1 00:00:02,470 --> 00:00:07,330 Come join us, explore the impact of small business here in rural Arkansas. 2 00:00:07,330 --> 00:00:12,970 What challenges would you face? Who can help you meet those challenges? How do you get in touch with others like you? 3 00:00:12,970 --> 00:00:18,400 This is Create Bridges, Arkansas, and we invite you to come cross these bridges with us. 4 00:00:18,400 --> 00:00:22,690 Thank you for joining us for another episode of the Create Bridges podcast series, Small Business, 5 00:00:22,690 --> 00:00:27,460 Big Rural Impact. This is Hazelle Whited and I'm excited to be with the very talented Jennifer Duer, 6 00:00:27,460 --> 00:00:34,270 owner and operator of the South Fork Resort in Saddle, Arkansas, located between Ash Flat and Mammoth Spring in Fulton County. 7 00:00:34,270 --> 00:00:40,780 This beautiful getaway with primitive campsites, RV spots and cabins is the only resort with a takeout on the South Fork river, 8 00:00:40,780 --> 00:00:47,740 which is well known for some amazing fishing and is also a terrific float for families and those just wanting a more relaxing trip. 9 00:00:47,740 --> 00:00:52,180 Yet what makes this place most amazing is the incredible work Jennifer has done since purchasing 10 00:00:52,180 --> 00:00:56,110 this business and the journey she has embarked on as well as where things are headed. 11 00:00:56,110 --> 00:00:59,860 Jennifer, thank you so much for joining me on this podcast. Thank you. 12 00:00:59,860 --> 00:01:06,160 So let's start from the beginning. If I remember right, you purchased this business about three, four years ago. 13 00:01:06,160 --> 00:01:11,830 And it was an existing business, right? Yes, yes. 2018 is when we took over. 14 00:01:11,830 --> 00:01:17,470 It has been here since, it's been about 20 years. So it started really small and it has grown. 15 00:01:17,470 --> 00:01:26,920 It's seen five owners, maybe six. Each one has added a few more cabins, a few more campsites, a few more extra things. 16 00:01:26,920 --> 00:01:29,080 So it's grown a little bit with each person. 17 00:01:29,080 --> 00:01:35,110 And if I remember your background correctly, I mean, you actually have a master's degree in mental health therapy, right? 18 00:01:35,110 --> 00:01:43,600 So purchasing a business like this, was it a dream or something that you really enjoyed in terms of the area or what it could offer? 19 00:01:43,600 --> 00:01:47,470 I think none of those things. So I enjoy the outdoors. 20 00:01:47,470 --> 00:01:52,060 I enjoyed kayaking, I enjoy fishing. I enjoy all those things. 21 00:01:52,060 --> 00:01:57,190 The dream behind it was turning it into something it really isn't; taking the land 22 00:01:57,190 --> 00:02:03,490 and the existing cabins and turning it into more of like a adolescent retreat, 23 00:02:03,490 --> 00:02:11,080 Trauma camp type of a situation was more of like the long term goal to go along with the counseling. 24 00:02:11,080 --> 00:02:15,940 And so I think it has to run as the business that it is now. 25 00:02:15,940 --> 00:02:21,970 Not that there's anything wrong with that business, but the long term goal was a completely different vision. 26 00:02:21,970 --> 00:02:28,630 There were just obstacles that kind of got in the way. And so that doesn't seem to be where it's going to end. 27 00:02:28,630 --> 00:02:36,610 Not at least not at this time. But the business itself, the dream was a completely different vision. 28 00:02:36,610 --> 00:02:42,310 But what it is today is a great place. It just the idea was something completely different. 29 00:02:42,310 --> 00:02:45,940 Well, so let's talk about, again, going back to purchasing the business, 30 00:02:45,940 --> 00:02:50,740 whether other aspects of the business when it was purchased that you maybe didn't 31 00:02:50,740 --> 00:02:57,520 anticipate having to do that kind of sprouted up very quickly after you purchased it. 32 00:02:57,520 --> 00:03:01,480 Well, I think with any existing business, turnkey is a relative term. 33 00:03:01,480 --> 00:03:08,380 So any business is going to have some surprises. I don't think maybe they were known. 34 00:03:08,380 --> 00:03:11,890 But you walk into anything and there are, of course, things that are going to break. 35 00:03:11,890 --> 00:03:18,500 They're going to fall apart. They're going to have to be replaced. We were just surprised with a lot of those things very early on. 36 00:03:18,500 --> 00:03:26,200 So we you know, we laugh about when we're met with five years worth of repairs in the first maybe six months. 37 00:03:26,200 --> 00:03:30,490 So that was a surprise. And that kind of knocked us back a little bit. 38 00:03:30,490 --> 00:03:37,900 You anticipate a five year plan when you start up any business that the first five years, you are probably not going to make any money. 39 00:03:37,900 --> 00:03:43,780 I mean, if you are really looking at it with a realistic vision, it's going to take five years, 40 00:03:43,780 --> 00:03:50,320 build the business, get your money flowing, get it where you're out of the red and making something. 41 00:03:50,320 --> 00:03:53,860 And we just got hit with a whole lot of unknowns really quickly. 42 00:03:53,860 --> 00:04:01,840 So we had record rainfall, which in a float business camping, people didn't want to camp in the rain. 43 00:04:01,840 --> 00:04:06,880 They couldn't float on a flooded river. We had a lot of those obstacles the very first year, 44 00:04:06,880 --> 00:04:15,640 along with just flooring that had to be replaced because it was falling in that maybe was missed on inspections, appliances that went out. 45 00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:20,500 You can't rent cabins if the refrigerators aren't working or the air conditioners don't work. 46 00:04:20,500 --> 00:04:25,720 You can't put people in rafts that don't hold air and take them down the river. 47 00:04:25,720 --> 00:04:30,370 So there were just a whole lot of things that had to happen in the first year. 48 00:04:30,370 --> 00:04:34,540 That kind of, you know, was a hard blow. But we are in year four. 49 00:04:34,540 --> 00:04:43,390 And so I'll say we got through it. It wasn't easy, but I think it takes a little bit of wind out of your sails because you have a plan and you think 50 00:04:43,390 --> 00:04:47,500 we're going to do it this way and we're going to get here and we're going to it's going to be great. 51 00:04:47,500 --> 00:04:51,700 And then you get knocked down a little bit and you just have to keep figuring out a different way. 52 00:04:51,700 --> 00:04:56,740 And so sometimes it gets frustrating, but you meet great people and they help you get through it. 53 00:04:56,740 --> 00:05:00,880 So. Well, that's a common thing with business owners, right? 54 00:05:00,880 --> 00:05:07,410 I mean, if anyone who's a business owner for any length of time will tell you that there are always these ups and 55 00:05:07,410 --> 00:05:12,840 downs and sometimes it feels like just day after day of the downs and yet four years later, 56 00:05:12,840 --> 00:05:15,090 you're still standing, you're still here. 57 00:05:15,090 --> 00:05:24,720 And having come out of the amazing 2020 going into twenty twenty one, I guess tenacity and that spirit of, let's say, I jumped all into this. 58 00:05:24,720 --> 00:05:30,060 So we're going to keep on going is something that business owners really do have and have that commonality among them. 59 00:05:30,060 --> 00:05:33,150 And so I appreciate you sharing about some of the early things, 60 00:05:33,150 --> 00:05:40,320 because we wanted our listeners to understand that if you're about to embark on a business that's already established, after you do your homework, 61 00:05:40,320 --> 00:05:46,380 there's probably some other things you just didn't realize that was going to happen or that you needed to anticipate. 62 00:05:46,380 --> 00:05:52,500 So 2019 was like year two was starting to go well. People were commenting how the changes that you've made, 63 00:05:52,500 --> 00:06:01,530 they noticed it because there were some regulars that were coming in and you were seeing people from all over? Right there out of state, even Hawaii. 64 00:06:01,530 --> 00:06:06,210 We had them from Louisiana, we had them from Texas. 65 00:06:06,210 --> 00:06:10,680 They were not just the cornering states. So they were from everywhere. 66 00:06:10,680 --> 00:06:19,350 And it was it was really interesting to see when we were taking the reservations and they were it was picking up word of mouth. 67 00:06:19,350 --> 00:06:23,040 And that was really our biggest advertisement at the time. 68 00:06:23,040 --> 00:06:27,330 So it was really it was really fun to see and meet all of those people. 69 00:06:27,330 --> 00:06:33,150 First time our second year when we were really gauging it, it was a lot of first time people. 70 00:06:33,150 --> 00:06:40,590 It wasn't repeat people. And that was that was really fun to see because they did notice in our first year the people we bought it from, 71 00:06:40,590 --> 00:06:44,760 they were older and they were tired and they had turned away a lot of business and we know that. 72 00:06:44,760 --> 00:06:49,980 So we spent a lot of time in that first year just getting it out there and trying to let people 73 00:06:49,980 --> 00:06:55,770 know we were here and we did a lot of things that maybe were not financially the best choice. 74 00:06:55,770 --> 00:07:00,390 We did a lot of single floats that we didn't make any money off of, 75 00:07:00,390 --> 00:07:07,800 but we did do it and it made the customer happy and it got them to tell somebody and somebody came again and, 76 00:07:07,800 --> 00:07:14,310 you know, it got the word out there that, hey, they will shuttle you and they will take you on that float and they will let you stay one night. 77 00:07:14,310 --> 00:07:19,890 So it got it out there and people started coming back. So our second year, it was it was a lot better. 78 00:07:19,890 --> 00:07:26,310 And it was really interesting. And we got new people and they kept coming and we met great people. 79 00:07:26,310 --> 00:07:31,200 Not all are great, but that's dealing with the public. But it was good. 80 00:07:31,200 --> 00:07:34,410 And I remember we did a TripAdvisor thing. I mean, so so, yes, 81 00:07:34,410 --> 00:07:43,710 you were actually exploring all of the things that an outfitter like you need to do in order to get out beyond our area, which is great. 82 00:07:43,710 --> 00:07:47,460 Now, let's go to the fun. Yeah. We all talk about which is COVID. 83 00:07:47,460 --> 00:07:50,640 Of course, the outfitters got hit pretty hard early on, 84 00:07:50,640 --> 00:07:57,690 especially when it was the early on was during where it should have been peak season for all of the outfitters in the area. 85 00:07:57,690 --> 00:08:01,710 Let us know how you kind of maneuvered through that really challenging time. 86 00:08:01,710 --> 00:08:07,170 So it was very challenging for a couple of different aspects of it. 87 00:08:07,170 --> 00:08:13,920 We saw record numbers of people later on, but not record numbers in dollars. 88 00:08:13,920 --> 00:08:22,470 It was it was interesting. They were out, but they didn't want to move around, if that makes sense. 89 00:08:22,470 --> 00:08:29,190 So they wanted to be here because they could be here and social distance, but they didn't want to take advantage of all of the things we offered. 90 00:08:29,190 --> 00:08:32,640 So we were twice as busy and we ran twice as much. 91 00:08:32,640 --> 00:08:36,900 But we did not make twice the money, ironically. So but it was good. 92 00:08:36,900 --> 00:08:41,730 It was good to see people. It was good to have them here. We did have to alter a few things. 93 00:08:41,730 --> 00:08:46,530 It was difficult in dealing with maybe like the health department type of situation. 94 00:08:46,530 --> 00:08:50,430 They couldn't tell us we are what - we don't fit into any box. 95 00:08:50,430 --> 00:08:54,030 So we couldn't be defined on how to deal with it. 96 00:08:54,030 --> 00:08:58,980 We had to just disinfect cleaning with cabins and things like that. 97 00:08:58,980 --> 00:09:06,960 We wanted to be very careful for ourselves and also our customers. So we did up that even without being told exactly how to do that. 98 00:09:06,960 --> 00:09:11,490 So we had to change some things there. So that added some expense, which was worth it. 99 00:09:11,490 --> 00:09:16,320 But, you know, the people came. But again, we had to change the way we got them there. 100 00:09:16,320 --> 00:09:21,540 We had to change the way we shuttle them there. And they didn't want to use our equipment. 101 00:09:21,540 --> 00:09:26,370 They wanted to bring our own. So that brought in less dollars but increased our overhead. 102 00:09:26,370 --> 00:09:31,380 I needed more people to be able to accommodate. So it was odd. 103 00:09:31,380 --> 00:09:38,820 And in the beginning, for the first couple of months, there was nothing. And then once we got into it and reservations were being made, 104 00:09:38,820 --> 00:09:43,860 our reservation policy couldn't stand the way it had before so people could break reservations. 105 00:09:43,860 --> 00:09:49,410 And all they had to say was, we have covid and there wasn't a whole lot I could do to hold them to that. 106 00:09:49,410 --> 00:09:55,410 So it was kind of a double edged sword with that. It was a difficult but also it was a good year. 107 00:09:55,410 --> 00:10:01,230 So it's really one of those really difficult things to pinpoint. 108 00:10:01,230 --> 00:10:04,770 I think of you during that time is almost being like a sanctuary, you know, 109 00:10:04,770 --> 00:10:08,850 people were allowed to move around by this point, but there was this social distancing. 110 00:10:08,850 --> 00:10:14,970 And so the governor had come out and encouraged people to go fish and to kind of be in the outdoors. 111 00:10:14,970 --> 00:10:20,190 So people were taking advantage of that because you have the primitive camping, they can be spaced out. 112 00:10:20,190 --> 00:10:23,880 You have the RV. People can be in their own places and cabins there. 113 00:10:23,880 --> 00:10:31,100 They're individualized. And so they didn't have to be near anybody and put absolutely social distance. 114 00:10:31,100 --> 00:10:35,480 Well, I don't know if everyone heard that phone call, but you know how it is with businesses, we take it as we go. 115 00:10:35,480 --> 00:10:36,590 So anyway, we're back. 116 00:10:36,590 --> 00:10:44,210 And I was just telling Jen that one of the things I wanted to talk about was staffing, because as you can see on the property like this, 117 00:10:44,210 --> 00:10:52,720 it takes a great team to be able to really accomplish the number of campsites and cabins, 118 00:10:52,720 --> 00:10:57,180 keep the property up and also keep the customers happy. 119 00:10:57,180 --> 00:11:04,130 So I was just going to ask Jen, I'm sure over the last four years you have seen your share of staffing challenges, 120 00:11:04,130 --> 00:11:09,080 but also kind of what happens when you find good staff, because I think that's what you've got this year. 121 00:11:09,080 --> 00:11:17,840 Yes, definitely. So I have amazing friends also who come in and help holiday weekends. 122 00:11:17,840 --> 00:11:25,640 You can never have enough people. Lots of times friends come in and help and they hang out and they stay and everybody chips in. 123 00:11:25,640 --> 00:11:32,960 But I have been very fortunate to have a great staff for the past couple of years, actually. 124 00:11:32,960 --> 00:11:42,020 So I have some returning people. They are amazing. So they know what's going on and they kind of help the new guys out, but it can be challenging. 125 00:11:42,020 --> 00:11:47,180 There was a time when I was like, what are we going to do this year for people? 126 00:11:47,180 --> 00:11:54,710 But I've been very blessed with that. This is one of those seasonal businesses where nobody really wants to work for only five and a 127 00:11:54,710 --> 00:12:00,520 half months a year unless they're really young or really not that dependable in most cases. 128 00:12:00,520 --> 00:12:06,050 So it can be challenging, but I have been able to find some really great people. 129 00:12:06,050 --> 00:12:14,450 So this is just one of those businesses where you either get really good ones or maybe sometimes you don't get really good ones. 130 00:12:14,450 --> 00:12:19,370 And I've had those too. And that can create a challenge. And you have to be very careful. 131 00:12:19,370 --> 00:12:24,050 It's a very fine balance because you need bodies. 132 00:12:24,050 --> 00:12:27,720 That is something you need. You need people to work. You need them to lift. 133 00:12:27,720 --> 00:12:31,940 You need to sweat. You need them to do things most people don't want to do. 134 00:12:31,940 --> 00:12:38,060 But you also need them to be good with customers and you need your customers to feel safe and want to be around them, 135 00:12:38,060 --> 00:12:42,860 you know, and trust them to get them off the water safely, too. 136 00:12:42,860 --> 00:12:48,020 So it is challenging, but I have I have great people that work for me. 137 00:12:48,020 --> 00:12:56,570 And you talked about like the younger group, which I think, you know, once you find the younger people that can help you, 138 00:12:56,570 --> 00:13:04,970 I would think that that's something that you you really want in this business, because, let's face it, they're they're the ones that interact. 139 00:13:04,970 --> 00:13:11,540 And there's a lot of younger people. But also they will be the ones that hopefully stay with you for a couple of seasons so you don't have to retrain. 140 00:13:11,540 --> 00:13:17,960 Right. Right. And I think it's fun for them until they figure out that it's every weekend. 141 00:13:17,960 --> 00:13:22,520 So there's the downfall of that. But yeah. Yeah, you need them. 142 00:13:22,520 --> 00:13:28,790 You need them young for a couple of reasons. It's hot, it's intensive, it's backbreaking at times. 143 00:13:28,790 --> 00:13:34,670 But then it's also a lot of fun. They're going to get to be around a lot of people their age might be a little bit older. 144 00:13:34,670 --> 00:13:40,580 They're going to have a lot of experiences, sometimes comical, sometimes not great. 145 00:13:40,580 --> 00:13:45,200 But it's you know, it is a lot of fun and it is challenging at times. 146 00:13:45,200 --> 00:13:49,760 But it's a good overall experience, especially for the younger kids, too. 147 00:13:49,760 --> 00:13:53,450 Yeah. And what a great way to give them customer service experience also. 148 00:13:53,450 --> 00:14:02,210 And also some conflict management. I'm sure. You know, let's face it, there are some challenges with patrons at times. 149 00:14:02,210 --> 00:14:10,130 And so they get to learn early on with your help and, of course, leadership of how to manage some of those situations. 150 00:14:10,130 --> 00:14:13,640 I can really see it being a little scary in the beginning. 151 00:14:13,640 --> 00:14:15,110 But by the end of the season, I mean, 152 00:14:15,110 --> 00:14:25,790 even simple things like backing up trailers or or how to help people that maybe are no longer able to walk off their canoes from the water, 153 00:14:25,790 --> 00:14:37,160 how to be graceful in helping them along. And so, yes, it is a you have a very unique opportunity to help again in those customer service areas. 154 00:14:37,160 --> 00:14:41,600 But you did also say something about your friends coming and your family being there. 155 00:14:41,600 --> 00:14:49,500 And so I think one of the things that strikes me about this business, if you own it, is you have to want to live it. 156 00:14:49,500 --> 00:14:57,170 I mean, this is a lifestyle. It is not just - it really is not something you can just manage from afar. 157 00:14:57,170 --> 00:15:05,510 You really have to kind of live it. Is that true? Definitely. You have to be married to it, be a better a better word for it. 158 00:15:05,510 --> 00:15:13,010 It's not one business. It's four. It could really be five it if you had to go there with it. You're going to have to be an owner. 159 00:15:13,010 --> 00:15:16,280 One, you're going to have to run a store. 160 00:15:16,280 --> 00:15:21,710 There's one, you're going to have cabins, you're going to have camping, you're going to have an outfitter service. 161 00:15:21,710 --> 00:15:27,890 So it's not one business, it's all of those rolled into one. And it's it's a lot. 162 00:15:27,890 --> 00:15:37,790 But it's very rewarding. It's more rewarding. And challenging most of the time, but again, if you have great people, it is a really great experience. 163 00:15:37,790 --> 00:15:42,290 But yes, it's a 24/7, 365. 164 00:15:42,290 --> 00:15:45,980 You know, there is off season, but there's not really off season. 165 00:15:45,980 --> 00:15:54,560 So you might not be taking people to a river and you might not be cleaning rafts and you might not be cleaning cabins, 166 00:15:54,560 --> 00:16:01,040 but you are definitely making repairs and preparing for that next year because when you're in the season, 167 00:16:01,040 --> 00:16:06,110 you don't have a whole lot of time to do much of anything but take care of things as they come. 168 00:16:06,110 --> 00:16:08,480 There are surprises every day. 169 00:16:08,480 --> 00:16:21,320 So, yeah, it's something that you need to go into with a full team in place and then have an idea of where you're going from their support systems, 170 00:16:21,320 --> 00:16:28,310 extra referrals and, you know, things that that if something comes up, you know how to get that taken care of. 171 00:16:28,310 --> 00:16:32,990 As we talked about that, I was just thinking this coming up is going to be the big weekend. 172 00:16:32,990 --> 00:16:34,250 If I could guess, 173 00:16:34,250 --> 00:16:39,560 this is probably the biggest weekend of the outfitters in the middle of summer, or at least one of them, because it's a major holiday. 174 00:16:39,560 --> 00:16:41,420 We're coming up on the fourth. Yeah. 175 00:16:41,420 --> 00:16:49,520 So I know your staff and you have been preparing all week for what is going to be a really great weekend, actually. 176 00:16:49,520 --> 00:16:55,130 So if you would just kind of briefly talk about what this weekend may look like for you and your staff. 177 00:16:55,130 --> 00:17:04,190 I mean, I'm guessing you're talking 15 hour days for the next three days, at least, maybe longer. 178 00:17:04,190 --> 00:17:11,540 So we will probably I mean, I think it's looking like something around starting at 5:00 or 6:00 am this weekend, 179 00:17:11,540 --> 00:17:17,510 and we might not come off the river to around 10 or 11. So we might be on a little bit longer. 180 00:17:17,510 --> 00:17:21,230 So, yeah, it's going to be a busy weekend, but it should be fun. 181 00:17:21,230 --> 00:17:26,660 The main goal for the weekend, though, is everybody has fun and everybody comes off the water safe. 182 00:17:26,660 --> 00:17:32,510 So that's our job. And then maybe somewhere on Monday we'll be relaxing somewhere. 183 00:17:32,510 --> 00:17:40,730 This is the hope when everybody else is headed home. So, yeah, yeah, it'll be I mean, and it's all hands on deck, all the staff, 184 00:17:40,730 --> 00:17:46,010 which you have a real tight crew this year, which is great to see you and all your friends. 185 00:17:46,010 --> 00:17:51,470 Full disclosure to the audience, including me and Joey and my husband and all that. 186 00:17:51,470 --> 00:17:57,320 I mean, we will be close by. And so anything that they need during this weekend, because it is also remote. 187 00:17:57,320 --> 00:18:02,150 I mean, we are, you know, fifteen, twenty minutes from town in either direction. 188 00:18:02,150 --> 00:18:07,370 And so really, it's just, you know, even logistically just that it's like, I've got to do this. 189 00:18:07,370 --> 00:18:12,830 Can you please just go run and get sunscreen for somebody because they ran out or something like that? 190 00:18:12,830 --> 00:18:14,930 I mean, and so it is all hands on deck. 191 00:18:14,930 --> 00:18:20,750 And you do need to have that support system in a business like this because it is so remote and it is very leanly run. 192 00:18:20,750 --> 00:18:27,590 And they are amazing. So I call them all the time and we'll be out there sweating. 193 00:18:27,590 --> 00:18:35,420 They won't be having much fun, so, but it will be great because we all laugh and joke as we continue on and eventually splash each other off the river. 194 00:18:35,420 --> 00:18:41,600 So so as we get to the towards the end of this, I also want to talk about your business from a full circle perspective. 195 00:18:41,600 --> 00:18:49,520 So four years ago, you purchased it as an active business. And I just found out that you also now have it listed to sell. 196 00:18:49,520 --> 00:18:53,960 And so I guess what I wanted to talk about was some of the things that a 197 00:18:53,960 --> 00:18:58,340 business needs to consider when they are putting their business on the market, 198 00:18:58,340 --> 00:19:05,780 you know, kind of really more the reality of their numbers and what an investor would expect if they're going to purchase. 199 00:19:05,780 --> 00:19:09,530 Because some of those things, I think we forget when we're getting ready to sell our business. 200 00:19:09,530 --> 00:19:13,820 And so, again, if you don't mind talking about really some of the more operational things that people 201 00:19:13,820 --> 00:19:17,180 need to consider if they're getting ready to put their business on the market. 202 00:19:17,180 --> 00:19:24,740 OK, so really just keeping up, you know, just a really good handle on profit and loss numbers. 203 00:19:24,740 --> 00:19:29,660 That's what they're going to look at, what your expenses are, kind of, if you can tell. 204 00:19:29,660 --> 00:19:38,780 So, again, in this business, those change every day. And so being able to kind of forecast what that's going to look like is really hard. 205 00:19:38,780 --> 00:19:44,120 You can't tell what the weather's going to do. You don't know what that's going to look like from year to year, 206 00:19:44,120 --> 00:19:49,430 just really knowing kind of what your overhead kind of what that range is going to be, 207 00:19:49,430 --> 00:19:57,200 where it stays as much as you possibly can, taking out all of the extenuating circumstances that you can't predict. 208 00:19:57,200 --> 00:20:03,290 But really just trying to have a ballpark on expenses, utilities, you know, 209 00:20:03,290 --> 00:20:09,860 where your revenue is coming from, what categories make you the most, what you can cut back on, 210 00:20:09,860 --> 00:20:15,290 what works, what doesn't, what maybe could change, what you would do different, 211 00:20:15,290 --> 00:20:21,710 what you wish you had done, maybe sooner or different things like that. 212 00:20:21,710 --> 00:20:26,240 Those are all questions I've been asked and maybe some things 213 00:20:26,240 --> 00:20:30,590 I had those answers and maybe they caught me a little off guard. So that's some, 214 00:20:30,590 --> 00:20:32,090 Are some of the things I've learned, 215 00:20:32,090 --> 00:20:41,360 at least in this process and maybe some of those questions I didn't know to ask on the front end when I was purchasing, so might be who your buyer is. 216 00:20:41,360 --> 00:20:48,080 That's really been interesting to me. And the housing market right now has really been exceptional. 217 00:20:48,080 --> 00:20:52,790 But for this type of business, maybe it's been a little slower. 218 00:20:52,790 --> 00:20:57,470 And I think it's really more of what we're talking about. You have to be married to it. 219 00:20:57,470 --> 00:21:05,270 And I don't know that there are a whole lot of people ready to just give one hundred and ten percent of their life for this. 220 00:21:05,270 --> 00:21:09,450 You really have to be in a certain season of life for that to be OK. 221 00:21:09,450 --> 00:21:13,670 So, I mean and I appreciate you sharing that because I think, again, 222 00:21:13,670 --> 00:21:18,740 sometimes we forget all the nuances that go that we should consider when 223 00:21:18,740 --> 00:21:23,990 selling to have a realistic chance of selling it for what your expectation is. 224 00:21:23,990 --> 00:21:31,820 And so and not not pretending that, you know, it's maybe worth more or maybe worth less than what you were thinking. 225 00:21:31,820 --> 00:21:37,070 Certainly no one leave any money on the table, but you don't want to price yourself that you can't sell it. 226 00:21:37,070 --> 00:21:44,810 And so that was one of the things that I really wanted to you about, is that fact that you have like a succession plan in mind for this business. 227 00:21:44,810 --> 00:21:50,000 It's like I'm at the point with this business that I would love to 228 00:21:50,000 --> 00:21:53,360 Hand this over to someone who is ready to be married to it and love it. 229 00:21:53,360 --> 00:21:59,690 Like I love it but that you're moving on, but you want to make sure it's in the hands of somebody else. 230 00:21:59,690 --> 00:22:03,860 And so you're looking to sell a business, really look hard into, you know, 231 00:22:03,860 --> 00:22:09,470 just as take as much time into selling it as you did if you bought it or when you started your business. 232 00:22:09,470 --> 00:22:18,770 Because I think Jen will tell you. Right, that it's as it'll get you to that place where, you know, you made the right decision when you move on. 233 00:22:18,770 --> 00:22:26,600 Yeah. It takes as much homework to get rid of it as it has to convince her maybe more work. 234 00:22:26,600 --> 00:22:33,890 Well, and some people just walk away. And that always hurts our feelings when we see businesses just close and we always ask, why didn't they sell it? 235 00:22:33,890 --> 00:22:42,380 And so it's great to see it being going on to another a fifth or sixth owner now or however that how many times it's changed hands. 236 00:22:42,380 --> 00:22:49,580 And yeah, certainly for me, I'm kind of invested. I would love to see this transfer to someone who is just as wonderful as Jen has been. 237 00:22:49,580 --> 00:22:55,220 And so if you are looking to buy a resort, it's beautiful. 238 00:22:55,220 --> 00:23:01,550 Here it is. I love the tagline she created for a paddle at Saddle. I inherited, inherited that. 239 00:23:01,550 --> 00:23:08,870 So I apologize for whoever did that. And I was giving credit to Jen, but if you know her, you would know I would give her credit for that. 240 00:23:08,870 --> 00:23:12,290 But it is a it is a wonderful experience out here as a guest. 241 00:23:12,290 --> 00:23:17,960 And I will say, as challenging as I've seen it be for you, Jen, I think also as an owner, 242 00:23:17,960 --> 00:23:24,420 there is something rewarding when you have guests that just absolutely love this place and you see over and over. 243 00:23:24,420 --> 00:23:29,450 Right. I mean, you have some of those guests that you've seen repeatedly and I don't know, 244 00:23:29,450 --> 00:23:32,490 do you have a story of any of them that may have come here as a visitor? 245 00:23:32,490 --> 00:23:37,970 Maybe you learned that they come and stayed or said, like, I'd like to find a place here or anything like that. 246 00:23:37,970 --> 00:23:41,870 I've had a couple a couple of people that would really love to own it, you know, 247 00:23:41,870 --> 00:23:49,010 but they're like in that place where they can't give it seven days, three sixty five. 248 00:23:49,010 --> 00:23:55,100 And so I tell them all the time, hey, when you get to that point, come and buy it, I'll come and see you. 249 00:23:55,100 --> 00:23:59,180 So I'll definitely be a customer when it's not mine one day. 250 00:23:59,180 --> 00:24:02,900 So as we wrap up, I was going to ask you, is there anything that you would like to share? 251 00:24:02,900 --> 00:24:10,190 So to either potential business owners or people that are maybe wanting to buy a business or getting ready to sell their business? 252 00:24:10,190 --> 00:24:18,770 Any tips that you want to share? I think you just have to get to a place where you decide that whatever it is that you want to do, 253 00:24:18,770 --> 00:24:27,140 you have to be sure that you are not willing to give up until you get to that place because nothing is going to be easy. 254 00:24:27,140 --> 00:24:34,760 If it were easy, if it was easy, we would all own businesses. So you just have to know that they are going to be things that knock you down. 255 00:24:34,760 --> 00:24:38,450 You just have to keep trying. And keep praying 256 00:24:38,450 --> 00:24:42,170 That is the thing that gets me through every single day. 257 00:24:42,170 --> 00:24:43,940 So absolutely. Yeah. 258 00:24:43,940 --> 00:24:51,890 And I will tell you, John's not afraid to ask for help from her friends and she has a surrounded herself with some good support systems, 259 00:24:51,890 --> 00:24:57,500 her neighbors, other businesses. Just being able to work together, 260 00:24:57,500 --> 00:25:02,630 I think has been a saving grace through some of the hard and being able to give 261 00:25:02,630 --> 00:25:06,590 back to them when they have those challenges because she's in a better place. 262 00:25:06,590 --> 00:25:11,570 And I know that she shared with me that how rewarding that is as well. Anyway, we love this place. 263 00:25:11,570 --> 00:25:21,140 I wish you the best on the sale. Until then, I hope you have a fantastic season and hopefully see some of the people that listen to the podcast. 264 00:25:21,140 --> 00:25:25,970 Just if you are listening and you come see Jen, please let her know that you heard the podcast. 265 00:25:25,970 --> 00:25:29,750 I think we would just love I think she would love to know who she reached. 266 00:25:29,750 --> 00:25:35,450 And you can see hi to Hazelle while you're out here, maybe around, thank you again for visiting with us. 267 00:25:35,450 --> 00:25:40,590 We really appreciate it. And thank you all for listening to another episode of Small Business, Big Rural Impact. 268 00:25:40,590 --> 00:25:45,260 And we'll see you in two weeks and talk to you soon. 269 00:25:45,260 --> 00:25:54,080 For more information about this or any Create Briges podcast or more about Create Bridges in Arkansas, 270 00:25:54,080 --> 00:25:57,140 visit uaex.uada.edu/createbirdges. The Create Bridges 271 00:25:57,140 --> 00:26:04,460 Small Business Big Rural Impact podcast is made possible by a Wal-Mart grant to the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, 272 00:26:04,460 --> 00:26:20,664 Cooperative Extension, Community Professional and Economic Development Unit and White River Now Productions.