We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Daniel Stangroom a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Daniel, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What do you think it takes to be successful?
What I think it takes for a business to be successful is to connect to the customers. Consumers these days appreciate supporting their friends’ companies and products. So if the consumer knows who they are supporting and get to understand how the item is made they are more willing to buy the item. This also gives the items more value to the consumer so they will less likely throw it away!
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I MOVED TO COLORADO IN 2014 TO PURSUE MY PASSIONS OF GOLFING AND SNOWBOARDING YEAR-ROUND. SINCE WE HAVE SUCH A SHORT GOLF SEASON AND NEW SNOWBOARDING EQUIPMENT CAN BE EXPENSIVE, I DECIDED TO OPEN A SMALL BUSINESS THAT WOULD KEEP ITEMS AFFORDABLE FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME WHO CAME FOR THE SAME LIFESTYLE. I STILL WANTED TO BE UNIQUE AS A BUSINESS, SO I REACHED OUT TO MY FRIENDS WHO MADE ART OR JEWELRY IN OUR AREA. DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, MY FRIENDS WERE STRUGGLING TO MAKE ENDS MEET ON THEIR OWN BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT INTERACT WITH THEIR CUSTOMERS. THIS IS WHEN I DECIDED TO COMBINE AN ART STUDIO WITH A THRIFT STORE. SO THAT PEOPLE COULD FIND WHAT THEY NEEDED AT AN AFFORDABLE COST, AND ALSO SUPPORT A LOCAL ARTIST.
WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT MY STORE IS THAT I HAVE OVER SIXTY DIFFERENT LOCAL ARTISTS, OF WITHCH SOME CAN ONLY BE FOUND IN MY STORE. I ALSO HOUSE AN IGIANA IN MY SHOP.
AS I WAS GROWING UP, I HAD REPTILES FOR PETS, TURTTLES, FROGS, BEARDED DRAGONS, EVEN A CHAMELEON AT ONE POINT. I LEARNED HOW TO TAKE CARE OF THEM WHICH GAVE ME A SENSE OF RESPPNSIBILITY. I STILL OWN AN IGUANA TO THIS DAY AND I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE UNIQUE TO HOUSE HIM IN MY SHOP. HIS NAME IS MCJAGGER AND HE LIVES AT MY STORE FULL TIME. HE IS A 13-YEAR-OLD, FOUR-FOOT-LONG, RED FLORIDIAN IGUANA. I KEEP HIM ON A VEGETARIAN DIET TO KEEP HIM CALM AND PROVIDE MORE ACCESS TO WATER IN OUR DRY COLROADO CLIMATE. SO MANY PEOPLE ASSOCIATE MY SHOP WITH MCJAGGER, IT’S BECOME MY OWN TRADEMARK!
I AM MOST PROUD OF HELPING MY LOCAL ARTIST FRIENDS. THANKS TO MY STORE, EACH ARTIST HAS BEEN ABLE TO GROW THEIR OWN BUSINESS. REACHING HUNDREDS OF NEW CONSUMERS EACH DAY.
WHAT I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT MY STORE IS THAT SIXTY FIVE PERCENT OF MY PROFITS GO BACK TO THE LOCAL ARTISTS. THE REMAINING PROFITS ARE INVESTED BACK INTO THE STORE TO KEEP UNIQUE INVENTORY AVAILABLE. THE MAIN GOAL OF MY STORE IS TO SUPPORT LOCAL ARTISTS WHILE KEEPING EVERYTHING ELSE FUN AND AFFORDABLE BY ALLOWING PEOPLE TO EXCHANGE THEIR ITEMS.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
WHAT I THINK HELPED BUILD MY REPUTATION IS BEING PART OF THE COMMUNITY. I ATTEND LOCAL EVENTS WHERE I MEET DIFFERENT ARTISTS AND PEOPLE WHO ARE NOW REGULARS AT MY STORE. FOR EXAMPLE, THE TOWN OF SILVERTHORNE, WHERE MY SHOP IS LOCATED, PUTS ON EVENTS EACH MONTH FOR FREE CALLED “FIRST FRIDAY”.
THESE EVENTS HAVE FUN ACTIVITES AND EVENTS FOR LOCALS TO PARTAKE IN AND SOCALIZE. AS A NEW BUSINESS THAT OPENED UP JUST AFTER THE PANDEMIC, I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO ATTENT AND HAND OUT BUSINESS CARDS, NETWORK AND HAVE FUN. AFTER A WHILE, I NOTICED MY STORE WAS FULL OF THOSE LOCALS SUPPORTING AND APPRECIATING MY CAUSE. THEY STARTED TELLING THEIR FRIENDS ABOUT THE GOOD DEALS, THE FRIENDLY CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THE LIVE IGUANA IN THE BACK. NOW THE SHOP HAS A BIG COMMUNITY FOLLOWING THE GOOD WORD KEEPS ON SPREADING.
Can you open up about how you funded your business?
When I was in between jobs I walked into a thrift store looking for furniture and things I could maybe sell online for a better price. I got to talking to the owner and she was struggling to sell higher end items and also needed someone young to help her reach out to a younger audience. I started working for her and ended up selling a collection of Betty Boop dolls she had. Over the course of the next 4 months, we made a lot of money, and she gave me an idea to open another location. On top of being paid for marketing and mussel work, selling items online was a major contribution to the funds I need to open my own shop.
I estimated that I needed 7k to start my own shop. I started thinking of other ways to make capital and suddenly my boss told me her good friends needed a solid driver to help with their Tree Service Crew. So, for the next 3 months I woke up at 6:00am and worked a blue-collar job driving a truck and helping rich homeowners keep their lawns and trees looking exceptional. Since I was one of the only drivers I got paid more and was able to save $3,000 over 3 months while still paying rent.
So, with the combination of online sales, my blue-collar job and a pandemic check I had about 6,000 dollars! I reached out to a good friend of mine. I knew he had just come up on some money after selling some land and I asked him to be an angel investor. After telling him my business plan and my goal to support the local community he was on board! We signed the lease, and he has been helping me run the store ever since.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @keep_itlocalhq
- Facebook: Keep it Local
- Other: Keep it Local: E-bay
Email: [email protected]
Check out my google photos and Reviews!
