In our very first Business Spotlight interview, we caught up with Denise, the Owner of The Vintage Room located in Loganville, GA. During the interview, we learned a lot about Denise, her business, what motivates her, and what's in store for the future.
Watch the interview:
Read the transcript below:
Who or what inspires you when it comes to business?
Oh wow! The ‘Who’ is my family…they inspire me. Some people may say that there’s this one person that really touched their lives…[for me] its my family. My family inspires me to go to the next level. I love them with a Great Love and I want them all to be successful and I believe they need a role model to be that. And I’m pushing myself to be that way. And so, they inspire me…my children, my grandchildren - knowing that I'm building a legacy for them to go up under, that is what inspires me the most.
Are there any members of your family that do what you do as well?
No! It's funny because I always wanted to have this family owned business. What I had to realize is that my vision and my dream is my vision and my dream. I cannot make them want what I want. I have to push them towards [their purpose]. My husband and I walk together, of course..and we have this dream together, but he has his things and I have my things as well but we work together to push each other in the direction that we should go…It’s really just me, I’m always like that one woman show, tryna make everything happen for everybody.
What is your creative process like?
My creative process is a moment of silence. It starts really within. I always say, to be a Creative, you start in this dark place. It seems sometimes lonely because it's quiet and you have to go to this place of nothingness in order to pull down something and so the creative process is usually me being quiet..going before God and saying ‘God, what do I do next? Can you show me how to do this? Can you show me what's next?’ And the creative process is sometimes long, sometimes it's short. But I wait for God to show me because if I go outside of that it would be me and not Him. And I do reach out to others at times but I don't want it to be tainted so I try to stay within the realm of “God, You just show me..”
What do you think sets you apart from other brands?
I think what sets me apart is total honesty. I try my best not to cheat anybody, not to take anybody to a place of [discomfort] but, to be fair with everything that I do. I try to do what I call ‘a win-win situation - I want everybody involved to win and sometimes you don’t find that in business. You find this dog eat dog world and I’m not about that. I want to see us all win. I just feel like being in business, you have to be in a different place, because everybody’s in this place of ‘ I gotta get it’ and I just feel like.. we ALL can get it.
Do you feel like the internet has had an impact on your success as a business owner?
Absolutely! I feel like if you’re not utilizing the internet these days then you’re living in the dark. The internet has the ability to really project and push you to a level that you need to be successful, if you utilize it correctly. But, the problem is a lot of us don't know how to utilize it. Especially us older people - we kind of leave it to the younger ones to absolutely show us the direction and I’m grateful for it because honestly I don’t know. If you haven’t been educated in it, you don’t know because everything is evolving. Everyday it's something different. A new platform, new formats and so..it's hard but it's something that’s necessary these days. Especially if you want to do major business, if we want to get our name out there..if we want to get our business known..just for people to find us these days, you have to be able to utilize the internet and so..I think it's necessary to be successful these days.
Tell me about any highlights you’ve experienced while being in business
When we came to Georgia 12+ years ago, we revamped our catering business and I didn’t know anybody here, at all. So, it was really starting from scratch. So, within a couple of years - I’ve kinda sat still and struggled a little bit. And, I said to God, “what can I do to help my husband?” And, I distinctly heard when I was in my kitchen, ‘Do what you know how to do’..and I said ‘Oh, wait a minute, I know how to cook!’
…and we started selling plates! Each week we sold more plates, and more plates, and more plates. And our business has built over the years…I never thought I would be doing this full time. I thought it would just be a couple of dinners for the church here..but it became full time..and for that I’m so very proud of it because nobody taught me how to do it. It's something that I did from A-Z and I had to learn on my own…and in the midst of that, we’ve been able to bless so many people. One of the greatest highlights was being able to feed the homeless on a regular basis. That’s something that I will always carry with me.
What’s next for you and your business?
Well, my plans are not God’s plans. So I will just say this…I want to set up treasures here on earth so that I can leave a legacy, not just for my children, but for other businesses. I want to set up this place so that it can run and I can leave it for somebody else…and I can go do something else for somebody else. What my next goal really is, will be in real estate. I want to open up some affordable housing…there was a young man here the other day and he was like ‘ma’am can I get a couple of dollars…I’m just hungry’..when he said he was hungry, that hit me…come to find out he was homeless, 20 years old from Monroe [GA], and he was like ‘ you just don’t understand how much you’ve helped me, I was so hungry.’...and I said, ‘that’s what I want to do’. I want to take people who can’t do for themselves and create opportunities for them to be able to get on their feet. So, that’s what’s next - whatever’s gonna help somebody else..that’s what next on my agenda. I don’t know how big or how small it will be..all I know is that these hands were meant to help - and that’s what’s next…
Anything else you would like the audience to know?
I just want you guys to know we’re here. Plain and simple! We’re here to help in any capacity that we can. And we ain't goin nowhere..these last 7 months just trying to get these doors open there have been so many challenges. But, I realize the challenges are because there's a great purpose here. So, I want y’all to know, we ain't goin nowhere! Our purpose is here and IT SHALL BE DONE!
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