Meet Karen Gayle | Business Owner & Coach

We had the good fortune of connecting with Karen Gayle and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Karen, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I am a native of Atlanta and grew up in a very entrepreneurial household and family. I am a fourth generation entrepreneur. From my great grandfather to me, every generation had business owners. My mother was the youngest of 14 children, and she along with just about all of her siblings owned their own businesses. My father also had businesses as well and taught us the value of working for yourself. So, it was natural for me to enter that world as well. Being exposed to all types of buisnesses from an early age planted the seed. Seeing firsthand the planning, work ethic, discipline and focus put me on that path. The business lessons are really life lessons that have carried me throughout my career — Treat people fairly. Do it right the first time. Learn how to manage your time. Be proactive. Be an analytical thinker. Trust God. Never give up!

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Georgia Gifts and More is a full service gift company that focuses on Georgia theme gifts, foods, souvenirs and personalized items that represent the state of Georgia. After years of long days and late nights trying to be all things to all people, I realized that I needed a niche if the business was going to grow. Although I’ve always done gifts, God gave me a niche that truly works for me. I’ve been on the entrepreneurial path for most of my life. Business after business, each one more focused than the previous one. It’s been a lot of stepping stones. Building this business has come on the “shoulders” of many previous ones as I discovered what works and what didn’t in business. That niche is what helps to set us apart from other gift stores. After 10 years in this particular business, my husband and I am most proud of the fact that the business has always been a vehicle to help others. Whether it’s employing out of work people to bridge the gap or lively seniors who still have much to contribute, as well as giving back to the community, we are a welcoming place for our family, friends and community. I feel our biggest challenge came in 2020 with COVID. Because we are retail and have a strong client base in hospitality, travel and events, COVID had a great impact on us. There were no events and no one was traveling. The business was in debt with little reserve, we had just purchased a new home and our livelihood was shut down. We closed on the home Feb. 29, 2020 and by March the world was shut down. We immediately set a plan for the year and believed that if we could just make enough to cover the rent, we would work everything else out. Thankfully, even though we had to temporarily closed our retail store, we already had a following on our website. We had just restocked from the previous holiday, and we vowed to be creative and sell what we had. By the grace of God, we went 6 months without buying anything! We took advantage of every COVID program available, shifted into other markets and never gave up! By the end of 2020 – in the midst of a pandemic – we were debt free and had expanded our business offerings. So many lessons were learned during that time. Be flexible! Learn to adapt in whatever situation you find yourself in. Be forward thinking and do your best to stay ahead of the game. Never run a business without cash reserves! You just never know when the next pandemic is coming.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Well, I have to admit that up until the pandemic I never really did well with the whole work/life balance. Always working and always on the go with not much down time. But the pandemic made me slow down and I could see how much I needed the break. So, I don’t have favorite spots in the city. But from a tourist standpoint, I’d always suggest the Aquarium, Civil Rights Museum, the World of Coke, etc.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Although I never actually paid her, my mom was my “first employee” and staunch supporter. She believed in me, prayed for me, invested in me, and was my constant cheerleader. I am also thankful for the lessons learned from the book, The E-Myth. Although I read it many years ago, it still speaks today.

Website: www.georgiagiftsandmore.com

Instagram: @georgiagiftsandmore1

Facebook: facebook.com/georgiagiftsandmore