Today we’d like to introduce you to Preston Riley.
Hi Preston, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
We got started like many other small businesses. We found something that we were passionate about and we ran with it. We started doing small pop-ups at businesses, apartment complexes, and events around Charleston and eventually decided to move into a brick-and-mortar location.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Absolutely not. We opened three months before Covid-19 took full effect in the U.S. and we really struggled all the way up to about March of this year. We were plagued by many of the same issues that so many businesses have faced: inventory and product issues, problems with shipping and receiving our products, et. Instead of putting out small fires day-to-day we were putting out fires that had the potential to completely close our door for the better part of a year. We like many other businesses struggled financially just to keep the lights on. While we were closed during the lockdown I took a job at Fed-Ex to infuse money into the business so that we could eventually open back up again. We applied for multiple small business funding options from the SBA, but they were only willing to loan us a maximum of $316 dollars and that was after we spoke to multiple agents. The first offer we received as a PPP offer was $13.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
We are a plant-based protein meal replacement shake and herbal tea shop that focuses, first and foremost, on great drinks that are healthy for you. Our main concern is the quality of the shakes and teas and the ingredients that go in them. We are known for a rotating six-month menu that encompasses popular flavors that complement the seasons. What sets us apart is that we focus on keeping the additives to a minimum. Most of what we put into our shakes and teas is organic and locally sourced.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
The quality of our product and our customer satisfaction. We wouldn’t be where we are now if it wasn’t for our incredible customers.
Contact Info:
- Email: vibecharlestonsc@gmail.com
- Website: vibecharlestonsc.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vibenutritionsc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vibecharleston
