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- Your Support & Wedding Adventures S2E37
Hear our candid discussion on community support and the heartwarming response we’ve received after deciding to donate 10% of our sales to charity. We open up about our initial hesitations and the overwhelming positive feedback that reaffirmed our intentions.
On a lighter note, we share our recent experiences navigating social events and MB's wedding weekend.
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
Well, the car is out of the garage, I'm headed to pick Wesley up and it is sweater weather. It is sweater weather.
Speaker 2:Get in, girl. I'm here. It's time for another episode of who's Driving. Welcome to who's Driving. I'm Wesley Turner.
Speaker 1:And I'm Stephen Merck. We're two best friends and entrepreneurs.
Speaker 2:Who's Driving is an entertaining look into the behind the scenes of our lives, friendship and business.
Speaker 1:These are the stories we share and topics we discuss, as two best friends would on a long road trip.
Speaker 2: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 1:Buckle up and enjoy the ride. You never know who's driving or where we're headed.
Speaker 2:All we know is it's always a fun ride. Oh my goodness, we are back together.
Speaker 1:Powered up. We have Wi-Fi. We still have one store with no Wi-Fi Okay, but I'm just celebrating the one we do have. We got Wi-Fi and cable and everything Saturday night at home and then last night at the home store.
Speaker 2:So the garden store is still no Wi-Fi.
Speaker 1:We're still gimping along From Hurricane Helene. Helene didn't play, she did not, oh my gosh.
Speaker 2:So that is still crazy to see. You know all the damage and everything. We talked about getting through it last week's episode, but now that it's been another week, in seeing, like all of the, you know the setup that's, they've rolled on out of our town. They've gotten the power back on. I guess everyone has power at this point. Still, no, like you said, uh, internet and wi-fi places, but uh, we're getting back to normal, which is nice to see. They rolled into town. Those linesmen and um set up these little, literally like little cities, little cities and they were amazing, they were big.
Speaker 1:Thank you to all the. You know a lot of those men came from all over the country and canada, yes. And a big thank you to all the. You know a lot of those men came from all over the country and Canada, yes.
Speaker 2:And a big thank you to them. Yeah, if your husband or wife or somebody works in that, line and had to be gone. We sure appreciate it.
Speaker 1:Oh, you appreciate those people. Let me just tell you Absolutely, and it is so important because it's not just for our comfort and all that. But you just don't think about the people that are on oxygen, that need it Right, Children that have health issues. There's different, you know different things, pieces of equipment they need Right. So it was really terrible for all these people and my heart still goes out to all those in Western North Carolina.
Speaker 2:Yes, they're in a mess. It is a huge mess.
Speaker 1:I mean some of those people are living in tents.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean it's terrible and their roads are gone in places, Everything that sort of thing. So it is crazy. And then you know, Hurricane Milton just blew through Florida again.
Speaker 1:Goodness.
Speaker 2:Hit some of the same people that were just hit.
Speaker 1:I'm tired of these hurricanes, I know. Tired of them messing up people I hope it doesn't switch to snowstorms and ice storms. So have you seen the billboards North Carolina's doing? And they're like please come visit us. No, they're putting like the mountain towns and cities that were not negatively affected, like Cherokee and C, cashers and Highlands. They're like come visit, spend money, because they are helping the others.
Speaker 1:And I'm like that is so good and honestly, I want to be able to go. You know, I was talking about that with another friend and I was like I'd love to go stay a weekend somewhere, but hell, I don't have time, I've got to work.
Speaker 2:And here's the thing that I think people need to understand. It's kind of, when you don't live in an area, like for us, if there's a volcano in Hawaii and it gets on the news which it does, all of this needs to be out there.
Speaker 2:But when you're not close to it or something you think like, oh, all of hawaii is, you know, erupting in a volcano, or something you know, a few years ago they had that and they were like no come, that's like a small corner of one island, that sort of thing, and they were like no come, um, and that's a similar thing.
Speaker 2:I mean it's so devastating for these people in North Carolina who have been affected, but it's not all of North Carolina and it's not all of these cities. So some of these were cities that were built in the valleys, built by a river, and everything came through the water and devastated this area and it did wash out and disconnect roads and, you know, destroy the town or people's houses, but that is, in the big picture, a smaller aspect of it. They didn't have, like we had crazy wind damage and they didn't have that. So there's not just crazy trees I mean, there's some all down, but it was from the flooding which was right next to these rivers. Unfortunately, towns are built in the mountains next to it because that's the, you know where it's flatter, and that sort of thing. But there's still many great places, like you're saying and that sort of thing. But there's still many great places, like you're saying, that you can go visit and you can help support all of these other towns by supporting other towns that weren't affected.
Speaker 1:Well, I was talking to one of my good friends that was a McDonald's owner and he was telling me that he owned four McDonald's. When he retired he owned more than that, but when he retired, he owned four McDonald's. When he retired, he owned more than that, but when he retired he owned four. Three of his four McDonald's, which have a new owner, are closed. They're having to be rebuilt. That's crazy. And he said so. He was in the business. For gosh. He was in the business 30 years. He never had a flood Right, never an issue. And I said well, how did the water get in the restaurants Halfway the McDonald's halfway full?
Speaker 1:So it literally ruined every fryer, every piece of equipment. Yes, then they have to redo all the sheetrock, so it's really just a total teardown. Right the cooler. And I'm like, oh my gosh, the good thing is and I'm not I know the new owners, but I'm not friends with the new owners. But the good thing is is I do know the package insurance. So they are getting, they're going to have a great payout from that and it will pay for 100% of a new restaurant.
Speaker 2:Oh, that's good. Yeah, it is. Even though it was natural disaster flooding and that sort of thing it still gets.
Speaker 1:It was in a floodplain.
Speaker 2:Okay, they had the insurance. Okay, so they're. That's good that they'll be able to recover from that.
Speaker 1:All of their. They'll get all of their profits for every day they were closed, plus build a new store.
Speaker 2:Oh, that's good, it is good, but I mean I'm saying it's good that they're getting something it doesn't fully replace.
Speaker 1:But here's the tough thing that people don't think about, because you're like to 100 employees per McDonald's that are displaced, that they're having to either put in other restaurants to work or pay them unemployment or whatever. So it's just a bad yeah it becomes a big. I hate it for the employees more than the owner, because you know they have 22 McDonald's. They're going to be fine and with the insurance money, but then all those employees, I mean it just affects everything.
Speaker 1:And then on top of that, all the people that are living in the area that have nowhere to eat. There's not even McDonald's.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it is. I just can't believe all of that happened like that and it's just so crazy to see how that happened. One thing that I was happy to see and hear about is something that we did and we if you follow us on Instagram, whether it's Anesthafig or Steven or myself at Farm Shenanigans or wherever we talked about we took three days of ourselves for online and the retail stores Well, actually, four days from online and three days at the retail stores and we donated back to Samaritan's Purse and the thing was we had never done something like that before Because you and I we've talked about it personally. We will personally donate to things. I will see.
Speaker 2:You know, if I see I like personally to donate directly to like I'll see someone on Instagram maybe someone that I followed or something and something happens and I'm like okay, I can contribute directly to them because I know where it's going and I try to do that, you know, regularly or whatever. We've never done anything as a business like donating back, because you and I've talked about it in the past. I feel like I never wanted it to feel like we were trying to capitalize on a bad situation Right.
Speaker 2:Increase sales to donate back or whatever. Like you said, I didn't want to ever come across like we were trying to take advantage of this bad situation to do you know, to donate back.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:But this time we were like we got to do something. We just felt like we got to do something, so we were like let's just do it. We're going to donate 10% of our sales back and the amazing messages it was so good to see and I think at this point people know us and our intent, who follow along in that sort of thing, and I was just, you know, at first a little nervous about how it would be perceived.
Speaker 1:Well, and I, you know, I've had that same feeling. However, I do have a little different perspective on it because of my time in McDonald's and the Ronald McDonald House, because of my time in McDonald's and the.
Speaker 2:Ronald McDonald House.
Speaker 1:But, like you have said, that's different because we owned the charity or funded the charity. But I will say I feel like as a customer and as a former McDonald's owner, I feel like people want to support their community and they want to give back. And when they can see it as a trusted vehicle to give to that charity, it's good. I think as long as your intent and your heart is in the right place, it's going to be fine. Mm-hmm In the outpouring and responses we had from all of our customers from all over the country was so heartwarming and it made me feel so good that they wanted to contribute in some kind of way, because they always support us and then they were able to support these people that are in need in, you know, mainly Western North Carolina.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and Through us.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it was like shopping with a cause.
Speaker 2:And it was a win. And you're right, it was very heartwarming because I was like, how are people going to perceive this? And I was so happy that they loved it and they so many messages were like thank you so much for doing this.
Speaker 1:I know this will help we literally got thousands, thousands of messages and comments. And out of the thousands of messages we got I've got to talk about this Out of the thousands we got, yes we got one negative yes, isn't that sad but you know, it's not surprising it isn't always gonna get. I'm surprised there wasn't more negative mess and it was, and and I'll I'll tell what it was about. It was about it that the person um had, I won't say, turned it into their perception.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:The way that they interpreted it was a political as a political statement or a political stance. And you know, it really made me mad. When I got the message because it came to me, which I'm glad, but I you handled it, which I'm glad, but I you handled it better than I would have I maintained composure and I responded immediately and just explained listen, this is not about politics, this is not about FEMA, this is not about Billy Graham, this is not about anything other than we are trying to help people in need and we chose.
Speaker 2:It's not about me, we chose.
Speaker 1:Samaritan's Purse because we knew they were in Western North Carolina. They were there to help.
Speaker 1:On the ground, on the ground helping, and you know that is Western North Carolina. They were there to help On the ground, on the ground helping, and you know that is a North Carolina charity Right and that's what we did. It wasn't about anything else, it was about just helping people and you know, if we had known that any other organization was in there and being very prominent about it, we would have probably chosen them. It was just the vehicle to get the money to the people in need.
Speaker 2:Well, and I will say I got a lot of messages saying like this is such a good charity.
Speaker 1:I feel good about it.
Speaker 2:Like you said, everyone was way more positive, and there was just that one. So, there's always going to be one. There's always going to be one. I'm surprised there wasn't way more of them.
Speaker 1:But I will say this Once I politely and professionally explained it to this person, she was very sweet and responded and basically said she understood. So it ended up being fine, right, but I was really happy that it ended up being a good thing and I'm glad we did it, because I want to do that. I want to do more of it in the future.
Speaker 2:Yeah, With the so many good messages, I feel like it is something good. Like I talked to you, I was like I feel like this is so well perceived and it makes me and you feel good, makes our customers feel good, and I want to do something in the future, whether it's holidays or something we've talked about. We're so blessed that you know, first of all, with just the hurricane that we were able to get our businesses up and running and back together, but just so blessed that we have the support of our customers here, locally and all across the country who shop with us and in Canada and Canada.
Speaker 1:Absolutely, and Canada absolutely. And as long as you're doing it for the right reasons and you do it just here and there and you're not, really, I don't like it when you really ram it down people's throats. Yeah, you know, when you ask for the dollar, I really like it when, hey, it's a percentage of sales.
Speaker 2:This is what we're doing.
Speaker 1:Right, you know, that's one thing I liked about McDonald's. About McDonald's, we would do weeks or months of hey. Every Happy Meal you buy for this month 10 cents or 50 cents, whatever it may be is going to the Ronald McDonald House, right?
Speaker 2:And it's so good. I think you know, like that, like you're saying, or the way we did it, we just said, hey, if you want to shop with us over the next three days, just know that 10% is good. The customer did not have to do anything, whether they were already shopping with us. Some did say, oh, I was looking to order, I'm going to do it right now so that my order counts, that sort of thing, but it goes back. That made me feel good because we weren't asking for more.
Speaker 2:We weren't asking for more from the customer. Like we've talked in previous episodes, I hate when I go to the checkout counter and it's will you round up for this? Because I'm like does that do anything? Does that go anywhere? How much are they keeping of that or whatever? So it made me feel real good and we did round up, because we did a little game in a live sale as well and we were so close. So we just rounded up and it's a $2,000 donation.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so that's amazing and I know that $2,000 is in a mountain of money, but you know, if every person does what they can do, that is going to help Western North Carolina.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that was a group effort. Yes, and $2,000 is 2000 is 2000. And that's going to help.
Speaker 1:It will help somebody with something. Yes, so I am going to try in the next month to carve out a day, like one day, one night, literally just to give back. Like maybe we'll go, dylan and I will go to Highlands or Cashers or something and just stay one night just to give back, like maybe we'll go, dylan and I will go to Highlands or Cashers or something and just stay one night just to spend some money up there? Yeah, Because I know that they're all trying to help out their neighbors, Right?
Speaker 2:So if you're in the area or have thought about visiting I know Cherokee is up and running Cashers, Highlands, lots of places in the mountains- Give them a call and make sure you can access it by road and go for a weekend in Pigeon Forge, which is in Tennessee, but it's all the mountains that run together. You know it's their fall season which is so important for them.
Speaker 2:A lot of small businesses in these smaller mountain towns are also seasonal. They're counting on that fall traffic for the fall leaves and we're getting into that um in, you know, going into the holiday season.
Speaker 1:so yeah, so you can give back literally just by going and participating, by going to the apple orchards or going to look at leaves and going out to dinner, yeah you could literally support them just like that right, because those people that are working there in those restaurants or the apple orchards, the small shops, they all live there.
Speaker 2:So you're supporting them by giving them a job, you're supporting the businesses by keeping them open. So that is super, super important and I just can't believe that. But I was so excited that it was so well perceived and we were able to help in some form. Well, I got a riddle for you.
Speaker 1:Well, I have one for you.
Speaker 2:Oh, look at that. So who's going first? You want me to go first Go?
Speaker 1:Let me go first.
Speaker 2:I feel like this is an easy one. We'll see where your brain's working today. Okay, you have six eggs, got it? You got six eggs. You crack two, you cook two, you eat two. How many eggs do you have left? You have six eggs. You crack two, you cook two, you eat two. How many eggs do you have left?
Speaker 1:Four.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:That is correct.
Speaker 2:Because you're cracking, eating and cooking the same thing.
Speaker 1:Okay, why did the citrus tree go to the hospital?
Speaker 2:Why did the citrus tree, citrus tree, go to the hospital? Citrus Citrus, citrus tree, mm-hmm. Why did the citrus tree go to the hospital? I have no idea. My brain isn't even firing on any idea, like I don't even have a dumb idea to throw out to you, because it needed lemonade.
Speaker 1:That was more dad joke but it's still. That is not even a riddle, it was on the riddle list is all I'm going with.
Speaker 2:That was ridiculous, ridiculous.
Speaker 1:You just sound bruised because you didn't get it. That's what I hear.
Speaker 2:So this past weekend I went to MB's wedding. It looked like fun. It was so much fun. I know someone asked you in a live sale, why didn't you get to go? And you're like well, I'm not friends with MB. Mb's wedding it looked like fun.
Speaker 1:It was so much fun. I know someone asked you in a live sale.
Speaker 2:Why?
Speaker 1:didn't you get to go and you're like well, I'm not friends with MB. I mean, I know MB, but I'm not friends with MB, right, and which I shouldn't say this on here, but I'll say it which really works out, because I love I mean, I'm more social than Wesley, but I don't love a wedding. Yeah, and isn't that terrible? It sounds bad.
Speaker 2:Here's the thing you don't like going to anything like that.
Speaker 1:I don't like weddings and I don't love weddings, I will go and have a good attitude mostly no, only to super, super close. Yeah, and funerals, yeah, I don't do funerals. So, um, you know, I guess maybe it's just an emotional thing I do go to family weddings and very, very close friends, very close, very close. So it worked out fine that we were not, that we're not friends, yeah, um, I don't mean it in a bad way.
Speaker 2:so mb and I started on instagram about the same time and grew together on instagram I mean, she's way outgrowing, you know that sort of thing. But, um, you know, we used to do the monthly like little group story tours together. We did that for almost three years or whatever. So we became friends that way and you know we will text and that sort of thing, and she, she's always loved us and supported us and so she invited Daniel and I. So that's how we went, and Stephen didn't go because some people were asking like, well, why isn't Stephen there? And it's just different friend groups or whatever.
Speaker 2:It was just a different circle yeah, just different circles and that sort of thing.
Speaker 1:And you know mb and you follow her on instagram yeah, and I think it was a beautiful wedding and I wish her well. Yeah, um, but you know, it's one of those things that I am um thankful that I wasn't invited because that is not an awkward decline, but we gotta have her on the podcast.
Speaker 2:I want to have her. She's so fun she is really fun and so creative.
Speaker 1:Yes, she is. The wedding did look beautiful oh, it was gorgeous.
Speaker 2:It was so much fun, um, and it was just good. The venue was good. It wasn't, uh, over the top, even though it's gorgeous and you see it, it was still kind of, you know, smaller and quaint. I think there were like 130 ish people there, somewhere around that number, um, and the details were perfection, but it wasn't like just overdone, it didn't look overdone no, it wasn't overdone, um, and so it was. It was just good start to finish, and we had a ton of fun there.
Speaker 1:You know I'm going to admit something. Don't be mean, because I'm trying to tell the truth about myself. You know, I think why I have anxiety about weddings sometimes is because I I stress over what I'm wearing, what I'm gonna wear, what am I gonna look what? Because now, okay, y'all, it is complicated when you get invitations, there is so many different attires, right, what you wear, and I I mean just wow, that's all I mean, and so I'm always like you know, it becomes a whole thing, and well you and I now, and this is part of us working for ourselves for so long now.
Speaker 2:We hate obligations and appointments. It doesn't matter if it's a wedding or what if you tell me I got to do something next Thursday? You and I both are like oh, on Thursday we got to do blah, blah, blah. It's become our own problem too.
Speaker 1:Well, it's part of just working for yourself. And so you know, when I sold my house eight and a half years ago and bought the loft, I said you know I was kind of at the end of my 30-year McDonald's career because I did a lot of black tie charities.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah yeah, and I said I'm not doing it anymore, I'm done, I'm done with that part of my life, right? And so I donated all my clothes, y'all. I donated my tux, I donated everything, well, I've had. Now it's. You know, it's hard to say I'm not going to do that now, and so I've had to revisit it. And so, you know, I broke down and I've bought a new tux and I'm making dylan go get a tux because, just like so many it, just like with the hurricane- for example, there are so many charities that I believe in and then I do want to support, and then sometimes I'm like hell, I'm just to buy the damn tux and just go.
Speaker 2:He ain't going to go y'all, but he's got it in his mind.
Speaker 1:Well, I am. I'm going to do the few that I do. I hate it when I have friends that buy tables and then they invite me and I'm like, well, no, I'm not going. Either I can't, either I can't go, or either I'm like well, I don't want to rent a tux, but you're still not going to go.
Speaker 2:You're going to have that tux hanging in your closet, you are not going to go.
Speaker 1:I have no excuse that removes an excuse.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:But I know me, know you, I know us, you're not gonna go.
Speaker 2:But it's fine, it is fun. I mean I do have fun, yeah, going. We had a lot of fun. I will say we had so much fun and we met so many other like uh of her friends that we've seen on instagram and some other influencers. Everyone was so nice. I have to say, because you and I've gone to some uh influencer and it can be kind of cliquish or like there's that group over there that we end up having fun.
Speaker 1:Who's going to say hey, who's first? I have fun wherever I can.
Speaker 2:I know, but this was nothing like that. And everyone was so open and friendly.
Speaker 1:Well, because of her, it's because of MB's personality and who she is Right.
Speaker 2:And it's her people. The people she's attracted are all like good people.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so it was and I mean like I won't have fun no matter where I go, like we. We went to a chief conference in waco, texas, two years in a row and you do have those little clicks here and there, but you know what? I don't give a damn because you know what? What I'm a clique Snaps, I am a clique, you are. So you know. If you, you know it, don't bother me.
Speaker 2:It's true, and that's all about having the confidence.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I'm going to have fun. If you don't like me, that's fine, I'm going to have fun.
Speaker 2:You can stand over there because I'm going to still have fun. I'm gonna be like what's up?
Speaker 1:no, I just you know, I think it did look fun though and it was pretty and I like how it wasn't overdone. One thing I really liked confirm this because I couldn't tell from all the pictures. But one thing I think she did maybe she didn't, this is the way I could see it Her maid of honor and bridesmaids wore different dresses. I just. For the rest, I loved that. To me they were all a little bit of old Hollywood glam, but they were different and the dresses suited the person.
Speaker 2:So, ladies, if you're getting married, would like to, uh, encourage you to take a look at mb's yes, instagram is there because it made it classic but eclectic, yes, and it made it look very old hollywood to me yeah, and it kind of all had that little bit of a feel to it, even like. So the wedding was outside and there was this huge like concrete archway kind of thing at the end I don't know what. Like at the end it was a brand new venue. Her wedding was the first um wedding there and, um, she was kind of we were talking about her, talking to her about it, because she was kind of stressed because she I think the first one was supposed to be in june and they canceled all the weddings because it wasn't done in time and hers was the first.
Speaker 2:So she was a little like oh my gosh, but um. So it was very like.
Speaker 2:The flowers for the ceremony were very well done and not overdone I don't want to say simple, because that sounds like it takes away something. No, they were simple, elegant, yes, but at the end. So the back of the chairs where you entered, so you know, there's two rows of chairs, the aisle in the middle they had flowers all across the back of the chairs, but they even did like they included pottery, like laying on its side, something like we would do. They included like a trunk or like a suitcase that had flowers coming out of it. It just made a whole scene very eclectic and that went with back to what you're talking about with the bridesmaid dresses and being different. And then, like at the bar, uh, they served out of, like all I'm assuming crystal pieces. So everyone's glass was different and it was really cool. See, I like that vintage collected.
Speaker 1:It was very vintage collected and I saw the dresses and I was like I like that. And it wasn't the same dress, different color, it was completely different dress. But they all spoke of old Hollywood to me.
Speaker 2:That's the best way I can describe it. I really like that.
Speaker 1:It was really cool Because I don't like, I mean, and everybody has their taste. That's why everybody you know chocolate and vanilla, right, and you know it's your wedding, you do you. And vanilla right, and you know it's your wedding, you do you. But to me this was a lot more artistic and I liked that that went into it. And when I say artistic, it wasn't arts and crafts wedding, I'm just saying it was not your typical layer and curated but, yeah, but not too, I don't know how to
Speaker 2:say all that, but anyway. And then I met Lacey there from Ponderosa and Plaid. I don't even know if you follow her. You're going to have to follow her because she's fun, just like MB. They're really good friends and I followed Ponderosa and Plaid Lacey for years and years as well, and we've talked on Instagram but I'd never met her in person. And now I feel like she's my best friend. Follow her. But you're gonna have to follow her and we gotta have her on the podcast as well. So we gotta have the. You gotta follow these peeps. So you know who we talking to.
Speaker 2:But you have to go look at hers because you'll appreciate this. She just redid an airbnb. They're in oregon and she calls it the disco daisy, so you'll have to look at her. Um, I want to do a themed airbnb. It's themed, you have to go look at it and it reflects it's her style, because even her house is fun and funky and colorful. But you can tell in the airbnb it's themed and it's like everything you'd want to do in your house but you're not going to do because you live there sort of thing you get tired of it so cool and we were talking about that too, but I want to have her on podcast.
Speaker 1:We need to have her on and talk about a themed Airbnb, because our listeners love the Airbnb business. We get so many questions and feedback on that, so I would love to talk to her about her experience doing a themed Airbnb.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that'd be a good topic. We'll have to talk to her about that and Instagram and everything. This weekend, while we were at MB's wedding, they just finished the Airbnb and they were having their first guest and then they were out of town. And they were nervous, nervous and everything and it was fine talking about this when we were at the wedding to one-night stays, because people want to come there just to do photo shoots or girls' nights.
Speaker 2:That's so fun and that's good money without it being a lot of wear and tear. We need to do a themed one Maybe.
Speaker 1:I've been wanting to do one in Greenville, yeah, and that's what I was going to say.
Speaker 2:Maybe ours in Greenville should be a theme. Yes, because that's the attraction. I feel like when we're at the beach. We can't do a beach-themed Airbnb because it's cheesy and it's at the beach and the beach is the draw. But here she's in her town in Oregon and has this Airbnb and just like you'll have to go, look at it. It is the attraction.
Speaker 1:It's like you'll have to go look at it. It is the attraction. Well, the place I've been looking that we talked for there is a triangle actually from like Main Street downtown to right beside Dylan and I at the loft there's a little triangle. There's a triangle that is Greenville County when you can have.
Speaker 2:Airbnb, yes, but it's close to downtown still.
Speaker 1:Right, yeah, walking distance, we need a theme. Would you believe that the damn city is starting to annex that in? Of course, right now it's just two streets. So I think if we go further into the triangle we can get it. But let me just tell you, city of Greenville, if I buy over there and I have my airbnb, airbnb, it's getting grandfathered in and I ain't stopping. Get the handcuffs, I mean. So I do think you know I was telling dylan because we walk through there and I'm always looking for houses because I want a dilapidated you know, fixer-upper.
Speaker 1:A major fixer-upper so that we can get it at a good price. And I'm like you know I told Dylan I'm like you can do the turns there and we can have our house. A personal housekeeper is our backup and make good money.
Speaker 2:I mean people are coming into Greenville all the time. I tell Daniel that I'm like we need to put a little Airbnb. It could be even like a tiny house, like a weekend out in the flower field over here, because people will come for the experience. That could be a good theme one too. I mean that's good, we need to do that. But yeah, you know I got to talk.
Speaker 1:we've got all kinds of some of his land for that got all right up front.
Speaker 2:We can just put one there. You can come through that little drop, um. So that was that also. Since we talked last, we got the savannah store open.
Speaker 1:Yes, and it is so pretty, it is so gorgeous.
Speaker 2:I feel so good about seeing it. So it opened last Tuesday, a week ago, and this Thursday, if you happen to be in the Savannah area, which will be the 17th is this Thursday or within a few hours. Yeah, october 17th, this Thursday, 5 to 8 pm, they're having their opening party and we will be there as well. So they're having their you know kickoff celebration party. So last Tuesday was like the soft opening, but peeps showed up.
Speaker 1:Listen, I am so happy and so excited because I mean, I can't even tell you how many trips I've made down there and just sat out there and looked at the traffic and you know you always have that. I think this is a great location, I hope it's a great location, but so we open with the soft opening. We do not have our planters out front, we do not have our owning out front, we do not even have our damn sign out front, but the traffic of people coming in has been crazy.
Speaker 2:Yeah, which is such a good sign.
Speaker 2:Great, because you know, for us, this was our first franchised location and we want to give our support to the franchisees who own the business and we want to give our support to the franchisees who own the business and we feel it's so important for us to get it right and really, like you said, the location is so important and all of that and to see it come together and to walk in there the day before they were opening and it truly felt like a reproduction of our store here in Greenville. Of course it's a different shape. You know it's different things, because you can't take the exact model.
Speaker 2:Soilers are the same, floors are the same, but it felt like to see it come to life was so amazing and such a good job. And then for it to open, and I was driving back and I was like, oh my gosh, we really did it. We have, you know, like we've talked about here, we wanted to franchise. The business has been our goal for a while, but also with it being our goal, we knew like, okay, we got to start getting things in place and we started years ago, which we've talked about trying to get things in place.
Speaker 2:That's why we slowly switched our local businesses. Well, we started by trademarking the nested fig name and then switching our own local businesses. You know, four Rooms was the home store and we switched it to the nested fig home. Roots was the garden store, we switched it to the nested fig garden. And to get every All of that takes so much time. To switch a name, to get everything in place and to see it slowly, it feels like it's never going to happen.
Speaker 2:When you're in the moment, like okay, we got to do this as the next step and to get it there, and then for us to finally, it just all fall into place.
Speaker 1:And it was just so satisfying, like their first day. I'm not going to tell their business out. Yeah, their first day sales were amazing. Yeah, I mean their first day sales. We would have been happy at one of our Greenville stores for those sales for a day. Right, I mean, it don't get any better than that.
Speaker 2:No, so hopefully they're off and running with that and I mean there's no reason for them not to Like. You've told them you got the traffic, you got the location, you got the look.
Speaker 1:It's beautiful. It is yours to screw the hell up, yeah so don't screw it.
Speaker 2:And they're not Because they're great.
Speaker 1:They're great, they're talented. They have Brock that worked for us for eight years. Brock is down there managing that store with them, so he's been a huge asset for them. I mean, it is just a beautiful store, hell. I look forward. We're going to be there Thursday. I look forward to going there.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and it's one of those things. This is one thing that Steven and I do in our own stores, because, you know, the stores can be on track, they can be off track.
Speaker 1:And it can change in a day.
Speaker 2:And when we, as owners, go into our own stores. This is our test of whether it's right or not. If we go into our own stores and we have that feeling that we want to shop for our own houses from our own stores, that's when we know it's right and we'll call each other. We'll say, oh my gosh, I went into the home store and it is right. I wanted to shop.
Speaker 1:It just gave me that feeling and the good thing about that mentality that we have is that bar is so much higher than our customers. So we know when we have that feeling when we walk in there, and it's that way with the garden store, the home store, even the outlet store, right when I walk in and I and especially because, let me tell you, I take some stuff home every now and then yes, that is a good sign, and you and I both bought things at the Savannah store.
Speaker 2:That's what I was going to say.
Speaker 2:So when I walked into the Savannah store and I wanted to shop, and it was stuff they have, the same things we have online and in our Greenville store. They have some things that are different, too. Same vendors, though, and when I walked in there and I was like, oh, I want to shop, that's when you know it's right. And it Same vendors, though, and when I walked in there and I was like, oh, I want to shop, that's when you know it's right, and it was like that, and so that was just super exciting. Now the next thing is where's the next store going to be? Yeah, who out there?
Speaker 1:is listening. Now it is time. So what we want to do is what our plan is, and it obviously has to be right. We are very comfortable opening one store per year. Yeah, so we have our 2024 store in the books. We're ready for 2025. So if you're interested in a garden store or a home decor store, let us know. Yeah, reach out to us.
Speaker 2:Reach out to us on our hotline, because it'll be interesting to see where the next one is, and our hotline number is 864-982-5029.
Speaker 2:Yes, and we can get in touch, and I've had a couple of people message me on Instagram like I'm seriously interested and so I try to see those. But if you do message or something and you don't get an answer, you know you can even go to our website for the nested fig and find our email there. You can just keep trying. You'll get in touch with this. But, like Stephen said, call or text our hotline here, because that comes to us as well.
Speaker 1:Because that comes to us as well, and we have, just so you know, we've taken our experience in retail and business and my experience in a franchise business for 30 years and kind of rolled it into one because we want it to work for everybody. Right so it's very affordable, it's very doable and we are very, very dedicated to the process in making it happen.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it was just so good. And now I'm excited to go this Thursday to their opening party, and then I guess I won't get to go back there for a little while, until you know, we're going to be so busy with the holiday season and that sort of thing, so that'll probably be my last trip, and then they'll be with us at Market.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we'll see them at Market and it's really good because, you know, even like I make appointment for our upholstery and so we're just doing it together.
Speaker 2:Yeah, because I'm like At Market we'll see the same reps and you know they're shopping the same vendors, so we'll be with them and still duplicate this order yeah, and still guiding them and that sort of thing. So you get a lot of out of our, out of us for the franchise experience.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we're not we're not going to be like okay, we got, we have your check, you're on your own. No, no, no, no, no. You have our name and listen. We do not want to run another store, so we want franchisees that are driven owners that want to run their business and make decisions, and all of that. We just want to be support. Right, exactly.
Speaker 1:And basically say, oh, there's a pothole coming want to be support Right Exactly and basically say oh, there's a pothole coming up there that we fell in three times, so try to avoid that.
Speaker 2:Try to avoid this. Don't do this. Don't do this.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we know the definite don'ts because we have screwed up a lot in both of our careers and fixed it.
Speaker 2:And driven it out and then ran off in it again is the way we have tended to do it from time to time. Absolutely, oh my God. So that's exciting, that's coming up this week. What else you got over there, sir?
Speaker 1:I don't have anything, but I am so excited.
Speaker 2:I thought you had something for me. You were like I got something for you this week and I'm like well, don't Just talk about something. Yes, okay.
Speaker 1:So I love Halloween, yes, and retail ruins it for you. So if you love holidays, don't do it. No, it's fun, but it changes it, and so I've been looking at you know people are carving pumpkins and it really makes me want to do it. I'm not going to because I don't have time.
Speaker 2:You should carve a pumpkin.
Speaker 1:So people are getting crazy creative. Yes, I mean, they just steps it up every year. So my favorite jack-o'-lantern for 2024 is the Mama Jack-o-Lantern giving birth. Have you seen this one?
Speaker 2:No.
Speaker 1:It is hysterical.
Speaker 2:It sounds horrible.
Speaker 1:It is hysterical.
Speaker 2:Is it really?
Speaker 1:It is. They have a little pumpkin, little baby Jack-O-Lantern coming, being born, right there, coming out. Have you seen it? I have not seen it. It is the cutest. Maybe it's a little graphic for two, little for children's, but I'm like, but you could take it to any other level. You wouldn't have to have one giving birth on your front porch, but they made, they put the head on the abdomen and then they made the arms and the legs with carrots.
Speaker 2:And it was the. I'm going to have to look this up.
Speaker 1:It was the cutest thing and I'm like because you could make that into a little person. It wouldn't have to be giving birth. But obviously if you're having a lot of children trick-or-treaters I probably wouldn't do that. But if you're having an adult party, that you want something funny, that would be funny.
Speaker 2:People do get so creative with the pumpkin carving.
Speaker 1:I love it. When I was in middle school I took art lessons for like 10 years and our art teacher and this was private after school she always did a pumpkin carving party and you do that with a whole bunch of art students and it was so fun to see what people did. I mean, that was like when I started, I always made teeth. And I started, I always made teeth. I would take my pumpkin seeds and put straight pins through the bottom and make teeth for my oh my gosh, I mean it's so that's fun.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you know, there's all these different things you can do and I'm like just made me want to buy or go to the garden store and get me a pumpkin.
Speaker 2:Oh my gosh. Well, while you're on the subject of pumpkins, do you want to give your favorite? You were getting heated last night at the end of our live sale. Don't wash pumpkins.
Speaker 1:We were on the live sale.
Speaker 2:It's everywhere and you were getting pissed off again about pumpkins.
Speaker 1:It irritates me Because these people are doing that on Instagram.
Speaker 2:I saw one today and I almost sent it to you, but I know it's such a trigger. We've already talked about it once this season.
Speaker 1:We talked about it last season. Yeah, we're not going to beat it to death.
Speaker 2:Oh no, you need to.
Speaker 1:Don't wash your pumpkins. You're going to rot your pumpkins. And by wash you mean don't put them in a sink floating with water, you can wash them with like. What I would always do is just take like window cleaner or a Clorox and wipe them off.
Speaker 2:Spray it on the rag you mainly do not want to get the stem wet.
Speaker 1:Or at the bottom, the belly button, the belly, yeah, do not get it wet.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I think it's one thing to also realize. Talking about pumpkins is because some people will be like mine lasted for so long. That is true, but the thing that will make your pumpkin last the longest is the type of pumpkin that you get to, because the heirloom pumpkins, you know, the naughty ones in the really funky shape, those have a. Have you ever tried to carve one of those? Because we've tried to carve them for like flower arrangements or something like that you can't drive a knife into those things because they're so thick.
Speaker 2:Those are going to last a crazy long time Because they're so dense Because they're so dense and their skin is so dense, Whereas a jack-o'-lantern pumpkin those have been bred to be easier to carve and that sort of thing and more hollow. More hollow and those you can basically jab your fingernail into and, you know, poke the skin. That's what's the difference.
Speaker 1:Those heirloom. If you're carving it, don't do that, Because I did one one time at the garden store.
Speaker 2:Can't get the knife into it. It was horrible. It's like carving concrete.
Speaker 1:It was horrible and they are solid.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so that's the difference too, if you're really wanting it to last. Longer is also the type of pumpkin.
Speaker 1:Pick it up, feel how dense it is your orange like speaking of that, on your steps you've got one leaking all I know.
Speaker 2:I was like rotting on the steps I know I was like daniel said I'll come get it, because he'll get it in the tractor, because you know how nasty, stankyy a pumpkin is when it rots.
Speaker 1:Well, I have another thing to talk about. With pumpkins, I had several things you just have to, you know.
Speaker 2:But did you notice, the one that's rotting is your orange more traditional, thin-skinned pumpkin sitting there.
Speaker 1:That's why I thought of it when you said that. So I was watching a video and it was. You know they have this time of year, you know, at all kind of fairs and different things. They have lots of contests on weight of pumpkins, size of pumpkins, yada, yada, yada, yada yada. So watch this pumpkin grower talking about pumpkins and seeds so it's very. Those seeds are treasured if you've got like the winning grand prize pumpkin yes, so, mr.
Speaker 1:Horticulture, degree I want to ask you a question yes, so the amount of seeds in a pumpkin goes back evidently. If this person's telling the truth to the lobes of the flower, Okay, it starts from that. Is that accurate? I have no idea. I thought.
Speaker 2:Well, yeah, that would be accurate. It would be yeah, because that's where they're forming from and the pumpkin is the protection around the seed.
Speaker 1:I never thought about it and I was like, well, you know, I got far enough in my horticulture endeavor at Clemson that I did plant anatomy because I thought that would be easy. Don't ever take that class. It's like a human body, it's very hard. But I never thought about I. You know I watched him and I was like, well, I'll be damn yeah, I guess there's, and he was pointing it out. The way the lobes are on the inside, you could see it, yeah on the inside of the.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah I'd never, I've never thought about it that way. Well, he cut it from the side so you could look into the pumpkin, Mm-hmm. So it was quite interesting and I said who knew?
Speaker 2:Well, who the heck knew? Yeah Well, are you ready to wrap this?
Speaker 1:episode up. Yeah, let's get it.
Speaker 2:It's a gorgeous day, you're talking about pumpkins, I need a little pumpkin spice something, something I feel like I need to get on Instagram and make some, like I need to make something bake, something I need to get into some seasonal recipes. I saw one. Now. I saw a little cookie recipe, a version that inspired me that I want to try to make it my own, different version. So I'm going to try that this week.
Speaker 1:I was watching funny, you mentioned that this morning. I was watching on Instagram an Amish woman that has an Instagram page and she cooks and she was showing differences of different pies and different things that the Amish make. And oh my gosh, it looked good and there is an Amish bakery, like I think, in Abbeville here that I've stopped at. Yeah and damn, they can cook.
Speaker 2:Oh, hell, yes, they can.
Speaker 1:Speaking of that, we need some Amish here in Greenville. Well, okay.
Speaker 2:Speaking of that, though, one thing that we did for the dinner in the Dahlia's, the dinner in the flower field that we had a couple of weeks ago. We made we and you did it because had I was like here's what you can do. We made whipped butter or the bread. We had bread on the table and I wanted, like restaurant style, good whipped butter, and so we just randomly looked up a you know a recipe I had bought.
Speaker 2:That was amish butter that I bought at the grocery store. It was like a huge wrapped block, I mean it was like a brick of butter, and you made it and Daniel was like, oh, this butter is so good. Because I kept saying I was like we need to do whipped butter and we can do that here at home. But you added a little honey to it and it was so, which everyone knows honey butter.
Speaker 2:But now the problem is, I want to constantly have whipped butter in the house, because all you did was take butter and we just added a little milk to it, whipped it up, so it was nice and fluffy and spreadable.
Speaker 1:Did I let you that Amish bakery I bought? They have whipped butters. Did I let you try that? No, I bought two. You try that? No, I bought two different.
Speaker 2:You did not, so that's what I was thinking as you were saying it. I think we need to take that whipped butter and even make like we could add something like a pumpkin spice whipped butter with the honey, because this past weekend, when we were at MB's wedding, there was this restaurant across from our hotel. Mb's wedding, there was this restaurant across from our hotel, and yesterday, before we were leaving, I had pumpkin spice French toast. It was so good and they had a pumpkin whipped butter to put on it.
Speaker 1:Well at that bakery.
Speaker 2:They have an almond. You know, almond's not my thing, I know, but I love almond and know that almond like flavoring you get, you know, just like how you can get vanilla flavoring or whatever. It smells like a stink bug to me see that's so funny, but I do not.
Speaker 1:Almond is one of those things you, I feel like you love it or hate it.
Speaker 2:Like curry, you love it or you and I like almonds and it's fine if it's not overpowering. You know the right amount is fine. I don't hate it, but like.
Speaker 1:If you do just a bit and not overpower it, it's very good, and I like almond with other flavorings too.
Speaker 2:I think I need to start a whipped butter series, because I'm into that now and I want them, I want all kinds of them.
Speaker 1:Get you some more pants while you at it.
Speaker 2:I know right, it's fall. I got to get back into making bread too, so I might have to lose a few pounds before I can get into it, but it's time to pull this baby over. We're going to be back next week. Remember to leave us a review wherever you're listening to the podcast and also share us with your friends so that they can join the fun too. If you have any comments or questions concerns feedback, anything you can call our hotline or text it Either one. You can call and leave a voicemail or text it. The hotline number is 864-982-5029. And it's down in the show notes below. And we'll see you next week.
Speaker 1:Thanks, guys Bye.