something that actually looks like a horse.
Speaker 1:Okay, you know unless you have a really vivid imagination and can see that horse somewhere. So yeah, I do some canvas art. I do also just like some little tabletop home decor. Just this is kind of like my fun side hustle that I love doing like resin charcuterie boards and little drink coasters and I do some of those little 12 ounce wine tumblers and that kind of thing. So just some fun stuff for me that it's kind of a side hustle, yeah, but it gets the whole design thing as well. That's amazing.
Speaker 2:So if you had an ideal client right now for your design services, specifically, what like? What's the most fun projects for you to work on? What just like lights you up and makes you super happy?
Speaker 1:definitely the furniture design and the artwork and that kind of thing. I just I like a client who is open-minded about things and who maybe knows a little bit about what they want but don't know how to put colors and items and things like that together. My personal style is a little bit about what they want but don't know how to put colors and items and things like that together. My personal style is a little bit more contemporary than traditional and so I love people who appreciate art, who like things that are creative and different than the norm. I can do all kinds, I can do traditional, I can do mid-century, modern, you know transitional, that kind of thing. But yeah, I love somebody who's got a creative mind, who really appreciates art and kind of just gives me free reign to let my brain and my juices and stuff just get going and creating something new.
Speaker 2:Yeah, do you get to work with that type of client often, or is that kind of like your diamond?
Speaker 1:in the rough, not as common as I would like, but the one I just worked with. Like I said, they knew they liked mid-century modern and you know. So that was not a problem to work with them. I just created some pieces and so far I got nothing but positive feedback on it. They loved everything I did, from what I purchased to what I created. So, yeah, they were really happy with it. Then I had another client recently who saw some of the work I had done and actually commissioned me to do a wall art piece in wood and did that for her. She loved it.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, I like it when somebody basically lets me step inside my own creativity and just go with it. Yeah, and I'm like you know, because there's no telling what's going to come out of my head. Sometimes it's the carry place, but yeah, no, I've been really lucky, like I said, the last several clients I've had, that I've gotten to really explore my creativity has been so much fun and I love doing that. I love just taking something that you're not going to find it in a store, you're not going to find it in a catalog, and it's a truly unique, you know, one of a kind piece, and especially with the wood items that I do. I have like a branding iron that has my business logo on it, and so each of my pieces is actually branded with my design logo on it. That's so cool, so it's truly a you know, unique piece.
Speaker 2:Okay, so oftentimes humans that are highly creative are not always the most excited about the business side of being an entrepreneur. So how has that journey been for you, from starting the business, you know, and then all these years later, like you know, transitioning and things like that on the business side? How has that been for you, you know?
Speaker 1:transitioning and things like that. On the business side, how has that been for you? Probably when I started the business where I was coming out of a chemistry environment. It's numbers, it's math based, it's truly more. I forget which side of the brain that is, but I don't know. Left brain, right brain, I don't know. Well, they say that the you know the organizational, structural sides, one side of the brain, the creative, artistic side, the other side of the brain, creative artistic sides, the other side of the brain. So probably, coming out of that field in the beginning, I was much more. It probably helped you. I was much more geared towards actually running a business the more I delve into my creative side and get doing that.
Speaker 2:Oh, I hate doing paperwork and bookkeeping and all that stuff now and I know that's funny talking to you about that yeah, I mean I've had a lot of fun getting to talk with so many different female business owners, because I find that those who are in the more creative, you know side of it, they are really the ones who are like I want nothing to do with that stuff, whereas if they're a little bit more in the organizational side of things, it's you know they have a hard time saying yes, it's time for me to hand something off, whether it's you know, bookkeeping or anything else, you know scheduling or any of that. So you find that as you've gone further and further away from your chemistry brain, it's getting harder and harder to focus on that stuff and want to be excited about it.
Speaker 1:It becomes less enjoyable. It becomes more of a chore. In the beginning I don't think I minded it as much. Less enjoyable, it becomes more of a chore. In the beginning I don't think I minded it as much. And now, obviously, yes, there were some things in the beginning I turned over, you know, as far as doing taxes, because that's definitely not my area, right. So that definitely was something I turned over from the very beginning and have not even looked back from that. Yeah, yeah, but yeah, I still take care of most of the organizational things like that. Just, it's easier for me. Some of it said I'm just a control freak. Yeah, yeah. So yeah, I have that problem, but yeah it. It's probably a less favorite part of the business than it was when I first started, but I still do it because that's you know, you take care of what you got to take care of when you run your business.
Speaker 2:Yeah, what would you say is the most challenging thing that you have to do in business?
Speaker 1:I think at this point where I tried to make the transition from something that I had a really solid reputation, was very successful at just trying to get myself back out there again doing something completely different than what I did before. That's been extremely challenging within this last year is just getting the name out there, getting and I don't even know if it's a matter of getting the people that I've always done business with to think in a different direction, because I don't know if I've been very successful with that in this past year. It's been a matter of making new connections and branching out and networking. I've done a ton of that this year, just like I said, just shifted the scope of the business, find those new contacts and build those new relationships to get the new focus growing and build those new relationships to get the new, you know, focus growing.
Speaker 2:It's interesting because they talk about, like, developing a niche. When you start into something like you know, when you can really find that pocket where you belong, it's better for you because you know your messaging is clear, you know exactly what your target client looks like, et cetera, et cetera. But then if you need to pivot from that, there may be roadblocks in that you've become so niche. You know that this I do tile work and I do carpentry, and you know. And now I do this other thing that's still in the same realm, you know, but it's a different sector. So I could see how that would be very challenging. What has been your biggest successes for networking, trying to develop new relationships, and are you looking primarily for? You know, any particular type of client Like, are you wanting to go mostly for, like, a female entrepreneur who happens to be a homeowner or office, you know, business office owner or something like that or are you just open?
Speaker 1:Mostly I'm open, like I said, with the type of things that I like to do. I would really love to get into a community of either fellow artists or people who are patrons of the arts, truly appreciate that kind of thing, because I think the scope you know, the scope of what I enjoy doing is probably something that would appeal to that particular set of people. So for me that would be great if I could get in with those types of communities. I've got a few ideas of where to go and I've just got to do it and that's what, like I said, that's that's, I think, one of the biggest challenges I face. Let's face it.
Speaker 1:I started this first business 19 years ago. I was younger, I had more energy, trying to go back and almost start a business from scratch again. When you're older, and just yeah, it's been it. When you're older, and just yeah, it's been, it's been trying, because obviously at my age too, you know I'm, I'm going through the change, as they used to call it, so that that has made it even more difficult, because it's like nothing about me physically has been the same as what I've been used to for so many years. So, with trying to change business and my body changing and all that. I mean it just it's thrown me for a loop this last year. A lot I'm coming out the other side but yeah, for a while there it was. It was a big struggle some days.
Speaker 2:I think that's really important to talk about, because that isn't something that we normally feel comfortable talking about. Is that like as and it's not just menopause and the change, right, but it's like as you come, you know, like we talk about puberty, there's this huge hormonal thing that happens and we know that we have to be patient with our body and we have to, like, expect different things. And then, as we come into, you know, our mid-20s, there's another one, and then into our mid-30s, there's another one, and then into our 40s, there's. You know, we just don't talk about like, hey, we have to be really receptive to what is actually happening in our bodies and what we can expect. You know, and I'm with you like, I feel like putting the energy into going out and being social, it just is taking a different toll, you know, than previously. So thanks for bringing that up. If you guys are experiencing that, you're not alone.
Speaker 1:No, oh my gosh, you hear about it but you can't understand it until you've been through it. Because I mean, obviously your body's going through changes but I truly felt like I was going through a second puberty. I mean, my emotions were all over the charts, it affected my self-esteem, it just affected everything and it's like sometimes just trying to find that energy every day to get up and go do what I needed to do. Yeah, it was hard. So, yeah, it took some time for my body to adjust a little bit, to get through that and you know, yeah, I'm coming out the other side, which is good. It feels so much better now. Last year, like I said, some days were not good, but yeah, it does. It doesn't just affect your body physically, it really affects your emotions and your mental well-being too. So if you're going through it, please talk to somebody, anybody who knows about it, because you are not alone. It is not for the faint of heart.
Speaker 2:Did you have someone that you were able to talk to like a coach, a mentor, a guide, something like that?
Speaker 1:Mostly just friends or people who had been through it before. And actually I think too, it's not just like I said, it's not just with menopause. Anybody who's ever experienced pregnancy you know what those hormone fluctuations do to your body, your mental health and all of that. It's the same thing. I would never guess they were. But they say you have pregnancy brain. Well, there's a menopause brain too. My focus was shot. So, yeah, just talking to different people who have been through it, that was the biggest thing Because, like you said, most people don't really just throw that out there. But if you don't throw that out there, you don't get the feedback that helps you deal with it and learn that you're not alone and you've got support out there and that kind of thing Absolutely. So, yeah, I talked to several people about it because I'm not one to suffer in silence.
Speaker 2:That's so wise. So I'll just plug somebody right now. I know that in our community here in Lexington I've met Lisa Kane yes, and she is the menopause doula and I know that she has a ton of free, valuable resources that she puts out on her social media to help educate. You know what to expect, what's going on, et cetera. She also has some paid programs to help with coaching and things like that as you go through that. So if anybody out there is looking for that, I'll put Lisa's information in the show notes so that you can reach out to her, because I think that you know just like we need coaches and mentors and guides through all different seasons in our life, like we definitely need people that we can lean on when we're going through things that create physical and emotional change in our lives. So definitely.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I did meet Lisa right about a year ago, right as, like I said, as I started down this little pathway and so, yeah, I started following her on social and, just like I said, just knowing you're not alone and that what you're going through is not abnormal, just lean on your friends, lean on, you know, your peers and people who have been through it can guide you that kind of thing. Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 2:Well, I did not expect to have that conversation, but I'm glad you did.
Speaker 1:Hey, this is all about just business and personal life and how your life takes you, where you're going. And here we are, and sometimes it takes you where you don't want to go, but you got to go there anyway, that is absolutely certain.
Speaker 2:So your biggest challenge I'm trying to come back to where we had started your biggest challenge, you would say, was like trying to re-niche, if you will yes, yes, no-transcript.
Speaker 1:Yeah, kind of last year, if there was a networking event, I was probably at it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I saw you around a lot and I saw pictures on Facebook that you were at a lot, that I wasn't a lot, and I saw pictures on Facebook that you were at a lot, that I wasn't. So do you think that there is any particular group or organization or networking event that, like people shouldn't sleep on, like you definitely have to be at this one, because lots of great people are always there, or anything?
Speaker 1:like that. I kind of think it depends on the individual and what direction they want their business to go, what kind of context they want to make Because they're. I mean, I've experienced a lot of different organizations around town. A lot of them are fabulous. When I first started my business, I was in BNI networking and it was great. I was in it for about 15 years doing what I did and I got a ton of business from it and that business model definitely works for a lot of people, absolutely it. And that business model definitely works for a lot of people, absolutely. For some people it is a very structured type of networking and they have very certain requirements, let's put it that way. And so that doesn't necessarily work for other people who want something a little bit more flexible, a little bit more loose. So that's one I would recommend for somebody.
Speaker 1:But, like I said, there are a lot of requirements and if you're fine with that, it's a fantastic organization. There's some others similar to that that might be a little less rigid in some of their requirements. The referrals group is another great networking group. Like I said, I've experienced a lot of it over the years.
Speaker 1:There's some fabulous women's groups around town that I've networked with. Some of them are more structured and require, like you know, the attendance policy, the dues and that kind of thing. And again, it just fits your personality. If you're great with that kind of structure and can make a meeting like certain time based on an attendance policy, those are fabulous too. Personally for me, I like both. I have found that I enjoy some of the more, I guess, less structured ones.
Speaker 1:There's Women's Entrepreneurs Lexington, which meets at Guide Realty once a month I think, 8.30 am to 10, second Monday of the month. That's been great because that's just a come as you are, bring whatever you're dealing with. You know, if I wanted to get up and talk about menopause in there one day, there'd be no problem with that. Right networking, again very informal. It meets every single Tuesday out at Palomar Sedona and it's come whenever you want to. It's intentional networking. I mean it's not, you know, we're not all going to sit there necessarily and talk about recipes and things like that. It's intentional networking. If you want to build your business and you want to make new contacts, that's definitely great.
Speaker 1:Like I said, there's no attendance policy, there's no dues or anything like that. So it's extremely flexible, which is nice, and the fact that they do meet every single week makes it that much easier for people to get to it, because I know some of those that meet like once a month or whatever. If you miss a month because you can't make it, you don't see people forever. So those are some good ones. Like I said, as far as women only, both men and women more structured, less structured those are some things I've experienced and I think they're all good. It just depends on what fits best for the individual.
Speaker 2:Absolutely. Yeah, those are all great groups and suggestions. I will also try to link all of those for anybody who's looking for networking groups. So, melissa, tell me about the biggest success story that you've had in your business.
Speaker 1:You're making me go back through files that are 19 years old. We'll give you some time. We'll play some Jeopardy music. Honestly, probably one of the biggest successes. This is so funny. It's probably what really pushed the first business forward.
Speaker 1:Like I said, I was still full-time at UK, and it's so funny because I went to the Home and Garden Show. You know they have that one annually, but I think it's March or April down at Rupp or whatever they're calling it these days and so I went through there and I was, you know, I wanted to start connecting. I knew I needed to make connections or whatever to build my business. Well, I went by Meestile and Marble had a table there, and so I stopped by there and I was, you know, trying to introduce myself to the sales staff or whatever, as a contractor, trying to make that connection to get those referrals and things like that. And it's so funny because one of the ladies who was there at the table she was a designer, I won't call her out by name, so funny though she gave me a business card for somebody there within the showroom and said here, just contact this person. And you know, that was it. And then the funniest thing was I got a job based on this was this is how old I am. This was back when yellow page ads were out. I got a job based on my yellow page ads.
Speaker 1:Okay, it was actually a woodworking job. A lady had some kitchen cabinets. She wanted those centers cut out and have glass put in them to display. So I was literally doing that, and when I was there doing that, she had been remodeling a lot of the kitchen. She'd had new countertops put in and she was going to have a backsplash done. Well, it turned out her tile contractor had gotten booked up and backed up and was about a month out and couldn't do it. And so she asked me. She said, would you be able to do this? And at the time I hadn't done anything as intricate as this design that was going up on the walls. But you know you throw that out there and you're like, oh sure, no problem, Sweating the whole time going please, let me be able to do this successfully. And so I did. I installed it and it really did. It turned out really well.
Speaker 1:And the funny thing was is the lady who had designed it was the lady at Meestyle and Marble that had handed me a card for somebody else in their showroom and when she came because she, you know, she followed up on the design and when she came and saw the job she was like wow, who did this tile work? And she got my contact information and she ended up being one of the best referral sources I had when I was starting my business. I feel like because of her and through secondary you know how you go six degrees separation, all that Every referral I got that got that, you know, started from her. I feel like she single-handedly helped me build that business the first time around. And she's still an incredible lady. She's retired now and she's, you know, no longer working there. But yeah, I I think that's one of the biggest success and it's one of the funniest too because, like I said, she just handed me somebody else's card when I start.
Speaker 2:Yeah, get out of my face.
Speaker 1:She's like I'm another contractor, here you go. But yeah, she's like I said, she became a very good friend and I feel like she really single handedly launched my first business for me.
Speaker 2:That is really awesome. I love that you had the audacity to just be like yeah, I can do that. I have no experience doing something like this, but I'm going to get it done.
Speaker 1:False bravado baby, it works every time.
Speaker 2:That's great. Well, melissa, I appreciate your time today. I appreciate you sharing your insight, your wisdom, your journey all of that with us. Is there anything at all that you would like to leave our listeners with, whether it's a funny story or a piece of valuable advice, anything?
Speaker 1:like that. I'll leave them with a piece of advice. It's actually kind of like I said the book I started writing this was kind of what I believed when I first started writing. Covid just kicked everybody down so badly I kind of stopped believing it. But there are going to be things in life that are hard. Life's going to kick you in the teeth but you get back up, you keep trying and you put everything you got into it and you will get there.
Speaker 2:Keep trying and you put everything you got into it and you will get there. You will get there. I love it Absolutely. Well, thank you so much for taking time out of your crazy day to come hang out with me. And before we go, last thing if you wouldn't mind just taking a second to tell everybody how they could connect with you, if they would like to either be your friend or make some business happen with you, or anything like that.
Speaker 1:Certainly, I am on Facebook and Instagram. You can follow me on social. It's under the business name Allsup Designs. I also have my own personal page. You know Melissa Allsup and I don't mind finding new friends. So, yeah, just feel free to follow along that. I have a website. It will hopefully be back up. We had a little issue with the domain registrar. It's been down for a little bit, but I think we can get it back up soon. So, yeah, there's also a website under awesomedesignscom. Those are pretty much the ways to follow me.
Speaker 2:Great Well, I will look forward to talking with you again really soon. I'm sure I'll see you at networking, probably, and we will talk to all of you guys later. Thanks for listening, friends, my name is Michelle Smock and I own Cultivate Accounting, a boutique accounting firm specializing in small business, and I own Small Business Bestie, where I help women entrepreneurs go from idea to launch and beyond. Check the show notes for links to my website and socials, and also please take a moment to subscribe and review. It really would mean the world to me.