We recently connected with Frank Woods and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Frank thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Do you take vacations? How do you keep things going – any advice for entrepreneurs who feel like they can’t step away from their business for a short vacation?
Yes, I try to take one per quarter. I feel as if they are mandatory. I ‘ll send out a notification that I’ll be un-resposive for the next two days and then leave! I’ll purposely leave my laptop behind, but I will take a notepad just in case an idea comes to me. Something as little as a two day trip out of of town can work wonders for you mentaly, It allows you to get away from things you see everyday and often come back with a fresh perspective on life and business. Ironically, some of my best Ideas occured while I was on vacation. I would encourage any business owner to make this a mandatory event on their calendar.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I’m Frank Woods aka Franko to family and friends. I have owned Carver Cigar Co since 2019. What started as a celebration ritual with my loved ones, turned into a business. It’s funny because my entry into the industry was somewhat unexpected. A lot of people are shocked when they hear that I formulated this company the night of my father’s funeral. I like to believe, that I have someone up above smiling down on me. My Dad and I would often joke about having a Cigar Company, My uncle would share in these discussions as well. One of my biggest regrets in life was they did not live long enough to see it materialize. I have to admit every time I visit a lounge and I see a group of people enjoying our cigars while laughing and sharing memories, it puts a huge smile on my face! I believe that in itself is the thing that I most proud off. It may be somewhat selfish of me to even say this, but it keeps the memory of the loved ones I lost alive. I think that is what unique about this company its more than a business. Its avenue for you to engage in conversation, stroll down memory lane, laugh and live in the moment, it’s definitely a vibe!
Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?
I think the most effective strategy is one that my parents gave me many years ago. ( I’m telling my age) Look someone in the eye when you shake their hand and give respect if you plan on recieving it. My methods are somewhat old school. I love meeting people and learning about them so once thats initated the business part comes easy. Its amazing what can be accoplished when both parties are comfortable. I often say that I have personally shook the hand of everyone I have done buisness with, but I now realize that I have done much more than this. Some of my clients have become good freinds, and dare I say it extended family. I don’t plan on changing this strategy anytime soon.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
Resilience, Wow thats a good question! I while ago I fell upon some tought times, I was still in corperate america and within a two year period I experienced two layoffs, covid, strained relationships, loss of freinds and a few other issues. I have to be honest when I say I almost gave in, I actually recieved an offer to buy Carver Cigar Company and I gave it serious consideration. Thoughts of moving somewhere else to get a fresh start came in my head. I then rememberd a Pastor once told me that in times of greif you have got to remain busy. This will keep you focused and assist in preventing you from making rash decisions. You go through a re-evaluation stage in all aspects of life. You began to realize what and even who is of importance to you. This and constantly reminding myself that I perform better when I am the underdog. So I applied this strategy. I have to be honest and say for a short while it wore me out menatly and physically but enventually everything got better and I cherish the experience because it made me stronger. I am thankful for the opportunity to share this story, I hope it helps someone!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.carvercigarco
- Instagram: carver_Cigar_Co
- Facebook: Carver Cigar Company
- Linkedin: Carver Cigar Company
- Youtube: Carver Cigar Company
Image Credits
Photgrapy by Kelton Gresham Instagram Kg3_photos