Owners share experiences
By Isaac Warren
Staff Writer
SPRINGFIELD – What do old sweaters and new logos have in common? Both are sold by local businesses in Springfield.
The Local First Springfield website lists 340 businesses operating in Springfield.
A local business is defined as, “A company which provides goods or services to a local population.”
According to the Small Business Administration, “Small businesses were responsible for 64 percent of the new jobs created between 1993 and 2011.” The same study also showed that there were about “28.2 million small businesses in America as of 2011,” which was an increase of about 300,000 since 2010.
But what does it take to start a business?
Jill Kinnet, owner and president of Omni Ideas, and Linda Renehan, co-owner of Vintage Pop, both shared their stories and opinions about what it takes to run a business in Springfield. Both have more than 20 years of experience in their respective fields before they began the businesses they are a part of today.
In order to start a business, one must have an idea.
Running a company that provide information about branding a business, Kinnet said finding similar businesses and having some “informational interviews” with the owners offers good insider information. This way, Kinnet explains, one may obtain important tips and knowledge that can make one’s idea a success.
It also takes a certain type of person to successfully run a business. Owning a resale clothing shop, Renehan said one cannot be lazy if one wants to successfully run a business.
Kinnet agreed, saying that one must persevere, even if things are not running smoothly.
She remembers there being a lot of “hoops and roadblocks” to get through in Illinois, and that can take a lot of time.
Renehan spoke about the challenges to open a business, explaining that it can be difficult getting the word out to the intended audience, especially if one does not know how to properly get their attention.
Kinnet said that the biggest challenges she has had to face in her occupation were the days when “the phone never rang and the bank account [was] dwindling.”
At the same time, a business can be very rewarding, Kinnet said.
She said that she enjoys the people with whom she works and hearing their ideas. It’s great to make decisions as a group instead of on her own, Kinnet said.
Renehan also said that meeting new people every day was her favorite part. She spoke about how she enjoys talking and helping customers see what they want, while making them feel different about themselves.
According to Forbes, eight out of ten businesses fail within the first 18 months of operation. Among the reasons for failure is the fact that failed companies are “not really in touch with customers.”
This is why a strong community relationship is almost critical for a small, local business to succeed. Renehan has donated “seven lawn bags full of supplies for women and $500” for a charity that brings supplies in for the homeless.
Along with donating to charity, Renehan has also hosted multiple events, such as “Dare to be Different.”
Kinnet said that a business “cannot succeed on their own.”
Getting in touch with the community is a great thing to do, Kinnet said, because it not only gets the business’s name out, but other potential customers become aware of a business that they may have never heard of before.
According to usdebtclock.org, Illinois currently has over $146 billion dollars in debt. This, plus a lack of a budget has affected local businesses both positively and negatively.
Renehan said that her business has had both a positive and negative effect from the current financial crisis. People, especially younger newlyweds, do not have a lot of money to spend, so they go to thrift stores to get what they need.
She said that people come in because they know the prices are lower than designer and the vintage clothing still looks good and can express a person’s individuality.
On the other hand, Kinnet has had a mostly negative impact on her business.
Even in 2008, before the recession, businesses were not able to pay because they were going bankrupt, she said.
There were times when her company went nearly 120 days without being paid. Because of this, and a change in the industry, she had to change the way her company operated, beginning with the environment. Instead of working in a traditional office building downtown, Omni Ideas is operated virtually, in the employee’s homes.
She said that this change in lifestyle has been good, and is one of the reasons why she enjoys her work.
If time machines were real, most of the time, someone would probably want to go back in time and change something about their past, or at least warn themselves. Kinnet said if she were to start over, she would focus more on what made her feel fulfilled.
She felt that having a business that could do multiple jobs was too much. Instead, she would narrow down what she could provide so everything could be more focused.
Kinnet also said that if she were to have her business in Milwaukee, it would have been easier to set up, because the city does more to help small businesses.
Renehan stated that she likes her current situation, but wishes the building was a bit larger, as well as the city.
Local businesses can give off a comfortable vibe when someone walks into their establishment. It is not uncommon to see the owner of the company at the front desk, interacting with whoever walks through their doors.
Local businesses offer what national franchises cannot: a feeling of belonging.
If someone has an interest in something, chances are, there is a business dedicated to it. For Renehan, it is vintage clothing. For Kinnet, it is branding companies. No matter what, there is almost always something for everyone.
Isaac Warren can be reached at [email protected].