We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Erica Sanders a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Erica, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Are you happier as a business owner? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job?
I am so happy to be an independent, woman-owned small business! I have both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in education and was a high school teacher for nine years prior to becoming a full time small business owner. I always had a side hustle while I taught, so I wasn’t new to the small business world, but taking the leap from side hustle to full time was a big decision. I don’t ever wonder what it would be like to have a regular job (because I had one!), rather I’m thankful every day that I have the opportunity to utilize the skills I learned from my “regular job” to grow my own business. While the years I spent teaching were some of the most difficult ones I’ve had, I’d never trade them for anything. So many of the things I learned while being a teacher have helped me become an even better and more efficient business owner. As a teacher, you’re not only an educator, you’re a leader, mentor, counselor, organizer, facilitator, and multi-tasker extraordinaire. I had so many responsibilities that I had to stay on top of, that I became detail and task-oriented, and this really helps me now running my own business! I love having the flexibility in my schedule to make my own hours so I can spend more time with my family. I love being able to set my own goals and work hard to achieve them. I love connecting with, encouraging, and helping other small business owners. While running a business definitely comes with it’s share of difficulties and challenges, there are so many benefits that I’ve really never looked back since I left my “regular job”.
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 was born and raised in Chardon, Ohio. I graduated from Ashland University (Ashland, OH) with a Bachelor of Science degree in Family & Consumer Science Education. I taught high school Family & Consumer Science full time for nine years. While teaching, I always had a side business as a creative outlet. Several years into teaching, I started selling the items I made at local craft shows and vendor events on the weekends. I enjoyed the atmosphere, meeting new people, and experiencing life alongside of other like-minded entrepreneurs, but I felt like I was spending so much time traveling to shows to sell because there weren’t any large, high-quality outdoor shows in our area. Because of this, I decided to start one to help showcase the amazing small businesses in our area and bring a fun local shopping experience to the people of Northern Kentucky. The Road Trip Market is a curated boutique, vintage, and handmade market and food truck event that showcases local vendors and small businesses that make and/or sell really great things! I have always had a vision of a unique, high-quality, collected one-stop shop for market-goers to buy quality goods from their favorite local small businesses in one location. The heart behind my business is to cheer on the little guy. There were so many people that did that for me throughout my entire entrepreneurial journey and it made the long hours, frustrations, and challenges all worth it. I want these local small businesses to gain the same confidence and feel the same way, as well. In the next five years, my vision is to expand and plant a Road Trip Market in several different locations throughout the Midwest. There are an endless number of amazing small businesses out there that need someone in their corner!
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
The Road Trip Market is still a newer business. The dream and vision have been several years in the making. The business and brand were officially established in January of 2022. We have two successful vendor shows (May and October) under our belt for 2022, so I think that we’ve began to establish a positive reputation by really just keeping people as our central focus. Any successful business with a positive reputation has to have a leader that values people, honesty, integrity, and hard work. I think a successful reputation is also established by a leader who is a student of their craft–constantly learning and adapting, as well as being able to readily admit mistakes and make any wrongs, right. I truly feel that these things are all key components to establish a positive rapport as a business.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
The definition of success. I feel like we’ve been taught from a young age that success is defined by fancy cars, big houses, and lots of money in the bank. In reality, one person’s definition of success may be completely different than someone else’s, and there’s nothing wrong with that! One person may define success as a six figure income and a vacation home, while another may define success as a flexible schedule and more time with their family. There’s no right or wrong answer.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.theroadtripmarket.com
- Instagram: @theroadtripmarket
- Facebook: @theroadtripmarket