THE GAYLES FAMILY BUSINESS

Q: Who are the Gayles and how did you guys start a family business?

With over 20 years in the gift industry and sales and marketing combined, it seems only natural that two Georgia natives -- Daren and Karen Gayle -- would team up to offer Georgia gifts and souvenirs that show their Georgia pride and help others extend some down-home Southern hospitality. Karen started the business back in 2008 as a part-time home based business creating Georgia gifts and baskets via an online store. Because Atlanta is a top convention and meeting destination and gets a lot of travelers, Karen saw the need for Georgia theme gifts and decided to cater to event planners, tourists and locals who wanted a touch of Georgia. Daren came on board when the couple got married in 2011 and they have been working together in the business ever since. Daren handles sales and shipping, while Karen provides the creative direction for the gifts and administrative functions. Q: What type of business do you own and what kind of products do you sell?

At Georgia Gifts & More is a locally owned and operated gift store that offers: • Georgia gift baskets • Georgia gourmet foods • Georgia souvenirs • Georgia sports items • Georgia books • Promotional products • Georgia wedding favors • Family reunion shirts and souvenirs

Q: Georgia gifts and more is located in Tucker, GA a metro city north of Atlanta, GA... why that location and what impact did the location play in growing your business to reach your target market?

After the business outgrew our home in 2014, we went full time in the business and looked for a location that was convenient to many of our customers, vendors, suppliers and business resources, which led us to the I-85 corridor near Spaghetti Junction. The office park location was convenient to downtown Atlanta, Gwinnett and DeKalb and gave customers a place to come in to shop instead of just shopping online. After being in that location for four years, we wanted to expand the retail shopping segment of our business and be in an actual shopping area for greater visibility while still remaining convenient to our customers and vendors. We settled in Tucker, GA on Lavista Road which was only about 10 minutes from our old location. People sometimes ask why we aren’t downtown, but we strategically didn’t want to be there. Shopping in downtown Atlanta comes with congestion, paid parking and can be inconvenient for customers. We have so many clients that appreciate the convenience of simply driving up to our store for a hassle-free shopping experience.

Q: As business owners what are some of the hurdles you had to cross to get you where you are today?

As a small business, we all wear a lot of hats and have to work together as a team. Communication is key as well as setting up processes that keep everything running smoothly. Learning how to work together as a husband and wife team and still maintaining a good work-life balance is an important lesson we’ve learned.

Q: Covid 19 and the pandemic put many businesses out of business and some flourished, what impact did COVID-19 and the pandemic have on your business and how did your business Navigate through

the process of it all to remain still open and successful?

Like most other businesses, 2020 was a wild ride to say the least. But we were determined—with God’s help—to come out stronger than when we went into the pandemic. We had to close the retail store for a few months and the beginning of the pandemic. With no business coming in, we took the time to analyze the business and set a strategic plan for the months ahead. For 6 months, we didn’t purchase any inventory and believed God to sell what we had. Miraculously, orders came in for exactly the counts that we had in stock or we were able to make substitutions to fill orders. We trimmed the fat in our inventory and created new gift offerings for items that were slow moving to help them sell. Shifting our focus from events and tourists (because there were none) to everyday, general occasion gifts like birthday and thank you allowed us to repurpose our gifts in brand new ways and capture more of the retail market. It was the same product, just themed differently. Unfortunately, we had to let all of our staff go, and Daren and I worked the business for the next few months only going into the store to ship online orders. E-Commerce made a big difference during the pandemic and having the ability for customers to shop online got us through. We also made a plan to pay down debt and build a reserve so that we would be better able to weather the storm. We applied for as many government subsidies as we could, and the additional funds helped keep us afloat.

The business has a sense of a franchise style business, with a blueprint to take it Statewide and possible open up locations across the state. Is the business franchisable where other business owners can tap in to expand the platform? If so, how can they partner? No, the business is not franchisable at this time. However, we have launched a wholesale division that would allow us to sell our gifts through other retail stores.

Q: What is life like day to day as business owners? What does a normal day look like for the Gayles and what helps make it successful so the business has a profitable day?

Our days are much like any entrepreneur. We start the day by filling online orders, handling retail customers, marketing the business and meeting the needs of our clients. Every day is different. From family reunions to corporate gifts for a virtual meeting, there are lots of ways our customers use Georgia gifts. We’re just happy to be a great resource for them and do our best to provide excellent customer service along the way. Paying attention to the little things helps make the business profitable. Whether it’s negotiating better rates with UPS or keeping an eye on the cost of goods, we review our purchases, policies and procedures to make sure we’re being good stewards.

Q: What are 3 business tips you would give other entrepreneurs or business owners that may want to start a business in the retail industry?

1. Do your research 2. Go after a niche that will help you stand out in the marketplace 3. Know your strengths and weaknesses and surround yourself with good people who can help you get to where you’re going

Q: Daren you have a background in the entertainment industry working with some of the greats like Arrested Development, Tyler Perry and so on, what was that like and what are some of the things your doing today in that area?

Entertainment is still a big passion for me. I am currently the owner of DarenGee Management where I manage artists and promote events. A big part of that is our Guns Down, Life Matters Tour, which is a community event to bring awareness to the rise of gun violence in Georgia and open discussions on how our community can create change. In partnership with Javon Johnson Productions, we also have a gospel stage play called Sanctified that will begin touring in October.

Q: How can our audience find you and follow you online for more information?

You can find us online at www.georgiagiftsandmore.com and in store at 5001 Lavista Road, Suite A, Tucker, GA 30084.