Who's Driving
Who's Driving with Wesley Turner & Steven Merck is all about the entertaining stories we share and brainstorming topics we discuss as two best friends would on a long road trip. Come along for the ride as we check in with friends & offer a wide range of informative topics centered around running small businesses, social media, and all things Home and Garden.
Who's Driving
Who's Driving - Big News & Tipping Continues S2E24
Who's Driving- Wesley & Steven have some Big News to share with you first! But before we get there you'll cringe along with us as we vent our latest Instagram "icks." Don't miss this rollercoaster of laughs, rants, and big announcements!
We want to hear from you give our hotline a call at 864-982-5029. Happy listening! And remember to leave us a rating and review.
We mentioned The Nested Fig App in this episode. You can Tap Here to get our app and join our live sales on Sundays and Thursdays at 8pm est.
Follow Steven on Instagram at @Keepinupwithstevenand follow Wesley on Instagram at @Farmshenanigans. Shop our online store at TheNestedFig.Com Find The Nested Fig on Instagram at @TheNestedFig
Hey girl, get in, get in, I'm in, I'm picking you up, honey. No, this is a big one. We got some big news and it's hotter than hell. Roll up the windows, crank up the AC. We do have some big news. Sit back and listen. It's time for another episode of who's Driving. Welcome to who's Driving. I'm Wesley Turner.
Speaker 2:And I'm Stephen Merck. We're two best friends and entrepreneurs.
Speaker 1:Who's Driving is an entertaining look into the behind the scenes of our lives, friendship and business.
Speaker 2:These are the stories we share and topics we discuss, as two best friends would on a long road trip.
Speaker 1:Along the way, we'll check in with friends and offer a wide range of informative topics centered around running small businesses, social media and all things home and garden.
Speaker 2:Buckle up and enjoy the ride.
Speaker 1:You never know who's driving or where we're headed. All we know is it's always a fun ride. So listen, we have some really big, exciting news coming up in this episode. Of course, we're going to put it towards the end. Yeah, because that's what you have to do. That's what you have to do, but you're going to want to listen to this episode because it's really fun, big news, it's exciting for us and for some of you, and it's something that we've worked really hard on for years, so we're really happy, yeah, we're excited about the big news we're about to share with you.
Speaker 1:I can't believe it. I can't believe we're putting it out into the universe. I know.
Speaker 2:But you know, we've talked it into fruition.
Speaker 1:I mean it's happening, so you'll have to listen, keep listening and we'll get to that in a minute.
Speaker 2:Well, I have a couple of new Instagram icks. And there's there. One is a really gross, but the first one is gross in a different way.
Speaker 1:Okay, now are these. You know, we gave them new names, so we have x and we have. What was the other word? We use? Dumb shit. No, I'm just kidding.
Speaker 2:Annoy, annoyance, these are icks, okay, icks, these are icks, both of them Okay. In different ways. The first one is and I don't know if you guys listening have seen this you and I have talked about it. Oh, we have, and you know I'm from South Carolina. I love me some potatoes, any way you fix them, french, fried, scalloped, mashed, baked. Anyway, I love potatoes. But these fools are making mashed potatoes out of potato chips.
Speaker 1:Potato chips I've seen it's a gummed up mess. And what's the point if you're that, I don't know if that lazy or not, just go get instant potatoes. You know I love some instant potatoes.
Speaker 2:You know my mother, that was, you know, for a southern lady. My mother was a really really really good cook.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, that was a no-no.
Speaker 2:No, we couldn't talk about it anywhere, but the only thing is like the only people that would eat them were me and my mom. So your mom liked them. She loved them secretly yes like it was like we had to buy them like out of town and, um, we would eat them together and they were oh, they're so good I love instant potatoes.
Speaker 2:I still do, she normally though if anybody else was eating, she made them the good old Southern way with her peeled potatoes. But I love me some, I love me some, and so here's the thing.
Speaker 1:My mom, I would be like get instant potatoes, and she'd be like you are the only person that probably asks for instant potatoes.
Speaker 2:And I'm like they're so good and creamy.
Speaker 1:And here's the thing, mom, if you're listening. Okay, so I didn't like my mom's mashed potatoes. Were they lumpy? No See, I like them. I don't mind them lumpy. She would do them sometimes. Okay, they were good, they were good. I'm not going to talk bad, mom, about your potatoes. Most of the time they were good. But sometimes I think what she would do was whip them with the mixer and to me they became like shiny and like pasty texture.
Speaker 2:Well, she probably made them a little healthier. You've had mine, yeah, and mine are so good, but now I mean, they will give you a heart attack within an hour.
Speaker 1:But she didn't always make them like that. Sometimes they were different, I don't know, because I didn't pay enough attention. Sometimes they were really good and sometimes they were like pastier whipped or something and I didn't like those.
Speaker 2:Sometimes you get that if you put too much butter.
Speaker 1:Oh, maybe that's what it was.
Speaker 2:See, if you add some heavy cream in there, that will settle that down, but I love, I just like the instant ones. I love instant. I like the smooth.
Speaker 1:I like the texture, I just like the flavor.
Speaker 2:My mother is rolling over in her grave me telling people that. But you know, and my mother was, one of those.
Speaker 1:What's wrong with instant potatoes?
Speaker 2:I think my mother was like a mini Martha Stewart, and that was just the lazy way. The lazy way you didn't do it, but we both secretly loved them.
Speaker 1:I still like them.
Speaker 2:I do too, I you know, and when my mother baked, she would make twice baked potatoes. Damn those were good, I do love a twice-baked potato she would do that. And homemade she would do that a lot of times with homemade broccoli cheddar soup. That's it, some good eating.
Speaker 1:So anyway, let's get back to these fools on Instagram. I mean, that is just so disgusting. I haven't watched the whole process, because it does gross me out, but they boil them down, right, they crunch them up and then boil them down, add water, and then they whip them.
Speaker 2:It's just disgusting to me and here's what grosses me out about it. But then think how much salt is in there. There's a lot of salt, and then there's all kinds of oils and stuff. I mean, like I know, potatoes are not a health food, but you're taking the potato to a whole new level when you're doing that, right, I mean, just eat the bag of potato chips.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I don't see the point in that I couldn't eat it.
Speaker 2:I mean, if you did that I would not. Yeah, I would be like I'll, I might taste it just to see, but I think I would probably gag yeah, it's something about that.
Speaker 1:It's just gross. It is very gross. I uh, I I saw. The only time when I was like oh, I get it was. I was watching on TikTok a woman who had been in prison and they use the potato chips like that. I can't remember how they did it. I think she made like tater tots out of them or something.
Speaker 2:Well, I mean now, if you're in prison, you come up.
Speaker 1:So when you're, getting creative like that. It's different.
Speaker 2:Well, martha Stewart did that when she was in prison and you know she taught some of the people how to make, like, tortillas and tamales Out of stuff, out of stuff like that. And that's you know. You're making the best of a bad situation.
Speaker 1:And.
Speaker 2:I can listen. I hope I'm never there, but if I'm there I might do that. But in my damn kitchen I am not. I think my mother would come down from heaven and slap the shit out of me for doing that.
Speaker 1:I mean, it is something about it that's gross, and if you've tried it, let us know.
Speaker 2:Yeah, call us. Our hotline number is 864-982-5029. If you've ever done that, tell us and tell us why you like it did you try it?
Speaker 1:and if you did, did you like it or did you not?
Speaker 2:were you like I'm just going to experiment with this and see what the heck happens. I mean, I could see doing an experiment to see what it would do, because they're kind of just dehydrated potatoes, but then uh, why don't you just but?
Speaker 1:like you said, they have all the oils in there and then gross.
Speaker 2:Okay, my next ick going up. I'm going to go ahead and apologize to everybody out there because this is really a gross ick, but it was on instagram and I was like who in hell and I don't know if you've seen it advertised is the toilet mirror? What, what? It is a mirror. You can Google it. It is a mirror that clips on the inside of the toilet lid, so when you open it up, there's a mirror there to so you can check your white job well, that is not true you are making.
Speaker 2:I'm gonna google it and see if I can find it.
Speaker 1:I just thought it was beyond disgusting okay, but do you not just check the white job when you look at the toilet paper to?
Speaker 2:see if there's still a little streak on there.
Speaker 1:I think that's what most people do how does, looking at it in the mirror, you can't tell that's a lie that?
Speaker 2:are you sure that?
Speaker 1:wasn't just a funny something like a prank, I just can't uh, I just can't believe that would be a thing. Surely that is not a thing. It just can't be. I'm gonna have to google this myself toilet mirror on toilet bowl mirror.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean, how would I? Why would I make that up?
Speaker 1:I don't know, but don't you think someone just maybe it was a?
Speaker 2:joke I'm. I'm not seeing it, so maybe is it on amazon?
Speaker 1:that cannot be a thing. I I'm hoping it's not. I mean, let's just hope it's not.
Speaker 2:Oh it's on, it looks like it's.
Speaker 1:Oh, the original toilet mirror. Oh, did you find it, the original toilet mirror? Let's see. Let me accept these cookies.
Speaker 2:I mean I could see, okay, when you're potty training a child, maybe that might be helpful in some kind of way. But hell, I would have never learned if I had to do all that.
Speaker 1:Okay, but you can't. I just can't imagine that you can really see enough to you know what I'm saying. It's so gross, like we all know how to hopefully clean ourselves, but there is a thing called the original toilet mirror and it is $15.99 here. This one, this particular one Introducing the original toilet mirror. When's it going to be here? The ultimate solution for achieving bathroom independence and ensuring cleanliness. Solution for achieving bathroom independence and ensuring cleanliness. This innovative, first-of-its-kind product empowers users of all ages, from young children to seniors, enabling them a new level of confidence in personal hygiene, whether potty training or managing health care needs. Our mirror provides a clear, direct view of that traditional methods can't match, making it essential for everyone's bathroom routine. No, I told you, it was a thing. Their slogan is you can't wipe what you can't see, but I can. I just keep going.
Speaker 2:I'm like Energizer Bunny. I just keep going and going. I'm like Energizer Bunny, oh, I just keep going and going and going, because I ain't going to be stinking.
Speaker 1:Oh, my goodness.
Speaker 2:I cannot believe that. Can you believe that was on Instagram?
Speaker 1:I can't believe that's even a thing.
Speaker 2:Well it is, and it's pretty gross.
Speaker 1:Well.
Speaker 2:I thought, and if you have, one let us know. Maybe we're missing something.
Speaker 1:Has it been essential to your care? Is it like? No guys, you're missing out. You need this mirror. I just can't. I still am going to stand by. I can't believe you could turn around, look in the mirror and see. I mean, if it's that big of a mess, you know what's going on.
Speaker 2:Do you know what I'm saying? I mean, I can't even trim my bangs looking in the mirror. Seriously, I mean you go. You know you go to the wrong side. So how are you going? I think, it would end up just a big disaster. Yeah, just get a bidet, that's what I say. Put that $16 toward your bidet.
Speaker 1:I still want to try a bidet. We've talked about that, but that's a whole different subject. Yeah, that is.
Speaker 2:But anyway, those were my icks. Do you have any new icks? I don't have any new icks this week, but don't you?
Speaker 1:consider those icks. Those are both icks, well, I think. The second one, well, that is an ick, but more of a. What did we call it? Idios, idiocracy, idiocracy.
Speaker 2:That is an idiocracy. The first one was an ick, the second was an idiocracy. Yeah of idiocracy. Yeah, I have a riddle for you.
Speaker 1:Oh good.
Speaker 2:I'm ready. Okay, I am very easy to pick up. Okay, I'm very difficult to throw.
Speaker 1:Easy to pick up. Difficult to throw A balloon, easy to pick up. Okay see, I have to get in a different mindset to digest this Air. I mean you can. No, well, that I have to get in a different mindset to digest this Air, I mean you can.
Speaker 2:No, well, that'd be easy to throw. You can swipe it Easy to pick up.
Speaker 1:Hard to throw, easy to pick up, hard throw. Oh, I don't know. A feather, a feather.
Speaker 2:Could be lots of things. That one was kind of weak. A piece of paper.
Speaker 1:I was thinking it was going somewhere different.
Speaker 2:I thought that see, I don't really like those when they can go so many different things. Yeah, that one was womp womp and I kind of agree, I kind of agree.
Speaker 1:You were stretching for that one. Yeah, I don't have one for you this week, but what I do have and what I can tell you not our big secret yet Keep on listening for that one. We'll get to it in a minute. But we did strike up a big old conversation with our tipping episode A few episodes ago. We talked about tipping culture and how tipping was getting out of hand.
Speaker 2:I've had lots of people message me on social media too.
Speaker 1:Our hotline, which we love. It blew up. We got messages.
Speaker 2:We love it. It helps us do these podcasts.
Speaker 1:Yes, so we love it when you do messages, but occasionally it is funny something. A topic will hit harder than others, and tipping is definitely one of them.
Speaker 2:So after I will mention this before we go into that After we did the episode on tipping ironically I was discussing it with a friend that day, and ironically because you and I did not know this the night before it was on the news. Oh, it was that it was a whole segment on tipping and how it had gotten out of hand and they were saying that it was an effect, a negative effect, from COVID, that you know when we couldn't go out, you know when we couldn't do things we were being a lot more generous and tipping a lot more.
Speaker 1:Right, because you felt like then the people who were working and helping you were being exposed and putting themselves out there, and so you tipped them, and I agree with that I was okay with that. I did that and now we can't backtrack. Yes Is what's happened, I guess. Well. Well, funny thing before we get into comments. Just this week we had um stanley steamer come out. That's a whole different topic, daniel. Daniel let the dog in after supposedly washing her off when she'd gotten muddy. But she let let the dogs out.
Speaker 1:Didn't put her in her crate and she got our furniture nice and muddy, like one of those commercials muddy. I should have sent you pictures, oh.
Speaker 2:God, I would have thrown Dylan out of one of those tall ass windows.
Speaker 1:So I remained very calm, I will say, and I was like I'm not dealing with this, I'm not dealing with this. So when Daniel came in on his lunch break or something, I was up here in the office and I just yelled down you're in trouble. The look on his face he's like what. And I said look at the furniture. I said get out your phone right now. Schedule Stanley Steamer to come clean and get out your debit card, because this furniture has got to be clean. Yeah, he did and they came the next day. But anyway, that's how we got there. But my point was, even when they came and they finished, I go to you know, pay on the screen, and there it is, the tip right there.
Speaker 2:And OK, and they're not that great, I felt bad. You know the tip right there and okay, and they're not that great.
Speaker 1:I felt bad. You know you're right there, they have the iPad and they're telling you, you know, answer the questions. I'm like do I hit zero right in front of this person Because?
Speaker 2:okay, that's what they do they tip, shame you, they do.
Speaker 1:So they're standing there and I'm like, okay, well, I got a tip, but they do tip, shame you. But I feel like that is their business model. It's they come to your house and they clean your crap, whether it's your carpet, your rugs, your furniture. Why am I tipping for that? Like put it in your service fee or whatever which was already not cheap and that's it. So that's where I'm like but then you feel guilty.
Speaker 2:The next person that flips that screen around on me I'm going to say I've got you a tip Don't fry bacon naked.
Speaker 1:That's what I want to say. That's a good dad joke right there. So there it is. But anyway, I was just like now. I noticed the tipping everywhere.
Speaker 1:But here are some things that we got on our hotline just a few of them before we, you know, because we could go on and on and on and on about tipping and everyone, I guess, has to decide who they tip and who they don't. Even got people in the service industry that have been servers or whatever, bartenders, and they too said they agree, it's gone too far, or whatever. So one person did and I think this is a good take as far as eating out or food related they said that they recently heard and learned and put into practice if you order standing up, then you don't tip. So if you order at a counter, then you're not tipping. Yeah, I've always heard that too, so that's a good, I guess, model. So that goes back to Starbucks and that sort of thing. Then you're not tipping. Yeah, I've always heard that too, so that's a good, I guess, model. So that goes back to starbucks and that sort of thing.
Speaker 2:Um, and one person actually, uh sent in, uh sent in a text and I it was near and dear to my heart.
Speaker 1:She went to a mcdonald's and was having a birthday party, or yes, someone said um that and this is a good way to put it also was saying unless it enhances my experience, as far as you know, tipping someone that's not the normal tip.
Speaker 2:Or they go above and beyond in a situation.
Speaker 1:Or she has a complicated order or they go above and beyond, and this person that you're talking about said that the last time that happened was at McDonald's. She had a complicated order, like getting a lot of food for, like kids, and the manager helped her and so she wanted to tip because she felt like you know they had gotten it right. I guess you know a great experience. So she wanted to tip the manager, and the manager there this is why it's near and dear to your heart did suggest that she put the tip in the Ronald McDonald house box. Love it, so that's a good.
Speaker 2:That made me so happy. That made me so happy. I really kind of want to know what McDonald's that was, because I want to go give that manager check.
Speaker 1:Right, because that's very nice. Yeah, I want to go give that manager a check.
Speaker 2:Right, because that's very nice, yeah, and for a manager to do that, you know that was really. That was the right answer.
Speaker 1:Right. Another person wrote in and said what they do now is pay in cash so that they can avoid the tip screen, which I'm like. I just don't carry cash like that. Avoid the tip screen, which I'm like, I just don't carry cash like that. But they said, if they know they're going somewhere or know that that's a place that has that screen and they don't want to feel awkward, they just pay in cash. Good idea, that's a great idea. So that is a good way to avoid it. But sometimes it catches you off guard.
Speaker 2:You don't know when that little screen is going to flip around you go somewhere in a nice boutique, a nice clothing store. You know you would never go to Neiman Marcus and then ask for a tip and they really go out of their way.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's what you were saying, but that's their job. That's the point.
Speaker 2:I agree, I totally agree that that is their job. But my point is is that's a more, that's a class act there? They know they're getting commission on that.
Speaker 1:They know that's their job and they are doing that. That is your job and you're not bringing some real craft to, making it an over-the-top experience. Maybe if you did that or, like they said, if you have a really complicated order, you might feel more obligated to tip.
Speaker 2:Well, and I go out and decorate people's homes and I spend months, months with an S. Yeah, sometimes like years Working on their house, and I mean endless amount of hours. Right, that is my job. Right, that is my job. And they are supporting our business. I've never been given a tip.
Speaker 1:But you never expected a tip.
Speaker 2:No, but that's my point, like that is my job, that I'm providing a service for our business.
Speaker 1:So maybe if we pull back, put on our big girl panties, our big boy panties, and stop tipping, they'll realize oh, people don't tip anymore. We need to take that off. And only tip where it's you know truly needed, because it is different. I feel like certain services, like servers at a restaurant. I will tip them. Because, especially, like we said in the previous episode, if they're, no matter if the food is good or not, I base that tip off of that individual.
Speaker 2:If they're attentive, if they're polite, maybe they whatever it may be, even if the food is slow, it's not their fault.
Speaker 1:Right, that's what I'm saying. I base it off of that person's service, not the restaurant or whatever. So anyway, I agree.
Speaker 2:And those bitchy people that don't tip, those people are just. They're negative people that never worked in service.
Speaker 1:Right, so I'm just going to stop tipping wherever it's really not necessary.
Speaker 2:And I tip like the guy that cuts my hair.
Speaker 1:My hair is difficult to cut and see I know we talked about this in the episode I don't feel like we should tip that person. I really don't. I feel like you are, especially for someone who is cutting my hair. I do tip, because it's one of those things, but you are setting your price. You are setting your price and I don't feel like I should be like ooh, he gave me a good haircut. No, no, no.
Speaker 2:I base it on separate things. I base it on separate things. I base it on separate things. First of all, I really like the person. Second of all, my hair is challenging because I don't have, you know, my hair transplants, so I don't have natural parts anymore, and that's a little challenging.
Speaker 2:We went through that today. I said hey, there's one issue I have is there's no part natural part here. We've got to create a part. He was like I'm sorry. I said it's not your fault, it's not natural, and so I base it on things like that. And when my ass is 10 or 15 minutes late I tip more because I wasted their time and that's my fault.
Speaker 1:I wasn't really today, okay, so, out of all the things that you just said, the only reason I think out of that you should tip is because you were late, because I am going to someone that has been trained in that trade and it is their job to give me a good haircut, I know that is like saying kind of, but tipping that's like I mean kind of always been standard I know, but I don't agree with it.
Speaker 1:that's like coming to us, to our garden store, and someone tipping us because our flowers were fresh today. No, you expect fresh cut flowers, it's true. You expect a good haircut, that's very true. Why are you tipping for this? And especially with hairstylists? They set their own prices. They work for themselves. Even if they work for a large salon, they pay a chair price and they might pay everybody expects a tip there.
Speaker 1:Now it seems like everyone they do but I'm just saying why should I just raise your price to what you want to get paid? Because I expect a good haircut when I come to you and I expect you to be nice. If I don't, I'm gonna go to someone else. So that's where it just gets. We can. But you can dissect this on every it gets complicated, it does, and you can dissect it on every service. I'm just saying tell me your price.
Speaker 1:Like when Stanley Steamer came out, I didn't expect to tip because I booked that is your business coming and cleaning my stuff. Why am I going to tip you? Oh, because you cleaned it. Well, yeah, that's what I hired you for to come clean it. Why would I tip, to tip you? Oh, because you cleaned it. Well, yeah, that's what I hired you for to come clean it. Why would I tip you for that? Oh, you didn't make a mess in my house. Well, I didn't expect you to. Because your business is coming to my house to clean. You know what I'm saying. So that's where it goes Well.
Speaker 2:It's definitely gotten out of hand, Definitely.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it is so far out of hand on the tipping, and we could go round and round. But there is another part that someone brought up that is even more of a hot button for me and you. Oh yeah, it's the cousin to tipping, oh it's the step sister. Yes, it is the step mother.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's the step mother, the mean step mother, the mean stepmother.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's the stepmother, the mean stepmother, the mean stepmother. So this person brought up here. I'm going to read their message that they sent in here because, let's see, I'm just going to read out the section that we're going to talk about. They said also, in regard to the credit card fees you pay as a business because we brought that up as well which is part of running a business it's to them like paying the lights and payroll and so forth. What are your thoughts on businesses charging that fee to the customer when they make a purchase?
Speaker 1:My nail salon has added this on, and other small businesses I frequent. So now they are saying cash gives you a discount. She's saying, no, not really. I'm not a sales slash coupon shopper, but this is not fair to say it's a discount when it's not. Let me know your thoughts. Okay, so what they're saying is some businesses now will charge, like if you're using a credit card, they'll say there's a three percent fee or whatever, and the the thoughts on that. Well, here is my thoughts on that. It's total bullshit. It's tacky as hell tacky.
Speaker 1:It makes you look desperate. It makes you look broke.
Speaker 1:The only person I expect that from is the government, when you go online to pay taxes or your car whatever, or whatever you know you're going to, if you go to a government, something you know you're going to pay the 3% processing fee for using a credit card. If you are a small business and you are doing this, it is tacky, it is tacky, it is tacky, it is tacky, it is tacky, and we personally have stopped doing business with people just solely based on this. Because here's the thing If you're a business person, raise your prices or service or whatever, and raise them just a hair, because not everyone pays with their credit card. Some people are going to pay with cash or check, which you don't have to pay that fee on. So average it out, say oh, you know, this percent of our business is credit card fees. They're charging us this 3% as a business owner, so I need to raise them by 1.5% or whatever.
Speaker 1:It is Kind of goes back to the tipping charge me what you have to charge me up front, and that should be the exact same thing with doing the business and the credit card processing fee. There is a small business, large business, any type of business. There's all kinds of operational fees and you know, you got to pay insurance, you got to pay your taxes, you got to pay your payroll. You got to pay light bills.
Speaker 2:Okay, Even if you think it's a good idea it's not it's wrong.
Speaker 2:It's wrong on so many different levels but statistically I can tell you this is a fact and I lived it. You know, I was in McDonald's when we went from all cash to taking credit. Well, owners were livid because they were used to collecting all cash and it did make a difference in your business and your cash flow because that cash went in the bank that day or when you wanted it to go in the bank, Right? You know, cashless credit cards is a whole another animal and it's kind of it was a major adjustment cash flow wise, Because it can take a day or two or three to go into your bank with a holiday five, you know, weekends.
Speaker 2:Yeah it, it's different, and so there was a huge adjustment, uh, cash flow wise, for that. However, mcdonald's did a lot of studies and I wouldn't witness this firsthand. Do you know how much in every business?
Speaker 1:It increases your average check.
Speaker 2:Because everybody spends more when you do credit, Because it's not money. When you hold dollar bills in your hand, we spend that differently. I mean studies there's been a million studies on it that show that when you use a credit card, you're going to spend more. So, just being logical, why in the hell would I charge somebody 3% for using that card? Because, statistically speaking, they probably spent an extra 15% on whatever they were buying Like. It makes no sense and it's just the biggest turnoff.
Speaker 1:As the consumer. It is. So there's a gas station. I don't know if they still do in Greenville that they, and I know this is a thing, but they will. If you pay cash, gas is one price. If you use your credit card, gas is another price. I never, ever go to that gas station. I'm not going to do it.
Speaker 1:Because I feel like when I put you know, I don't want to go into your store and have to pay and get in line because that's not convenient. And when I'm standing there and I see that I could have paid a few cents less per gallon if I had a used car, I'm like, no, I'm not doing it, so I don't go to that. I do not doing it, so I don't go to that.
Speaker 2:I do not go to that gas station and then, conversely, since we're speaking, this was an effect from COVID, I think. But you've got these small number of businesses, some here in Greenville, that will no longer take cash Right, and I'm sorry. Nothing. This is nothing political, I don't even care about that part of it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm just saying currency is currency. You're supposed to legally take cash, right, and I think it is so wrong. I didn't even realize it was a thing until several years ago. I was working at our home store and this customer came in and she said can I pay with cash? And it was a large purchase.
Speaker 2:And I said, absolutely, we would love it and she said, well, thank you, I'm bringing you my business, because she went to X business and they refused cash. And I said, well, they're insane, right, and we will take your cash all day long, but it is a huge turnoff to me. And I said, well, they're insane, right, and we will take your cash all day long, but it is a huge turnoff to me. And I was shopping in where were we? We were in New Orleans and they had a Golden Goose store and I made a couple purchases and I was thinking I was having this conversation with myself. I'm like, oh, I'm turned off with this company because they don't take cash. That's what I was thinking. I was having this conversation with myself. I'm like, oh, I'm turned off with this company because they don't take cash that's what I was thinking and I had cash.
Speaker 2:and you know, and the reason I thought that is they ring you up on a little, uh, handheld piece of equipment and I said, oh well, I'd like to pay cash. And they said, absolutely. And I thought, now, that's fine, they've got the convenience of just a card, but if you want to pay with cash, they can handle that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but I don't understand not taking cash.
Speaker 1:Well, I don't understand the. So they're the adding on the credit card processing fee onto your purchase. And there has been, I'm going to tell you there has been a handful of people who, okay, first of all, it happened at our retail store with someone that we advertised with and all of a sudden they were like hey, we're going to start adding a 3% credit card processing fee if you pay with your card or whatever. And I was like no, I mean we went back and forth on that for like days. I was like do you realize how desperate I mean? I told this person because we had a relationship, I'd been advertising with them for years and I said this makes it look like your business is struggling. It makes you look desperate and you are not the government and this is not 1994.
Speaker 2:It makes you look very cheap.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I said you need to do whatever you got to do Raise your price, raise your price. But don't do that, but don't do that. Well, some people mail in checks and some people don't. I said then you don't have to raise your price three percent.
Speaker 1:Then figure out what that raise it one and a half yeah, figure out, if 50 pay this way and 50 pay that way, then raise it that much. Don't penalize someone trying to do business with you, because that's what you're doing. You're penalizing that person who's trying to do business with you. Then we had a vendor. Well, you did order last time from them, but we stopped ordering for like three years from this vendor because they were going to do the same thing. They were like well, if you use a card, we're going to charge you 3% and we stopped ordering from them.
Speaker 1:We're like no, you're not that special. We can find similar looks from our other vendors and we're not going to do that.
Speaker 2:And the other thing that irritates me this is kind of opposite of that. You get these people that come in the store and they bring cash and they're like what kind of discount can I get? None, None. Here's the thing. Everyone's None. Here's the thing. Everyone's equal. That's the thing. Our prices are very fair and they're competitive and we keep our prices as low as possible, right. And the other thing is is we report all of our sales.
Speaker 2:We're not putting that money in that we're not putting that cash in our pocket, giving you a discount, and not reporting it no. I do not look good in orange or stripes, so we don't do that. So we're giving you the best price we can and we do sales and promotions all the time, yeah, and I'm like come on, yeah, like you're not. And I'm like come on, yeah, like you're not. And I mean, I appreciate everybody's business. And I appreciate the business, but you're not special Right, you're not.
Speaker 1:So we're not penalizing you for using your credit card and we're not rewarding you for using cash.
Speaker 2:No, it's all equal. Yeah, it's the same.
Speaker 1:It's all equal.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's the same, it's the same. You come in, you shop, there's the price, and I think that's the way it should be. If we have a promo going on, then you get that price. And if it's a service business, if it's a very, very small business like an individual doing something, oftentimes I will ask them do you prefer cash, check card? I can do any of the three and I think it's different when you offer that. Right, you know I'll do whatever helps you. And I'm talking when it's a very, very, very small, like individual, service-related business.
Speaker 1:Well, there's nothing wrong with asking them, which do you prefer? And them saying, oh, I appreciate that. Like, yeah, if you have cash, I don't have to pay the credit card fee.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I get it when you're a tiny, little bitty business and you're trying to keep you know and you offer that when the customer offers that, that's great, but don't put a damn sign at your register.
Speaker 1:Right, and don't charge me an extra fee.
Speaker 2:I just want to leave, and I do leave if I can. You know if you've already filled your car up, if it's one of those small little places you're kind of stuck. Yeah, it's true, but it's so dumb.
Speaker 1:I know that's a trigger. For me that's almost bigger than the tipping, because you're forced to pay that fee and the tipping I feel guilty about and I don't want to tip, but when they make me pay that service fee, it but then the other first cousin to this are are the the small businesses.
Speaker 2:Smaller businesses usually that put you have to spend at least five dollars to use a card. I don't see that as much anymore. It was always in one place in Greenville actually, where we have our garden store.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's the last time I remember it was a convenience store Maybe like $5 minimum, which you actually cannot do with your credit card. It says that when you sign your contract with your merchant processing that you can't require minimum, but it's stupid.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean, who cares if it's $4? Like, don't turn your customers off like that. Yeah, I hated going there because of that. Yeah, it's true. Well, we need to shift gears, drop it into low and talk about where we just got back from.
Speaker 1:Okay and we'll get to our big news. So we just got back from Okay.
Speaker 2:And we'll get to our big news. So we just got back from the Dallas Market.
Speaker 1:So fun, which was so fun, so we talked about this. This was our first time headed to the Dallas Market. We were headed to the Dallas Market. It was our first time and we just got back and we loved it and I was.
Speaker 2:People have talked to us about it for years. Other business owners reps everything oh, do you go to Dallas? And we're like no, we've never been there, like that's really all we've ever gotten, and so they didn't really ever say anything bad about it.
Speaker 1:They would just say well, if you're at Atlanta, then you know, it's so much bigger than Dallas, like everything is in Atlanta.
Speaker 2:Atlanta's the hub.
Speaker 1:Nobody talked it up, but no one talked it up.
Speaker 2:So I was thinking, I mean my expectations on the flight. There was like it's just Atlanta smaller, so wrong. Yeah, so wrong. I only going to Atlanta and Las Vegas. It was such a treat, it was so nice, it was very customer-oriented.
Speaker 1:Yeah, the facility was very customer-oriented and very nice. The people there were nicer than Atlanta. So I would say, if you're going, if maybe you're a small business because we have small businesses that listen, and some were reaching out to me like I've never gone to Atlanta either.
Speaker 2:What was?
Speaker 1:your true experience. So Atlanta is bigger and we'll have everything that you need for a boutique in one place. Dallas has all the staples, plus a few miscellaneous miscellaneous ones, but all your major staples. But it's so. The building is older, but it feels like you're in a mall.
Speaker 2:It's very boot upscale boutique like an upscale mall right and it is like bistro tables and chairs all throughout the whole thing Sofas. Like you could Food coffees, oh my God. And the employees that work there At the market there were so nice. I've never been treated so nice. I mean, you're almost in Atlanta.
Speaker 1:A bother yeah.
Speaker 2:You're almost verbally assaulted. I mean they give you the go to hell looks.
Speaker 1:We're talking like the desk people, the employees.
Speaker 2:that work there, the facility, people. Yeah not the reps, the facility employees. You're an interruption to their life in Atlanta. Here it was like hey, how are you Welcoming?
Speaker 2:Yes, guys are there I was looking around like is Martha Stewart behind me? What the hell is going on? Where are we? It was so I didn't feel as exhausted, right, I didn't feel as tired and I was in a better mood because of it. I didn't feel as exhausted, I didn't feel as tired and I was in a better mood because of it. They had fountains and ponds and plants and it was like almost you could escape market for like three minutes when you're walking.
Speaker 1:From showroom to showroom, yes, and atrium and sunshine.
Speaker 2:Why can't other people look at that and go? We need to make this a lot more comfortable for business owners that are coming here and spending all their money.
Speaker 1:It was so much more comfortable, for sure, than Atlanta In every way, and I was like has no one from Atlanta come down here and go on?
Speaker 2:I mean, everything was better and easier from the registration. The registration took two seconds. Oh yeah, atlanta is like oh, it's like it's an ordeal I mean it is just it is. It is another huge inconvenience. It's like they don't want you to come right everything.
Speaker 1:everything is like you got to fight to be there and it's just that. And then it's not comfortable when you're there. I mean we love market. We love it, but now that you compare the two, we're like I wish everything from Atlanta would move to Dallas.
Speaker 2:Yeah, atlanta is like driving a Model T old car with no luxuries, and Dallas is like getting into an S-Class Mercedes. You're like, this is nice. I mean, they even had massage chairs.
Speaker 1:It's nice to feel appreciated for being there when you're coming to spend your money in order Very hard Now. Atlanta does that per vendor. You know some vendors are very nice.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's not the vendors, but I mean, if I were a vendor, I would much rather be in Dallas. Yeah, I mean, it is just so much more comfortable. And the other thing is, you know, since COVID Atlanta, you know that downtown Atlanta is not the safest anymore.
Speaker 1:COVID Atlanta. You know that downtown Atlanta is not the safest anymore. Well, I guess with people working from home and all of that. Now there's like a lot of the restaurants closed. I guess there's not as much happening downtown Atlanta now.
Speaker 2:But you can walk to Dallas from your hotel to market and you feel very safe. Hot, hot, but safe. Right, and it was just overall, and even the hotels.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it was all so staffing much better experience.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we just I loved it. I'm sad that we're only going to be able to go like once a year.
Speaker 1:I know the thing is, and the reason why we had never gone is Dallas market always runs right up. Sometimes they even overlap by day with the Atlanta market, but this, however, I don't know how it worked out and how I even noticed, but this year Dallas was we just went in June and then Atlanta's like a whole month later, so they're split up. So we were able to go, which worked in our favor.
Speaker 2:I think we'll be able to do it in 2026 because of the change.
Speaker 1:Yeah, because in 2026, the Atlanta market is going to be in June because Atlanta's getting is it the World Cup that's coming to Atlanta and hopefully that there's supposed to be a lot of money poured into that kind of like how when the Olympics came.
Speaker 2:So hopefully that will revitalize Atlanta and we were telling a new vendor we picked up and you know we'll say I will say anything. A new vendor we picked up. We're like oh, you'll have to come in January. And we're like we're so sad and they're not in Atlanta, we're so sad, we can't come because we've got to be in atlanta. And they back up and they said, oh well, you could come to our pre-market, our headquarters in chicago. And we were like okay, if you'll, if you'll pay for it, our flight and hotel will be there. And they're like okay, yeah we're like what, yeah?
Speaker 2:they're like absolutely, yeah, we'll pay.
Speaker 1:yeah, I mean if they're like absolutely yeah, we'll pay. Yeah, I mean if they're like you're going to do an order like this or whatever.
Speaker 2:We're paying. I'm like we're there. Yes, so that's in December. Yeah, We'll be ordering for Christmas 2025., which is really great because it would be so fresh on our brains. So we were like okay, we're going. So that was nice, not, that was a great fun, and but we've had a lot of questions, um, like, why are y'all going to the dallas market and the atlanta market? You haven't done, you've never gone to both, ever right. Why are you doing it? Well, big news, and basically we're running out of time.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so we are running out of time and even Atlanta before now we always are getting to the last day since we started doing live sales for market and we love doing those live sales and you all love watching the live sales for market because you're getting to see things first in the showroom from market. So we love doing that but it does take up time and I think people don't understand how much time that takes up. By the time we scout out the products we're going to offer and then we send them back to Kate at the warehouse and she gets them online and then you know it's more than just being live for an hour.
Speaker 2:It's hours of work.
Speaker 1:We got to to leave one showroom and we've got to head over to this showroom to set up and we've got to pull all the samples. So it takes a lot of time. So we always are starting to run out of time now, but now we're going to have less time. Now we're going to have less time.
Speaker 2:At least for this market and the next couple, and from now on, On and on and on.
Speaker 1:So the big news is, I feel like we should have like some drum roll drum roll yeah, we're gonna be a chain we are. We're franchising the nested fig, yay, um, and we have our first franchisee that is gonna be be with us at the Atlanta market. So we will be helping them select the items for their store and they are opening their store this October and it is going to be in.
Speaker 2:Savannah.
Speaker 1:Savannah Georgia, so we're so excited about this. This is something that we said at the beginning. We've been working on for literally five years. We've been trying to get everything in place to line up so that we could eventually franchise. That's when we started way back changing the name. We got the nested fig for our online store and we got it trademarked.
Speaker 1:We're like this is the first step, so that no one can use you know the name without our permission. Then you know we had our home store, which was four rooms, if you've been here for any length of time. And then we had our garden store, which was Roots, and Stephen was not an owner in Roots, the garden shop, but you were an owner in the home store and their online store. So that's you know.
Speaker 1:we purposefully changed the model, closed our garden store removed because we needed to refresh anyway and reopened it under the Nested Fig so that now the whole company is one company. So we have the Nested Fig Garden, the Nested Fig Home and the Nested Fig, which is our online store, and the Nested Fig Garden, the Nested Fig Home and the Nested Fig, which is our online store, and the Nested Fig Outlet. And the.
Speaker 2:Nested Fig Outlet. So, and we purposefully made everything what is the word I'm looking for Cohesive, very cohesive, from wall colors to exterior colors, to floor colors. We wanted a very cohesive look.
Speaker 1:So that we could replicate the model and franchise From logos to floors and what the hell do you know, it's finally come together.
Speaker 2:The new store, the new franchisees for us. Their names are Mark and Tina Van Vick. They're from here in Greenville, they're going to have a home in Savannah as well and they are opening their first franchise at 2428 Abercorn Street, which is in the historic district of Savannah, georgia. So if you're in the area, our plan right now is we're going to open October 1st-ish. Hopefully there won't be any hiccups with that. But we've got construction going on, we've got ordering going on, we've got hiring going on. So anything could you know postpone that a week or two, but that is our goal. So if you're in the area, you need to come by and visit us.
Speaker 1:And if you're in the area and you're a designer and you need a job, you can message us because we're going to be looking for people as well.
Speaker 1:So it's been such a kind of crazy but fun and exciting process as well, because this is also not only have we been, you know, for years in the works of getting our business where we could franchise it, but we've also been months and months now hadn't been quite a year but trying to get the right location and helping scout out where it was going to be and working with the franchisees for that. So that's been quite the process.
Speaker 2:It has been a process. We have looked in multiple states, multiple, multiple locations, and you know we really wanted it to be right for them. Their success is our success and you know we said it will happen when it's supposed to happen. You know we said it will happen when it's supposed to happen, right, and we really all kind of landed on the same page that this was the best place for us, and I'm super excited.
Speaker 1:It's still going to be a lot of work, but it's going to be a lot of fun. So the Nested Fig Savannah you'll have to follow on social media, on Instagram, and you will get to see, you know, the process of a new store coming together as well, because we'll be posting that and showing it as it comes together and gets open, and I can't wait. Yes.
Speaker 2:And Mark and Tina are super excited and they've been in business in another industry, in real estate, for many years, and before that Tina was an executive with a fabric company, so she used to do markets on her own. So, she has experience with markets and stuff like that and she has a wonderful eye for design, and you know. Now the problem is she's bougie and I'm having to say she's sending me different counters and stuff I'm like no bougie, we are looking for this. And she's like but this one's really pretty.
Speaker 1:I said you don't live there, right yeah, you don't live there, right yeah, you don't live there. It is fun to pick out.
Speaker 2:It's fun. You know that was a big thing for me. I remember doing my first McDonald's.
Speaker 1:Well, and it's fun.
Speaker 2:Go ahead. You know you're like, oh, I want these lights and I want this ceiling and I want you know all of this stuff. And then you know, in the my first slap in the face was a chair rail that I got in. Each tile was like 20 something dollars a tile.
Speaker 1:And I thought I had to have it.
Speaker 2:No, I got it because I didn't ask. Oh, but you know, it took a McDonald's person looking at me and saying this is not your home, right, you do not live here and I'm like, well, I spend more time here than at home.
Speaker 1:But you don't. But you know it goes back to us doing. You know we have built and moved retail stores umpteen times now. We are well-versed because we always start out small, like the garden store. You know, it started out on one side. It was small. We moved to a next door, to a larger space, then we took back on the smaller space, then we have now moved locations. The home store we started in one spot. We're on our third location with the home store.
Speaker 2:Finally got it right.
Speaker 1:Yeah, finally got it right, but when you're building them out your mind, like you said, you want it all, and that's where you have to start, though you have to give yourself that moment of dreaming big and starting and then you have to reel it back in, bring it down. And the last time when we did the home store, stephen and I were building out things and we did all the construction ourselves.
Speaker 2:All of it. It about killed me. I'm just going to go ahead and tell you it really did.
Speaker 1:We did everything, ourselves Everything.
Speaker 1:We hired a teenager to help us do some stuff, but we did things the floor, everything, we were laying things out and we had to build some showcase walls, temporary walls, nothing structural and Stephen was like, oh my gosh, we got to get this trim right and all of these things. And I was like you're not going to notice this, like these little details that we're getting hung up on. But oh no, we got hung up on them, OCD, and we were doing it, and now we laugh about it, because once you get the store set up and everything in there, you do not notice, but you know, that is my, that's my big downfall, but you learned from that.
Speaker 2:I did learn from that.
Speaker 2:And then certain things we did and one thing you couldn't get past, like we took the ceiling out of that store, so it's just open to the rafters and everything, and we sprayed it. Yeah, and you know, before we did that, there were like literally five different, five different textures and right in materials used between the wall and the ceiling, and you were like, oh, this is so janky, this is going. I, I'm like no, once we put that paint on there, it's going to all become one. And it did, and it did.
Speaker 1:And you don't notice anything at all. So it is fun to start out big, and so them being a bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, ready-to-go retail, you do have to draw them back in, but that's easy and that's why they and that they appreciate that from us, though they want us to do that. That's why they want the franchise, because they know that we've done it. They see what we've done and what we do, and so they do appreciate the feedback and us reeling them they want to have to keep it consistent with our look and you know the nested fig brand and that sort of thing, and, and they're so, and they are.
Speaker 2:you know, we could not have asked for better franchisees. Yeah, I mean, they are very very smart yeah. Our guinea pigs, but they're so smart, very capable, talented business people and I think we looked, I think they looked up and I think we looked up.
Speaker 1:And I can't wait to see, you know, this version of now our business come to life, and then we get to like hand it over. You know, I mean we're going to help them get it all set up and we'll be there to walk them through even after the process, but it's kind of like we get it to a point and then they have to run with it with our help, and so for me, you know we're both ADD or whatever, and we love a challenge and being all over the place, so it's like another fun element.
Speaker 2:But this is the part that I really, really enjoy and this is what I enjoyed in McDonald's is the organizational management and the creating and the building of the team and then letting it go and become something. I love doing that.
Speaker 1:I'm glad you do. It works well. It does work well, and so this is the first of hopefully many, many, many, many, many many franchise locations.
Speaker 2:yeah, and if you're listening out there and you're interested, give us a shout. We'd love to talk to you about it and seriously yeah, if you're interested we'll open up um and we can talk about you, talk about with you what we offer um the, the fees and the investment is very minimal. We try to keep it very realistic.
Speaker 1:We see the value as a brand in having more locations and we also have looked at it. We've sat down and we've said, okay, what about when we started out, and what would have been so valuable to us, what would have been attainable to us and what would have worked for us as far as a structure? And that's the way we've really tried to approach it, so that you know it's got to be beneficial to both sides of it. You know To them, we want them to be successful, because the more successful they are it does come back to us. But we have to run our business to be successful as well.
Speaker 2:We wanted a franchise set up that would be financially viable for the franchisee.
Speaker 1:That's what I'm saying. We had to look at it Okay when we were starting out and had no business. But if we had landed in this franchise, what could we have done? What was viable for us and not cause stress and hardship, because we don't want them to be stressed out, you know, trying to pay, you know, large, large fees or whatever. So I think we landed on a very good model, yes, and I feel very confident.
Speaker 1:And that's something I'm real passionate about, because, from owning franchises- and it was yeah, we both had total different experiences starting in business and we talked about that when we're setting up the franchise model. Is you bought into a big franchise? I started from scratch no franchise and I was like if I would have had this resource that we are offering, it would have been game changing, right?
Speaker 2:If I could have paid this fee and been set up with all this knowledge and resource or whatever, it would have been game changing for our business starting out into our whole franchise model is we did not want it to be, you know, we did not want service fees or the cost of the franchise or anything to be detrimental to that person doing business. Right, because for me, for my first McDonald's starting out, the fees were so ridiculous.
Speaker 1:That they kind of held you back, that yeah. Or caused hardship.
Speaker 2:Those fees really were an obstacle for me, right and you know, in different things. It was all you know. I was bound financially and really suffocated me for, you know, probably two years.
Speaker 1:So we were very careful when setting up our franchise model that we did not do that to a business owner and that's what you were able to bring, because you've, like, I've been in this situation and here's what did not work when I was, you know, getting hit with fee after fee after fee, you know. So we worked out our model the franchise or which is now us.
Speaker 2:Wesley and I you can't be too greedy and you have to create something where it's a win-win, because if your franchisees are flourishing, then we're going to flourish. Right, it trickles back down. Yes, it does.
Speaker 1:I can't wait. It's exciting. So our franchisees, the point of this. Well, besides announcing that we're doing that, they're going to be joining us. I don't know if we said this at the Atlanta Market. So we will not only be shopping for us in our normal business and doing our normal routine with live sales, but we will also be shopping with them to get the items in for their store.
Speaker 2:And we will be introducing them at market and we will be introducing their social media handles and basically that's the major introduction at market in person.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we'll be introducing the Nested Fig home and actually today, this afternoon I am working with Tina and we are picking out wallpaper sample books that she wants to buy from the wallpaper company, and we're going through and picking out fabrics. We're ordering furniture. So I mean, we are behind the scenes working on it right now, right now, and Wesley's working on the technological side of it. He's setting up all the emails and website.
Speaker 1:Website and register and everything's going to be ready to go Marketing material.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's going to be great. We're super excited. So if you're in the Savannah Georgia area after October 1st, drop in and see us at 2428 Abercorn and it's the cutest store ever and I'm so excited about it, yeah.
Speaker 1:And now, since we're franchising, the Nested Fig could be coming to a city near you.
Speaker 2:Yes, we want it to be in a city near you. Wouldn't that be amazing?
Speaker 1:Yes, Hopefully we end up with.
Speaker 2:Hopefully we end up with a nested fig convention every year. Wouldn't that be cool?
Speaker 1:Yeah, that would be fun. Okay, so I think we have used up all of our time today, so we can't keep going on and on about it as we want to, we'll talk more today, so we can't keep going on and on about it as we want to, but you will hear us talk more about this and you will see that being introduced, but we wanted to announce it here first. You're hearing it first on the podcast and then we'll talk about it on social media.
Speaker 2:And if you're interested in a franchise opportunity, all jokes aside, let us know. We'd love to talk to you.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we can talk to you about the process and what's to come and all that, but this is going to wrap up this week's episode of who's Driving. Remember to leave us a review wherever you're listening to this podcast you can do it anywhere, on any platform and remember to share us with your friends and family so that they too can listen to the craziness. There's crazy, there's always crazy here. I mean, we're crazy, that's for sure. But that wraps it up and we'll see you next week. Thanks guys, bye.