WEDNESDAY 3.19.14 | THE ROYAL NEWS | 7
Features
Small Businesses Students, Staff Discuss Involvement In Local Businesses
Kenneth Kidd What is the name of the business? Johns’ Company, it’s a supermarket. My dad owns it, but also my granddad works their too while my uncle is the butcher.” How do you help out? I work there every weekend, I do everything except cut meat.
Dr. Kevin Moore inspects an iPad given to him for repair. Moore’s private business Tailored Data Solutions replaces iPad and iPhone screens and will find solutions to other computer problems. Photo by Danielle Marshall.
Abigail Faircloth trn writer
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ore often than not, when many think about a business they may find themselves thinking about the products and services that are provided by it. However, what they fail to notice is all of the responsibility and effort that is behind keeping it all running. So when chemistry teacher Dr. Kevin Moore went into business, there was so much to consider with all of the choices that were going to have to be made. “The name of my business is Tailored Data Solutions,” Moore said. “We repair computers there, and we have been in business for around twenty years.” As one would imagine, repairing computers can be a lot of work, which not just any person could do on their own. “It was originally my brother’s idea to start a business in the first place,” Moore said. “It gave me the opportunity to start do things on my own, it was very promising.” After deciding to start a business, there are many things that must be dealt with. Though some of them may not seem like they are very important, they are integral to the running of a
small business. These things will always have to be dealt with one way or another. “One difficulty with owning a business is payroll, especially since we pay our employees twice a month. Also, you have to deal with all of the customers, whether they are happy or unhappy,” Moore said. “There is also a lot of red tape, which is basically government paperwork we have to fill out for just about everything we end up doing.” Not only are there difficulties every business owner must deal with, but there is so much more to keeping a business running. Every owner has many things they are in charge of. “When owning a business you are responsible for everything that goes on,” Moore said. “You are responsible for your employees and everything they do. If an employee does not do something, it is then your responsibility to do it on your own and make sure it really gets done right.” With all of the work that goes into making a business such as: dealing with the payroll, handling the customers, managing all of the employees, filling out large amounts of paperwork, and also ensuring the job gets done correctly, some may begin to wonder if it is even possible to have fun after all of the effort you have to continuously put in. “I really do enjoy being a business owner. I really love interacting with people and the customers. And when it comes to fixing the computers, I really just enjoy everything about it.”
Is it enjoyable? Yes, it’s bonding with the family so it’s a really neat experience. What is your favorite and least favorite thing? Working really takes away from activities such as yearbook and SGA. But, it offers a lot of business experience with money and working.
Louise Thornton What type of business is it and how long has it been in business? The business is T.E. Thorntons Store, it is a country store and it has been in business since January 1913, it was my grandfather’s store. Is it stressful? It isn’t for me, but my brother does the book work. My brother is there every day since he works close by, but we have people who work there during the week and we work there on Saturday’s. What is the most enjoyable thing? The least enjoyable? The most enjoyable thing is it’s a local business and we see local people. We have tables in front of the store and people come and talk, so I enjoy that a lot. The least enjoyable thing is it’s hard because it’s a country store, so it’s hard to pay bills sometimes.
Miranda Stewart What is the name of the business? “Nanny’s,” it is a barbeque restaurant. What is your relation to the business? My grandparents on my dad’s side along with my dad and uncle own and work for it. It’s a family thing. How do you help out? Is it enjoyable? I work there, I’m a waitress. Sometimes I like it, but sometimes it’s annoying because I’m expected to do it and I work every weekend, but it’s okay. Also, it’s cool because they started it from basically nothing. What is your favorite and least favorite thing about working there? I like it because it’s pretty cool to say my family owns a business, but a lot of people associate me with it.
Who’s idea was it to start the business and how did it get started? My grandfather wanted to start a store, In 1913, country stores were a way to make money, so he bought his grocery’s from Wholesale in Petersburg and started his business. The original building was white and wooden with two floors. The first floor was the store while the second they rented out to people that went to court. What do you sell? For many years we were a grocery store and bought from Richfood, but fifteen years ago we had to stop because Richfood stopped selling to the small grocery stores. In the meantime, Wal-Mart was springing so we began selling flowers, hanging plants, and vegetable plants.