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Susie Robb joins the show and shares about her background and journey into From Susie. We talk about a variety of topics, from maximizing opportunities, exploring how vulnerability is a strength, and how every element of the journey has been used to where she is today. Ultimately, we see how Susie has overcome challenges and grown business. Powerful and fun discussion! 

http://shopfromsusie.com/
https://susierobb.com
https://www.626foundation.org/

AUTO-TRANSCRIBED – PLEASE FORGIVE ANY TYPOS OR ERRORS

Aaron Spatz  00:05

You’re listening to America’s entrepreneur, the podcast designed to educate, entertain, and inspire you in your personal professional journey. I’m your host, Aaron Spatz. And on the podcast I interview entrepreneurs, industry experts, and other high achievers that detail their personal and professional journeys in business. My goal is to glean their experiences into actionable insights that you can apply to your own journey. If you’re new to the show, we’ve spoken with successful entrepreneurs, Grammy Award winning artists, best selling authors, chief executives, and other fascinating minds with unique experiences. We’ve covered topics such as how to achieve breakthrough and business, growing startups, effective leadership techniques, and much more. If you strive for continual self improvement, and enjoy fascinating and insightful conversation, if the subscribe button you’ll love it here at America’s entrepreneur excited to welcome to the show, Suzy Rob Suzy comes to us from a from a whole bunch of different things that she’s done starting back as a purchasing manager working her way all the way up to now that she’s She owns her own interior design firm called Suzy Rob, and she’s also the founder of six to six Foundation. And so Susie, I just want to thank you and welcome you to the show this morning. Thank you, Aaron. We’re

Susie Robb  01:22

excited to be here.

Aaron Spatz  01:23

Absolutely. So my favorite leadoff question is are you a DFW native? And if if not, where the heck are you from?

Susie Robb  01:32

I am not. I’ve been here for you know, 12 years or so. But I’m originally from West Texas. I’m from Lubbock, Texas. was not born there, but pretty much raised there. And moved to the Metroplex in 2009.

Aaron Spatz  01:47

Nice, nice. Okay, well, it’s it. In my short study of this of this question, and in for folks that have listened to this show, like you’ll, you’ll pick up on a trend that there is probably it’s probably 80% of people are not originally from the DFW area, it’s like it attracts either people from other cities across the state or just other cities across the country. So it’s kind of kind of neat, kind of neat to see how the Metroplex has grown. So, yes, to take you take us a little bit on a on a tour of your journey. How did how did your How did your business career get get started?

Susie Robb  02:23

I mean, I used to be really insecure about how just random my resume is, you know, everything from working as a receptionist, to you know, working as an event manager, and just kind of felt like everything was all over the place. But now everything’s kind of come full circle. And I feel like God wastes nothing. So there’s stuff from, you know, working at a hair salon that I feel like I still use today. So, um, yeah, I grew up in Lubbock, Texas, and graduated high school and then went to the University of Utah. So went there on a ballet scholarship. We’ve got that connection. You

Aaron Spatz  03:01

want to say that? That’s a That’s a funny side. No, so you’re talking. So folks are listening watching us they really, so we’re, we’re both non Utah natives. We both went out there for for, like abnormal ish reasons. Like, Susie, like you went up there specifically for ballet. I went up there because I was really I was pursuing a military career, and is a great school, my family having to be there at the time. And then we’ve all left. So it’s funny, I don’t meet another university Utah alumni very often. So anyway, I just thought I just thought that was kind of hilarious. But so I

Susie Robb  03:36

feel like I don’t ever meet you. No,

Aaron Spatz  03:39

no, no, not. I mean, not unless you happen to like, live out there still. Right. But I mean, it’s, it’s crazy. So so. So you went to Salt Lake? And then what were you What were you pursuing? They’re so turned on by like, yes,

Susie Robb  03:53

it’s one of the few universities where you can actually major in ballet. So I have a ballet degree. It’s a fine arts degree. And the plan was to be a professional dancer, or ballerina. And I tried that for a couple of years. And then just turned the page, if you will, ended up back in Lubbock, Texas. So I got married. And that’s kind of what had brought me back to West Texas, and started working for a real estate developer, as a receptionist, worked my way up there, started doing some purchasing really fell in love with making some design decisions. I’ve always had a heart for the creative. You know, I feel like Interior Design is an art. I just love. I love it. I’ve always loved it and was more of a hobby than anything. But while working for this real estate developer was able to see you know, the whole process of a project from conception to completion. And so I did that for a few years and then my husband At the time, I got a job in Dallas. And so we packed up and moved to the metroplex.

Aaron Spatz  05:07

Wow. Wow. So kind of a kind of a neat a neat segue into kind of what, what started off that that creative, I mean that the creativity is always there kind of like what you said it’s like it creative people are just creative people, you know. And so it’s but it’s neat how you had like a really interesting opportunity to see the real estate side of business kind of take off, you know, you had a front row, front row seat to that, and you kind of got more and more involved in it in different ways. And no doubt just because you’re, you’re pretty driven person you’d like like you like to really, like explore different options. And so that I’m sure I’m sure that sure that was interesting for you, as you’re kind of pursuing that. So when you were, then when you when you moved to we moved to the metroplex, what did that, how did you continue to kind of explore that as an option?

Susie Robb  06:01

Well, it’s kind of, you know, at the mercy of the job market. Sure, yeah, at that point, I was trying to find a job. And with a background in administrative assistant work and purchasing, I actually got a job for a medical group and in their purchasing department. So now I was, again, on the logistics side, but now I’m doing medical equipment as opposed to real estate. So it’s, like I said, it seemed at first like this, you know, you’re just taking the jobs you can get, and you don’t really know what your careers gonna look like. But I did that for a few years, I want to say maybe three or four years, worked for them. And then and then started having kids. So I took a big break. To have my two kids, I’ve got a son, he’s eight now and my daughter’s six. So I was a stay at home mom there for a little bit.

Aaron Spatz  06:58

That’s cool. That’s so cool. And I’ve I’ve got gotten mad respect for that, for that decision. I think it’s a, everybody makes her own decisions related to that topic. But I think that’s I think that’s phenomenal. And so, so, but in terms of like your, your career, so like one, I think it’s cool, because I think we’re already I think we’re already setting this thing up for pretty, pretty neat point. And I don’t think the point is fully developed yet which is which is neat, which is what you said earlier about how you’ve had all these different variety of experiences and they all have been able to come together and you and I shared you know, similar faith background in terms of like, you know, to your point I agree like I don’t I don’t I don’t believe God waste a single moment if we choose to utilize it and choose to embrace it. We can we can leverage even our even setbacks, even things that that we think are our negatives, they end up turning into like, really positive moments. And so you know, you so you had this opportunity to move back to the DFW metroplex, you started having kids, so you’re, you’re out of the workforce for for a number of years. And then So walk me through then your decision then to reenter the workforce and what what what did that look like for you?

Susie Robb  08:17

Well, it was definitely out of necessity. So having been a stay at home mom for a while, and went through a pretty rough divorce, and found myself needing to get back to work. And sort of at this crossroads of, okay, what is it that I that I want to do? And also what is it that I need to do? And that was really a it wasn’t a smart decision. When I look back on paper, obviously, it was I feel like my my purpose in life and I’m glad that it played out the way it did. But I had, you know, again, just having this creative background I wanted to get in my in the entrepreneurial space. I loved the idea of having a retail store, a specifically home decor store. Again, I don’t know where that came from, except maybe just my childhood passive loving decorating and designing and then having danced in close that chapter. It just, that was the desire that was in my heart at that time. I wanted a space that was mine. I also think maybe just what was happening in my personal life around the divorce, really again, wanting something that was that was mine, that I could save space for me. And yeah, so I happen to ask these girls that I had gone to church with if they knew anyone that was hiring in that specific industry. So I wanted to work for someone who owned a home decor store. It was very specific, and I felt like it was divine wisdom to say, don’t go try to open your own Retail Store with zero experience, right except in purchasing. But that’s not enough. And so I wanted more of an apprenticeship I wanted to learn. And you know, by the grace of God, I got this opportunity to work for a gal who owned an online home decor store. And I say that looking back, it may not have been a good decision on paper, because here I was about to be a single mom taking a part time job with part time pay. Yeah, but there was just something in me that was like, it’s gonna work. I just know it’s gonna work. So

Aaron Spatz  10:36

Wow. Yeah. So I mean that that’s so like, how did that how did that play out? So you’re so you’re able to get linked up with the right with the right people? Yeah,

Susie Robb  10:46

so um, I made this connection with the gal and her last name was Curtis. So if you look at my LinkedIn profile, that’s Curtis creation. Gotcha. Yep. And she was a godsend, she helped me walk that journey through the divorce, and then just really became a spiritual mentor, and a business mentor was able to learn truly from the ground floor about this business. And I kind of worked my way up to where I’m managing it. So now I’m pretty much running the operation. And in January of 2018, she, she said, You know, I think my husband and I, we’re, I think we’re done. So would you want to buy this business? And that is another major crossroads in my life was saying yes to that, wow, I didn’t have the money. I mean, I had savings. And I drained that. And then I borrowed money from my family. And I bought the store. It’s crazy to think about, because now it has turned into something totally different. But, but I was already running the business. And so I felt like, well, I’ll just be doing what I’m doing, and carrying this financial risk, but you know, nothing’s really changing. But man, was I in for a shock to see what it is I see now. So

Aaron Spatz  12:18

yeah, well, it’s been I mean, it’s a, it’s a huge decision. And there’s, I mean, there’s a lot of people out there that are, that they get put into similar situations where they are, you know, they’re, they’re rising through the ranks, whether it’s a small business or medium or larger sized company that’s been privately held to kind of like a family run business. And the owners are eyeballing or retirement, right? Like that’s that that may be their retirement plan, like they may not have, they may not have been in corporate America for 3040 years, and contributing to 401k and rolling it over from place to place to place. And so like this, this has become their their retirement account. And they in and now they’re, they’re either tired, or they’re ready to ready to exit. And so you find somebody who’s motivated, who really applies himself, who’s got a passion for what they’re doing is taking, taking an interest in all the aspects of the business. And so, you being you having this entrepreneurial drive behind you, and this, just this immense amount of creativity, like you’re, you’re seeing this as an opportunity. And so I think it was really cool, how you back when back at, you know, a few years prior to that how things were changing in your life and how you were looking at, hey, it’s a it’s a part time job. I don’t know how this is gonna work, but I just feel like I need I need to really focus in on this kind of a business. And, lo and behold, here it is, you know, and so you’re able to jump right in and help and sounds like they trusted you pretty quickly. Because then you’re able to, like, handle more and more things related to the business and so like, what was that? What was that like, though, when you decided? Yeah, like, you know, like, one maybe the shock of getting told, like, Hey, we’re like worked on like, we want to cash out and leave and into, do you want to buy? Like what what what was what was going on through your head when that when when those bombshells are dropped on you?

Susie Robb  14:13

Well, I actually like sharing this part because I think it’s important to be very transparent and vulnerable, especially with other entrepreneurs, but I have a lot of self awareness. So I’m incredibly self aware of all things at all times within my own brain. And I think the scariest part for me was knowing that I would answer to me and me alone, that I would be the the motivator and the, the person that I’m accountable to would be myself. And as someone who kind of struggles in that area of discipline, I was terrified. I was terrified to work for me, because I thought, Man, this is this is going to test me in this area. And I just don’t know if I can do it. You know, I mentioned before about being insecure about my resume, kind of feeling like I’ve never really stuck with anything for very long. I look back now with more grace for myself and having these random jobs, but at the time, I thought, Oh, I’m scattered and I’m, I don’t have any direction, how am I going to take this business work for me and make it successful. And I was really terrified of that. The only thing that truly helped hold me down other than, you know, God’s grace is the financial accountability that went into it. I think because I had to borrow money from family. I there was no quitting. That was what kept me going was knowing I’ve, there’s, there’s money on the line, and it’s not mine. So yeah. Yeah, I like sharing that. Because I think maybe sometimes people don’t, don’t talk about that. But really, the, the risk, and the huge leap that’s involved in entrepreneurship is for someone like me is knowing that you’re the motor and the boat. And if you quit it, it fails. So,

Aaron Spatz  16:15

yeah, I mean, you’re, you’re raising a really, really awesome point. Because there’s this, there’s this comfort that we can find ourselves in. And again, this is really speaking more to the, to the entrepreneurs in the in the audience right now. But there’s a, there’s a certain comfort that you feel when when you’re inside of a corporation, whether or not that’s even a real or perceived comfort, there is from a financial perspective there, there’s a little bit of that, but even that can go away in a moment’s notice. Right, but but the point you’re making here is not financial, it’s it’s the, it’s the motivation is the drive that, hey, it all stops here. Like there’s nobody else that I can pawn this off on or, or get help with, or, or, you know, I can’t just rely on or or lean on completely, somebody else figuring this out for me to backstop me, because this is where it all stops. And so like that, I think you’re addressing a very, like, a very core element of, I think, some of the fear and some of the excitement that goes into being entrepreneurs, like, Hey, I’m my own boss, you know, and I quote that, but you’ve got, you’ve got 10s, or hundreds of bosses and as it relates to your clients, but at the same time it like, like you said, if you’re not driven and if you’re not disciplined, it’s it’s a can be a struggle, because there’s nobody there that kind of like, check on you. Like, you’re the one checking

Susie Robb  17:45

romanticize some of the like, oh, you you get to work for you. And you get to call the shots. And it’s like, yeah, that’s true. And I can see how that can be so appealing. And don’t get me wrong. It’s one of my favorite things about owning my own business. But there is a dark side to that, you know, there is nobody that’s like, Hey, you were you didn’t come into work today, you know, are there there’s no checks and balances, except for yourself. So if I could fast forward real quick, yeah, this year, I have actually gotten to the point, my business has just exploded, and I’m so grateful and thrilled. But I’ve actually hired five people. And it has been the scariest thing, but kind of the flip side of what we’re talking about. Now I have this accountability of, I’m supporting these, these women, I’m I’m paying their bills, in a sense, you know, their paychecks are free. And I love having more accountability, because I’ve realized that I’m the kind of person that I need it. You know, I love the entrepreneurial side, but I if I don’t have that I will lose enthusiasm quickly. And you know, I I’m the the personality type that’s super excited. And let’s go and then kind of drop off. Yeah. And so I’m excited about this next step, because I feel like I’ve got this this safety net again, of accountability, that’s gonna say, No, I can’t quit. And no, I can’t skip and I can’t, you know, slack off because people are counting on me, right? Oh, yeah.

Aaron Spatz  19:25

That’s really powerful. Because like you’d said earlier, you first received that in the form of you know, financial, you know, financial support or investing from like from your own from your own family and so like realizing like okay, this isn’t isn’t it’s not just my money anymore. It’s other people are contributing to this and so it providing you in extra, an extra degree of like, we got to get this done and then fast forwarding to today, we’re now you have employees. And again, it’s it’s the same idea. It’s like okay, like, I this these, these are different elements. of the journey that are keeping me accountable to continue to do all the all the all the little things and all the big things, right? And it kind of keeps, keeps it all in perspective for you. Right?

Susie Robb  20:11

Yeah. And of all the entrepreneurs that are entrepreneurs that I admire, and that I follow, their story is always the same. It’s this, like, do or die. You know, we, we had nothing but $300 in the bank account, and you hear these stories of like, right before, you know, or before they find great success. There is this, like, ah, and I think that maybe that’s the key, maybe that’s the secret sauce is getting to that point where failure is not an option. Because everything’s on the line. You my greatest tip for anybody that’s trying to start something is, if this is a hobby, it’s just not going to work. You know, I think you have to give everything and then some, there has to be real stuff on the line, or what’s gonna keep you from quitting? Yeah. So, yeah, it’s been it’s been an incredible journey, just to see what has happened in the business, but also to just see what’s happened like internally, and and how it’s shaped me as a person. And I find it very exciting.

Aaron Spatz  21:19

Oh, yeah, well, because you’re going through a tremendous amount of personal growth. I mean, it’s, it’s one of those things where you look back on it a year 234 Or five years later, you look back to like, holy cow, like, I’ve grown a ton in these different ways that I never, like, I didn’t know, I had that inmate, you know, and like, you’re able to, like, kind of look back and see the different ways that it’s always been there the whole time. But like, now, it’s like now it’s finally being being ordered, right? It’s being there’s a, there’s a need to rise to certain certain elements. And so like, here you are, you’re doing it. And so, and you’ve been, you’ve been doing it now for, you know, for a number of years, you’ve been you’ve been, again, looking looking at LinkedIn, so the so your curse creation before you bought it then was in was in late 2016. And then it looks like you bought it right at the start of 2018. And so here we are, I guess you’re in, you’re in the middle of your fourth year right now. And so what what has that journey been like for you? And then I’d love to understand, like, what what was last year like for you in terms of business and how, how you fared during the?

Susie Robb  22:25

Well, so I bought Curtis creation, and I kept things. I did change some things right away, but primarily, I kept it under the same name. And then I started, just I don’t know, if we want to get too deep into all the small things that I changed. But you know, one of them when I bought it, I felt like then the the market started becoming so heavily saturated for online home decor. And we’re talking about you know, now, now everyone’s got a line at Target, or you’re now your Amazon home, you know, now all of a sudden, everyone’s got home decor and you’re thinking, Oh, crap, I just bought this business, you know, and trying to figure out how to set myself apart. And just by another blessing from God was connected with a maker, or woodworker indicator, who said I can make your products for you. And I thought, that’d be awesome. Like, there we go. So that’s turned into this made in Texas line. So now and now I’m because I’ve fallen in love with, with artisans, and actually keeping our business here domestically, instead of importing everything I fallen in love with using American makers. So now the store is primarily made in America, our products. We’re using artists from all over the world, not the world all over the country. And we’ve created something that I feel sets us apart. So the the store then I rebranded it, I didn’t feel a connection to Curtis creation anymore, because it’s not my name. And this is became mine. So I changed it to from Suzy. And the idea of that was, I felt like, literally what we were offering were more like, you know, we poured our heart and soul these are labor of love. These are handmade products, and it’s a gift. And so it was this idea of it’s from us to you. So it was from Suzy, and quick plug it’s shot from suzy.com. And, and the other thing that I did pretty quickly after buying the business was starting the interior design firm. So on the side, I was still decorating for friends, I was still you know, remodeling my own home. I was I still had that, that passion and desire for creativity. And I thought you know what, now that I have my own business, officially, why don’t I have a store and a and an interior design arm? And so I started that and that has great Now to this year being absolutely insane. I mean, my phone is really, truly ringing off the hook with people wanting to redo their spaces. I think I know why I think it has to do with the pandemic that we’ve all walked through. But yeah, so service part time, you know, a single mom, who was boxing orders in this gals, garage is now you know, owning an online store and then starting an interior design firm. And then now we’ve got a foundation, you know, I have a nonprofit portion of that interior design firm, called the six to six Foundation. And it’s actually pretty overwhelming to sit down and talk about all that.

Aaron Spatz  25:44

I bet. Yeah. But yeah, so. But like, just the kind of reality of it all I can, I can actually see it like, as you’re, as you’re saying it, you’re like, oh, my gosh, like, there’s been so much like, so much has happened. And it’s it, it can, it can be a bit emotional, because you’re just you’re realizing all the, like all the work and effort that it’s taken to get to where you are now but then like, just how just just just appreciating the journey, I think that’s I think that’s one thing that I think that people can learn from you. And sharing your story is like to appreciate the process, there may be elements of, of the journey that we don’t like, or there may be, there may be some obstacles or things that happen and we don’t man like I, I would never want to go through some of those things again, right. But at the same time, you’re just you’re sitting there and you’re just appreciating the, the entire journey that you’ve been on. And it’s and it’s far from over, you know, and so it’s like, it’s really cool one, you know, how you how you read rebranded the store is from Suzy. So I think it’s a really, it’s a really cool way of presenting it the way that you explained it. And so let’s I through the through the website up here, I’ll do it again here. But you go to shop from susy.com, which I think is, which is phenomenal. I actually pulled it up. I was looking at it real quick. And when you share that with me like that’s, it looks awesome. Like I would I would totally, I would totally, totally check this out. So I think it’s I think it’s phenomenal. So but then so you’re doing that. So you’re running, you’re running the store. And then at the same time you’re running, you’re doing your own interior interior design. So the obvious question is, well, how are you able to be everywhere and do and do all of this? Like that’s that’s got to be a challenge?

Susie Robb  27:26

Well, that’s why I’ve hired five people this year, was because it’s just I can’t do it. I just can’t do it anymore. It’s not it’s not enough for I mean, one person is not enough. And again, going back to if you’ve got to be the the office morale, you know, of your one person, business, man, there’s just, I can get overwhelmed. And now I have a team that’s like, let’s go, you know, let’s keep going. And that’s changed everything. So

Aaron Spatz  27:57

Wow. So so as the as the interior design, businesses kind of groans, like, again, so yes, I meant to ask the CIO. So what what impact did COVID have on on either business in 2020? It sounds like, like, I’ve already gotten a glimpse of how it’s come, you know, how it’s impacted you this year, because it’s like, everybody’s like, let’s go, we need, we need everything. But what what was that like, during during 2020, though?

Susie Robb  28:26

Um, well, I can, I feel like we’ve got three parts. And so I’ll talk about each one. But for the online store, we really saw that our greatest year of revenue in 2020, I think people were shopping online because they’re stuck at home. And that was huge for us. And we introduced a new concept called the decor box, we created a seasonal decor box that is an eight to 10 handmade products, hand curated by myself. We highlight makers, and we include a magazine in there now, but it’s a seasonal box. And we set that at the price point of between three and $400. Something that you know, some of my friends said that’s just not going to work. Nobody’s going to spend that kind of money. And it really kept us afloat. I think people were so excited to receive something like that. Something that they you know, they knew it was a lot of money, but man, they could use a bright spot in their lives. And it was like, hey, here you go. Right before the seasons change, you know, right before we got into fall, you received a box of, of really great stuff. And they weren’t, I was very intentional on we’re not going to make these miniature products. You know, I hate this subscription boxes where it’s all these little samples. It was like no, you’re going to get pillows, throws, trays, bowls, and I mean, it was just this huge box of product. And again, being able to work with American makers. that I feel like we were helping them, you know, when we were putting in these orders for these large quantities of products that, you know, they might just be selling a handful of on Etsy. And so it was it just felt really cool to kind of all work together. And you could see it from, again, from that conception to actually, our clients receiving it and hearing the positive reviews is awesome. And now it’s become I mean, truly it is, what keeps my shop afloat, are these decor boxes. So for the for the business of the shop, that’s kind of what 2020 looked like, for us to introduce this new concept, it helps and, you know, we’re doing fantastic. Yeah, then for the interior design firm probably started in the fall of 2020, that the call started rolling in. And it was like, okay, you know, we can come in these homes, and we can, we can fix up these spaces. And now even more so, like I said, it’s just been ringing off the hook of people that want help with, I think the homes they’ve been quarantined in for the last year, they’re sick of looking at it, you know, and they’re finally like, okay, now I want to now I’m willing to spend the money, whatever the number is, make it happen. So that’s been, that’s been awesome. The only part of my umbrella that’s really suffered from COVID is the foundation. So our foundation is six to six foundation.

Aaron Spatz  31:31

Yeah, tell me more about that. Okay, so

Susie Robb  31:33

it stands for Matthew 626. And Curtis creation was founded on that scripture, that was the scripture that she kind of held in high esteem to being the, the foundation for the shop. And I just never let that go. I thought it was important to keep that scripture throughout our business. And so when I, in 2019, when I felt God telling me to start the foundation, it was kind of a no brainer of what’s going to be on Matthew 626, which talks about provision. So it’s a scripture on God providing. So start the foundation, we do a couple of projects, it’s it was, you know, started November 2019. So we had just gotten started, and then the pandemic hits. And, you know, we really kind of hit this, this hard stop one in not being able to go into homes, obviously, to really hurting, we’re totally donor based. So this is that foundation is run strictly by generous gifts from our friends and our clients. And it was a hard time for everyone. And I think that that, that was the portion that that suffered the hardest. And we’re ready to get started again. And we’re just again waiting for, for things to pick up there, both from resources truly, and then. And then we’ll, we’ll get back at that. So yeah, it’s kind of ironic, though, you know, because the, the foundation exists to, I found personally that when something tragic happens in your home, for a lot of people, they The reason they’re stuck with a space they don’t like aesthetically, is usually there’s something else that is either happened there, there’s, there’s, there’s tragedy in the home. For example, for me personally being divorced, you know, and then your kids, you move to a new house, and you know, you’ve got a house you don’t really like and you do your best to make it look as good as you can, but the pain is there. And it’s actually tied to the circumstance. And so when you find clients who have watched through losing a loved one, same thing, it’s it. To me, it’s so much more spiritual than it is aesthetic. And so I created the foundation to help people that have gone through something tragic, to redo their space, and we would do it for free. We would design it, we would do the labor, we would we would furnish it at no cost to the family. And you know, like I said, in just a year and change. We’ve we’ve been able to do two projects, and which is disappointing to me because I certainly wanted to do so much more. And we will but that’s really where my heart is. And I see the full picture. I see everything coming full circle for me personally in this foundation. So cool.

Aaron Spatz  34:49

Yeah. Well, and I mean you’ve you’ve got you’ve so you’ve got a lot of things going on. So I mean again between the foundation and the store and now like you’re doing projects prime it is like, you’re going to get to the point where you’re gonna have like an entire project team, like helping you get everything done that you’re that you’re working on, because there’s just, there’s, there’s so much happening. And so it’s it’s interesting to see and hear how COVID impacted the businesses because that is, that is definitely a trend that I’ve seen just just on, like on this side of things, and especially with some of the some of the companies that I consult with the, the online, the online space just went white hot. I mean, it was like, it was really, really fast. And in to your point about like Home Improvement related, I like things inside the house. I mean, and I know it’s not like directly related, but it is it is closely related in terms like your shares of Home Depot and Lowe’s, right? Like they were posting like record record quarters, just from again, people are at home, they’re like, Man, I got this, I got this nasty look in like kitchen sink or something I got to fix or this or this wall, or this patio project or whatever it is are working on. And I think to the same extent, just what you were sharing is like, but then there’s people that are that, that could really use your services and use a lot of your expertise. And so, like, you know what, let’s make this happen. I’m, again, I’m tired of staring at it. I’m tired of looking at this, like let’s do, let’s let’s do something about this finally. And so that’s that. That’s pretty cool. That’s pretty cool. So So you know, looking forward now. So you know, you’re in 2021, things are really picking up for you, like you’ve you’ve shared some of the big things you learned, like what are like, again, you may have already shared this. So it’s fine if you did already, but like what, like, what do you feel like has been one of the biggest lessons learned for you in terms of being an entrepreneur and just going through that journey? What’s like, what’s one of the big takeaways that you feel like you’ve you’ve experienced from us?

Susie Robb  36:50

Um, man, I really would say just how important the discipline is, you know, for that self accountability. I mean, I just, I feel like I knew when I said yes to buying the business, that it was going to challenge me the most in that area. And I still struggle and wrestle with it. Because to your point, we are doing so much. In fact, we’re probably doing too much, but I’ve hired people massive, it’s great. But there are moments where I gets, you know, I’m like, forget it, you know, like, it’s just, I want to throw my hands up and walk away. And having that discipline to say, but I won’t quit. And I won’t stop. And we and I this is what I was put on this planet to do. This is my life’s purpose. And so just having that, that strength to say, we won’t stop and we’re going to keep going. I think I I don’t know that I underestimated it because I did feel very eyes wide open about it. But I will say I’ve prioritized it. I think that’s been one of the biggest takeaways. And I think there’s so many things we can do outside of business to help facilitate that strength. You know, you look at I feel like for COVID This last year, all of the self reflection that everyone had to do you know, and and what did that look like for you being stuck at home for a year? Did you? Did you level up? Or did you you know, kind of lose yourself. So I think even everything to me is connected. So it’s about maintaining your physical health and your physical well being, you know, it’s making sure your relationships are in good places. It’s, it’s doing your best to keep ever all to keep firing on all cylinders on all fronts of your life. Emotionally, physically, spiritually. And then that can only help your business. That’s probably the biggest lesson learned.

Aaron Spatz  39:05

Yeah, no, it’s I mean, it’s a it’s a big it’s a big lesson and there’s I mean, there’s there’s a lot just just in what you said, I mean, just to your very last thing you said in terms of just balance and developing all all different aspects of yourself as a person it’s it’s it’s generally unhealthy to just focus completely on one thing and completely neglect everything else and so and I and I can I can really relate to you on that because there’s a there’s a there’s an element where you get you get so caught up in the work and the business that it you’ve got to you’ve got to make time for all these different facets of of your life and you’ve got to keep that all in balance because it’s it’s just it’s important without diving off to another you know, 20 minute rant about about a random topic but it’s but i like i So hear you there and I really do. I really I think that’s solid and it kind of two Your point also about the accountability portion of that. And I think that’s one of the things that I see that being a really big factor, not just not just for people just in business, but also in their own careers in their own relationships in their own physical health and everything else. It’s like, taking ownership and responsibility for where you are and what you’re working on and what you’re doing. And it Yeah, it’s cool, it’s really cool to see where you’ve come and like, where how far, you’ve come so far, and you’re far from you’re far from over. Right. So there’s like, there’s, there’s much, there’s much, much more in store for you. And I’m, I’m excited for you just to knowing that your, your business is growing and like you’re, you’re hiring people, and there’s a there’s a lot of other growth. So you’re you’re, you’re like you’re entering a new phase with your, with your company, or with all the things you’re working on. And so that’s got to be really exciting. So

Susie Robb  40:58

it is and I, I love sharing it, you know, I’ve we’re really are I’m very active on social media, you know, and especially Instagram, and I just love sharing the real time, you know, real time experiences, as opposed to, you know, hearing from an entrepreneur that you look up to say, it was really hard for me then and, and you know, we were going through this. And so we made this decision, I try to share those moments as they’re happening. So to tell my followers, you know, when I decided to hire, how scared I was, you know, to like, this is a huge financial risk for me, and I’m terrified. And I think I had a great response from our audience of being like, Thank you for sharing that. Because it’s so much easier to say it in hindsight. Yeah. Well, once upon a time, I was afraid, as opposed to like, this is where I am today. And this is what I’m facing. And so yeah, if you’re into that, you know, come with me on Instagram.

Aaron Spatz  41:59

Yeah, for sure. Well, what’s your, what’s your Instagram?

Susie Robb  42:04

So it’s at from Susie. So we’re from Suzy on most of all, the social media platform?

Aaron Spatz  42:11

Yeah, I mean, so, again, I know, I know that we got to run here in just a second. But the the, I really want to make this point, because I’ve, like, I’ve advised a number of people on this exact topic, and I love hearing you crush it in this one particular vein, which is tell your story, right. So like, when you’re, when you’re a business, small business, you’re, you’re getting things, right, you got to tell the story. And as vulnerable as you’re willing to go, you got to use a little bit of wisdom. And sometimes you’re gonna have to use a little bit of discretion, the way that you share certain things, but it can absolutely be done in a very effective way. And it sounds like you’ve leveraged it very, very effectively. And it’s so support, because, I mean, we all we don’t tune into social media, just to like, read the latest ad from somebody, right? It’s like those, those can be helpful at the right time, the right place, and in the right in the right velocity of those things like that connect absolutely make a difference for the business, but as a consumer, how are we addressing a consumers interest in these and so like, you’ve cultivated a community of people, which is, which is fantastic, because then people are invested in you like You are what makes the business interesting, right. And so and, and everybody has that power, if they choose to utilize that power, like you can make your business interesting, because there’s one unique element to that business and you you as the owner, or the leader, whatever the case may be like you are that unique element. And so people love to vicariously try to live their lives through other people, they like to hear the drama, they like to see the success, they like to see the drama, they like to you know, they like to see all these different things and understand what’s going on. And they feel a connection to you they feel a connection in those moments. And again, if it’s if it’s done well it’s done in is done cleverly and is done with very, with a very genuine heart. That intent will come through and so clearly that intent for us coming through like hey, I want him to share. I’m just being open right now, man, like I’m having a problem. Like I’m having a hard time getting my head around hiring people like this is this is crazy to me, you know, and so, but you’re being open about it, you’re doing it in a tasteful way where people just feel very connected to you in that moment. So I my my hat’s off to you. I think it’s I think it’s terrific. So again, yeah, for those listening, go to you know, go to Instagram, it’s at from Susie. And again, your website, shop from Suzy use shop shop from suzy.com it’s all it’s all one word and that’ll take you directly to her website. So is there it Susie Did you have any any any final parting shots? I mean, for me, I just I really I just want to thank you for spending some time with me this morning. This has been a been a true blast. I’ve really, really enjoyed hearing your story, but is there is there Anything else that you needed to share? Is there any other way that you prefer people to reach out to you?

Susie Robb  45:04

No, I would just say, you know, if anybody felt really moved by our heart at the foundation, to check us out at six to six foundation.org You can donate which would be amazing. But if you find yourself or know someone who’s really struggling, you can apply at this website, you know, you can apply you can nominate, and you can donate. So be sure and check us out there and and keep saying your prayers because we really do want to do more work we want to help more people and that’d be awesome. That’s awesome.

Aaron Spatz  45:41

Well and I will have all these links in the show notes. So if you’re listening and you’re driving right now, don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. You don’t have to rewind this will be in the show notes if you’re watching this right now on YouTube obviously you see the links at the bottom but I’ll also have that again in the in the video description that way you can go check that out at your leisure so but Susie again I just I just want to thank you this has been a it’s been a true delight. Thank you for spending time with me as this morning’s been a lot of fun. Thanks, Aaron. Thanks for listening to America’s entrepreneur. If you enjoyed the show, please leave a review or comment on your preferred social media platform. share it out with friends, family, coworkers, others in your network. And of course, you can write me directly at Erin at Bold media.us That’s a Ron at Old media.us Till next time