Introduce Yourself: Post Your Autobiography 💁📖

[Pesso]

Hey Square Readers!

Thank you so much for joining our Square Readers Book Club!

Don’t forget to click Join Group at the top of our Book Club Group Hub.

I would love to learn more about you all, so here's a space to introduce yourselves and to meet some fellow Readers. 

So tell us a bit about yourself here in the comments. 

Tell us:

• Your name & location
• Your business name (and website)
• What you're hoping to learn and gain from Book Club
• Your favorite book (business or fun)
• A picture or two of you or your business

And of course feel free to reply to each others’ intros, especially those nearby or in the same industry as you.

Looking forward to meeting you all, and reading with you,

Pesso

[Pesso]

Hey @techniqsupport !

Thanks so much for joining and sharing. That's amazing that you've been running it as a side business for so long, and best of luck in hopefully making the jump to full time! What do you need to happen in order to get there?

We're excited to have you here! I definitely understand the challenge of finding time to read while also working -- and two jobs must be even more challenging, especially with a business! My goal here is definitely to impart that motivation and community to help folks get there. Have you started yet? Our first book is about 250 pages, so with a month left, you just have to read about 10 pages a day! 

I love your passion for non-fiction. Ooh, that one sounds fantastic, I'll have to add it to my list.

Thanks again for sharing and hope to see you in our discussions!

[theartroom]

Hi my name is Abby Malcolm and I own an art store affectionately named The Art Room (don't judge the work in progress website too harshly haha I have thousands of pieces of inventory that I'm trying to get up there). Everything in my store is locally handmade and, at this point, we have a little bit of everything. We're located in Wakefield, Virginia or, because no one knows where that is, rural Southeastern Virginia. There are less than one thousand people in town so it's a very close knit community and largely focused on agriculture. But we have a heavily traveled route that passes through town and brings a lot of travelers to us. There's not much around here (though that's been changing!) and people often overlook us. But there is an insane amount of creativity that's been hidden away in this little area and I'm determined to bring it out into the open. I opened my store back in 2017 as a working studio for myself and as a place for other local artists to put their work. There were about 7 of us when our door opened. There's currently 98 artists, all within an hour radius of my little store. In May, we'll be celebrating our 6 year anniversary (I've heard it gets easier after 5 but everyone who told me that was laughing so I feel like that's a lie). The shop has grown to include lessons, paint parties, and numerous art based events for the community. Now I'm partnered with the county we're located in to help bring more of the arts to our area. I'm also working heavily with other local businesses and charities to bring a stronger creative presence to them and the community as a whole. It's always been my belief that art is for everyone and that everyone has the ability to create and these opportunities have helped us reach so many new people.

My goals are to continue bettering and strengthening my business so I can expand (100 artists are a little cramped in one store and I have so many more people interested). I'm really excited for this book club because it'll put me in a community of likeminded people and help keep me accountable. I'm a notorious workaholic and often find myself working instead of studying so having a deadline will force me to finish what I started.

I'm an avid reader (when I have time) and a massive book collector with extremely eclectic tastes. If anyone enjoys Southern Literature, a personal favorite is Absalom, Absalom! by William Faulkner. I'm also a huge Harry Potter fan and frequently reread the first chapter of the first book when I'm stressed...emphasis on frequently.

Here's my face and, more importantly, a bit of my store. My windows are ideal for all the stained glass that passes through. And my beloved shop cat, Pete, who is the business manager and head of marketing. He's also the unofficial mascot. I personally think he's overpaid but very cute. Look forward to meeting you guys!

[Pesso]

Hey @theartroom !

Thanks so much for joining us here -- the website looks great! You totally don't need that Under Construction banner; I would have never known unless you told me! That's a huge undertaking to put in that many items, good luck, and you'll get there.

I love that you're a community space that can help showcase so many local creatives and bring more art to new folks. And that's so wonderful that you also have the opportunity to bring in a good amount of travelers too. I feel like that's the perfect balance and mix. Sounds like a great business!

Expanding is such a great goal and I'm so glad that you found the book club here and can help make it a community too! I really appreciate your input and can't wait to see you in all of our discussions. 

I'm also a big Potterhead - it's such a good comfort read. I haven't read any Faulkner yet, but I'm adding it to the list, thank you!

So great to meet you and the head of marketing. No such thing as overpaid on that front! 

Thanks again and see you around here-

[Dragonsdenpro]

Hi Everyone!  My name is Jack Rosenhammer and I own the Dragon's Den Pro Shop, a hockey and figure skating equipment store in Columbus, GA (www.dragonsdenproshop.com & @dragonsdenproshop on IG and FB).  We have only been open for a year this August and are in the growth stage.  We aim to help grow the hockey and skating community and then sell our products and services.  Our goal is to be the one place everyone in our area chooses to shop at instead of driving the 130 miles to Atlanta to our nearest competitor.  I hope to learn more about business and issues other participants have overcome.  My favorite book is Grant by Ron Chernow.     

[Pesso]

Hey @Dragonsdenpro -- thanks so much for joining and sharing!

Congrats on making it to the one year mark! That's a huge accomplishment, and we love a good growth phase. 

I love that goal of being the go-to place. Being the only one for 100+ miles is a good start!

What do you need in order to get there? What types of things are you working on in your business? 

What types of things about business are you interested in learning about?

I haven't read that one yet -- I'll take a look!

Looking forward to seeing you in our discussions!

[Bronze_Palms]

Hi friends!!

I own a spray tanning salon in Northern California!

Pre-business ownership, I was a marketing director at ad agencies for 5 years. I took a lot of the digital media, paid aids, reporting with me in my business and it ended up being way more seamless than you might think! I loved the service industry and wanted to get back to it. The tanning salon really exploded for me and empowered me in ways I didn't know I needed.

Now on to books - I love to read; it is the peace I need away from my phone & technology. I go through phases where I am reading a lot of business book, then self improvement, then I default to historical fiction to keep it less mundane.

My favorite business book is Purple Cow for marketing & Your Hype Girl for PR, bootstrapping and hyper growth.

Thanks for having me! Can't wait to get started on The 1-Page Marketing Plan by Allan Dib!

[Pesso]

Thanks so much for sharing, @Bronze_Palms !

That's pretty amazing that you came into business ownership with so much experience and transferable skills! Sounds like you got a great headstart on it all. I'm glad you've been doing well with it and benefitted personally from the shift too. 

I love that balance of business, self-improvement, and fiction. Gotta have a mix of it all -- work and escapism! 

Thanks for sharing those and we can't wait to hear your perspectives on this next book.

What are you hoping to get out of The 1-Page Marketing Plan?

What are your overall goals for your business?

[JUYBoutique20]

I can't believe I missed this thread.... Better late than never, I guess.

• Your name:  Jacqueline
• Your business name (feel free to drop a link to your website):  Jackie's Uniquely U Boutique & Uniquely U Anime, 
• www.jackiesuniquelyuboutique.com 
• Where you’re located:  Anchorage, Alaska
• What you and your business does:  We are a women's boutique and here recently an anime boutique.  Our goal is to encourage our customers to embrace all that they are and everything they have to offer in this life. We want to help them to be uniquely themselves and not be afraid to share it with the world.
• What stage your business is in:  We've been in business for 8 years but officially, licensed and all, 3 years.  We opened our 1st storefront June 12th, 2021, and expanded our anime line and opened its doors February 2023.
• What your goals are with it:  Our goal is to continue serving our community and hopefully beyond on other military bases.
• What you’re hoping to get out of this book club:  I'm wanting to get new book recommendations for knowledge I might not have gained without others guidance.
• Your favorite book (business or fun!):  I have a few favs but at the moment I'm reading the Black Girls Must Die Exhausted Trilogy for fun and for business The 1-Page Marketing Plan.

[Pesso]

Thanks so much for sharing, @JUYBoutique20 !

That's so amazing that you're starting up another leg of the business with anime -- love the focus on being oneself and self-expression in any and all the ways! So exciting! 

How did that start? 

[JUYBoutique20]

The anime store was born from wanting to build something for my boys.  They live and breathe anime so it made sense to me to want to pass that along to them.  In the process of researching and building it I started to get into it.  

[Pesso]

That's so cool! Love taking a family passion into a business!

How has the reception been so far?

[JUYBoutique20]

Everyone loves our store.  We're gearing up for the holiday season so it's getting very very busy...

[Pesso]

So wonderful to hear, @JUYBoutique20 ! Congrats on the busy-ness and rooting for ya for continued good things!

[CareyJo]

I LOVE your dress!  I wear that color yellow a lot and the ruffles are so fun!

[JUYBoutique20]

I love yellow....I have a few outfits in that color.

[rachaelmae]

Name: Rachael Mae Braun

Business Name: Mae's Seasonings Inc: https://maesseasonings.com

Location: Abbotsford, BC (Canada)

What I sell: spice blends and sauces made by me with the background as a professional chef

Business Stage: I started selling in 2020 but it really didn't start to get going until 2021

Business Goals: to learn better ways to control expenses and make more sales when there is no markets and how to get more store accounts. 

What you’re hoping to get out of this book club: to learn more and actually read some business books I have bought some but have never found the time so with the book club i will read some new ones i never heard of

Favorite book: I havent read a book in years but when i used to read books i loved Danielle Steel books 

[Pesso]

Thanks for sharing, @rachaelmae !

That sounds like such a cool business -- love that you took your chef experience to make products that can help people appreciate cooking and eating more! 

Those are such great business goals, and the books we've read and will read can absolutely help with that! Definitely check out our previous discussion threads, and join us to read along now!

What books have you bought and haven't read yet?

Can't wait to hear your thoughts in our discussions!

[Colonyinn]

Hello everyone!

My name is Jessica. My husband and I just started our business in May of this year (2023).  

We own and operate the Colony Inn Motel, Restaurant, and Spirit Shoppe. (www.colonyinnne.com) 

We bought a property in Loup City, Nebraska that has a small 16 room motel, restaurant and convenience/liquor shop. It has been such a great adventure. We are in a small town that is full of wonderful people who are very grateful that we purchased the business and have re-opened their local evening dining establishment. We are so happy to be here for the community to have a place to eat, stay, and play. 

We have done great in our first seven months of business and have tremendous support from our community. The first part of our first year has been kind of stressful with the unknown/unexpected expenses. 

Our goal, now that we have gotten past the initial start up costs, and the unknown/unexpected expenses, is to dig in and really figure out where we can cut costs and dial in our expenses so that we don't lose money moving forward (though we really haven't lost too much in our first half of our first year).

I am hoping to gain a better understanding of business operations in general, and some tips/tricks/advice on how to dial in expenses and create a better revenue stream. 

One of my favorite fun books is The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. I read it as a pre-teen and it really was quite an inspirational book for me. It had adventure and mystery and above all else a main character who realized that she could do anything she put her mind to. My life has had adventure, and mystery, and now I am conquering my goals of owning my own business. 

So grateful to be a part of this book club, and hoping to learn as much as I can from others! 

P.S. if there are any other small motel owners in here, I'd love to chat with you!

[Pesso]

Thanks for joining and sharing, @Colonyinn ! So great to have you here-

Wow, that sounds like a pretty incredible business, and that's so wonderful that you've been doing well with it so far! There are absolutely a ton of unknowns when starting any business, especially something as complex as yours. 

I love the goal of really getting efficient with the business operations and moving into profitability. I highly recommend reading Profit First along with us for the next two months, and even going back to reading some of our previous books, especially Fix This Next and The 1-Page Marketing Plan. (Or at least reading our discussion threads about them!) So many great practical operations tips in both of those.

I love that you were so inspired by that book and have held onto those ideals, and took it to heart to chase your dreams! 

Very excited to hear all of your thoughts on our books!

[saltydazehair]

Hello Everyone! 

My name is Cameron and I am located in Torrance, CA. I have my own salon suite called Salty Daze Hair, currently working on a Square Space website!  

I am hoping to learn anything I can that can make a positive impact in running my business and learn how to have a smooth, operating business. 

I have been professionally in the hair industry for 10 years, and took the leap of opening a solo salon suite after having my second child in December 2022. It has been a huge learning curve, many trial and errors of running my business, but I have loved every step of creating my own relaxing environment to pamper my clients and delivering the best results I can. I am working to make my salon suite a sustainable, green salon by investing in salon recycling programs, carry brands that are geared towards sustainability such as Davines, and mindful of the cleaning supplies I carry in the salon to create a healthy environment. I specialize in blondes, brunettes, haircuts, extensions and smoothing treatments. If you're in the area, I offer free color consultations! 

booking link: https://saltydazehair.square.site 

follow me on instagram! : www.instagram.com/saltydazehair 

[Pesso]

Welcome to the club, @saltydazehair , it's so great to have you with us!

That's a great goal and you've definitely come to the right place to learn. You can check out our previous books over on our Virtual Bookshelf, and tune into conversations around our current book, Worth Every Penny. Can't wait to hear your thoughts!

Congrats on taking the big step of opening up your own place. It sounds like you've done an amazing job at making it welcoming and giving a great experience to your clients. I love that you're reaching towards being more environmentally friendly and sustainable, and that's a great niche to promote yourself around too! 

Looking forward to seeing you in our discussions.

---- 

Also just as a side note, you said you're working on a Square Space website -- SquareSpace is actually a separate company from Square -- I'm not sure if you meant that or not! Our website builder is Square Online, and you can set it up through your Square Dashboard. Your booking site is already with us (ending in square.site), and you can expand that out to be a full website. Let us know if you need more information!