Cash Talks: The mother-daughter duo who received’t let their franchise fail

Welcome to Money Talks, a sequence by which we interview folks about their relationship with cash, their relationship with one another, and the way these relationships inform each other.

Jamie Parker is 45 and has owned a Cartridge World franchise in Christiansburg, Virginia, for 10 years. Ieshia Ahmed, her daughter, is 25 and describes herself as her “mom’s sidekick.” Collectively, the 2 of them have turned a franchise right into a household enterprise and are actively working to take care of in-person buyer relationships in an more and more on-line world.

Cartridge World, which gives workplace printing methods to small companies and people, has roughly 100 franchises and makes over $20 million in gross sales.

The next dialog has been flippantly condensed and edited.

Jamie: After I was about 25, perhaps 27, my ex-husband and I had been working at a series restaurant referred to as Nation Cookin’. That’s after we began researching franchises. We thought of Chick-fil-A for some time, however we didn’t like restaurant work. We wished one thing that we might do on our personal, with minimal staff.

We opened our first Cartridge World in 2005. Nobody was doing cartridges or something like that — nobody had even heard of a refill cartridge at the moment. I constructed that retailer from zero to one hundred pc within the first 12 months. Received it off the bottom. We began with inkjets and lasers, received the larger companies — Roanoke County public faculties and that kind of factor.

We actually selected Cartridge World due to the minimal employees. We preferred the concept we might run it by ourselves. With a restaurant, you want a minimal of 15 staff. We wished one thing that we might do on our personal, that we might develop and that may achieve success.

Ieshia: It turned the household enterprise. The entire lecturers at my faculty who had toners or cartridges that wanted to be recycled would put them right into a recycle field, and I might carry the field onto the varsity bus and take it dwelling to Mother and Dad.

I’ve been within the enterprise since I used to be 5 years previous. Did I perceive the mechanics behind it? Positively not — however I keep in mind carrying toners and cartridges that lecturers wished to recycle.

Proper now I’m in class for regulation, and that’s my ardour. That stated, I took a hiatus through the pandemic. Covid ruined a whole lot of issues, and going to varsity and attempting to be taught on-line — and paying for it! — didn’t make sense to me, so I ended. My brother is autistic and nonverbal, and my mother wanted to be dwelling to assist my brother all through the summer season. It was time for me to step in. Mother might assist Bubby, and Sissy might work at Cartridge World.

If one thing ever occurred and my mother wanted to be at dwelling full-time with my brother, she might be — as a result of I do know the fabric, and I do know what I’m doing. I might by no means enable our household enterprise to fail.

Jamie: You’ll be able to inform which certainly one of us is extra extroverted and which certainly one of us is extra introverted. I’m extra behind-the-scenes, I take orders, drop-ship, pay the payments, that kind of factor. Ieshia is extra up-front, with the shoppers. She’s actually the face of the enterprise. She has a wonderful face!

Ieshia: I’ve achieved pageants, and I’ve discovered a lot from them. I had no concept that I used to be going to win Miss Commonwealth Excellent Teen — my household was so shocked that they dropped the digicam, and also you don’t truly see me getting topped — but it surely made me who I’m at present. I used to be thrown right into a chaotic atmosphere, and my possibility was to thrive. I used to be doing appearances each single day, and I needed to go on the market and socialize. I needed to put on my crown. I needed to put on it up excessive and by no means let it tilt, and it’s been that manner for my complete life.

When our clients are available via the door, they see us. They join with us. We take heed to them. In the event that they’re having a foul day, and so they simply want a 63XL HP cartridge, they’re going to get it — however they’re additionally going to inform me what’s occurring of their lives. They’re going to get human connection. That’s what you possibly can’t get anyplace else. We’re not simply promoting cartridges, we’re promoting a service. We’re a part of the neighborhood.

Jamie: We had been in Roanoke after I opened my first retailer with my ex-husband. Word the ex.

Ieshia: They received divorced!

Jamie: I left Cartridge World for about 10 years [during which she worked for Country Cookin’ and started a catering business] after which I dusted myself off and opened my very own Cartridge World in Christiansburg.

Ieshia: The definition of girlboss. Actually.

Jamie: The Roanoke location closed in November, however I’m thriving. It’s troublesome to get folks from Roanoke within the Christiansburg retailer as a result of they suppose, “Oh, I’ve to drive 45 minutes,” however I can drop-ship them cartridges on-line.

Ieshia: We don’t wish to be an online-only enterprise as a result of our clients wouldn’t see us anymore. That’s additionally why we got here up with issues like Wiggle Wednesdays. Midway via the week, we’re taking part in music on the retailer and it’s one other technique to join. I’ve footage of consumers, folks with canine, {couples}, everybody dancing to the music we placed on, to allow them to get 10 p.c off their order!

We all the time have enterprise playing cards on us. I don’t care if I’m in Roanoke and I’m out to dinner — if I hear somebody say they’re a enterprise proprietor, I’m going to offer them my enterprise card. You by no means know the place it’s going to go.

Jamie: I’ve my territory, however I can promote to anybody. I’ve a whole lot of clients in North Carolina, and I simply picked up a buyer in Washington state.

Cartridge World has instructed us a number of occasions that we must always simply log on, however that’s not how I select to do issues. I’d relatively open my retailer and are available right here day-after-day. I do it for my clients. My clients are my the whole lot. I present a service that’s greater than ink and toner, if that is smart in any respect.

Ieshia: Till you get right here, you don’t perceive how small our city is. For us to go surfing, we’d go out-of-sight, out-of-mind. We might drown.

Jamie: I’ve thought of beginning my very own enterprise, and we’ve got the type of following now in order that I in all probability might, however I actually imagine within the Cartridge World identify. I actually do. I might very properly exit and do my very own factor, however I really feel like Cartridge World goes to be a lot larger than it’s at present, very quickly.

Ieshia: We’re making a revenue — if we weren’t, we wouldn’t be doing this, and I wouldn’t be on payroll — however I nonetheless want to economize for faculty. So I received a second job. I’m in administration within the hospitality enterprise, however I’m additionally working right here, too. In at present’s society, it’s not life like to have only one job.

I’ve promised my mother that if she will get to the purpose that she will’t run it anymore — it’s a household enterprise, and it’s been in my life since I used to be 5 years previous — I’m not going to simply let it go away. If one thing occurs, and she will’t do it any extra, I’ll put my regulation profession targets on maintain. I’ve my authorized assistant, and I’ve my paralegal, and even when I’ve gotten my esquire, I’ll put it on pause and construct up the enterprise till I can step away and produce other folks work right here. That’s all the time been my plan. My brother goes to wish a supply of revenue, so protecting the household enterprise going is essential to me.