Today, FALL/WINTER 2008 1 - University of the Ozarks

That EntrepreneurialSpirit
Debbie Goodman ’80, Jan
Storment ’81, Doug Bryan ’87
Family Shoe & Fashion Boutique
The Bryan siblings --- (pictured, from left) Jan, Bryan
and Debbie --- grew up working in their family’s shoe
store, starting out dusting shoes for 50 cents an hour
and later helping customers. “We didn’t know it at the time,
but we were learning how to run a business when we were
10 and 11 years old,” said Jan (Bryan) Storment. “We were
just expected to help out in the store growing up. It was a lot
of fun, but it was also great experience.” The shoe store that
was started by their parents — Travis and Sandra (a 1967
Ozarks graduate) — in the mid-1970s is now operated by the
siblings, as well as another store, Fashion Boutique, which
opened in 1984. The two stores have been successful businesses
in downtown Clarksville for more than a quarter of
a century. Both Storment and Debbie (Bryan) Goodman attended
Ozarks and earned business and teaching degrees, but
the pull of the family business was too much to resist. “We
considered teaching careers, but there is something special
about owning and running your own business,” said Goodman.
“I really enjoy the selling part of it, and I like people.”
The siblings agree that fostering relationships with customers
is the key for a small business to succeed. “People can tell
when you’re being sincere and when you’re truly interested
in them,” Storment said. “The best advertising we have is
word of mouth, so you have to have satisfied and happy
customers.” Doug Bryan said the thing he enjoys most about
running a small business is the control. “You don’t have to
go through numerous channels if you have an idea; you can
implement it right away,” he said. “You are able to try new
ideas and get things done quicker. Of course, if things don’t
work out, there’s no one to blame but yourself.”
Julie Kersey ’80
Julie’s Perks
When you walk into Julie’s Perks in Clarksville, a
well-coifed friendly Shih Tzu named Dexter is
there to greet you. And, not far behind is the store’s
owner, Julie (Ballew) Kersey ’80, who puts an emphasis on
friendliness. “I’m a people person and owning a small business
like this fits my personality well,” said Kersey. “I can’t
think of anything else I’d rather be doing.” Julie’s Perks is
a small home decor, floral, gourmet food and coffee shop in
Clarksville. Kersey moved the store from Greenwood, Ark.,
back to her hometown of Clarksville in 2003. “I’d been away
from Clarksville for 23 years, and it was just time to come
home,” she said. “I had also been in the insurance business
for a few years before and hated it. I wanted to get back to
what I loved and that was owning my own business.” Kersey
earned a marketing degree from Ozarks, a degree that has
suited her well in a career based in marketing and retail. She
served as marketing director of a Fort Smith, Ark., mall for
several years before deciding to open her own business, one
of the first coffee bars in the Fort Smith area. “Marketing and
advertising is so important in business, and my background
has really helped me,” she said. “You have to be able to get
your message about your business out to people. If you can’t
market your business successfully, you’re in big trouble.”
Growing up around a family of small business owners
sparked Kersey’s interest in being an entrepreneur at an early
age. She said she has always enjoyed the creative side of
owning her own business, and she is able to put that creativity
to use in running her small gift shop. “There’s no better feeling
than using your creativity to set up a display area and then
seeing it pay off with sales,” she said. “I like the one-on-one
aspect of it as well. When you’re able to give someone what
they want and they leave happy, it’s a wonderful feeling.”
14 Today, FALL/WINTER 2008