Starting a Small Business in tough economic times, is a challenge, but it can be done. Carol Smith has proven that when she opened of The Postal Shoppe LLC on Friday, October 8th, 2021, just at the cusp of COVID pandemic.
The Journey
Before opening her shop, Carol worked in management position at Safco and Baylor Scott and White doing insurance verification. Baylor Scott and White is a hospital, in Dallas Texas, but they merged the insurance with the hospital and created Baylor Scott and White.
With so many years of management experience, the then 40 year old decided it’s time to fulfill her dream of becoming an entrepreneur. “I was tired of working for other people. If I can manage billion-dollar companies, I can do it for myself.” Carol shared.
So, she began digging for that thing. At first, she considered doing something in insurance since that’s where the bulk of her experience was. She thought about taking the test for insurance but soon realized that she wasn’t really interested in that anymore. She spoke with several business owners from a variety of specialization to see which would be the best fit for her. On that journey she met a guy that owned several postal stores in Dallas and that peeked her interest.
“He told me about this association that I can join and when I joined the association it was like about 30 people that have owned postal stores like this and they gave me the blueprint and everything I needed to open a successful store.” Carol explained. “They have connections! When I needed a printer, they sent me to who I needed to get the printer.” she added.
This association taught Carol everything from A to XYZ – how to get plugged in with UPS, DHL, and FedEx. They connected her with everybody she needed, and everything she needed to get started, they had it. They even built her website. She explained that the association have stores that are willing to let you come and train with them and she jumped at the opportunity. She trained with a guy in Paris, Texas for two weeks and took two of her employees with her. Within two weeks Carol and her staff had it down pack.
“He even gave me the idea on how to the layout my store and basically my store mirrors his.” Carol said.
Carol shared that the most challenge part of her startup was getting plugged in with UPS, because they scrutinize you with a fine-tooth comb and you can’t have a store within a 10 mile radius, of another UPS store. “There was not one in this area, so I got approved in like one day because the UPS hub here is not considered a store.” She said.
With business in full operation Carol said that the biggest challenges she faces is getting the business to be consistent and figuring out how to gauge her rates with other rates around here. She said, “The software comes programed and of course the rates are based off the bigger and busier cities. I had to kind of scale back, see what the rates were around here and once I got the rates that were compatible, I had to reprogram the system. Because of the high rates when I first started some people came just to check it out and they never came back. On the other hand, because the customer service was so good, it actually trumped the rates that some customers didn’t mind paying and came back and thank God those were the majority.”
Carol is happy with her growth and proving to herself that she could do it. But what pleases her most is when she read Facebook posts and how her customers rave about the store and their experiences saying things like, the service is much needed in the community and how nice and clean it is and the customer service is so great. And what makes it even more pleasing is that these comments are not coming from the African American customers alone, but everyone that enters the store.
The services
The Postal Shoppe is the go-to resource for packing, shipping, printing, and business service needs of the residents and businesses here in Natchez, MS. The team of dedicated, professionally trained experts understands the meaning of Super-Star Customer Care who focus on saving you time and money by ensuring you get the right products and services at the right price in a single, quick visit.
The Postal Shoppe pack and ship almost anything to almost anywhere in the world with carriers such as UPS, FedEx, DHL and the Post Office, but shipping is only one way. They don’t receive shipments! In addition to their packing and shipping service, they offer copy, print and document services. Large or small, black and white or color they can handle it or with the help of one of our associate partners. They also offer a mailbox rental to businesses, gift wrapping services, and everyone hired there is a notary public.
About added services for 2023, Carol said she is about to bring in another printer that does more commercial outside banners and another printer that can do large format printing like 22 by 20 posters.
Carol is happy she started at an age when she was confident that with her experience in management she can build a successful business but offer three advice to new and aspiring entrepreneurs.
- With or without experience do the research before you jump into anything. “Research, research, research the market to make sure your idea is going to fit what you’re looking for. She said when the association she joined first met her the first thing they asked was, “What’s the population where you’re trying to put this business?” Because that’s going to be the deal breaker. Carol told them the population is about 15 to 20,000 not knowing for a fact if that many people are here, because a store like hers is really for a population of about 30,000 plus population. But she took her chances because she realized there wasn’t any competition.
- Make sure you have cushion! “I thought that if anything fails, I have credit cards. I ended up maxing out all my credit cards because I didn’t factor in this or that so when this event happened, I wasn’t prepared.” Said Carol.
- Last by not at all the least, always try to do the right thing and treat people right. Don’t try to get over on people. “When you’re living in a sinful or unethical nature and not putting God first, that blocks God’s hand to be able to help and prosper you. I know it because I saw it from both sides.” She concluded.
The Postal Shoppe LLC is located at 347 Devereaux Dr 104, Natchez MS – one block north of Walgreens and on the same side.
PH: 601.653.0490 – Fax:601.653.0493 – Email: postalshoppe39120@gmail.com
