On Campus & Online - Fort Hays State University



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The Furniture Look, Inc.

Retail Furniture Store

Karen Dreiling

1000 Main Street, Hays, KS

785-628-6263.



“S” corporation

Oct 1, 1991

10

Clare Gustin, Sheryl Davis

“The KSBDC is such an important tool for people with great ideas and a passion to create their own businesses and in turn improve the community. I personally thought I had a great business idea but needed the expertise of these people to package it. Nearly nineteen years later, I still attribute many of my successes to the help of the KSBDC.”

Karen Dreiling, Owner

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Name of Business

Nature of Business

Owner

Address

Phone

E-mail/Website

Business Structure

Business Began

Employees

KSBDC Consultant

Secret to Success

Owning your own business has great rewards, but it also takes an extreme amount of dedication. If you’re not passionate about what you’re doing that dedication becomes increasingly harder. Owning your own business is rarely a part time job. However investing the time and energy in yourself is very rewarding.

Fort Hays State University

Kansas Small Business Development Center

600 Park St, 105 Custer Hall

Hays, KS 67601

Phone (785) 628-5615

fhsu.edu/ksbdc

After working more than ten years for another furniture store, Karen believed she had acquired the knowledge to open her own business. The biggest asset she had was a client list of extremely loyal customers. Her goal was to offer quality furniture at affordable prices. With her knowledge, a great list of clients and low overhead she knew she could achieve that goal. After visiting her local bank, it was apparent she needed a little help. She knew a lot about the furniture business but needed help putting the total package together. The business plan was in her head, but putting it on paper was quite different. The research, budgeting, accounting, and promoting were just some of the key elements where the KSBDC provided assistance. “Most of all the director, Clare Gustin, was my biggest cheerleader. When I felt a little discouraged she kept me going. As a new business owner the biggest challenge is obvious – no money, budgeting is key. Without the cash flow spread sheet the KSBDC had me do, I’m not sure I would have made it. It gave me knowledge and discipline in areas such as inventory control, advertising, salaries, etc. I’m proud to say after three years I was able to pay off that SBA loan.”

Today’s challenges are many. The furniture industry has made many changes due to imported products. Small store owners are faced with higher minimum orders, ocean freight, and most notable, lower quality and many defects. Finding quality American made products is increasingly more difficult. Finding and retaining a quality staff is becoming more challenging. The best and brightest know that there is a bigger opportunity out there. The increased number of radio and television stations as well as Internet options presents both challenges & opportunities. The Furniture Look has always thought of its products as a visual experience. TV ads have been their greatest success with Karen and her staff visible on every spot produced. They promote themselves as a furniture boutique - a destination experience.

Karen loves what she does. “Working with colors – textures – room planning is what excites me, anyone who works with me on a project can see my passion. I have tried to instill the same qualities in the design staff.” About business ownership, she says “What a learning experience. I’ve learned so much about myself; my ups and my downs, my goods and my not so goods. The direction which I’ve chosen to grow myself, is do to the leadership roles I’ve chosen to take, and the influences of the people who surround me.” In addition to growing herself, Karen is an example for new retail businesses in “Beautiful Downtown Hays”. She serves on the Hays Area Chamber of Commerce Board, is an active member in the Downtown Hays Development Corporation promotions, serves on the advisory board of the Hays Business Mentoring Program sponsored in part by the FHSU KSBDC. “ Its great fun working with this group of great minds while trying to make a difference in our community.”

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2008 Existing Business

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