Options for Women In Business - E26

Marnie Perry, Owner of Top Crate Clothing shares her story, how she conquered cancer, raised 4 children with her husband,  earned her degree while her children were in school, invented a product now licensed, and started a multimillion-dollar business.

You'll hear an honest story, enjoy her humor, and learn how to join a free FB group to connect with other business women and share or learn about business from others.

Search Facebook: Top Crate Clothing to join     Also, check out: Top Crate Retailer VIP Group

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Note: Episode was recorded under the former podcast name of "3Ps in a Pod"

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Transcript

Options for Women In Business

Lenora Turner: Welcome to 3 Peas in a Pod. I'm Lenora your host. This is about purpose, pathways, and perspectives. Today. I have a guest and friend Marnie Perry who owns a business that has grown, uh, quite quickly in the last couple years. And I think you're going to find a lot of really great tips as well as a free group you can join if you're a woman and want to learn about growing your business or have a business and want to just participate. 

It's on Facebook and you can hear about the link several times during the podcast, you can check the podcast notes for that link as well. But please subscribe to this podcast.

[00:00:39] As we bring more interviews to you from fantastic people that are doing great things. So, I hope you enjoy today's podcast. And by the way, Marnie at one point talks about, because she has a clothing business using kids in her cul-de-sac as models and stuff. I want to make sure you know that she paid those young people, every one of them.

[00:00:59] So she doesn't mention that at the time, but I want to make sure, you know, and enjoy the episode.

[00:01:04] I have Marnie Perry, a long-time friend of mine and amazing businesswoman on this episode.

[00:01:18] So welcome, Marnie. I can't wait to get started. 

[00:01:21] Marnie Perry: Yay, thank you so much. I'm so excited to be here. 

[00:01:24] Lenora Turner: It's fun, we have a lot of fun talking in general. So hopefully we don't get into too many of our past family stories or whatever. 

[00:01:31] Marnie Perry: Yeah. Lots of family stories. 

[00:01:33] Lenora Turner: No kidding.  We even had some vacations together years ago.

[00:01:35] But Marnie, for the sake of this podcast, we're talking a bit about your background, how you started your own business and how it's grown. And you also have a passion to help other women with options for, for how to do business and, and quite a few things that are just fascinating to me.

[00:01:53] So we talked about recording this and I'm very glad this day is here. So tell people a little bit about Marnie. 

[00:02:00] Marnie Perry: Okay, well, first of all, thank you for letting me come Lenora. This is going to be just so much fun. Well, I raised four kids and during those years when I raised my kids, I was able to have a little bit of a side job and took the kids to the health club with me.

[00:02:13] And I got to bring them with me, work a little bit and then go home with them. And I really valued the fact that I had another company that allowed me to bring my kids and I still was able to work a little bit. So. Cause I stayed at home with all the kids most of the time, except when we were at the health club.

[00:02:27] And so I was really grateful for that. And so I had a vision of just really wanting something like that someday for my own children that have that value of being able to have an opportunity to stay at home. But then also be able to do something on the side, if that's what they desired, whether it's, you know, working or having a project or doing something to actually help with the income coming in.

[00:02:45] And so over all those years, I did that for a long time, but then I actually came out of the health club and I opened up my own personal training studio in my home, and I ended up getting cancer. And so when I got cancer, it threw me, as it would anybody who… 

[00:03:01] Lenora Turner: How old were your kids? Remind me of how old the kids were.

[00:03:04] Marnie Perry: The kids were one and a half and then three and a half, Five and a half and seven and a half

[00:03:13] Lenora Turner: I forgot they were so little.

[00:03:13] I was 31 at the time. And, I was like, how did I get, how did I get cancer at my tip-top shape? And I did all the things to try to help people to eat well and exercise, like what happened?  So after all the treatment and everything, I was like, you know what? I need to figure this out because I can't get sick again.

[00:03:29] I have kids. I want to stay healthy. And I thought I'm going to take myself to school. So I found an online school and then for six years I studied while the kids were in school and studied everything natural health, like trying to figure out mind, body, spirit, like what happened to the body? What was the breakdown?

[00:03:44] And just trying to understand my health and making sure that I stay healthy and well, I was already interested in that topic anyway. So it was like a perfect kind of fell right into it. Well, during that time I was taking herbs and supplements. Oh my gosh, weird things. I was taking. Things, I don't know what they were, but anyway, and I flew around to like Spokane, Washington.

[00:04:07] I flew places to different naturopaths trying to get well, cleanses, just all these different modalities that people do. And so I just was searching everything I could to stay well. And so that my body could stay strong in the immune system. So I did that and then ended up getting my degree. But during that time, I'm like, I'm taking these herbs, so I need something to hold them in.

[00:04:26] And I'm like, yeah. And I'm like, I am not going to use a pill box. Because I feel old and it makes me sick. Feel like I'm sick, I'm not sick. 

[00:04:34] Lenora Turner: They're big, they're clunky. 

[00:04:35] Marnie Perry: Yeah, they are clunky. And they break open and they're just long. And, and I thought, you know, I'm gonna invent something that promotes health instead of “I am sick, I gotta take some pills.”

[00:04:45] So I thought I'm going to do something. I called it the Wellness Travel Pack. So then I designed it and just, you know, when the kids were at school. I drew it on a napkin in the airport. I drew a picture of what I thought would be cool.

[00:05:02] And so long story short, my brother is a medical engineer and had contacts in China, the factory. And so he hooked me up. I got this bag made, we took it to market and we learned a lot, spent a lot of money and made a lot of mistakes. And I had so much fun, even though there were mistakes, we had the best time doing it.

[00:05:23] Lenora Turner: I remember seeing it and thinking what a simple but amazing idea. 

[00:05:27] Marnie Perry: You know, it was so simple. It was so simple. It was just a little bag and it had a little baby binder in there. And I made custom the custom Ziploc bags that fit for AM PM or just for herbs, and for protein powders and all that. 

[00:05:41] Lenora Turner: I remember when you rolled it up, it could be small or large based on how much stuff you had.

[00:05:46] I absolutely remember it. Cause I went, I really like this.

[00:05:50] Marnie Perry: Yes, and so, I mean, I, we went to trade shows. Oh my gosh, it was so fun, Tom. And I would suitcases full of these bags traveling to the trade shows, had a great time. But then, you know, after doing this whole thing, I just really realized with my focus being on health and wellness, but then all of a sudden, I was like, you know what, I love product development. 

[00:06:10] Lenora Turner: Like development?

[00:06:11] Marnie Perry: Yeah. And I was like, this is so fun. And we have so much like information on the internet now. I mean, this was in 2008, so it was still a while ago. And I was like, I can't believe I can sell stuff when I'm sleeping. What's happening? And I'm at home with my kids. 

[00:06:26] Lenora Turner: And you know what people need to know you are such a devoted mom. You are so you are so passionate about, Oh my gosh, passionate about your kids. So involved, always you and your husband, such a family-focused couple. 

[00:06:39] Marnie Perry: Thank you. Love our kids and our friends' kids. Don't we?

[00:06:43] Lenora Turner:  Yes. But I also want to say, I think people sometimes feel like you kind of do one or the other, maybe not so much anymore, but to know you're such a devoted mom.

[00:06:52] And yet you're so creative and what you've done to find ways and become and that business entrepreneur and things that I went. I didn't even want to, I mean, I heard about them didn't occur to me. And for you to say, Oh, that's so fun to do product development. I got to say, not everyone thinks that's fun. 

[00:07:11] Marnie Perry: You know what I think you're right. I think you're right about that. And I,

[00:07:13] Lenora Turner: Ha ha, I know I am. 

[00:07:15] Marnie Perry: I almost, it's funny. Cause when you think that you think everyone thinks that. But you're right, I think you're right about that. I think we have entrepreneurs that align in our family. I mean, my dad was a businessman. I mean, uncles, aunts. And so I feel like, you know, sometimes those things are in you, that desire. 

[00:07:30] Lenora Turner: Yeah you've seen it, your own desire.

[00:07:31] Marnie Perry: Got it. Yep. Yep. And I've always, I think since I've been young, I've always wanted to work for myself, but you know, you don't always know what you're going to do. Right. But, and I, and I'm such a, like you said, I really just like you believe in family and if I can do anything to help my kids to be better than I am, that's what the goal is.

[00:07:48] And, you know, in kids, they do fall in suit with what you as a parent do. They have a lot of your same talents and gifts in different ways and sometimes way better. And so, and  the kids were all interested in what I was doing during that time at home working. So they were teenagers by the time we were shipping bags out from the house and they loved it.

[00:08:07] Lenora Turner: Yeah. Do you remember us joking about a QVC contract if you got that, but that you can sell it with me? Yes, I would love to. 

[00:08:14] Marnie Perry:  Yes, yes, yes, I know. And then I did, I did get the HSM one. And so the home shopping network, they flew me down to Florida and I was really hoping Lenora because we would have had a great time.

[00:08:23] Lenora Turner: I know, dang it!

[00:08:26] But it was so fun. You never know. But anyway, so, but the bank got to be to the point where, like I realized I just saw opportunity online and, on the internet, how I just loved that concept of going to sleep and things were selling. And I just thought that is so cool. How lucky are we that we live in a time when we can have literally a store online?

[00:08:45] You don't have to have rent of a big building. You can actually just have your own house in a store and make some money while you're at home. 

[00:08:52] Lenora Turner: That's where you started. 

[00:08:54] Marnie Perry: Yeah, and, but I always never can do anything tiny. I always have to have big things.  

[00:08:58] Lenora Turner: You think bigger and bigger and bigger., 

[00:08:59] Marnie Perry: But there's some people who would just want to keep it small and that's fine too.

[00:09:03] I have to go with, like, what is your, what is your thing? Do you want it big or do you want it small? And so we just started selling more things online. I actually got the big license through another company. Cause I felt like I was going in a different direction, more towards fashion. I liked clothes and I thought, well, I want to sell clothes.

[00:09:21] Because then you get to have samples of the clothes and you can wear it. 

[00:09:25] Lenora Turner: There is a good goal there. 

[00:09:27] Marnie Perry: Yeah. And so I recruited all the neighborhood children for you know, for modeling in the cul-de-sac. It was great. And I learned how to put them online and sell them on little, you know, third-party marketplaces online.

[00:09:38] We sold product from the house and all my kids shipped all through their teen years. And it grew so much where every, every time one kid left, because they're getting older now, they're all leaving to college. Their closet would fill with clothes and socks that we sold. 

[00:09:54] Lenora Turner: And their rooms became stores, stores.

[00:09:57] Marnie Perry:  Pretty much.

[00:09:57] And it was kind of kind of getting a little old

[00:10:01] There were socks and clothes everywhere. So, and they weren't mine, but, you know, so yeah, so we just. You know, and I just, it just opened up so much for me is, you know, there are so many women and friends that I had when I was younger that if there is an opportunity nowadays, to be able to stay home, do what you love. If you have that entrepreneur in you, there is a way to do it and anybody can do it if they want to.

[00:10:26] And there are tools out there and I have such a passion to share with our, we have a group of over 30,000 retailers that sell our product. And we have a special group that has nothing to do with selling. It has everything to do with helping each other build our businesses and some of them are really small and some of them have several brick-and-mortar stores that are a little chain.

[00:10:48] So we have all these people that get together and share business tips and support each other. And that's really what my biggest goal is. And I love selling, and I think it's so fun and and doing all the things online. But I think that the biggest thing for me, my passion is to see other people succeed and also you know, it's been really fun because now as years have gone by, I think we're in our fifth year of business.  I have all the in-law kids that work here, every single one of them. 

[00:11:12] Lenora Turner: Yeah. Because three of your, yeah, three of your kids are married. 

[00:11:15] Marnie Perry: Three of us, so three of my daughters-in-law all work here.

[00:11:19] And then I also have my son-in-law and my son. Oh, another son of mine and the other two boys are in the medical field. So, but they're always here helping at some point. 

[00:11:27] Lenora Turner: It sounds like you have seven kids, but I know that I understand how this connects.

[00:11:30] Marnie Perry:  It really does sound like I have a lot. Sometimes I wonder. I see everybody at the house and like, this is a lot of people anyway, 

[00:11:39] Lenora Turner: It's those grand babies you have now.

[00:11:41] Marnie Perry: Yeah. And so, and we, and I grew up in a family business and so I just so believe in family and friends and business. And it's not just about the families about other people too. And being able to be an environment where people love coming to work. I mean, 

[00:11:55] Lenora Turner: Well, you were in your house was one where people just love coming to your house. Cause you guys had parties and you're just so focused and everyone feels so welcome. So.

[00:12:03] Marnie Perry: Thanks, you know, there was a reason so that to make sure my kids weren't being naughty somewhere else. 

[00:12:09] Lenora Turner: Hey, I loved the birthday parties. That's why I did certain birthday parties. One time a neighbor said, “Oh, I feel sorry for you Lenora, it's like, they're abusing you. They come to your house all the time.” And I'm going. No, I like them at my house. 

[00:12:20] Marnie Perry: Yeah, exactly. You like it. You can watch your kids. Make sure you know what's going on. So I just feel like, you know we just really went in a nice direction of business and my daughter, she got involved a couple of years ago and wow.

[00:12:36] It has been fun to watch her bring on another brand for the company. And it has tripled in a year and because she's so talented, you know? These kids, these young people know how to use all the things that you need to know to sell online. I mean, if that's their interest, I mean, they're so aware with Instagram and Facebook marketing and Google ads and just different ways that there was never available before.

[00:13:00] And here's, we really believe that if anybody wants to make money from home at the beginning or whatever, they can do it, it's not hard. We have all the tools, and we'd love to help. 

[00:13:10] Lenora Turner: Wow. So how would they get, what would they start if, I mean, get connected with you? You mentioned the group. Is that something they can join? And where is it? 

[00:13:17] Marnie Perry: Yeah, the groups on Facebook. So it's Top Crate Retailer, VIP Group.

[00:13:25] Lenora Turner: I'll make sure that the link is in the podcast notes then. 

[00:13:28] Marnie Perry: Oh, perfect. 

[00:13:29] Yeah. And so they can go on there and we're all, everybody's constantly talking to each other and asking like, how do you do this? What's the best way to market? How do you start? Where do you source things? How do you begin? How do you brand? We talk about branding. We talk about how to begin small it's important and staying focused. We talk so much just about bringing a product to market and that's the place to go to ask. 

[00:13:52] Lenora Turner: Cause you guys now have your facility and you're going to be expanding. And you have how many employees now? 

[00:13:58] Marnie Perry: Right now, we went from just in the last year, we went from five employees, so we have like 25 employees now. 

[00:14:03] Lenora Turner: That's a lot of growth in a year. 

[00:14:05] Marnie Perry: It is. And we have the neatest team. I mean, they, these people are passionate and work hard and have incredible work ethics, but you know, that's not always hard to find.

[00:14:16] Lenora Turner: It's easy to find you mean? 

[00:14:16] Marnie Perry: Easy to find. Sorry, easy. That's not always easy to find. Yeah. It's not. Yeah. So we're really grateful. We have a wonderful team that works here. 

[00:14:25] Lenora Turner: Wow. Wow. So , what do you think were some of the biggest eye-openers for you and things kind of key things you learned that allowed you to grow?

[00:14:34] I know you grew up in a family where you saw someone do business, you got that. It helps when you're around, something like that. And that's how other people that haven't been around that can gain more confidence is by being in a group or being around people who are doing it and they can catch that vision.

[00:14:49] But for you, you did have some of that in your background. How, what, what were the biggest either challenges or eye-openers when you were first starting? 

[00:14:57] Marnie Perry: When I first started, I think I was like more so like, how do I do this? How do I market?  Cause marketing like, how do you do all that? And so I just, you know, between all the YouTube, with all the tutorials they have on there, I just kinda pioneered through the whole thing.

[00:15:11] And, and I taught myself how to do things, watched other companies. I mean, I was literally you know, kids would go to sleep. I was just on the phone looking and, on the computer, constantly looking at new product types and trying to find what to bring to product, how to do it. How do you, I mean, there's so much detail involved in it and it's.

[00:15:29] There's so much information on the internet, but it's nice when you can find a place like in our group where it's all in one spot. Cause it took a lot of years for me to, you know, to actually get a good rhythm going. I feel like a lot of years for me. And I guess I'm saying that in comparison to my daughter.

[00:15:46] So my daughter came into the business and I was able to say, Hey Kayla, this is how I did it. This is what the mistakes I made. So now you don't have to. So go do it. And she, and it worked, it worked because she didn't have to do all the things that I did to make mistakes. Cause she just, all the information was right there.

[00:16:01] And then she also knew some more things because of her background. So it was just a perfect movement. But I think that you know, the biggest thing is stay focused. Stay focused. Don't get too distracted by a whole bunch of things. Stay when you find the one item or the one focus, stay there. Cause you can start building and making money from all different places, but if you don't stay focused, you're never going to be excellent at one thing. And I think that my biggest challenge. Cause I think everything is so fun. 

[00:16:29] Lenora Turner: Oh my gosh. Sadly, I can relate. It's like squirrel the thing about even that movie where you're like, Oh, I can be distracted. Cause that's interesting too. That's fascinating. Oh my gosh. 

[00:16:39] Marnie Perry: I know. And, and you know, on the internet, I can sell that piece of jewelry; oh no, those shoes are so cute. Oh. But that sweater, you know, we have to be careful, like what is the focus? And you know, the one thing that my daughter was, she focused. It was neat.

[00:16:50] She was able to focus on one thing. And because of that one thing, she saw a need that wasn't being met in the market and she decided to meet it and used and stayed focused. Even though it may not have been her favorite. Like sometimes we have to, we sometimes as entrepreneurs, we make money in things we won't even use, but other people want them.

[00:17:12] So it's interesting. Like a lot of the things that we sold, I didn't have, it's nothing that would maybe some of it wouldn't even be my style. Not all of it, but a lot of it is not, but it doesn't matter cause you do what the market needs, but you have to stay focused on your people and on your customers and what they want.

[00:17:26] They might not have the same styles as you, but you figure out what they want and give it to, and that's the hard part to get. That's actually hard to know. It was get to know your customers.    

[00:17:33] Lenora Turner: Okay. How tell a little bit how you do that. Cause I know you are very much a people person, you connect very directly as a friend, right?

[00:17:40] You have a genuine interest. And, and let me just talk, I mean, so how do you, how do you do that with your customers? 

[00:17:47] Marnie Perry: Well, I think, you know, that was probably my biggest and you know, how they always say, when you're saying, we'll get to know, just get to know your customers, make sure you know your customers. And you're like, well, how do you know them if you don't have any, like, how do you know them?

[00:17:59] What had happened is I was able to tap into a third-party marketplace and started to get to test. I got to test some product on a third-party seller. The third-party seller, they knew their market. They knew their people. They knew their customer. And all of a sudden, I started selling a certain product to those people who have all of a sudden, I know their customer because someone else already figured it out.

[00:18:21] And that is an excellent way to start to get to know your customers. And then when you're starting is to sell on third-party seller sites now because they have their market already focused, you get to piggyback off of their marketing before you are able to build your own brand. And while you're building your brand, I should say. Cause the party just set up an, you know, set up a website and then be able to say, I hope people come.

[00:18:42] Lenora Turner: Oh my gosh. Yeah. 

[00:18:43] Marnie Perry: Yeah. So that was one thing I did, right. Was the third-party selling. I feel like, cause I mean, there's a lot of mistakes I made as well, but that was one thing I did right. But I didn't know I was doing that. I didn't even know that was a cool thing to do. 

[00:18:56] Lenora Turner: You just start doing stuff, you just go, well, I'll try this, and I'll try this with the focus of what you wanted to do in general and because you tested things out and you've never been afraid to just start and try. And I think, I think, cause I'll sit there and go, wow. I mean, I have stuff I do in my arena, but I look at you and go. Wow. How'd you know how to do that? You know, how'd you have the courage to do that? 

[00:19:16] Marnie Perry: You know, it interests me, it gives you a lot of anxiety at times, but risks. I mean, I don't know.

[00:19:24] I think that it's just in me to, and I am a risk taker and that can be a good thing that can also not be a good thing. So you have to really find your balance in that risk taking. Making sure it's as a safe risk, as much as you can. And there's times where, you do have to be able to take a risk.

[00:19:39] And you know, when I, when I first started, , I literally didn't work for many years. 

[00:19:44] I hadn't worked probably for 10 years prior to me doing the online company. 

[00:19:48] Lenora Turner: But you did work when you say work, you mean work in a business versus raising four kids, baby, you worked. Yeah. 

[00:19:54] Marnie Perry: Yeah, exactly. You're right outside of the home. I didn't work so I feel like there's a lot I've had to learn. I've had to learn so much. I mean, even just managing people, I mean, it's one thing managing your household. , I feel like that comes natural because it's just, you have to do you have kids, but managing people that's, that's a lot to do. And I, and I had, I've had a lot of, you know, really looking deep as to gosh, this is not easy.

[00:20:16] Lenora Turner:  Oh, it's so many things. It's communication skills, it's building norms. In fact, you have to start with, how do you outline your role, and do you communicate from the interview stage, what your expectations are in various ways and making sure it's a good fit from the start and yet when you're growing and if you're growing fast, that's a challenge to do. 

[00:20:33] Marnie Perry: It is because you're in it full force and you maybe hadn't put all those different policies in place yet. So it's sometimes you'd be careful, it's easy to get taken advantage of and walked on if you don't start and put your rules down first, like you said, you got to make sure you got rules, but also have it be fun.

[00:20:47] There's a balance. But that's probably my biggest challenge in general was actually learning how to handle, you know, employees that don't show up. 

[00:20:55] Lenora Turner: Yes that's the difficulty. Cause you're like the work did show up. 

[00:21:00] Marnie Perry: Hold on, hold on. Yeah, I know. In fact, Lenora we have a friend of mine well, actually she's my, she's my friend. She's my sister-in-law. And she works with me and we were both like, we need to write a book on all the excuses employees give. And we at first, you know what, you should probably write it with us because you have such a good sense of humor, of all the excuses. And we've been taking notes of all the texts that I get, and then they text you, which is so funny.

[00:21:26] It's about us learning, how to handle those things and becoming better at it.  We don't have it as much anymore, actually, because we've gotten better at it.

[00:21:34] Lenora Turner:  Now emergencies come up, things come up. But, but there's the thing of, okay, here's the basic expectations. And sometimes they come out of whatever their family was.  It's a journey for a young person too. And so then coming together and go on it's just, it's a lot of, it's a lot of things, actually. 

[00:21:51] Marnie Perry: You know, it is a lot of things. No, my husband has ran a company, , our family business. , and he now has his own business and has done that.

[00:21:57] He's always said this, and I always thought it was smart is that employers always take over where the parents left off. And I thought isn't that true? So however good the parents did. 

[00:22:12] Lenora Turner: Well, you know, I heard this comment years ago and it, I think it was, I forget which course I used to teach because I've taught a lot of employees.

[00:22:19] And one of 'em was, how do you teach your people to have such great customer service skills, such great people skills? And the answer was their parents taught them that we train them there, their job, but the people, the respect for people, the certain principles that come with any great success, he said, well, their family taught them that we just teach them this. We just hire those people. 

[00:22:46] Marnie Perry: It's really true, and I think that's really smart. I think we've I feel like it's absolutely true. There are some things you can train and there's somethings you just can't. You know, unless the person is willing to try and change. And we've definitely had that. We've had some people come in here where it has just been rough, and they actually chose to want to change and do things that they've never done before.

[00:23:06] And amazingly they've been here for like some of them over a year. So it's pretty cool when they, we could have booted them out real fast, but that's the one thing I think that having our small business has been the biggest blessing for us is that we give people chances. Because I always believe people can change.

[00:23:22] I get shocked when people don't want to change. I am like, Oh, okay. But I really believe people can change. I believe that if they want to, they can become better and be really excellent at what they do. And that's the kind of chance we want to give. And we've had a lot of young people work here, like literally between the ages of 16 to, we have between ages right now, 16 to like 50.

[00:23:41] But but in the beginning we had a lot of young people. And they, and we, I love giving them a chance to be able to do responsible things that they've never had to do. And it's fun to watch actually, and to see them grow and become better, so. 

[00:23:54] Lenora Turner: I'm a huge fan of that I have for years been involved with that type of work. So I am. 

[00:23:59] Marnie Perry: That's right, you have. 

[00:24:01] Lenora Turner: It's a mutual thing where it's a two-way street opportunity is a two way street. And, and I've been on both sides of this. Where am I willing to jump in and make the most of the opportunity? I've had to learn so many things to grow in my personal career and fields is so many ways I've had to adapt, to learn, to grow, to change.

[00:24:19] Now, sometimes I've had bosses that are amazing, and I've had some, I went seriously? You know, something. So sometimes either side can be the one that you really wish would make changes. Hmm. And so there's, there's that working through things, but people have amazing potential and sometimes they just don't know what they don't know and they can become Rockstars if they, if they learn the right things, the basic principles of success. 

[00:24:42] Marnie Perry: Absolutely. And I am that kind of person as you are, like, we just want to give those young people a chance to be that Rockstar if that's what they want, because I believe people can do it; I believe people can do anything they want. 

[00:24:52] Lenora Turner: Yeah, absolutely. 

[00:24:54] Marnie Perry: Yeah. That's the one thing my dad always said when I was young, he was like, You know Marnie, what do you want to be? And so I'm like, I would say things like be an Olympic swimmer, you know, he's like, but he actually believed, I could think about that now.

[00:25:08] Like, he's like, well, now Honey, that's what you should be and you should do it. You would like to take swimming lessons?

[00:25:15] And he'd always like set your goals Marnie, make sure you write them down, make sure you check them off. I mean, it was like finish the list, finish the goals and you know, those kinds of things. I'm so grateful for. And I believe that for everyone else too. If they want to do those kinds of things, that there's, they can, and they can be successful and have a good life.

[00:25:35] And honestly, we just got done with the whole week of reviews this week. And what a fun week just to reviewing all the people that worked here some were 90 days, some were one year, some were two years. And they all love coming to work. And honestly, I do too. 

[00:25:52] Lenora Turner: That's a big deal. 

[00:25:53] Marnie Perry: It is. And my sister-in-law too. She's like Marnie, I actually don't dread it.

[00:25:57] I'm like, that's exactly what I, me too. I love it. And so that's a good environment that we want to create, and it's just positive. And because you spend so much time at your job, you got to love it. And if you don't then maybe think about ways that you could try to do something you love. That's what I think.

[00:26:14] If you can do that, I think it's, you can get out. I just don't know, you know, everyone's got their own path, but I believe you should really do what you love because that's where people need you is to be where you're doing something you love. 

[00:26:25] Lenora Turner: Yeah. I, you know, I that's, I love that you said that because I think it's often a process cause for forever, I didn't even know what I was good at. I, I didn't realize how to recognize it. I didn't know how to invest it. And some families are...

[00:26:35] Marnie Perry: Well Lenora, you're so good at everything. 

[00:26:39] Lenora Turner: Well, there's that! That is so not true. 

[00:26:43] Marnie Perry: All I'm saying is when you're so good, like you so good at so many things, sometimes it's hard to know that, and this is true when you are good at many little things. It's hard to know well, which one should I do? 

[00:26:55] Lenora Turner: That's a huge compliment that I will take portions of it, but it is the part of just recognize you. 

[00:27:03] Marnie Perry: I want to be your friend. 

[00:27:04] Lenora Turner: You are. That why I love you so much. You just say such good things about me, but it is a process of going what actually am. And sometimes you have the families that help you really figure that out.

[00:27:15] Cause they see it and they're more savvy on that. Others, they didn't know how to give that. And so you're, it's a beginning discovery at an older age. But if you stay open to you have profound potential promise you more than, you know, and the basic success principles are the same, I think no matter, pretty much, no matter what you do; the basic things. Obviously, integrity, diligence, attention to detail, things that matter, caring about people, respect.

[00:27:40] Those are foundational, no matter what you do. And then there's so many other skills and aptitudes that you begin to discover, what am I really good at? What am I not good at? There are some things I can do, but it's like, Dude, I'm three times slower than, than you at this. I can do it, but that's not a good use of your money. Let me do that, because that I can do three times faster than you. 

[00:28:03] Marnie Perry: Yes. That's good. 

[00:28:04] Lenora Turner: So it's been a process. That's been a process of figuring out. 

[00:28:07] Marnie Perry: I know, I think it is a process.  And it's funny because I have always been into health and fitness and now, I'm selling t-shirts online. I don't know. And I'm designing the t-shirts.

[00:28:20] I don't design. I can barely draw a stick figure, but I'm telling you those, all of the programs online make you look really cool. And like you can do stuff. 

[00:28:32] Lenora Turner: Plus, I think that when sometimes you do things, because it was like, it was years of doing various types of work. And then I remember at one organization, 15 years later, because that's how old I am. I'm talking about chunks of time. Like, 15-year spans, but I remember doing something. It was like, I would've never dreamed I was doing that. When I started doing stuff on stage and performance, it was like, yeah, I would've never dreamt that was in me. And it ended up being something I love once I got past the sheer terror of it at the beginning. Oh my God. Well, and it was like, it became something very fun, but had I not invested in trying things and being willing to make mistakes and go, maybe it'll work. Maybe it won't. I figured out stuff. I went eh, I don't love. And other things I went, Oh my gosh, I had no idea that this would be something I'd love.

[00:29:18] So it's about a process a time and just keep checking things out, keep discovering. Cause that I think eventually I was like, you know what? I want to get paid, doing what I really think I am good at, but that was a process. I think sometimes we expect that out the gate instead of realizing no, just, just get good, pay your bills, get good at being an excellent person and then discovering your aptitudes and invest in yourself.

[00:29:42] And then it's amazing what he can do. If you'll   be around people that will help you believe in your potential. 

[00:29:47] Marnie Perry: , I, and that's, I think key is being around people, constantly put yourself around people that make you grow and become a better person. And also, there's so many tools out there.

[00:29:56] Grab the tools, grab the education, grab the books, grab the podcasts, whatever, to learn and grow because there's so many tools out there. So I really believe it's people who you surround yourself with and the tools and the investment in yourself to learn. 

[00:30:11] Lenora Turner: Absolutely. So again, as we wrap up, tell, okay, when could you said this is a no-cost group where people can come and learn right now? That's amazing. 

[00:30:19] Marnie Perry: Yeah. There's a lot of material on there. So you have to scroll down and see like posts and we always do challenge, like little questions, like during the week, like, "Where have you guys seen the most success, this was one of them just recently in your, for your online marketing?'

[00:30:31] Cause that's huge. Everyone that we sell to. Even though some of them have brick and mortar stores, probably 70% of them sell online as well. So we say, Hey, how, what do you guys get your most marketing out of? And then, so then all these people just answer, and everyone's got the best answers because, and there's brand new companies and there's been real seasoned companies.

[00:30:50] So that's just one, but so we try to ask questions and. And you can ask anything, you want to do something you're curious about it, you can go there and ask, and people answer. We answer too, but the other people there are so smart, and they know what they're doing and it's all women and it is all women on there.

[00:31:08] They're all women-owned businesses. 

[00:31:10] Lenora Turner: That's fantastic.  And the group is on Facebook is Top Crate Clothing. 

[00:31:15] Marnie Perry: It's Top Crate VIP Retailer Group. 

[00:31:17] Lenora Turner: Okay. 

[00:31:17] Marnie Perry: You can find the connects, though, if you just go to Top Crate Clothing on Facebook, there's just a link there. You can just click on the group. 

[00:31:23] Lenora Turner: Okay. Well, this has been really fun. We talked about a few things I didn't even expect us to talk about. And I know obviously as friends we're lifers. It's just very... 

[00:31:32] Marnie Perry: I know, we are lifers for sure. 

[00:31:35] Lenora Turner: So thank you. And we will talk soon, but I tell you I'm going to peek around your group too, so I'll make sure that the contact is in the link and thank you, Marnie, for sharing story. 

[00:31:46] Marnie Perry: Thank you so much. I really appreciate it and enjoyed hanging out with you again.