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Small Business Bestie
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Small Business Bestie
Ep 54: Bloom Differently- Mickaylyn Conrad is Creating The Shop Where Everyone Belongs
Mickaylyn Conrad shares her vision for Mick's Pot Spot, an accessible and inclusive plant shop designed to be a welcoming space for people with disabilities and their caregivers. Through her personal experience as a special needs mom and her work with the nonprofit A Different World, Mickaylyn recognized the need for spaces where families with disabilities can simply exist without judgment.
• Inspired by her own journey as a mom to a child with level three autism and cerebral palsy
• Creating a plant shop that removes barriers for disabled people and their caregivers
• Working with an autistic architectural designer to ensure the space is truly accessible
• Will offer assistive technology and adaptive equipment rarely found in brick-and-mortar retail
• Plans to support disabled artists and creators by providing affordable vendor opportunities
• Designing a safe, comfortable place where caregivers can work while children can be themselves
• Community has rallied around the concept with volunteers offering expertise and support
• Fundraising through GoFundMe, t-shirt sales, and community involvement
If you'd like to support Mick's Pot Shop,
visit the Facebook page,
share the project with friends,
or donate through the GoFundMe
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Hey, besties, welcome back to another episode of Small Business. Bestie, I'm your host, michelle Smock, and today I get the incredible privilege of chatting with my good friend McKaylin Conrad. And McKaylin is the proud owner of a new up and coming Lexington Hangout that I think you guys are all going to really get behind and be able to support. So, mckaylin, thank you so much for being here. If you don't mind, just take a minute and tell us about yourself.
Speaker 2:You're welcome. Thank you for having me. So, as you said, my name is McKaylin, but sometimes I go by Mick because people can't pronounce it. I'm a mom of two young boys nine and four. I got my hands full.
Speaker 1:Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 2:And actually Maverick is. So their names are Maverick and McIvan. Maverick we call Magic Mav.
Speaker 1:We can hear him. No, that's not Mav, is it? That's McIvan.
Speaker 2:Y'all want the dog Herb Herb.
Speaker 1:All right, so now we know the family.
Speaker 2:Welcome, but Maverick is level three autistic and has cerebral palsy. So I am a you know, a mom and a special needs mom and I'm also like a parent support liaison for a local nonprofit and I help special needs parents navigate, finding resources and things. So Wonderful Wear a few hats?
Speaker 1:Yeah, absolutely. So you took on the role of the parent liaison after you yourself became a special needs mom, or was that like serendipitous? You were already doing those things.
Speaker 2:I took it on after his diagnosis and stuff. Like it took me a while after his diagnosis to kind of like come into myself and the acceptance process. But I took that on after I knew you know what it was like to like need resources, because they usually just give you a diagnosis and then just you know, say good luck, yeah, kind of on your own. But I was always in school. I was always like the peer tutor. I was a peer tutor in high school. My mom was actually paralyzed a few years when I was younger. I've gotten a few fights in high school. Really I was like sticking up for, you know, disabled or special needs kids. So I feel like life was kind of like preparing me for it, yeah, and I felt like I was privileged in that aspect. Like that it obviously changed our world, but it didn't completely flip it upside down. Yeah, because I was like kind of always in that arena and I just wanted to help other parents who weren't as prepped Right and had nowhere to go.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so a small connection just to further exemplify what a natural caretaker and nurturer you are. I think the reason that you and I even got connected is because when I was separating from my husband, I was kind of in a place of like I need resources because, you know, I'm moving out of my family home and into a condo. I have nothing. You know, I'm kind of starting from scratch, not to y'all don't get the wrong idea. My husband was not like withholding, you know anything from me.
Speaker 2:I just didn't want to take.
Speaker 1:I didn't want to take everything from our family home, so. But that's how we kind of actually got connected in the first place. You were so kind and generous and, you know, helped me to get reestablished and so I think it's just absolutely like a part of who you are to be that nurturer and caretaker and reach out to people and try to make sure that they're, you know, navigating difficulties in their life with as much ease and grace as you can do. So I try.
Speaker 2:I've been there. I've been very low, yeah, and after I got back up I was like you know, I'm going to like anytime that I have the privilege to, I'm going to help anybody that I can. Yeah, I went through a divorce pretty young. I I mean when I became a mom at 19 so and I'm from eastern kentucky got some, you know, had some family things. Yeah, I just came out of it and I was like I want to like I believe you get what you put back into the world. Like you get back what you put in the world. Absolutely that's what I try to like do as often as I can. My personality people would not expect me to be as nice as I am it is kind of true.
Speaker 1:You come off a little like brazen and crass a little if you don't you know, if you don't see your heart behind all of that, but I think that there's probably good reason right, like having to be the mama bear and like defend and stand up.
Speaker 2:I'm very like. Yeah, absolutely I'm like the definition of like, hard on the outside, soft on the inside, but like I'm match energy, it depends.
Speaker 1:Yeah Well, I'm glad we got started off on the right foot then, because I wouldn't want to see the other side of it. So tell me more about the nonprofit that you work with.
Speaker 2:So the nonprofit I work with is called A Different World, incorporated. It was started by Samantha Fields. She's a wonderful human being, the baddest of the bad, so she started A Different World. Her son is autistic and she wanted to create like sensory friendly events and help families, whether it's and she never stops. She also works a full-time job, has three kids, but she pours like everything she's got into the nonprofit and so we host sensory friendly events once a month. I'm actually doing an event at the extension office June 8th where it's like a paint your pot class and repotting a plant for teens and adults with disabilities. Oh, that's awesome. And because that's how me and Sam like, really like. That's why I took on the position of parent support liaison, because I had started a support group for parents called Nurture and Navigate and I believed very deeply in what she was doing and I could see her passion. So I wanted to run it through ADW and then work for her in that capacity.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's always so great when you can collaborate with people who have similar missions and values, instead of just trying to go out on your own and do everything solo. Yeah, absolutely so. How long have you guys been working together Over?
Speaker 2:a year.
Speaker 1:Awesome, yeah. So other than the sensory friendly events and the support group, the parent support group, are there other offerings that the nonprofit has it just.
Speaker 2:It's kind of like case by case, like we've had people who are like we need a new car seat and we help them. Or people are like you know, struggling with groceries or Christmas presents. I see we just we just help any way we can Like there's no you know specific Right that we do, but like at our events we have so like in the summertime we have like inflatables and stuff, and then Christmas time we have like little gifts. We do like back to school events where we supply school supplies. We just try to be, we try to create a space where people get to feel normal, yeah, and supported, so less alone.
Speaker 1:Yes, that's amazing and that's based here in Lexington.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but we serve across Kentucky, we're statewide. We're actually going to um MacGuffin County, my hometown. What's the?
Speaker 1:name of the county.
Speaker 2:MacGuffin. Okay, fowlersville is the county seed.
Speaker 1:Okay, never heard of any of these places. No, tell me you're a transplant to Kentucky without telling me you're a transplant. Yeah, yeah, you're not full bred. Sorry about that. So how long have you been in Lexington?
Speaker 2:I found out I was pregnant and I was like get me out of here. So me and my ex-husband moved to Georgetown actually, but I've been gone from home for well, my government's nine, so eight years.
Speaker 1:Yeah, do you feel like you're finding your tribe here, are you? Yeah pretty rooted and planted here.
Speaker 2:Now I've made my community.
Speaker 1:I love all of the plant metaphors because, this brings us perfectly into like your new venture and the reason that I was excited to have you on the show today to talk about what you got up your sleeve for the next chapter and venture. So tell us a little bit about what you're dreaming and scheming.
Speaker 2:Okay, so we are making a. It's been a long time dream, it's been a in my back pocket and if you remember the day you came to the house, you were like I wish this space existed. And I was like, yes, my husband, because, like I've been saying this for quite a while, you were like, you know if the space was like this? And I was like, yes, it's mixed pot spot and it is going to be a. Um, have you ever watched schitt's creek? Yes, so everybody says schitt's creek's like the perfect version of the world, without, like discrimination or homophobia. Yeah, I want the shop to be the example of the perfect world without ableism or barriers for people with disabilities and their caregivers. So we're going to be the example of the perfect world without ableism or barriers for people with disabilities and their caregivers. So we're going to be a plant shop that is super accessible and inclusive and just the environment itself is going to be very welcoming and non-judgmental.
Speaker 2:Being a mom to a child with disabilities especially obvious disabilities it's pretty hard to go out in public. I've had people ask me what's wrong with him and not been comfortable with us being in the space because he's being noisy or whatever, and I just I go by this saying that is, some of the best community resources come from someone standing up and saying I need this for myself and I'm willing to share it for everyone else, and that's what the pot spot is it's. You know, it's something that I've needed. Many, many times in life, especially since having Mav, I've been like I wish somewhere existed for us to just exist, yeah, and so I need this and I'm sharing it with the community.
Speaker 1:This is incredible. So it's a plant shop, but it's an inclusive space where people can just come hang out.
Speaker 2:Yeah, just come hang out Like I imagine, like if there's a situation where a mom like me is like trying to do schoolwork or trying to do work or you know, and just needs out of the house, like they can come to the shop and she can sit and send her emails and handle her business while her child's able to STEM or whatever.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Because we are designing it, like, literally from the ground up, to be as adaptive and accessible as possible. I actually have a architectural designer working with me who is autistic herself. That's amazing. And I mean everything down to the surfaces of the furniture. We're trying to be very mindful and sensory friendly and make it safe. Yeah, the moms that are already holding their breath when they walk in most places. Yeah, To be able to breathe.
Speaker 1:You know it's interesting because I have two children which already I think I maybe I'm just a highly anxious person and so I'm always like concerned.
Speaker 1:Like you know, I don't want my kids to be too noisy or I don't want them to disrupt somebody else. If we go into a restaurant, you know, I'm like sit down, stop, be quiet, you know. And so I guess what I'm trying to say is like I can't put myself in a mental space where I can even start to imagine the amount of emotional anxiety and turmoil that you feel when you're going into situations and, as you were telling me about Mixed Plot Spot and how you're hoping that you could, you know, just be a space for people to come and be and send off those emails if they need to, or whatever the amount of times that I go into co-working spaces because I just can't sit at home and do my work anymore, like I need to be around people or around some sort of stimulation that gets me out of the like home mindset, and I imagine that if you do have children with special needs, like that isn't really a possibility for you because you're not accepted into those co-working spaces.
Speaker 1:Yeah, this is incredible.
Speaker 2:And then, you know, because you also have your adults with different disabilities, I mean, there are adults who STEM and it's, it's a, you know, it's not controllable.
Speaker 1:Right, right.
Speaker 2:And you know, say you have an adult with level two or three autism. It's not that they're incapable of being part of a co-working space, but they're not really welcomed or, you know, like supported in those spaces. Yeah, so I really want it to be for caregivers of those with disabilities and those with disabilities themselves. Yeah, I plan on.
Speaker 1:Even, you know, I really want to like prioritize hiring and accommodating employees with disabilities, because that's lacking severely in the world, because I've just always said, you know, like with Maverick, his disability is not the hard part, it's the lack of spaces and the way that society is set up, that makes it so difficult Because you know we try to run basic errands and it's like you know there's something else we can't do yeah, yeah, I think you and I had had a conversation offline and you were telling about one of the potential spaces that you were looking at as a location for Mixpot Spot and even just the like.
Speaker 1:Accessibility for the strollers that are adaptive, and things like that become a huge issue when you're trying to get into facilities. So having someone who's thought through all of those aspects of let's remove as many barriers as we possibly can to make this a comfortable, welcoming experience, I love that. So in your ideation of Mixed Pot Spot, you're not serving food or anything like that. Right, it's a plant shop, it's a hangout, it's a place where people can come do co-working. What else are you going to do there?
Speaker 2:So we're also going to do like workshops, like different workshops, like about plant education and different things, and we're going to do like some art classes and stuff. It's also going to kind of be like boutique vibes, because I really want to support local artists and creators, whether they have disabilities or are part of the LGBTQ or other minority communities. It's not financially or physically accessible a lot of times to do some vendor events and stuff like that. You know, in the name of removing barriers, I want to also help like different small business owners promote their business and give them a platform to sell their items or, you know, offer their services without like very expensive vendor fees or they, you know, having to set up and take down in one day. So we'll have some vendors that are staples in the store. Like their inventory is there all the time.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we're going to do small business saturdays where I rotate and have a different vendor set up on Saturday. Everything was super low vendor fees, like. So it's really affordable and accessible. I want to give different artists the opportunity to like host classes in the space, like ticketed events. Yeah, I just I don't want to just be a store, I want to be like a community resource. Yeah, and we're also going to have like assistive technology and adaptive equipment that I'm really excited about.
Speaker 1:OK, you're going to have to slow down because unfortunately, I have to claim my ignorance on this. So I heard your words, no idea what it meant.
Speaker 2:So I have some examples there. So, for example, maverick has always utilized Chewy's and there's not really a store local that we can just walk in and buy Chewy's or things that he needs. Yeah, and when you really sit back and think about that, it's a little dehumanizing.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:That I can't walk in Target like you can and just get what my kiddo needs, right. So I'm wanting to bridge that gap a little bit. And then we're also having some things like this is a can opener, ok. And then we'll have like this is for, like, say, you're opening a tuna, can you slide this under the tab and then this pulls it open for you. So if you have mobility issues and things, I see, yeah, we'll have button pullers, nice.
Speaker 2:And then we're going to do like some custom stuff, like you know, tags for strollers to be treated as wheelchairs and things because they're medically necessity, right, they just look different. So people, you know, don't treat them as if they're a medical necessity of equipment. And like this one we made for Mavericks, it says Magic Mavs Ride, nice. We'll offer different things like that. I just, you know, I just want people to like, I just want people to feel like humanized and like seen, yeah, so, and we're also going to do like order forms, so like, say that a part on somebody's wheelchair breaks and insurance is going to take six months, and you know they need it now. They will be able to bring their equipment into the store months and you know they need it now. They will be able to bring their equipment into the store. We do an evaluation and then the person who's working with me on this is an actual engineer. So you know, hopefully we can like come up with something that's a temporary fix so that their equipment is still working for them and it's affordable.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's incredible. So how did you get connected? With the engineer Was it just somebody you already knew Through the plant community.
Speaker 2:Okay, and especially when I like kind of started announcing that I was, you know, like pulling the trigger on the pot spot, I've had a lot of people offer services and volunteer to help. Yeah, like the architectural designer, she contacted me and wanted to volunteer her services We've had, and then the engineer is looking to work with us. So he's actually like taught classes before and he's taught special education classes His wife's in the medical field, so they kind of like have that empathy, yeah, and he, you know, he just wants to be a part of it and do something to help the community. So I've had offers to do our murals for free on our windows and stuff like that. I've had people donate art for us to auction off, to fundraise, and the community's just been very open. Yeah, yeah, and that's the thing I'm trying to you know, like the person I'm using for flooring is a special needs dad Like I'm trying to really uplift the community and not just build a space for people but with people too. Yeah, I'm trying to be very mindful.
Speaker 1:It sounds like you're doing a great job and I know I've seen some of the threads where you've made announcements or asked for specific things and the response that I'm seeing is just so overwhelmingly supportive and, like you said, the community's really like coming together and offering up services or goods or whatever they have to be able to try to support this. So I know that, like in the beginning, kind of fundraising from a community aspect has been one of the things that you've had to work on. So what have you done so far that was either super effective or not effective at all, and what like advice or experience have you gained so far that could maybe help other people who need to have some sort of like crowdfunding?
Speaker 2:So we did. We do have a GoFundMe. That's not been very liked, which I'm probably not great at sharing it. I don't like asking for help yeah, especially like that. So I haven't really promoted it probably as much as I should. But we did have like a t-shirt fundraiser. So we made like different t-shirts. Here's one it says like don't be afraid to bloom differently. Yeah, so we may design different t-shirts that like kind of go with the theme of the store and we sold those and that actually already has raised. I believe the last time we looked it was around $500. Wow, because one of our big goals as far as fundraising is getting a Caroline's cart like the buggy is what I call them Like at Walmart with the adaptive shopping cart.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so we're going to have one of those.
Speaker 2:That's awesome, but really it's just been like I think people are missing community, especially at this time in society and just everything that's going on. The value of just face-to-face connection and networking has really like went up. Yeah, it's pretty rare now, you know, now that we have social media and stuff, because, like I mean just talking to people, like when people have, you know, seen me in person, and once they get to like really understand what the story is, then they're like how can I help? Like I'll be here, I'll do whatever I can. So really I've just learned that you know, kind of take not taking advantage, but like utilizing the, the, the community Absolutely has been the most helpful. Okay, just connecting with people.
Speaker 1:Yeah, connecting with people. And I'm going to challenge you on the, the GoFundMe, because you said you don't like asking for help. But it would be different if you were asking like, hey, I would really like to put a new bathtub in my house because I want to take a long soak just for the fun of it, but like you're asking for people to help you to bring to fruition a beautiful vision that you have for the community. So I would challenge you to reframe your thinking on the GoFundMe.
Speaker 1:I've been trying because you know I'm not asking for help from me. In fact I'm going to make you. Let me link the GoFundMe in the show notes. So there's the challenge. We're going to put the GoFundMe in the show notes. So if anybody feels led to help Mick on this journey to bring Mick's Potspot to fruition, you can go to the show notes and find that GoFundMe and drop her a couple of dollars. You're welcome, Mick.
Speaker 2:Thank you. We did want some like, which. A lot of people just really haven't even like been concerned about that. They just wanted to help, right, but we have little donation tiers. We're actually going to have a wall in the store that's like hand painted with like vines and blooms, and we'll have the names of everyone who has like helped support us and create this space, so I'm excited about that. Yeah, I want to be on that wall. I mean on that wall you know what I mean.
Speaker 1:Like it's so good to like, not even for other people's recognition, but it's so good when you walk in somewhere and you really feel like I've contributed to make something good happen for my community.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and even people that haven't contributed have walked, you know, are able to walk in and look and be like wow people, other people believe in this.
Speaker 1:Exactly A whole community came together to make this happen. Right, yeah, I love that. Okay, so I'm going to ask you specific questions about the plants now, and why in the world was your idea to take plants and combine it with an accessible space where people feel welcome?
Speaker 2:So after I had Maverick I had really bad postpartum, really really bad postpartum depression, and then I just kind of lost myself, like I got lost in the sauce between postpartum and then him getting diagnosed and just motherhood in general. I mean, you know how easy it is to get swept up and just being somebody's mom, yeah, and not that that's a bad thing, but some women are just not. I'm one of the women that's not fulfilled just by motherhood. Right, I've always been a worker and a you you know girl boss and I had a friend and she actually gave me. So the first plant she gave me was like the most dramatic plant I've ever seen in my life and I was like, why would you give me?
Speaker 1:this, wait, when you say dramatic, like you looked at it and it made you have all the feelings, or it was like a drama queen plant that was like too much water, not enough water it was a calathea.
Speaker 2:Okay, breathe wrong, it's uh-huh, I'm gone uh-huh. So I was like I can't keep plants alive. But she gave me a friendship plant it's a chinese money plant and it, you know, it's pretty easy care and that just kind of like bloomed it like. I was like you know, this is a fulfilling hobby, it's high reward, it's emotionally doesn't need anything from me, the way that, like kids and husbands and everybody else does. Then when I had my hysterectomy I lost a lot of my collection and I was like pretty bummed, yeah, and my therapist was like it's time, it's time to get our plants back, like you deserve your thing and your joy.
Speaker 2:And that's been a really hard thing, like I can't go buy plants with Maverick anymore, yeah. And then you know there are a few places that are physically accessible, but the vibe overall is just kind of like quiet and the plants are really low so he could go out and pull them off and it's just not like like I said before, you know, I believe that resources come from somebody saying I need this for myself, and it's really like there's been a lot of times that I've been like man, I wish somebody would just this Right, just do this. And finally I was like nobody else is going to make the space, I'll build it. And here we are.
Speaker 1:I love that. I think it's so funny because I'm also a plant lady and I have this almost identical story that, like the first house plant I ever had, I killed. I don't even remember what it was now, but I got it in my mind like, oh, I can't do house plants. No, we all, we all have victims. And then somewhere along the way I started getting house plants again. But I saw the funniest graphic on social media the other day, because I'm in a bunch of crazy plant lady groups time, yeah, right, and they had a picture of somebody like splayed out on the ground in their garden, like very obviously distraught and heartbroken, and it said beginner gardeners, when they lose a plant, yeah. And then there was a picture next to it of somebody that's like tossing a plant over their shoulder and they're like, once you've been doing it a while, you're like, yeah, yeah, I have you gave up on life the other day?
Speaker 2:I'll say that all the time. I saw it in a plant group but it's like, did I really kill a plant or did it just not have what it takes to survive in a fascinating environment? Exactly, but like I'll just tell on myself, when you act like, if you ask in a group and you're like what's the best beginner friendly plant, most people will say pothos, pothos. However you decide to say it, and before we started filming I had to take one off the show. It was like miserable, like yellow leaves and everything, and I'm like man, how did I do?
Speaker 1:that Three crankiest plants in my bedroom, because I got it in my mind when I moved that if they were around my energy more, maybe they wouldn't be so cranky. So I thought, well, if they're in the same room with me while I'm sleeping and like I work from home and I'm going to tell myself now, this curtain isn't like hiding like a mansion, this is a corner of my bedroom, so they are with me all the time, these plants, and they're crankier now than ever.
Speaker 2:What kind are they?
Speaker 1:Well, one's a peace lily and she's just dramatic all the time and one is a fiddle leaf fig and I think if you sneeze they get upset.
Speaker 2:Like my fiddle leaf is so cranky, honestly, I don't know what the other one is called.
Speaker 1:It's beautiful. I'll send you a picture after. Maybe I'll put it on the social media post about this. But it's so funny. She's just, she's real thirsty, but she just wants tiny drinks all the time. So I've got to give her like a tiny sip every day.
Speaker 2:My thing is like the level of care doesn't really matter as much. It's about how much joy that plant brings me, because if it's not like instant dopamine, dopamine like I'll just let it die my brain, like I'll look at a dying plant and be like Michaela, you need to water that, and then I just keep looking at it and then it goes in the graveyard. Oh my gosh. But I started. The other day I saw a thing, a video, and this woman was like I counted my house plants, you know, and at first I was like that's not my business how many plants I have that's not anybody's business.
Speaker 2:So then I thought about it and I was like how many do I have? And I started counting, like just in the bedroom I hit 98 and I was like, yep, not my business 98 in your bedroom alone.
Speaker 1:Nobody needs to know. I'm not judging you. That was a clarifying question. That's what we do on podcasts. We ask follow-up questions.
Speaker 2:I made it I here, and then I got to my plant cabinet one of my plant cabinets over there, oh my gosh. And then I have, like the shelf over here and then I have them hanging, and then I have a little greenhouse right here and then I have them in the living room.
Speaker 1:All right, Now I know why you needed to start a plant shop. Somebody made an inventory already.
Speaker 2:Like I know why you needed to start a plant shop. Somebody made an inventory already. Like you're literally leasing a commercial space just to house your own plants yeah, that's fine.
Speaker 1:You know, sometimes we create what we need.
Speaker 2:I'm not above it, that's really not why I'm doing it, but I wouldn't have been against it. This is awesome.
Speaker 1:Okay, so what can the Small Business Bestie community do to support you right now for where you are in the development of the business? And I'm just going to throw it out there. I love the fact that we're having this conversation because it's not often that I find women who are willing to come talk about something that's in progress. You know they feel like, oh, I have to be at X level or Y level before I go talk about what I'm doing. So the bravery and boldness to come and say this is what I'm doing, this is where I am in the process, this is what I need, this is what I've learned. Thank you so much because it's so important for us to know that, like before you get to you know, whatever your level of success is in your own mind, there's all of this other stuff that's happening.
Speaker 2:And I even thought about that, like after you had mentioned me coming on, you know, I was like, well, I don't really have, like I can't announce publicly where the space is Right, you know, like all of these things. And. But then I was like you know, somewhere else there's a whether it be a mama or whoever has an idea and that they're passionate about, and the thing about it and like even my husband was like, you know, like when we started for bank funding, and my husband was like you're going to hear a lot of no's, yeah, and somebody's going to believe in it and they're going to say yes, right, it's true. But you know, I had myself prepared and I was like I'm not going to get disturbed, this is going to happen, right. So I was like I, even though I don't have like, because I kind of started doubting myself and I was like I'm not established enough to like be given advice or you know.
Speaker 2:But like I said, somebody is somewhere and they're in the beginning stages and they're feeling defeated or overwhelmed, right, and or somebody's total no, or they had a space, their heart was set on and it fell through, right, you know, been there, done that, right, right. But you just got to keep going. And even a few weeks ago I looked at Richard and I was like I feel like I'm running on a treadmill, yeah, like all I do is like work toward this, and it was just. I was just kind of in that in-between space. You know we're like nothing was happening, like nothing was like, but that was just kind of in that in-between space, you know where, like nothing was happening.
Speaker 2:Like nothing was like, but that's just part of it. I mean, that's just the process.
Speaker 1:Yes, absolutely, and it happens differently for everybody, right? Some people get an idea for a business and a month later their brick and mortar is open and they've got grand opening and the commerce department is coming in and cutting a ribbon. And then sometimes you get an idea and it takes, you know, years for everything to fall into place.
Speaker 1:But the key is what you just said not to give up. If you truly believe in it and you know that you have a mission and a vision to fulfill, you just keep doing the next thing, the next thing that's in front of you, whatever you can, absolutely.
Speaker 2:It's not like a step is a step, yeah, doesn't matter how big it is absolutely.
Speaker 1:Is there anything that we can do as a community to help you right now? I mean, I'm gonna link the go find me, but is there any like expertise or trade or anything like that that you're like, if I had xyz, it would really help yeah, so, honestly, like spreading the word in general period, because it's really like grassroots, like given the things that I need.
Speaker 2:You know, I have some expenses that are a little different than most business startups, because I'm trying to create it so accessible and inclusive, and so I'm really in a space of like trying to prioritize what we spend our funds on.
Speaker 2:So, like, things like social media help and, you know, because I'm I'm also still just I'm a mom of a child, of two children, one who's disabled, and so like social media help would be great. Just word of mouth would be great. Anyone who is like, um, you know, willing to paint walls, yeah, just, you know, like anything that's, it's the stuff that people don't think about. So, like, before we open, I've already got a team of people like with different not a team, but like a list of people with different kinds of disabilities that are willing to come and kind of move through the space, right, and make sure everything is like up to par and working for them. So, honestly, if anybody has any different abilities or has like an experience to share of, like, hey, this is what it looks like for my family, right, if this could be different like, I want input from the community and, just you know, invite your friends to the Facebook page, or you know?
Speaker 1:Absolutely. Yeah, let's get everybody that we know whether you're just a supporter of inclusivity or you have needs that this mixed pot spot is going to help fill for your family or your friends. Like let's all go to the Facebook page. Like the page, make sure that when you see any posts being made that you're like, commenting, sharing, doing all the things to get the traffic up Exactly so, and then you're going to keep us informed.
Speaker 1:You have my express permission. Anytime that there's a need for the shop, you're going to post it in the small business bestie group and we're all going to keep our eye out for anything that you need in the next couple of months, whether it's help painting walls or a specific. You know you need a plumber or an electrician or anything like that, so you just let us know what you need and we are here for you.
Speaker 2:Okay, and then I'll send you that. I have a link tree with like different and there's a Google form for anyone who is a service provider, an artist, a vendor of any type that they can fill out for me to like, keep up with Whether they want to sit up in the store, whether they want to host a fundraiser, you know, no matter what. They can fill that out and then I'll get in contact with them.
Speaker 1:Perfect, all right, so we'll link that in the show notes as well, and I'm so excited to watch this journey unfold for you.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I've been trying to document everything. It's been emotional, it is emotional.
Speaker 1:It is Especially when you're doing a business that's not just about dollars and cents. To you, right, it's like it has a name on it, but it's not about me Right, it's so.
Speaker 2:I'm like really and that's been hard too Anytime we've hit an obstacle, I'm like what if I let all these people down? You know, I just, I just really it's. It's been very special to try to create Like I don't know, I just really want it to be, I want people to feel safe and I want it to feel like you know, even the way that I'm designing it like somebody was like well, that's going to feel like a home, and I was like, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:How is wrong with?
Speaker 2:that you know. I mean, how many times have you been in a place with especially with young kids where your house is just not clean and you're like I just want a space I can sit down and breathe. So I'm just, I'm really hopeful and I really appreciate the opportunity that you've given me to talk about it. Yeah, I love everything that you do. You're one of the most supportive women that I've ever met, and I mean literally I. You know you were one of the first people that I was like okay, this is happening. And you were like, when do you want to meet for lunch? Like you were like all in, like how can I help.
Speaker 1:I love, love what I do.
Speaker 2:I'm so incredibly very passionate about helping and uplifting other people and I think that's what like, because even when I told Richard, I was like the only person I can trust is the ship I was still so nervous. I was like I can't trust anyone. Well, thank you for trusting me and thank you for letting me be an observer on your journey.
Speaker 1:Yeah, this is going to be a great place for the Lexington greater Lexington community to have, so I'm excited for you. Thank you for your hard work and keep us updated on what we can do to help support you. I will All right, it was so good talking with you and besties. We will talk to you guys later. All right, besties. That does it for today. If you're interested in becoming a part of the small business bestie community, join us in the Facebook group or find out more information on the website at smallbusinessbestieorg. Please share the podcast with your friends, who could use a friend in business, and it would really mean so much to me if you follow the show and take just a few seconds to rate or review. A five-star rating really helps the show become visible to other besties who may just need the support and friendship that we offer.