What inspired you to open your business?

[VanKalkerFarms]

Everyone has a different path to where they are, what path lead you to opening your business?  Was it something that was a hobby you turned into a profession, a new love of an item and you saw a market opening to try, something your kids loved and you were inspired to they and bring it to more people?

[VanKalkerFarms]

My answer isn't quite the exciting one.  I was born into it.  My dad was a farmer, his dad was a farmer who come to America from the Netherlands, his dad was a farmer.  So it was just what we were supposed to do.  

[jfiser951]

My son and I have been buying and selling at different paces over the years and we decided to start selling together about 3 years ago.  We buy storage units, do house cleanouts and sometimes estate sales when asked.  I hate the idea of stuff going to waste when someone defaults on a storage unit and the items just go to a dumpster.  So many of these items can be used for their original purpose or be repurposed for other uses.

We sell at outside flea markets in the spring and summer months here in Michigan and on line.  Most of our sales have been through Marketplace on line (sorry didn't mean to make a plug) and I've had a Shopify store for sometime that really was not doing the business I wanted so I'm switching to Square to see if I can use it better.

I love talking to people when we are at sales and understanding their needs and we look for things that fulfill that need and other things that people have just not thought of yet.  I hope to turn this into my retirement income while having fun doing it.  Hope to be part of the Square community for a long time!

[ryanwanner]

Good question @VanKalkerFarms !

For me, I always had the hospitality mindset, so it was a natural jump into the foodservice industry.

For the coffee side of things, though, it came down to helping a friend open a coffee bar during my college days. We were using Illy Espresso on the bar--a phenomenal italian espresso--and it just so happened that when our store got our initial inventory order from the distributor, there was a rep from Italy visiting the distributor. He came to our store with the order and gave us an abbreviated version of formal Italian barista training. I was hooked instantly. That led me to opening my own coffee café a little over 10 years after that training.

For my current business of just coffee roasting, I took my love of coffee and expanded it. In 2019 I was able to travel to Guatemala and El Salvador to source coffee. Actually being on the ground with the farmers opened my eyes even further: I knew the process of how coffee got to our roasterie, but actually being hands on showed me how much more involved the process is. When my café closed at the end of 2023, I decided to focus on the roasting and the processes.

[Stacelyn24]

My path to opening my business was all about starting small, learning, and growing along the way. I’ve always known I wanted to open my own nail salon, but I also knew I needed to fully understand what works and what doesn’t before taking that leap.

I began my journey working in a salon, building up my clientele and sharpening my skills. From there, I transitioned into a suite, where I could have more control over my space and the client experience. Over time, I started hiring, expanded into a larger suite, and have been fortunate to see my vision come to life.

What’s driven me through it all is my deep love for the craft and the connections I get to make every day. Meeting new people, learning their stories, and giving them a space to feel pampered and confident is one of the greatest joys of my profession.

It’s been an incredible journey so far, and I’m excited to see what the future holds! 💅✨

[JUYBoutique20]

I started my business because I was in a town with no fashion options at all.  I was ordering everything online and was basically like I need to create what this community doesn't have.  9 years later we're still open and growing.

[CareyJo]

@VanKalkerFarms My answer isn't glamorous or fun either - it was born out of necessity.  My husband is a master level technician, been at this for nearly 26 years now.  He's worked for several other employers and we were self-employed before, for a few years.  His last employer had him almost exactly 5 years and never treated him right.  When he put his foot down on the job and told workers under him to stop smoking drugs at the customers house or leave, he was black balled.  They repeatedly asked him to do unethical things and never allowed him to have time off or not be on call.  We had just finally had enough.  They were taking advantage of his skill and paying him less than half of what he was worth.  So we went back into business.