Nicole Borders, Co-owner of Pound Bizness, joins ChedHER to discuss the story behind her business and the support it's received, along with advice for other 'couplepreneurs' out there.

chedHER

How These Newlyweds are Growing a Small Business With Love and Tradition

had her brought to you by Jpmorgan Chase a lot of entrepreneurs find themselves building a business on their own. But our next guest is building up her business through love and tradition selling pound cakes nationwide alongside her partner who by the way she just tied the knot with yesterday they just got married. Look at this beautiful couple joining us now. Nicole Borders co owner of pound business. Nicole, thank you for spending the first day after your wedding with us at cheddar. Congratulations, we're so happy for you. What's the story behind pound business? Hi, good morning Hannah, thank you for having me here. Um it's been such a great week uh pound business. We're a gourmet artists and pound cake company reminiscent of time spent with grandma. Our pound cake business gives the community a homemade alternative to commercially made desserts. You know, our business was created during the time when I was ill and my now husband Reggie and my mother were nursing me back to health. My husband baked my mother for cakes to sell for a church fundraiser and she returned with a dozen orders. And it was at that time that I had to convince my husband to turn his hobby into a business because of the work that I did with my own nonprofit life courses, learned inspired focus and elevate where we teach middle school students financial literacy and entrepreneurial ship skills. So on his milestone birthday we gave birth to power business because of the growing demand. That is so inspiring. You yourself are a small business mentee of the minority entrepreneurs initiative through Chase for Business. What have you learned from this experience? Why are programs like this so needed, you know, businesses such as Chase minority entrepreneur initiatives are needed because it helps to give small businesses such as panel business the blueprint on how to work on their business versus in their business. Since the time I was matched with my advisor Nicole Prevost, I've walked away from each session as a more confident business owner and what I didn't know, Nicole provided me with the resources and the tools to not only learn but to also implement and because of the Chase minority business initiative of my Outstanding Advisor, Nicole pound business can now say that we are a certified minority business enterprise because of the support that they gave us throughout black history month we're shining a light on black owned businesses. What kind of support have you received while creating and growing your business? Well, first hand, I would like to thank you for using your platform to uplift and spotlight businesses has been great to be the recipient of your efforts as well as others. You know, while we appreciate each and every one of our client purchases, we, what we enjoy about the support we receive from corporations and nonprofits and other groups is the fact that when they are purchasing our product, they are not only purchasing for themselves, they are purchasing to share with others who share with others who share with others and that's really what it's all about and what our mission is, it's connecting communities one slice at a time. Um We understand that our business is selling pound cakes can also be met with the guilt of adding pounds to. However um our way of thinking about it is the joy and happiness you can bring to others when they can receive that special sweet treat in the mail. So other support has also included grants um in kind consulting and advice from subject matter experts and inclusion in business directories and supplier diversity programs. What advice Nicole do you have for another couple of preneurs out there that are so inspired by your story. You know, this is one of my favorite questions that I love um being in business with the love of your life can be fun and exciting. It can also help you quickly understand the importance of establishing clear roles and setting clear boundaries. The golden rule of pound business is to keep our family values and business is sacred and business values sacred. Remember the importance of keeping the love of live alive and structuring your business in a way where you've hired the best professionals to live your values and exemplify the work culture so that you can step away from time to time. You know, in our business, we've established a safe word that um that if things get out of alignment that we call out because more importantly, the two main ingredients in our product is love and butter, and one of them we can control the other is dependent on the supply chain. So we have plenty of butter, But we have to make sure that the love is there not wearing harmony? Nicole. I have about 30 seconds left. I want to ask very quickly, what are your future plans for pound business? Well, pound business is a play on Oakland um, vernacular town business. And some talk to us about changing the name. Well, this East Oakland girl is here to tell you that pound business will become a household name. You'll hear it in, in local grocery stores and in your frozen dessert section. And, and so we're just here to make brand our brand nationwide and to create opportunities for the, for the inner cities. I have no doubt cheers to your success a lot more to come. Nicole borders, co owner of pound business and congratulations again on your wedding.