as an added bonus I’m going to decorate staged for you so here we go so I grew
staged for you so here we go so I grew
staged for you so here we go so I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago – two
up in the suburbs of Chicago – two
up in the suburbs of Chicago – two incredibly hard-working parents who
incredibly hard-working parents who
incredibly hard-working parents who bought their first business in 1974 and
bought their first business in 1974 and
bought their first business in 1974 and when I came around in 1977 the
when I came around in 1977 the
when I came around in 1977 the entrepreneurial spirit was well alive in
entrepreneurial spirit was well alive in
entrepreneurial spirit was well alive in our house when my sister came around in
our house when my sister came around in
our house when my sister came around in 1979 my parents took over the family
1979 my parents took over the family
1979 my parents took over the family business of my grandfather which was the
business of my grandfather which was the
business of my grandfather which was the expectation for my sister and I as we
expectation for my sister and I as we
expectation for my sister and I as we got older and many Christmases of
got older and many Christmases of
got older and many Christmases of sitting at dining-room tables doing
sitting at dining-room tables doing
sitting at dining-room tables doing payroll taxes and family vacations of
payroll taxes and family vacations of
payroll taxes and family vacations of bringing fax machines on the airplane
bringing fax machines on the airplane
bringing fax machines on the airplane with us and my parents never traveling
with us and my parents never traveling
with us and my parents never traveling together ever because they never could
together ever because they never could
together ever because they never could there was always worried that something
there was always worried that something
there was always worried that something would happen to them I I decided that I
would happen to them I I decided that I
would happen to them I I decided that I was never interested in owning a small
was never interested in owning a small
was never interested in owning a small business of my own so in 1995 I came to
business of my own so in 1995 I came to
business of my own so in 1995 I came to ISU and I got my degree in elementary
ISU and I got my degree in elementary
ISU and I got my degree in elementary education and I was happy in 2000 I got
education and I was happy in 2000 I got
education and I was happy in 2000 I got my first job and district 87 where I’ve
my first job and district 87 where I’ve
my first job and district 87 where I’ve been ever since and one day I was at
been ever since and one day I was at
been ever since and one day I was at Elroy’s with the principal where I teach
Elroy’s with the principal where I teach
Elroy’s with the principal where I teach and we were playing darts and we made a
and we were playing darts and we made a
and we were playing darts and we made a bet the bet was if I won he was going to
bet the bet was if I won he was going to
bet the bet was if I won he was going to take my class for two hours on a Friday
take my class for two hours on a Friday
take my class for two hours on a Friday afternoon to make sure that I could get
afternoon to make sure that I could get
afternoon to make sure that I could get all of my papers graded and my
all of my papers graded and my
all of my papers graded and my newsletter made and all of those things
newsletter made and all of those things
newsletter made and all of those things and so and if he won I had to bake for
and so and if he won I had to bake for
and so and if he won I had to bake for him so I lost and I spent the entire
him so I lost and I spent the entire
him so I lost and I spent the entire weekend baking these cookies for him
weekend baking these cookies for him
weekend baking these cookies for him these cookies that I’m decorating for
these cookies that I’m decorating for
these cookies that I’m decorating for you right now and I brought them to
you right now and I brought them to
you right now and I brought them to school and I handed them to him and and
school and I handed them to him and and
school and I handed them to him and and he gave them to the secretaries of the
he gave them to the secretaries of the
he gave them to the secretaries of the school where I teach and if you know
school where I teach and if you know
school where I teach and if you know anything about how an elementary school
anything about how an elementary school
anything about how an elementary school in the United States works secretaries
in the United States works secretaries
in the United States works secretaries and the janitorial staff make the
and the janitorial staff make the
and the janitorial staff make the building run
building run
building run those two secretaries shared my cookies
those two secretaries shared my cookies
those two secretaries shared my cookies with secretaries and other buildings and
when that happened I started doing
when that happened I started doing cookies for orders and so this was 2001
cookies for orders and so this was 2001
cookies for orders and so this was 2001 I’ve got a reposition 2001 so during
I’ve got a reposition 2001 so during
I’ve got a reposition 2001 so during this time when I was making cookies for
this time when I was making cookies for
this time when I was making cookies for all the other secretaries I started
all the other secretaries I started
all the other secretaries I started selling cookies on eBay which at the
selling cookies on eBay which at the
selling cookies on eBay which at the time there were very few regulations
time there were very few regulations
time there were very few regulations with eBay and and you could do things
with eBay and and you could do things
with eBay and and you could do things like that so I sold cookies on eBay
like that so I sold cookies on eBay
like that so I sold cookies on eBay started a small business called cookies
started a small business called cookies
started a small business called cookies by kelly.com and I shipped cookies all
by kelly.com and I shipped cookies all
by kelly.com and I shipped cookies all over the United States Alaska Hawaii and
over the United States Alaska Hawaii and
over the United States Alaska Hawaii and coordinated with FedEx and making sure
coordinated with FedEx and making sure
coordinated with FedEx and making sure that cookies weren’t melting and
that cookies weren’t melting and
that cookies weren’t melting and everything was shipping and all of those
everything was shipping and all of those
everything was shipping and all of those things and over four years at the last
things and over four years at the last
things and over four years at the last point I had been doing about 250 dozen
point I had been doing about 250 dozen
point I had been doing about 250 dozen cookies out of our house between
cookies out of our house between
cookies out of our house between Christmas and Thanksgiving and Christmas
Christmas and Thanksgiving and Christmas
Christmas and Thanksgiving and Christmas and at which point my husband said
and at which point my husband said
and at which point my husband said perhaps we should look for something
perhaps we should look for something
perhaps we should look for something else for your baking escapades so we had
else for your baking escapades so we had
else for your baking escapades so we had some friends Melanie who was up here
some friends Melanie who was up here
some friends Melanie who was up here just a little while ago
just a little while ago
just a little while ago was owned artisan downtown Bloomington
was owned artisan downtown Bloomington
was owned artisan downtown Bloomington and she said there’s this place called
and she said there’s this place called
and she said there’s this place called pumper nickels that closes it to and you
pumper nickels that closes it to and you
pumper nickels that closes it to and you could consider renting their kitchens so
could consider renting their kitchens so
could consider renting their kitchens so we went and talked to them and we asked
we went and talked to them and we asked
we went and talked to them and we asked I asked if we could rent their kitchen
I asked if we could rent their kitchen
I asked if we could rent their kitchen and they said sure no problem
and they said sure no problem
and they said sure no problem but we might be for sale so my husband
but we might be for sale so my husband
but we might be for sale so my husband my mother and I all went on vacation and
my mother and I all went on vacation and
my mother and I all went on vacation and the entire time we were there we talked
the entire time we were there we talked
the entire time we were there we talked about what would happen if they were for
about what would happen if they were for
about what would happen if they were for sale now remember I had no interest in
sale now remember I had no interest in
sale now remember I had no interest in ever owning a small business ever so my
ever owning a small business ever so my
ever owning a small business ever so my mother had long since retired and she
mother had long since retired and she
mother had long since retired and she had lots of experience and she you know
had lots of experience and she you know
had lots of experience and she you know she knew that I could do it working hard
she knew that I could do it working hard
she knew that I could do it working hard and all of those things were things that
and all of those things were things that
and all of those things were things that I was able to do so we came we came back
I was able to do so we came we came back
I was able to do so we came we came back from vacation and we did a lot of
from vacation and we did a lot of
from vacation and we did a lot of research I met with a small business
research I met with a small business
research I met with a small business development center at ISU my mother sat
development center at ISU my mother sat
development center at ISU my mother sat outside in front of the bakery which at
outside in front of the bakery which at
outside in front of the bakery which at the time was pumpernickel for an entire
the time was pumpernickel for an entire
the time was pumpernickel for an entire week and counted the number of people
week and counted the number of people
week and counted the number of people who walked by and the number of
who walked by and the number of
who walked by and the number of people who went in we decided when they
people who went in we decided when they
people who went in we decided when they finally said that they were for sale
finally said that they were for sale
finally said that they were for sale that we were going to actually buy the
that we were going to actually buy the
that we were going to actually buy the location so that in October on October
location so that in October on October
location so that in October on October 31st of 2005 we decided to close on the
31st of 2005 we decided to close on the
31st of 2005 we decided to close on the equipment and take over the lease and
equipment and take over the lease and
equipment and take over the lease and and we closed for two weeks and we
and we closed for two weeks and we
and we closed for two weeks and we remodeled and created menu items and did
remodeled and created menu items and did
remodeled and created menu items and did all of the things that went along with
all of the things that went along with
all of the things that went along with starting a business and I had very
starting a business and I had very
starting a business and I had very little experience with restaurants and
little experience with restaurants and
little experience with restaurants and decided to open on November 15th of 2005
decided to open on November 15th of 2005
decided to open on November 15th of 2005 and I took the first day off of the
and I took the first day off of the
and I took the first day off of the first day I opened and I took the day
first day I opened and I took the day
first day I opened and I took the day off of school and we opened the doors
off of school and we opened the doors
off of school and we opened the doors and it was a horrible experience I had
and it was a horrible experience I had
and it was a horrible experience I had practically no customers and I was
practically no customers and I was
practically no customers and I was absolutely terrified that we had made a
absolutely terrified that we had made a
absolutely terrified that we had made a huge mistake and this went on for quite
huge mistake and this went on for quite
huge mistake and this went on for quite a while I would get up at 4 o’clock in
a while I would get up at 4 o’clock in
a while I would get up at 4 o’clock in the morning and go to the bakery bake
the morning and go to the bakery bake
the morning and go to the bakery bake all of the things single batch at a time
all of the things single batch at a time
all of the things single batch at a time and two weeks in I rolled over to my
and two weeks in I rolled over to my
and two weeks in I rolled over to my husband at 4:30 in the morning I said we
husband at 4:30 in the morning I said we
husband at 4:30 in the morning I said we just made the biggest mistake of our
just made the biggest mistake of our
just made the biggest mistake of our lives but he decided that he was going
lives but he decided that he was going
lives but he decided that he was going to take things into his own hands so he
to take things into his own hands so he
to take things into his own hands so he got himself onto a radio interview 5
got himself onto a radio interview 5
got himself onto a radio interview 5 o’clock in the morning and one of the
o’clock in the morning and one of the
o’clock in the morning and one of the local radio stations and brought
local radio stations and brought
local radio stations and brought cinnamon rolls with him and they ate
cinnamon rolls with him and they ate
cinnamon rolls with him and they ate them on they ate them on camera or on on
them on they ate them on camera or on on
them on they ate them on camera or on on the radio and when that happened
the radio and when that happened
the radio and when that happened lots of people listened and when they
lots of people listened and when they
lots of people listened and when they listened things started to change we we
listened things started to change we we
listened things started to change we we got pretty busy and things picked up we
got pretty busy and things picked up we
got pretty busy and things picked up we one of the newspapers came and did a
one of the newspapers came and did a
one of the newspapers came and did a report for us and and two years later we
report for us and and two years later we
report for us and and two years later we were super busy and everything was
were super busy and everything was
were super busy and everything was really really good at this point my
really really good at this point my
really really good at this point my husband decided to open another business
husband decided to open another business
husband decided to open another business called Nvidia so we added to our Second
called Nvidia so we added to our Second
called Nvidia so we added to our Second Life of being a business I continued to
Life of being a business I continued to
Life of being a business I continued to teach throughout that entire time and we
teach throughout that entire time and we
teach throughout that entire time and we got really involved in the community
got really involved in the community
got really involved in the community from the very beginning I had been
from the very beginning I had been
from the very beginning I had been involved in the downtown Bloomington
involved in the downtown Bloomington
involved in the downtown Bloomington Association and
Association and
Association and it was probably the best choice that we
it was probably the best choice that we
it was probably the best choice that we ever made statistically for restaurants
ever made statistically for restaurants
ever made statistically for restaurants five years in statistically eighty
five years in statistically eighty
five years in statistically eighty percent of all small businesses
percent of all small businesses
percent of all small businesses restaurants specifically closed when
restaurants specifically closed when
restaurants specifically closed when that happened and we made that mark it
that happened and we made that mark it
that happened and we made that mark it was a it was a true milestone for me and
was a it was a true milestone for me and
was a it was a true milestone for me and again I kept my full-time job my husband
again I kept my full-time job my husband
again I kept my full-time job my husband kept his full-time job and we kept going
kept his full-time job and we kept going
kept his full-time job and we kept going and everything was was kind of going
and everything was was kind of going
and everything was was kind of going along the way that we had expected we
along the way that we had expected we
along the way that we had expected we fast forward to a really great staff
fast forward to a really great staff
fast forward to a really great staff that we’ve been able to keep for a very
that we’ve been able to keep for a very
that we’ve been able to keep for a very long time and at the nine year mark we
long time and at the nine year mark we
long time and at the nine year mark we purchased a store called Graff Aaliyah’s
purchased a store called Graff Aaliyah’s
purchased a store called Graff Aaliyah’s airy in also in downtown Bloomington and
airy in also in downtown Bloomington and
airy in also in downtown Bloomington and my husband and I rebranded that and
my husband and I rebranded that and
my husband and I rebranded that and renamed it red raccoon games which just
renamed it red raccoon games which just
renamed it red raccoon games which just is about to celebrate its four-year
is about to celebrate its four-year
is about to celebrate its four-year anniversary and just in July of 2017 I
anniversary and just in July of 2017 I
anniversary and just in July of 2017 I purchased another star an icon in the
purchased another star an icon in the
purchased another star an icon in the community called the decorators grocery
community called the decorators grocery
community called the decorators grocery which is on Linden Street here in
which is on Linden Street here in
which is on Linden Street here in Bloomington an icon that had been open
Bloomington an icon that had been open
Bloomington an icon that had been open since 1977 and it was a store that was
since 1977 and it was a store that was
since 1977 and it was a store that was ready to close because the owners had
ready to close because the owners had
ready to close because the owners had had gotten older and were ready to close
had gotten older and were ready to close
had gotten older and were ready to close and it was one of those things that I
and it was one of those things that I
and it was one of those things that I was not interesting and allowing to
was not interesting and allowing to
was not interesting and allowing to happen so in all of this in opening all
happen so in all of this in opening all
happen so in all of this in opening all of these businesses in taking a business
of these businesses in taking a business
of these businesses in taking a business from a household where I was never
from a household where I was never
from a household where I was never interested in owning my business and
interested in owning my business and
interested in owning my business and turning my passion into something that I
turning my passion into something that I
turning my passion into something that I was interested in I’ve learned that the
was interested in I’ve learned that the
was interested in I’ve learned that the community that we live in is the most
community that we live in is the most
community that we live in is the most important part and we’ve been able to
important part and we’ve been able to
important part and we’ve been able to use that community to make it a better
use that community to make it a better
use that community to make it a better place and if you love the community you
place and if you love the community you
place and if you love the community you live your community will love you back
live your community will love you back
live your community will love you back thank you
”
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