Starting a Business

STARTING A BUSINESS STARTING A BUSINESS BY LISA S.T. DOSS

It begins as an idea—the formation of a concept. Perhaps the words mold into selling a handmade product or providing a service. But, where? Will you connect with new customers at a store, e-commerce sites, or at a local public market? Today, most entrepreneurs rely on e-commerce and social media sites to increase their customer base, while selling at a store or market. There are many ways to get started, such as attending classes, reading books, and watching videos; yet, the most practical step is to jump in feet first and get started!

THE FARMER’S MARKET

Testing the waters for your products begins with owning at least two six-foot tables and a sturdy tent with weighted bags. Local farmer’s markets give any business platform the chance to sell products before entering a financial commitment of running multiple websites and applying for an LLC. Outdoor and indoor markets begin in April and extend through the fall. Don’t worry, you’re not too late!

FACTORS TO CONSIDER:

• How does the market advertise its vendors? Unfortunately, not all farmer’s markets update their website or list what is available weekly. As a result, poor advertising is why many leave one market for another. • Saturday markets are popular; but

you can find a weekday market to

increase sales. Reach out to the market organizer, he or she will supply details on what you will need to provide, cost, and hours of the market.

Some are strict, detailing arrival and departure times, while other markets have a relaxed policy. • Talk to the vendors. Most will be happy to answer questions and extend their welcome. Attitude often explains

why some markets are small and lack growth. It’s wise to investigate before committing yourself to one particular venue. Socializing with experienced vendors will open the door to other markets and festivals occurring throughout the year! Take notes and register early!

DO I NEED AN LLC?

Most entrepreneurs eventually arrive at this question that wavers in uncertainty. A Limited Liability Corporation, LLC, is a simple business structure for sole or partnered small businesses. Many online platforms are not government regulated and do not require a federal license, unlike popular sites like Etsy, eBay, and Shopify.

WHAT ARE THE LEGAL BENEFITS?

• As a separate entity holding your business and its assets, including bank accounts, property, the capacity to sue and be sued, creditors cannot touch your personal property or financial assets. • Once products go online, you will soon interact with customers outside your state and internationally, tempting you to raise your risk- management comfort level. The LLC protects the potential entanglement in a lawsuit or bankruptcy case. • All business owners are held liable for withholding and paying taxes, in addition to employee wages, not defaulting on a loan, and supporting medical injuries that occur on the business premises. • The term “corporation” is part of the tax structure. Small businesses with sole or partnered propriety often enter a structured S-corporation, which must report income, losses, credits, and deductions. Rather than paying higher fees, go directly to the Secretary of State website. Read the directions carefully to eliminate filing “articles of correction,” which may incur additional costs ranging from $10 to $50, depending on the error.

INVENTORY AND BUSINESS WEBSITES

The excitement in starting a business loses its spark when one is burdened with mundane tasks, such as counting inventory and bookkeeping; thus, once you begin buying products, materials, and packaging supplies, you’ll need a handy-dandy tool, such as an inventory website! Never fear, websites extend beyond 700 options. Consider a site that tracks expenses and taxes, reordering, and accounts for real-time inventory. Once products have pictures, descriptions, and possibly recipes to determine a fair price, it will be time to search for an experienced web designer who can assist any industry or niche.

QUESTIONS TO ASK:

• Can I see examples of your work? • Do you offer services other than web design? • Can you design a website that fits my budget? • Who will be my contact if I have questions? • What content management system will you use? Will it support business growth and allow me to make updates and additions? • How long will it take to complete my website? • Are there monthly or annual fees I should anticipate? The business idea begins with a spark. But, you can take it to the next levels and see where it goes from there!

Growing UP

MILITARY

BY LISA S.T. DOSS

During reunions of military personnel, the sight of civilians striding purposefully toward a beloved family member to offer a tight embrace, always tugs at the heartstrings. We, as watchers, understand the agonizing separation, and the daily worry about safety until they arrive home. Most American children will never see their parents in uniform or experience separation for months to years through a deployment. Body language is one telling expression, allowing onlookers to know that each of those heaving sobs well defines the sacrifice of being a military child. As a family, whether Army, Marine, Air Force, or Navy, service is a top priority. The call to leave family and home to some needed destination can happen in a blink, any hour of the day. Bags are prepared in advance and ready to be deployed. Tens of thousands of children know the feelings and experiences all too well. MILITARY “BRAT” The word’s connotation sounds harsh, even cruel to outsiders; yet, [military] “brat,” according to a book published in 1921, represented an acronym for “British Regiment Attached Traveler.” The term was assigned to families, especially children, who traveled with a soldier, and was later adopted worldwide. The lifestyle of relocating from one military base yearly, every two or four years, describes a subculture which means growing up outside the civilian world. Most “brats” view it as an honorary term of sacrifice. Children aren’t outcasts; instead, the lifestyle of their subculture has a way of bringing the multi-racial community together as equals. THE FORTRESS A military installation is more than just a base; it’s a small city, like a fortress; a shield of protection from the civilian world. It contains shopping centers, schools, housing units, hospitals, recreation centers, and guarded gates. Every morning at 5:00, the trumpet sounds Reveille, and 12 hours later, everyone stops and stands at attention for Retreat. Most children learn resiliency. When the military parent has deployed, families rely on each other on base. Within the fortress, kids depend on themselves, develop the ability to stay strong, and seek out other adults. Change is a constant cycle. Sometimes families depart for other international bases to live, or new personnel comes in, changing friendships, connections, and feelings of comfort. APPRECIATION “War is something all of us know about, but military families are the ones who truly understand the consequence of it,” writes Hannah Abbott. “They’re the ones making the greatest sacrifices on both sides of the border and living the realities most of us only read about. Having grown up with a military parent, I understand the military’s impact on a person all too well, and that impact can be, at times, complicated. We don’t walk by someone in uniform without thanking them. We respect and appreciate our military personnel, and we show them our gratitude every chance we get. I understand the sacrifice that military families make all too well. Some of my best friends grew up as children in the military and are now active armed forces members.” DADDY’S DAUGHTER Not all military parents live on a base: many live apart from the support structure in outside communities. For example, my daughter was 14 months old when her daddy stepped forward in August 2011 to participate in a fourmonth deployment to Kuwait. String boards in three rooms of our home held his pictures. She carried one from room to room until it showed significant creases—fortunately, video conferencing also enables deployed members to see their families. A child who before deployment could only say a few words, grins when his father’s face appears on the screen, and shouts of “da-dee” receive a ready smile. Growing up military offers children a different skill set. They learn the art of being independent, acquire coping skills, and to understand transition is part of their life. Home isn’t necessarily permanent, but where the family is. Growing up on base often leads to stepping forward to dedicate their lives to service and country. “My dad was in the Air Force with 22 years of active-duty service,” writes Marine Corps Sgt. Ryan Haywood. “I joined the Marines one year before my dad retired. It meant a lot to me that I could be there in uniform for his retirement ceremony—as he was there in uniform for me at the beginning of mine.”

Dayne Griffin

Wife, Mom, Grandmother, Great-Grandmother, and Now…Author!

BY CAROLYN PETERSON

There are few things better than sitting on your grandmother’s lap and having her read a story to you. The love that is shown in the sharing of a book special to you can make the world drift away. For Dayne Griffin’s granddaughter, Lilly, her fun antics as a little girl have now become a book, written and published by her grandmother, Dayne, to be read to other grandchildren.

An Interesting Journey to Being an Author

Dayne Griffin, native of Greensboro, NC, worked for many years as an RN in High Point, NC, and then Cheraw and Greenville, South Carolina, changing locations as her husband’s engineering job relocated him. Dayne and her husband, Ev, added to their family with daughter, Gwen. A move to Beech Mountain for nine years brought Dayne to the decision to continue her education and become a Family Nurse Practitioner. Her children grew up and went out on their own. “My husband and I moved to Oak Valley subdivision, which was near our daughter’s family. I thoroughly enjoyed our three grandchildren, two girls and a boy, who are grown now, with one great-grandson. When I retired as an NP, I substituted in Davie County elementary schools, mainly Pre-K, first and second grades, for about seven years. It was during this time I read many books to children. I thought I had a fun story to tell which children would enjoy about my granddaughter. I took an online course in writing children’s books and composed my book, Silly Lilly, telling with a bit of embellishment the fun things my granddaughter, Lilly, did when she was young,” related Dayne.

Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way!

After finishing her book, Silly Lilly, Dayne submitted her manuscript to several publishers, but never heard back from them. Dayne took her book to Staples and had a few copies printed and tucked them away in a folder. “Years later, after writing the book, my husband and I relocated to Arbor Acres, a retirement community in Winston-Salem, NC. Our water exercise class was invited by our instructor to attend the Fall Festival at Bookmarks. I shared with him that I had written a children’s book years ago and I would really like someone to read it to see if it had merit. He suggested that I contact Linda Felker, who has written books herself and is an editor for other writers. Linda read it and to my surprise and delight, she loved it,” Dayne recalled. Linda Felker edited Dayne’s book and enlisted a talented college student, Anna McCulough, to illustrate it. The book is now printed and available on Amazon. Silly Lilly was written with the love of a grandmother, and I hope it will find its way into the hands of other grandparents and their grandchildren, bringing as much joy to them as it brought to me in writing it,” Dayne stated. Dayne is excited to read her book to children in our community. Please contact her at 336-909-5450 or daynegriffin39@gmail.com.

tabor city

ARTS FEST

Spring has sprung, and what better way to celebrate than with an outdoor arts festival? The annual Tabor City Arts Fest—with its live performances, food trucks, children’s activities, and art gallery/shop—has become a community staple. And now, after a hiatus in 2020 and modification in 2021 due to the pandemic, the Arts Fest is back at full strength on Friday, May 6th, under the leadership of parent volunteers Andrea Brueske and Amanda Whalen. Organized by the Fine Arts Board of the Mount Tabor PTSA, the spring event first began as a way for arts students to showcase their talent for fellow Mount Tabor students and families, while also raising funds to support the program. The event has since grown into an annual opportunity for the award-winning program to enrich the whole community here in the City of Arts & Innovation. Each year, people come to the Tabor City Arts Fest because they enjoy live performances and local art displays—even if they don’t have a connection to the school. Families bring their children for a fun evening outdoors with food and activities, or even to check out the Mount Tabor arts program as they consider high- school options. And many in the area simply attend the Arts Fest because they love experiencing the energy and community that is felt at events like this. No matter what draws each person to the Arts Fest, there’s always something for everyone, with outdoor performances throughout the evening from Mount Tabor High School’s award-winning bands, vocal groups, dance team, and orchestra. And the festival kicks off and wraps up with a one-act theatre performance inside Tabor’s newly upgraded auditorium. In between performances, the visual art gallery is always a popular destination, as well as the art shop, which is stocked with a variety of student and local art and pottery for sale. This year, the visual art display will also feature a Senior Showcase, including many award-winning pieces. But one of the great things about the Tabor City Arts Fest is that it’s not just about observing! Fun activities for kids abound, like creating spray art and learning a dance from members of the dance team, as well as face painting. And as attendees pick and choose what to experience throughout the evening, multiple local food trucks provide delicious fare! This year’s vendors include Marty’s BBQ and Que Viva! with Italian ice from Chilly Philly. In addition to the extensive raffle of prizes donated by local businesses, there will also be $5 “chance bags,” containing treats and gift cards to local businesses and eateries. All the revenue generated from the event goes back into the fine arts program at Mount Tabor High School. So, whether you’re purchasing admission, “art bucks” for activities, raffle tickets or something from the art shop, your participation in this fun event supports arts students and faculty as they grow in their craft. The Arts Board is grateful to all the individuals and local businesses that have supported this event, especially to Express Oil Change, the lead sponsor of this year’s Tabor City Arts Fest. Whether you’re a young family or an empty-nester (or anyone in between!) who loves the arts, come enjoy an evening of great food and entertainment, while also supporting the arts and young artists in the community! Go spARTans!