Today we’d like to introduce you to Celeste Purdie.
Hi Celeste, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I am a USAF veteran and after my service spent nearly 25 years in human resources in a variety of industries. My last 12 years were with Verizon and there I wore many hats and the pull of becoming an entrepreneur hit me. I started out with a small eCommerce business and quickly had success. Over the years not only did I earn the car bonus but also multiple trips. When I had the opportunity to fully leave Corporate America in my rear view mirror and transition to a full-time entrepreneur, I knew I had gained some valuable skills that would allow me to have the same type of success for my own business if I had more time to devote to being an entrepreneur. I grew that online business and also became a licensed real estate professional. After about three years in, my husband and I decided to invest in a self-storage facility called Valley View Self Storage in Fountain Inn, SC and just last year we invested in Foot Solutions and opened our first store in Greenville, SC area. I am now a full-time entrepreneur and spend the majority of my day in real estate helping others buy/sell/invest or networking and managing our franchise business. People often ask what became of my eCommerce business and I usually respond that I loved that business and am so thankful for the relationships I developed but have focused on building my traditional businesses. For sure though, it was my confidence booster to do more. I do have eCommerce with my Foot Solutions business and enjoy the networking aspect of all of my businesses. I still spend several hours a week sharing and growing my social media presence and love getting to glimpse in and get to know people around the world on social media. I have lots of links and share those on www.purdieinc.com.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The major transition was not a smooth road. I was in a very serious workplace accident about a year before I transitioned out of Corporate America. I was in so much pain before eventually getting surgery to fuse together two vertebrae in my neck. It is very hard to focus on anything significant when you are experiencing so much pain. I was thankful that I had an eCommerce business that I could essentially run from my phone. Once I gained my real estate license and fell into learning something new every day the pieces started to fall into place pretty quickly. One of the skills I learned over the years helped me tremendously. If anyone has ever heard of the Slight Edge, that is one of the tools that I use often. I know that success typically comes from doing those small mundane tasks over and over again and most people stop doing them and thus success eludes them. I continue to do the small mundane tasks even once I’ve achieved the goal in front of me. That activity pushes me to the next level of achievement and so on.
Another challenge I think worth noting is that although there have been some very helpful mentors in my life, most people stay on the sidelines and never offer advice that could help with win/win opportunities. Consequently, I feel like I have to consistently seek out people to include in my network versus people outside of my network seeking to network with me. I have always heard that your network really is your net worth, so I am always looking to add to my network and add value to those that decide to network with me. I guess from my HR background I get lots of joy connecting people in my network to others that might benefit from the association. I do wish more people would reach out to me and offer collaboration opportunities.
To keep my focus on networking and meeting new people routinely, I recently became a host of the community blog called www.TheFacesofTheGoldenStrip.com. I’ve met some amazing people with amazing stories to share.
You may have noticed that I take obstacles and challenges and find solutions that can propel me forward versus keeping me stuck.
As you know, we’re big fans of Foot Solution Greenville. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Foot Solutions is a global franchise retailer in the health and wellness industry specializing in custom orthotics and complementary footwear. We are experts in foot wellness and our employees go through hours and hours of very specialized training. Foot Solutions’ board-certified specialists (Pedorthists) and certified Shoe Fitters, provide a caring service that addresses the foundation of customers’ health. After careful analysis and evaluation, Foot Solutions’ experts design custom orthotics and recommend advanced footwear. Unlike big-box shoe stores and medical offices —our experienced professionals provide a caring service focused on individual attention and personalized recommendations. Foot Solutions are the champions of foot health and wellness, and its passion is using its expertise to improve customers’ lives.
We opened our first store in August 2021 and the community reviews from customers we’ve served validate that we are making a difference in the lives of so many people. Take a moment and just read some of the reviews on Google or on our website at www.footsolutions.com/greenville. We look forward to continuing to open two other locations within the next few years. Believe it or not, we have had customers drive to see us from FL, AL, NC, and from all over the state of SC seeking out what we offer because it is such a different experience.
Being a women-owned, minority-owned and service-disabled veteran-owned business it means so much to me that we give back. We offer a heroes discount year-round to customers that are veterans, work in law enforcement, teachers, fireman, doctors, and nurses.
Our Greenville location recently received board-certified facility medical accreditation and in the near future, we will be able to participate in the Medicare diabetic shoe program and also bill insurance. We are in the process of also becoming a community partner with the VA so that we can help the thousands of veterans in the upstate that suffer from foot ailments and are walking around in pain.
What makes you happy?
I choose HAPPY every day. If you go to bed each night with a grateful heart and wake up feeling grateful and blessed it’s hard to go through the day unhappy. I celebrate little wins and surround myself with positivity. If you are a complainer and never come to the table with solutions, you will find that I spend less time with you. I do enjoy spending time with my family and love to travel and try new experiences and cultures. Networking that includes breaking bread always keeps my spirits high and happy thoughts streaming through my mind. I get immense joy from helping and serving others and am on the lookout for opportunities throughout the day to give of myself. Contributing to others and knowing that my efforts are making a difference and are appreciated really fuel me throughout the day. If I can get through each day by first choosing happiness, and then moving through the day, affirming positivity and serving in some capacity, I can typically end the day feeling satisfied with many things to be grateful for. If I repeat this daily, most of my days are filled with lots of happiness.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.purdieinc.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/celestepurdie/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/celeste.b.purdie
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/cbethell
- Other: www.TheFacesofTheGoldenStrip.com
