We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Diane Love-Suvada a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Diane , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

I’ve been a maker of sorts all my life. My mother introduced me to crafting at a young age and it’s just always been there. Partly out of the joy of making and partly out of necessity as there were times we didn’t have much money for gifts at Christmas. Cooking, baking, sewing, crocheting, painting and so on.

Moving ‘Up North’ had been a pin in the timeline for my husband and I for many years and we got the chance in late 2015 when my husband was offered a job in Roscommon, Michigan where we had our second home. We made the leap in June of 2016. I left a great job with a non-profit business incubator in Detroit and my husband left a 20 year career at one of the largest rv dealerships in Michigan. We didn’t have a set plan but it didn’t matter, this is where we wanted to be and knew we’d figure out the rest.

I had been doing some job hunting around town and was connected with the local DDA (downtown development authority) as they and the Village Council were just beginning to explore new economic development opportunities to revitalize the business district. Within a few months and some startup funds from the DDA and some other grants I co-founded a nonprofit business incubator to offer services, support and connections to the local business owners and all while trying to attract new businesses to many empty buildings in town.

Meanwhile, a friend had a downtown space that was a combination of crafted, upcycle and resale items and would host pop-ups for special events and so I gathered my handmade goods to do a pop-up and met some other crafters in town. Early 2017, the same space became available and the idea blew up in my head like an explosion. I could do kind of what she was doing but ALL crafted and ALL local and I would call it ‘Made UP NORTH”. I could see it clear as day. Despite some naysayers on the concept of finding enough people to fill the space in such a small rural and seasonal area, I said in the very cliche quote “If I build it, they will come”.

May 2017 Made UP NORTH, a retail boutique for local artists and makers opened its doors offering handmade jewelry, soaps, candles, hand-dyed and handspun yarns and roving, quilts, artwork, photography, maple syrup, honey, you name it. The little 900 sq. ft shop next to the railroad tracks was full.

Summer was great, as was expected in our little tourist town on the AuSable River and not far from one of the world’s most pristine inland lakes, Higgins Lake. Fall slowed a lot, Christmas was great. All the while, hosting and participating in downtown events. Winters are the time when you have to just buckle down and hang on til spring and so I did. In the meantime, still working the non-profit and seeing slow but encouraging rejuvenation in the downtown.

In January 2019, another opportunity presented itself. The owner of a flower and gift shop with a new coffee bar just installed, decided she wanted to downsize her business and move down the block and asked if I wanted to buy the building. Once again, an explosion happened inside me, but this time with just as much fear as excitement but again, I could see it crystal clear in my mind. The building was about 4 times the size of our current space. This opportunity would give my vendors a space with so much more exposure and foot traffic than what we were currently getting. AND, I could tap into even more of my creative interests. Coffee, food, baked goods IN a gift shop.

Having learned the seasonal clock by now, we re-opened in May 2019 as Made UP NORTH Cafe & Goods. Serving coffee roasted in Mid Michigan, sourcing many local food products, baking our own pastries and still featuring makers from northern Michigan. Now seven years later, the made locally concept isn’t as new and unique as it was then but it’s still favored and appreciated by our locals and visitors.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I attended what I call the University of Life. I began working at a very young age because it was the 80’s and times were tough for a lot of people and I knew my parents didn’t have a lot of money. So somewhere around 10 or so, I’d rake leaves and apples for the neighbor and that turned into cleaning her house for her. At 13, I rode my 10 speed down the road to the Christmas tree farm and inquired of a job that I heard about from some other kids at school. Planting saplings, trimming and pruning, cutting and digging trees, playing Christmas Carol in the Santa photo booth at Christmas. I worked there until I was 16 and could drive and then worked at the local McDonalds and was promoted to shift manager after 6 months. I left there and went to work at the local Meijer Department store in the Children’s department setting retail displays and pricing.

Somewhere in there I graduated high school with a plan for community college or technical program. I did obtain a paralegal certificate but that wasn’t what I wanted to do. Life began to happen, I married and became a mom at age 20 and so the needs of the family came first so college was off the table at that time because I had to work. I’ve always been the type that had the “I can do anything, just show me’ attitude.

I went back to work at McDonalds and was there for some time. Taking all the managerial classes and moving up the ranks. Realizing that wasn’t where I wanted to be anymore, worked a factory for a bit then a friend helped me get a receptionist position in her office to where I learned all there was to know about that then moved into the accounting department to learn something new.

Baby #3 brought the need to stay home and be a mom for a bit but again that was not doable with bills to pay. A few short blips in the timeline; mortgage company, a logistics company, a marketing firm….all either too far of a commute, hours too long or just couldn’t deal with the boss.

Then, I found a little coffee shop close to home. A lovely little flower shop that had just added a cafe. I loved it. It was a whole new world. Pretty things to look at, delicious smells, customers or ‘regulars’ that become acquaintances and friends. Breads sourced from another local business, hosting and serving lunches for ladies groups and other organizations. I loved the customer service aspect of it AND they sent me to different classes on cake and bread and customer service, you may have heard of it, Zingtrain! But, the pay wasn’t great and I had to move on. A short stint working for the local municipality planting gardens and watering flower baskets downtown.

Then, to the corporate offices of a real estate firm as the foot-in-the-door receptionist job, then moving up to executive assistant to the CFO and also working in the accounting department.

All the while, in my spare time, hosting themed holiday parties, catering, volunteering at the local Moose Lodge. Which brings us to late 2010, my previous CFO boss contacted me about an event coordinator position at the new business incubator she was managing and asked me to interview.

This position gave me experience, training and ability to manage what was to come. Managing and scheduling events, classes, fundraisers, programs for entrepreneurs and business-owners. Managing coworking and event spaces. Learning social media and marketing. Managing people. Managing a full events calendar in cyclical rotation.

This job took much of what I had done so far in my life and put a nice little bow on it. Yet I still had no idea how it all would one day click.

By now, it probably sounds like, wow, what a job hopper. I definitely can say, I have NEVER been the type that could even dream of doing the same thing day in and day out for my entire life. Bless those that have and do but that wasn’t me. I was always striving to be better or learn more in hopes of one day being my own boss.

Taking the step to non-profit startup and business owner were steps into the complete unknown. Yet with every step, I realized, “Hey, I know how to do this” OR, “I know how to figure it out”, or “Wow, that one silly little thing I learned how to do is finally presenting its importance at just the right time.” So now when people ask me what college I went to, assuming since I’m a business owner I must have a college degree,  I no longer feel hesitant to reply “The University of Life”. I have a vast education that was exactly what I needed when I needed it. I am a risk-taker, entrepreneur, and creator. If I can see it in my mind, I can create it.

In my business, I strive to be visible, known, approachable and helpful.
I coach my makers (vendors) on display, pricing, design, anything that they need help with to reach their sales and business goals.
I train my team in as many aspects of the day-to-day, especially the ‘youngers’ so that hopefully they learn something here that will serve them in their future. Computer skills, cooking, baking, processes, techniques and savvy of handling difficult situations
I teach my customers by hosting classes on various crafts. The art of making will always be a part of my life and business. I want anyone who has a desire to ‘make’ something to be able to learn how.
I love my customers and community. I engage with as many as I can. Make a connection, learn about them, build a conversation that goes on from visit to visit. Great customer service is what helped me build my business and continue on today.

Has your business ever had a near-death moment? Would you mind sharing the story?

Covid.

March 2020. School was being cancelled. People were sick left and right. We were trying to stay open though we had to cut hours and staff to accommodate the slow down. We were just about to turn the bend for a full year in our new building with the coffee shop and we were forced to close. And coming off of trying to make it through winter, which is our hardest part of the year.

I was closed down and had no money. Running on fumes. Rent was due and I had vendors to pay and this so-called PPP was just being talked about. I couldn’t breath, not just from now being terribly sick myself but stressed to the max. I rent floor space to my makers but since I couldn’t be open, I felt it was only right that I waive their rent. This rent is crucial to the cash flow of the store but what could I do? I went to my lease holder and begged for a reduction or waiver for the month. And after a few prayers, a dear friend came to me and asked if there was anything she could do to help. My pride was so big it was stuck right in my mouth and I declined. After a few days she messaged again offering and so I tallied up the bare minimum I thought I would need to get by (less than $2000) which was mostly just paying my makers their previous months sales because they were more important to me at this point.

I was home for a month watching the news, waiting for emails from the state and local authorities on what to do next. A classification called ‘Essential Services or Essential Businesses for food service businesses was declared approved to operate and I reopened the shop at the end of April with our soup, sandwiches and whatever other food products I could offer and of course, coffee. This was the scariest moment in my self-employment history as I felt completely helpless being so new and still trying to get a foothold.

I paid my friend back as soon as I could later that year. It may not sound like a lot of money, but it saved me.

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

I’ve had some terrible bosses in my life and I don’t ever want to be one. I don’t ever want to make someone feel the way I have been made to feel at various jobs. I know what I’m looking for when I hire. I tell all my staff that I don’t like to have to be a boss. We have procedures and checklists and at the end of training everyone knows what is expected of them. I don’t rule with an iron fist. As a matter of fact, I tell them, if we are having a conversation about a problem, I’m hating it more than you are. I really try to be fair and kind and feel that it will be returned with a job well done and that’s been the case for the most part so far.

I currently have 6 employees. Some part-time and we are seasonal so I’ll have a few more in the summer months. It’s now the norm that finding and keeping employees these days is hard. I feel like I’ve been pretty lucky in this department, my turnover is fairly low. For staff meetings, I always start with something fun like a game I call Trivia for Tips. I make a list of questions relevant to the job. When the question is answered correctly, they get a $1 tip. During super busy times or holidays, I randomly reward my staff with unexpected bonuses. I try to make it a fun place to work so that boredom doesn’t have a chance to set in.

Contact Info:

• Website: madeupnorthmi.com
• Instagram: madeupnorthmichigan
• Facebook: madeupnorthmichigan