Molly Gebler - The Inn of Chagrin - Running the Bases with Small Businesses

Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Randy (00:01):
I'm Randy Rohde and I'm fascinated with entrepreneurs
and small business owners.
Plus I love baseball.
Every show I sit down with a smallbusiness owner and we discuss there
running the bases of entrepreneurship.
We throw the ball around on strategymanagement, execution and innovation,

(00:23):
plus a little fun baseball talk.
Hey, thanks for joining us today.
Settle in, grab your cracker jacksand you know what they say, label.
Okay.
It is a great day for aballgame and today's guest is
a lover of all things local.
And if there was a national smallbusiness award for promotings one's

(00:47):
local community, I think our guestwould certainly be at the top of the
podium as the executive director for thechamber of commerce locally here, our
guest promoted, celebrated, marketed,worked probably 80 hours plus a week
champion over 600 local businesses.
In addition to her day job, she isan entrepreneur herself co-owner of

(01:11):
a cooking school business, offeringcooking classes for children.
She's an author of five children'sbooks, celebrating local traditions.
She is also an award-winninglocal documentary filmmaker.
For five years, she co-hosted a localpodcast and she is known for her fun.

(01:34):
Take on almost everything withher YouTube channel videos she
makes with friends and family.
She is currently a managing partnerfor the chef art poor restaurant group.
And when she isn't giving 80 hoursa week to the community, she's doing
her most favorite job, which isprobably hanging with her two adorable

(01:55):
grandkids, the twins marry and John.
Welcome to the show, Molly.
Gebler.
Thank you.
Oh my gosh.
I've been trying to get youbehind the mic for about months.

Mo (02:08):
And I know, I know I'm here.
I'm here though, butwhere are the cracker?

Randy (02:13):
I know.
Sorry.
Yeah.
So, uh, that's a good idea.
That's so I know I did.
lure you with food.
, so listen, our research team dug deepinto something and I, this, I can see it,
but it completely like, are you serious?
This is crazy.

(02:33):
They found out that youactually attended clown school.
did you know that was coming?
Like I think, okay.
Here's

Molly (02:43):
something.
Well, they really dug deep.
They really dug deep.
I think it was, um, Bedford'sum, like park and rec, like.
You know, little classes.
Okay.
Um, and I did, I, I took clownschool and learned how to, you know,
bend all the balloons and I, and Iventured out and did a couple parties.

(03:05):
Um, but I was too, I was moreworried about what the parent was
thinking while I was doing theparty, then taking care of the kids.
Okay.
Um, so I stopped doing but I,yeah, my grandma made me, um,
a costume, which I think fun.
It may still be out there somewhere.
I know my mom had it incloset for a long time.

Randy (03:28):
yes.
Yes.
So you were never caught likecrammed with a hundred of your best
friends and some small little car.
You didn't like show up?
No, no, I

Molly (03:36):
was solo.
Hey, to Molly's here.
I didn't have any clown friends.
I was solo.
Um, solo clown.
Yeah.
I think my biggest gig was, uh, my dadwas a dentist and, um, the, um, Whatever,
uh, group, he was a part of hired me atthe, the Cleveland museum of something.
The dentists had some bigShinde and I got to go.

(03:59):
And that was big,

Randy (04:00):
big deal.
Ben balloons and

Molly (04:02):
yeah, I made my 50

Randy (04:03):
bucks.
Very fun.
Well, there we go.
Well, clown school, funny.
I read this in the notes.
I'm like, that is hilarious.
I could definitely say, were you Molly?
The clown?
Who, who were you?
Wow, I think it

Molly (04:14):
was bubbles.
Bubbles.
I have a picture.
I'll I'll get a picture
and I'll send it to you bubbles.
That's good.
Yes.
Yeah.
Yeah.
We'll add it with the show notes.
People can go see, uh, bubbles.
So you didn't grow up here inchagrin is what I understand.
I am not a

Randy (04:35):
lifer.
You're not a lifer.
And maybe ohoh now thesecret is out, right?
That's that's big.
No secret at all.
No, nobody.
Um, so.
But here's the thing.
I, I, I'm not sure exactly how youfound your way to chagrin, but I think
if anybody engages in a conversationwith you, they would never think

(04:55):
that you are not just tried andtrue blue chagrin, orange, orange.
Yes.
Um, because you embrace thecommunity, like it is, you know,
centuries of your heritage.
Right.
How can you know?
So, uh, two questions, I guess one,how did you find your way to chagrin?

(05:15):
Uh, and then how didyou come to embrace it?
Uh, so passionately the way you do.

Mol (05:21):
Um, I grew up in Wickliffe.
Um, and, uh, my, my dad wasthe, um, athletic director,
uh, at Menor high school.
And, um, my, we moved in 1970to wick cliff when I was born.
And then, um, the day I graduatedeighth grade, my father had

(05:42):
passed away when I was four.
And then my mom fell in love.
Um, years later, and my graduationof eighth grade, we packed the car
up, cuz my stepdad was from chagrin.
Okay.
And we moved into his house with, therewere six of his kids and four of us.
Oh my, we were blended family of 10.
That's a full house.

(06:03):
Yeah.
We never all lived together.
There there's an age difference,but we moved to chagrin.
Um, and that, I always say we movedto chagrin so I could meet my husband.
Oh.
Which I did.
Okay.
Um, who is a lifer?
Um, that, that word just, it's so funny.
It's so funny.
So then, um, so I movedhere when I was 15.

(06:23):
Um, and then, uh, got married later on,obviously people and, um, moved back
to WCL, bought our house in wick lift.
Okay.
Which is funny and thenlived there, but your

Randy (06:35):
husband is from chagrin.
Yes.
Yes.
So you went from back, get married.
I then go

Molly (06:39):
back to back to wick and then I did the same thing
to my kids and pluck them out.
Um, my daughter had just graduated eighthgrade, plucked them out and you said,
Hey, we're going back to, we move backto chagrin for obviously for obvious
reasons, but mainly for the school system.
Right.
And that's so, um, I don't know.
I mean, I was in the chagrin valleywomen's league early, early, um,

(07:02):
maybe in my early twenties, I wasin that group and, um, I don't know.
My mom was very wise and, um, And, andtalked a lot about chagrin and values,
and I don't know where it, it came from.
Uh, I, I will tell you when I wasoffered the job at the chamber, um, I

(07:22):
had absolutely no idea what a chamberdid literally, before I went into that
interview, I was researching that . Um,and I, I would say that, that probably
just, um, skyrocketed that yeah.
That passion, huh.
You know, I just discovered all thesegreat things about chagrin and, and local

(07:45):
and got to meet the, the owners and the,you know, the, the blood, sweat, and
tears that they put into the businessesand just really wanted to fight for them.
So, yeah.

Randy (07:53):
Yeah.
Well, um, we're gonna talkabout your experience.
There was a lot

Molly (07:56):
long answer for just that one little

Randy (07:59):
question, sorry.
You know, your experience at thechamber, and we're gonna explore
that, uh, a little bit later as well.
But I can see how that absolutelyinjected this, you know, embrace
that you have and how it, how youas well have just become kind of
part of the fabric of the community.

(08:20):
Has there ever been a time when youfelt that you were the outsider, so used
the term lifer or something like that?
Mm-hmm , which I think is kind ofa common, I'm not a lifer as well.
We moved here in 2007.
Um, uh, my daughter was born here.
My son was like 15 months.
I think something like that.
Um, when we moved here mm-hmm youknow, we are not the lifers now.

(08:43):
We feel very embraced and part ofthe community, but certainly, you
know, we know we're not lifers.
Uh, have you ever felt like,yeah, yeah, I'm still an outsider.

Mo (08:56):
Never felt like an outsider.
Um, but have been pointed out.
Yes that I am an outsider.
Yeah.
Um, I've never felt like an outsider.
I, I, this is my home.
This is, you know, um, but whenI wrote some of the, one of the
books, there was a comment online bysomebody, um, who obviously, you know,

(09:16):
wanted, didn't even put their name.
Those are my favorite.
Didn't even put their name on it.
such a strong, independent personthat is, um, and said something
like, you know, who is she to writebooks about chagrin tradition.
She's not even from chagrinor something like that.
And that was the onlytime I was like, are you.

(09:37):
Blank and kidding me, like, andI have a potty mouse, so I'm have
to be very careful during this

Randy (09:42):
body.
That's alright.
We're not PT.
So you can just hang it out to,
you know, like, are you kidding me?
Like, I've been heresince I was 15 years old.
Right.
So, and that's why I jokeabout the word lifer.
Yes.
Cause it's
just, I know it's a, it's, it's a ridiculous term.

Molly (09:57):
That's all good.
And, and chagrin is very transient.
It really, truly, yeah, it really is.
Um, you know, there's a lot of business,um, businesses that move their, um, right.
People here mm-hmm um,that then move out.
So it's a very, very transient.
My mom would always joke and she'dsay, you know, who's from chagrin.
For a long time and who's not justby going to the grocery store, cuz

(10:21):
some people, they dress up to thenines and they're not from, from
here for a long time, the peoplethat are from here for a long time,
they go to HNS in their slippers andtheir pajamas from the night before
and get their shit and they get out.
Right, right, right.
Um, whereas, and, and I'm not makingGod bless anybody who, who spends time

(10:43):
to, you know, but you get my point.
It,

Randy (10:46):
that is so funny.
So my wife and I went to, uh,one of the cap restaurants, uh,
I think that was Saturday night.
Um, and I got the picture.
Yes.
I sent you a picture.
Hey, I'm hanging out at your spot.
I's love to use it today.
Yeah.
Um, and, uh, uh, we were walkingback because we just live, you

(11:09):
know, we're very fortunate.
We can just walk into the village.
We love it.
Um, and uh, we were walking backhome and we were like, wow, there
are so many like cool hooking people.

M (11:23):
I, I can't even go to Hy ends

Randy (11:24):
and I'm like, Uh, they're not cha grin people.
right.
Because these people are like, as you wereexplaining dress to the night's like, wow,
that is a fabulous, I mean, I like nice.
I'm like that guy is really,really dressed, dressed up.
Wow.
Um, and my wife's like, well,they're not, you can really
see you is not from sugarin.

(11:45):
Yeah.
Uh, because I was just wearinglike cargo shorts and t-shirt.
Yep.
Because I think I had just come fromoutside and my wife's like, Hey,
let's go get a, let's go to dinner.
Let's go get something to eat and a drink.
Or so I'm like, yeah, it sounds fun.
We just walked out.
Um, but yeah, sugar grin fallsnow is like, and especially
on a weekend, I was like, wow.

(12:06):
It is a, a place.
Yeah.

Molly (12:09):
Yeah.
Yeah.
I, I joke like anytime I have to go intohigh ends, I cringe everybody is just.
There's such prettypeople I just I'm like, I

Randy (12:21):
don't, I'm not kidding.
You was, I was like nothing that, youknow, Hey, local people that live in
Chi green, you're beautiful as well.
Yes.
Hundred percent.
Uh, other folks that comeand visit are like, wow.
Yeah.

Molly (12:35):
Yeah.
Well, and I, I, when I wassaying transient, they live here.
Sure, sure.
But then they, they move out.
It's just this, you know, phase.
So

Randy (12:45):
yes.
So very interesting.
So moving in today, right now,coming and looking at life today.
So you are in this incredible role withthe chef art poor restaurant group and.
Uh, talk about entrepreneurs.
These guys are incredible.
I think what, I'll let you tellthe story about that group.

(13:06):
Um, a little back bit of background.
You've been with them for a long timein one fashion, or, or I should stay,
you started, uh, at one point severalyears ago with them left came back.
Um, so why don't you explain alittle bit of what that group is?
Sure.
Some of the things they're involved with?

(13:27):
Um,

Molly (13:28):
yeah, sure.
So, um, we are, um, originally we were.
Uh, Burntwood taverns Leos,um, I'm Italian sushi junkie
and be Erin and Moses.
Gosh, what am I missing the in now?
Um, I said I'm Italian, right?
Uh, which is ex it's just so exciting.

(13:50):
Everything about this group is alwaysexciting, cuz it's just always growing.
So, um, way, way back, um, BrettAdams, who is the owner, um, local.
Local dad.
He was actually the recess dadwhen I was working at gurney
um, the elementary school first.
Yeah.
Sorry.
I I'm trying not to be, so this shthis show with Molly is very local.

(14:14):
So our local listeners.
Yes.
No like, oh yeah.
Gurney, da da, da, everything else.
But Molly, we actually havea pretty broad audience.
I mean, we're, we'requite big over in Germany.
I would never have guess.
Hi Germany.
Yes.
So thank you, our listeners there.
So, yes.
Give you

Mo (14:31):
all, so the local elementary school, I was an aide, um, and you
know, Brett was a recess dad who wouldcome cuz his kids were at the school.
Um, and then he had just opened up, hitthe first Burntwood Tavern, um, on east
Washington street here in tra grand falls.
Yes.
Um, and I was there one day and just said,oh, I would really rock your host stand.

(14:54):
I said to Brett,Randy: really just like that.
I totally said it like that.
Um, my dad.
he was a dentist and he was just,uh, that's my second dad, FYI,
cuz I know everyone's gonna belike, well, she already said her
dad was the, yeah, my second dad.
Um, and he was just reti, starting totransition and, and cut back his hours.

(15:15):
And um, so I was like, Iwould really rock that.
And so a couple days later he calledand said, were you serious about that?
And I was like, okay.
I knew nothing about restaurant, right?
Absolutely nothing.
And so I started working thereas a hostess and then I served.
And then I managed, um, and thenleft there to go to the Sherin

(15:38):
valley chamber of commerce.
Right, right.
What, uh, and then I'm back.
So

Randy (15:41):
yeah.
Yeah.
So there you're back.
So, so there's, so you've got the chefart poor restaurant group, um, which is,
and Molly just rattled off just a numberof different kind of concept restaurants.
Um, but, uh, I don't know exactly when,but more recently in the last year or two,

(16:05):
the group also acquired this string ofproperties on west street, which includes,
uh, this historic Inn of Chagrin falls.
Um, which now you areintimately associated the west.
They have

Molly (16:20):
very intimately.
I think I have paint fromyesterday on my fingers.
Yes.
You know what, um, that was alwaysthe intent, um, was to leave.
Not always when I left the chamber,it was for the in, um, we didn't
purchase it until a little later on.
I left in may and then wepurchased it in September.

(16:41):
Okay.
So I always knew that thatwas where I was headed.
Um, I mean, it, it was always mydream to, to own an in and wow.
Yeah.
Yeah.

Ran (16:54):
So you're fulfilling like a lifelong dream here am even being the end.
Keep

Molly (16:58):
I, and a little bit of my mom's dream too, I think.
Oh, very fun.

Randy (17:01):
Yeah.
Wow.
She'd be excited.
So, um, so we, we talking about the end,so tell us about the in, oh my gosh.
Itself.
And, and I'll I'll uh, well,I'll just let you lead it.
I, we you've done so much and you just hadthis big monstrous event that I wanna kind
of explore as well, so, but take it away,

Molly (17:23):
Molly.
All right.
So the in of chagrin, um, was a property.
In 1920, that I'm reallygoing back that Mr.
Cranes yeah.
Um, purchased, um, and the sugar and falsehistorical society can, you know, add any
of their comments when this gets posted.
If I'm incorrect.
Um, Mr.

(17:44):
Crane, um, bought it as his summer house.
He, um, had a chocolate companyCrane's, uh, chocolate in Cleveland
and, uh, chagrin was the country.
So he bought this property tohave a cottage in the country.

Randy (17:59):
Beautiful.
I, I, I have a question.
Yeah.
Cause, and see if my recollection ofhistory is correct was also, uh, Mr.
Crane.
Wasn't he also creditedwith the life savers?
Yeah, that's coming.
Is that oh, that's coming.
Yeah, that's coming.
Yeah.
No,

Molly (18:14):
Randy be quiet.
All right.
No, no.
So, um, he purchased it and then hecreated Crane's Canary cottage, which
was a restaurant and it was one of thefinest on the property, on the property.
Okay.
Yeah.
So, uh, originally I believe youwould walk into M bevies door, which
is, is part of our restaurant group.
Uh it's it's a piece on theproperty and that would, that
was, would've been the front door.

(18:35):
Okay.
Um, some of the fireplaces in the, in ouroriginal fireplaces from that restaurant,
but I always, um, describe the restaurant,um, The, um, how famous it was like a,
if Anthony Bourdain met, uh, farmersAl at Almanac, like, so it was a Duncan

(18:56):
Hines restaurant and Duncan Hines, right.
Was not the person on the box of the,you know, the cupcakes that you make.
They purchased his name, Uhhuh.
He was an actual person who would go torestaurants and then everyone would wait
for his publication to come out right.
On what, the best on his review.
Correct.
Right.
And if you were a Dunkin Hines,kind of like a Michelin sure.

(19:18):
If you were a Dunkin Hinesrestaurant, that was a big deal.
Well, Crane's Canary cottage wasone of his favorite restaurants.
Um, so twenties, thirties,forties was when this ran, Mr.
Crane lived upstairs.
And if there was anybody famous.
He would, which there were plentypresidents and the Lindbergs and

(19:39):
Lindenburg, um, they would stayupstairs with him in this quarter.
Mm-hmm so it was never an Innat that point as a restaurant.
And then, um, the, uh, Mr.
Crane died, Mrs.
Crane purchased or ran it until theforties until the war, and then it closed.
Right?
Mr.
Crane was at a baseball game, I believe,which is funny, cuz that's your thing.
There we go.

(19:59):
Great.
Um, and he was eating his chocolatesand they were melting in his hands
and he's like, there's gotta besomething better than this for me to
be able to enjoy at the baseball game.
Maybe cracker jacks weren't invented.
I don't know.
um, and uh, so he wentback, he was a boat.
And he went back and, um, he madethe lifesaver to look like his,

(20:20):
literally his lifesaver on his boat.
Oh, great.
It was the Peppo mince was the firstone he invented was what he invented.
Uh, he sold the patent for $2,900.
um, but he, you know, if you think aboutit, I think it was a Mars that bought it.
I, I, I have no idea.
So, you know, I mean it, when he sold it,it wasn't doing what it was doing now.

(20:43):
So, um, so yeah.
So when you stay at the.
Um, which is a 15 room Inn.
You actually get a lifesaver onyour pillow with a little story
saying, you know, why a lifesaver.
Um, but yeah, so back to the end.
So we purchased it, uh, it had become anin the late eighties, uh, we purchased it
last year and it was, um, just outdated.

(21:05):
It needed love and attention.
Mm-hmm um, it looked like the lateeighties, you know, the curtains
match, the bedspread match the pillows.
Right.
And they were all burgundyhunter green, right?
Yeah.
That was the style

Randy (21:16):
back then.
I remember that style becausewhen we were looking to move, uh,
to she grand, we actually stayedat the end for a few nights.
Love this, uh, in some green.

Molly (21:31):
Yeah.
And it was lovely.
I mean, it, it was, you know, it, it just.
It needed some attention and love.
Right.
Right.
And we knew that that would be the planright off the bat is what we would, you
know, we would purchase it in September.
We would run for the rest of theyear, which is usually the busy time,
January, February, March, then as slows.
And then that was what wewould do, uh, for renovation.

(21:55):
And, um, if anyone knows me, I donot do anything in a small way.
Right.
So, right.
Um, I.
uh, my daughter is an assistant, uh, isa Christian Sirano from project runway.
He's a fashion designer.
Um, and she's his assistant.
And just one night I was like, Hmm.

(22:17):
He was J he just startedgetting into interior designing.
And I was like, what do you think?
And she, I said, what do you thinkif I asked Christian, if he was
interested in redesigning the rooms?
And she said, well, here's his email mom.
That's about as , that's about asmuch as I'm gonna help you that's
as much as the greaseof the wheel as she was giving.

(22:38):
Okay.
Thank you.
Um, child that I birthed.
Um, so.
I, you know, it's nothard to sell chagrin.
So I sent Christian an email withlinks and pictures and mm-hmm , you
know, that was like the firstphase I needed to have him say
yes, before I even talked to Brett.
Right.
I had to get him on board.

(22:58):
Um, and he emailed me immediatelyand said, this is fabulous.
Wow.
And absolutely.
And so next was the number, right.
Um, so I got finally got that.
And then I went to Brad and pitched it.

Randy (23:13):
It always comes down

Molly (23:14):
to the number always, which is never the right number.
Let's be honest.
So my gosh, um, and youknow, the rest is history.
He, um, Brad said absolutely.
And, uh, really.
Uh, Brett is, is not only my boss.
He's, he's absolutely my mentor.
Mm he's a brilliant,brilliant business, man.

(23:34):
And I'm not saying thatcuz he writes my paychecks.
Um, he truly, truly is.
And one of there were many conversations,um, before I left the chamber
because I had a nice cushy job.
Mm-hmm right.
You were um, I, you know, I, I hadworked very, very hard to get where I was.
Um, and uh, you know, one of thethings that I said to Brett was,

(23:58):
you know, I wanna work under you.
There's a lot of people, you know, thatwork for, uh, in an administration for,
um, our group and you know, I wannalearn and there's no reason to, to come.
I wanted to learn from him.
And so that was kind of, oneof the stipulations is I,
I, I want you to mentor me.
I wanna learn from you.
Um, so he, you know, let me spreadmy wings and guided me through this

(24:20):
renovation cuz you know, we've done.
He's done this 20, sometimes inthe restaurant world flipped a old
restaurant into a new restaurant.
And, um, so yeah, so everybody agreed.
It was great.
And, and the rest is, I justsaid it, but history, like it,
it was, we started in March.
We had our grand opening in may.

(24:41):
We did, we have three roomsstill left to renovate.
We didn't get all 15 justdue to supply issues.
Right.
Um, it was fast and, andhard and fun and tears.
And, and I have to sayChristian, Siriano my gosh.
Like I just had no idea what to expect.
Right.
Um, and he just is probably oneof the hardest working people.

(25:06):
I know, um, not just in interiors,just in his brand alone.
Um, just again, a very smart businessman.
Um, but he justtransformed, um, the rooms.
Just they're.
They're amazing.
They're absolutely amazing.
I love, you know, when we took over inSeptember, you would come and I would

(25:29):
literally, and no disrespect to anybody,but I would literally hold my breath.
Like, what are they gonnasay when they check out like,
oh, what are they gonna say?
Like about the room or, right, right.
Sure.
Um, now it's just, you know, I embrace it.
Like I can't, we have a lot ofrestaurants that are connected to,
we have a restaurant and a cocktailthat are connected to the end.

(25:52):
So we have a lot of traffic.
Yes.
And I love showing up, you know,people come in and that was like,
oh, let me, let me give you a tourof the end and come, come see.
So it's amazing.
Yes.
It's amazing.
And you can go to.
innofchagrin.com and I posted some ofthe, the pictures, um, of the new rooms.
Right, right.

Randy (26:09):
So yes.
And we will have, I'm sure youwill a link, uh, in the show notes
to, um, to the in and several ofthe properties with the cap yeah.
In
there follows on social media,which I'm sure you'll do as well.
On there, we highlight a room.
Every, uh, you know, we're tryingevery day to do the befores and
after, so you're really gonna beable to see the transformation.

(26:31):
It's it's it's beautiful.
Yeah, yeah.
Yeah.
And then you had this massive party.
We did.
I don't recall.
No.
We have a lot of different celebrationsand things in sugar grand, but I don't
recall ever having something like whatyou guys blew out, uh, with kind of that
celebration of the opening of the Inn,

Moll (26:52):
you know, I, the, the, um, we wanted to celebrate west street
and all that, the businesses.
So, you know, a couple years ago,a lot of those places were vacant.
Yeah.
Um, they, you know, a businesshad closed, whether it was
COVID or before COVID right.
But I would say, um, Threeout of those four businesses

(27:14):
on that side of the street.
Yeah.
We're all closed.
We're all closed.
Okay.
Um, so when, when Brett purchased thatside of the street, um, you know, just a
lot of money, a lot of a huge investment.
Um, and I think it looks amazingand we just wanted to show it off.
Right.
And, uh, so we kind of talked to all the.
Uh, local businesses on west streetand said, Hey, what do you think if we

(27:38):
close the street and have a big party.
And just, and, and we wanted peopleto go into the places, right.
You know, that's why it wasn'tthere was music, but we didn't
focus too much on the street.
The street was closed for safety.
Right.
Um, you know, in the future, maybewe'll close the street and have a
big cell, but we, we wanted peoplein the doors to see what we did.

(27:59):
Right.
Um, and Christian wasthere and I, he was great.
He did book signings and, uh, touredthe place with some of the people.
And, uh, yeah, we had a bandand it was just a huge party.
I think it kicked off so fun

Randy (28:11):
everything.
Right?
Oh, it was great.
I mean, it was the place to be seen.
I mean, I don't my wife and Iwent down like, Hey, we gotta
go, you know, go check this out.
And it was like, Hey, Hey,

Molly (28:22):
Hey.
Yeah, it was, I think everybody wantedto with, so another celebration we have
here in chagrin is Blossom Time , whichwe've had for, I think over 50 years,
but, um, Maybe even more than that.
So don't quote me on that.
But, um, you know, I think we hadn'thad that in a couple years due to COVID.
So it was just, this was the beginningof just getting out and, and, and chagrin

(28:43):
is such a, a tight knit community.
Right.
Um, that, something like that,you know, we all just wanna come
out and say hello to everybody.
So, yeah.
And believe me, I have thepictures, we had a selfie machine,
um, up, I have all the picturesto prove, prove that everybody

Randy (29:00):
had fun.
Everybody had fun.
It was a fabulous time.
Yeah.
Um, so running an in, so this is, it mayhave been, you know, a childhood dream.
Um, but you certainly didn'thave at least what I could find
or in my notes or our team thatyou had experience running an in.

(29:20):
So.
You know, it was new.
What was the biggest challenge for you?
Um, because knowing you, youembrace things, whether you are
the actual owner, you are, you havethis entrepreneur spirit, right.
I mean, we rolled off all of these otherthings that you're involved in, in your

(29:41):
life and around, um, uh, various kinds ofactivities, but you're an entrepreneur.
And so as an entrepreneur mindset, whatwere some of those challenges for you?
Um, everything coming new, too, everything,

Molly (29:56):
you know, again, I, I knew to be, um, very common in my life.
Um, you know, I, I take ajob and I embrace it and I,
and I learn it and I do it.
And, um, I don't, I don'tregret and I don't go backwards.
Good.
So, you know, I, I made this changeand I, I knew that I was gonna

(30:18):
have to, you know, embrace it.
Um, I would say my biggest, youknow, I didn't, there's just,
there's a lot of, um, juggling.
There's a lot of, uh, how manypeople are staying this night and,
um, what are, what are you payingfor and how much per person is it?

(30:41):
And, uh, so there I am not a numbersperson and that's where, um, Brett
has spent most of his, um, timementoring me with, um, or on.
And, uh, so that, I think is the, isthe challenge is the, the P and LS.
Right.
Um, um, but I, you know, we had a P andL in, at the chamber and I, I ran through

(31:03):
it and did it, but, um, you know, this iseach person that walks through the door.
Ha you know, it, it costs forthem to stay there, even though
they're paying, you know, right.
So you have to make sure that that costis low enough where you're actually making
a profit, you know, I mean, this is all.
Sure business stuff thateveryone's like, yeah, duh.
Um, but as a chamber, you know, that,that wasn't in my wheelhouse and as a,

(31:26):
a dental assistant and running my dad's,you know, doing dental Aing for my dad
for 20 years, that Mon that kind of stuff.
Wasn't a part of my thing, you know, andthen the gurney, you know, cleaning up.
Right, right.
I remember walking in, intothe end you were there.
Uh, and I think you were in the midstof, you know, remodel, uh, hell.

(31:48):
And, um, and I remember theconversation with you and you were
like, I, I think this is my thirdnight straight or something like that.
I mean, you know, you were likeremodeling facing staffing challenges.
Uh, and it was just like, yeah.

(32:09):
Only somebody who is so.
Completely to the bone committedas an entrepreneurs are to their
businesses, you know, wouldactually probably do what you do.
Right.
Because that's what an owner would do.
Like, well, you do what you gotta do.
And hang in there with that.
Where did that come from?
I mean, is that, was that somethingthat was nurtured in you through

(32:35):
parents?
My mother, my mother andmy dad, my, my second dad.
Um, my second dad was a dentisthardworking, um, up until I think
he retired at like 83 or something.
Um, my mom was a single mom.
My dad died in 74, like I mentioned,and there were four of us.

(32:56):
We were 2, 4, 6 and eight.
So from, I was, I was three, justgonna turn four until they, she
got married in, um, when I was 15.
She was the person.
So garbage lawn, cleaning the house,getting the car, done, all those

(33:18):
things that, um, maybe in that time,wasn't typical for the, the wife to do.
Um, so I grew up with an extremelystrong mother and dedicated
families, everything to us.
Um, and, you know, work was.
The house and she didit a hundred percent.

(33:40):
So I would say that I got it fromher and then, and my second dad
as well, cause I worked for him.
He was my first mentor.
He actually would always jokewith Brett that Brett stole me
from him cuz he was just retiring.
And then I went to work, uh, asthe host, isn't always say, you
know, I, I made her who she was andyou're getting the benefit of her.

(34:01):
Um, every time we would go in fordinner, I would cringe cuz I knew that
conversation was gonna be had with Brett.
But um, he took it like a champ, butI would, I would say that I trust me,
there were days that I, I wanted toleave, especially during that time.
Cuz there, I think COVIDwas a lot with our staff.
Yeah.

(34:21):
Um, but at the end of the day I just hadthis conversation with somebody with an
in someone's gonna be there for 24 hours.
Right.
Right.
So if half your staff, more thanhalf your staff has C um, I don't
have a, I don't have a choice.
Right.
Business owners don't have a choice.

(34:42):
You gotta get it done.
Right.
So what's the point of whining about it.
Just fucking get it done.
right.
Yeah.
Just you gotta do it.
So, um, and that's, you know, Imean, there's no award for that.
It's just common sense.
Uh, someone needed to bethere from 11 to 7:00 AM.
And even though I had worked the firstshift and the second shift there were

(35:06):
there, there were just no options.
You were, were, you were just still going.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So yeah, I always say I'llsleep in my coffin and my dad.
I know I mentioned this died early.
My mom died at 73, so I have a lot.
their life that I need to live.
Right, right.
So I'll pack it all into

Randy (35:26):
my life.
Well, you're a great example and, uh,you know, such a, a great person to learn
from, I think in many, in many instances.
So, um, and we're gonna talk a littlebit about that as well, and what you,
I think have given and what you havetaught to other small business owners
when we're gonna explore your timeat the chamber here in a, in a minute

(35:50):
or so, but it's that time, Molly.
And it's time for the inning stretch.
Do you like baseball?

Molly (35:59):
I do.
I that's of fond memory.

Randy (36:02):
Yes.
So you're so local.
Right.
And so I would imagine that you probablyas well enjoy the, uh, local sports
teams and such mm-hmm and have fun.
So

Molly (36:14):
the twins just started teeball this past weekend.
Oh,

Randy (36:17):
yes, yes.
Yeah.
I think I actually saw that maybe.

Molly (36:20):
Oh, the video Mary, the social or something, Mary kind
of made her own for second and

Randy (36:24):
third.
so fun.
I know.
Oh yeah.
Yes, yes.
And you know, it's such afun experience for the kids.
Uh, my daughter started doing that samething probably about the same age and
now she's playing, she's looking forwardto playing softball at high school.
So yeah.

Molly (36:39):
We used to take the rapid down with my grandpa.

Randy (36:41):
Oh.
To the games green.
Yes.
Yeah.

Molly (36:44):
Very fun.
My daughter just did that last weekend.
Oh, how fun.

Rand (36:47):
So it's still doing there.
It's still there.
Yeah.
All right.
So we are gonna talk about baseball.
So I get to throw, uh, abaseball question at our guest.
Um, So you've had some greatsuccess and I'm so impressed with
everything that you do, but you'vewritten five children's books.
Um, there is no shortage for children'sbooks about baseball, uh, nor is there

(37:14):
a shortage of MLB players, writingchildren, books, uh, Cal Ripkin, Jr.
Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, all,all different kinds of things.
Here's your question?
Oh boy.
Yes.
Uh, we're gonna go back.
Can you guess the year that the very firstchildren's book that mentioned baseball.

(37:39):
Wow.

Molly (37:42):
I'm gonna go with.
And I have no rhyme.
Do

Randy (37:48):
you want me to give you a list of years

Molly (37:50):
even?
Okay.
Okay.
Well, let me give you mine first.
Okay.
Just so I can feel good.
Okay.
I'm gonna say 23, 19 23, 19

Randy (37:59):
23.
Um, okay, so here nowI'll give you the, a list

Molly (38:03):
of his just so everyone knows his eyebrows raised high.
So I'm way, way off or I'm right Ash,

R (38:10):
uh, 18 92, 18 48 or 17, 7 44.
I'm sorry.
I booth that number 1744.

Molly (38:23):
Okay.
So

Randy (38:24):
way off I went, I went down right older in, in the years.
Yeah.
18 92, 18 48, 18

Molly (38:32):
47.
I would say, well, I'll go with 1840.
Uh, this is pretty amazing as well.
The little pretty 17 pocket book, 1744.
Wow.
Yes, isn't that great.
I have to go and check this book out.
I, whether it's out there, whoknows the little pretty pocket book
intended for the amusement of littlemaster Tommy and pretty miss Polly.

(38:58):
I love that with two lettersfrom Jack, the giant killer
is the title of that book.
Wow.
That is a wow long book.
Now that even fit onthe cover, never did not
guide that

Randy (39:09):
properly.
No, I love those names.
Little master Tommy andpretty miss Polly Uhhuh.
Wow.
Wow.
1744.
So interesting.
Yeah.
Wow.
So that's the, uh, that's it, I don't,plus I've got a description of the book,
you know, you, people can go check it out.
I'm going to check it out.
The little pretty pocket book, huh?

(39:31):
1744.

Molly (39:33):
Oh, that's great.
That is great, right?
Yeah.

Randy (39:36):
Wow.
All right.
Well, let's get back into it.
Play ball.
All right.
So I mentioned, uh, we were gonna talka bit about, uh, your experience as
the executive director of the chamber.
Um, and that is the sugarinvalley chamber of commerce.
And I, um, a little background, Ihad, uh, the great, uh, opportunity

(39:59):
to work, uh, somewhat with Molly.
Um, I think I joined the chamber the year.
Your last year of the chamber actually,I think was my first kind of coming board
as with the board as a board member.
But you had been that I've been amember of the chamber for a while.
Great member.
Yes.
Uh, thank you.
A great member.
That's great.
Mm-hmm um, and so I'm still on the boardand you are, I I'm off, I remember that

(40:24):
called you were like, I think you eithercalled me or, or emailed me and said,
Randy, I have something I wanna ask you.
and yep.
And, um, I'm like, ah, wow.
Um, I know how to pick her.
Yeah.
And, uh, so then I became,, through, I don't know, whatever I
became, , on the executive team of.
Boards, , which was great.
And I forced that great experience.

(40:47):
, and, and, but you spent eight years,um, at the board, uh, or on the chamber.
there's so many great things I couldrattle off that you instigated maybe
or initiated, , with the chamber.
Some of the things that obviouslythat we still continue to do, we

(41:07):
just did one of these great events,the duck race, uh, launching all
of these rubber ducks, thousandsof them over the falls as an event.
And it was, it was a fundraiserand so many of the things as well.
And you I'll let you maybeeven, , , expand on this.
But so many of the, uh, of the eventsthat we do to raise money really is not to

(41:33):
raise money for the chamber organization,but it really is because of the, what
we call the community chest becausethe chamber gives back so much as well
to the community and nonprofit groups.
, I don't even know where to begin toask you questions about the chamber.
Um, oh, I, I can only just say as achamber member, it, you know, I just

(41:55):
always thought we have absolutelythe best chamber and, uh, executive
director, because it was, uh, andis continues to be so vibrant and
so engaging in such a benefit, Ithink, to the members of the chamber.
Um, but you really went throughsome hard times as well.
And maybe that's where I'll, I'llstart because having to be the

(42:16):
executive director of a chamber.
Through a pandemic period where itjust crunched and painfully small
businesses and especially in chagrand, where restaurant groups were,
are so prevalent where the othersmall boutique-ish kinds of shops.

(42:38):
So prevalent.
, tell me about how did you, becausesome of the things you did I thought
were brilliant and, and the way thatyou encouraged and helped support,
uh, the businesses, how did youapproach the pandemic, I guess?
Um, and how did you begin to, I guess,create some of the things that you did

(42:59):
and I'll let you explain even some of thethings that you've, that you did during
that period and that we continue to do.

Molly (43:06):
wow.
I mean, we were all.
We had no idea what was coming.
Right.
And I remember that day we weresupposed to have our annual
awards we had just set up.
Oh yes, yes.
I remember for our annual awardsat the, at the local movie theater.
And, um, we had a board meetingthat meeting that morning and, and
decided that we weren't gonna have it.
And, and if you remember, wedidn't know what this was, right.

(43:31):
It was the flu

Randy (43:32):
or, you know, but I knew coming away from that meeting, that
it was our executive board meeting.
And I remember coming away fromthere because, uh, the superintendent
at the time was also a member ofour board, uh, our executive team.
And he shared like, Hey, it hasn'tbeen announced yet, but this weekend it
is going to be announced that Ohio isgoing to take steps on essentially, uh,

(43:59):
shutting down face to face instruction.
And we're gonna make an announcement.
I remember walking away fromthat meeting going, holy shit.
Yeah, this is, this is real real.
And you know, I started internal,like, what are we going to do?
Right.
Meaning my agency, um, and being,and knowing you, you just embrace and

(44:23):
take everything on and knowing you inthat role, you were like, these are
my businesses, this is my community.
They were my babies.

Molly (44:30):
Yeah.
I mean, we had, at that time,I don't even remember how many.
Members we had, but 600, I plus somewherearound, you know, some are better
than others as far as involvement.
Sure.
So, but you know, I, first one was that,you know, when this virtual world started

(44:51):
coming, I knew that a lot of our memberswere small businesses that didn't have
a virtual world, especially the, theshops, they didn't have online shopping.
Right.
So, um, touching base with them andfiguring out how we could support
them, how they can stay open.
Um, we ended up doing, uh,we brought the shops to.

(45:15):
The, and a lot of them didn'tknow anything a about doing it.
Um, so we would go in spend one hour afterhours and kind of like did a QVC show.
Um, and we just sold theirproducts on Facebook.
Um, that was super, super fun and,and very, very successful, you know,
we would walk out and do a thousanddollars a night with, I think we ended

(45:38):
up our total was like $23,000, right.
In a two week span.
Yeah.
Um, doing

Randy (45:44):
those live

Molly (45:45):
chefs, doing those lives, I thought that was brilliant.
Yeah.
And then we delivered it.
Yeah.
You know, people didn't wannaeven leave their houses.
Right.
So we, we delivered it if it was local.
Um, it's so funny cuz people talkabout like, was it banana bread?
That was like the big thing duringCOVID where people, it was like.
People made a banana bread and oh really?
It took a big deal.
It was, I didn't get any of that.

(46:05):
I was like, what do you mean?
I have no time to make a banana bread.
I'm freaking saving businesses here.
Um, but that was probably the busiesttime for, for a time where people
got to take time off and no, therewas no, we did a, um, we, the chamber
was, has been very lucky with, um,being able to put money aside right.

(46:28):
Rainy day.
Um, and I think I talked tothe board and said there, you
know, there hasn't been any.
This is a rainy day.
And I think it was Henry Grande that cameup with the gift card extravaganza and
we took it from there and, you know, we,we sold gift cards and then the chamber
gave you a bonus card if you purchased it.
So that was hugely huge successful.

(46:50):
I think we sold out.
I can't remember like that was, Iremember being on the phone with Jessica.
Like I can't stop it.
Like it's I can't, I had to goback and ask for 15,000 more.
I think cause I literally couldn't stop.
And folks, if you can even justimagine it was, um, it was kind of
a time to, Hey, you know, Friday at8:00 AM or whatever the time was, um,

(47:10):
we're gonna launch this and you cango online and buy these gift cards.
And I think the chamber was matching.
Like if you bought 50, you've got 20.
I mean, it was a, it was a great discount.
Right.
And I remember like, oh great.
I'm gonna go in and go do.
And I went online.
I don't know.
It was maybe.
Two hours later.
I don't even know itwas like, it was done.

(47:31):
It was like, I'm a board member.
Darn.
And we, it was crazy.
Was so you bought so massively popular.
Yeah.
We then purchased another$20 from that business.
Right.
So not only did that business sell a $50gift card, they sold a $70 gift card.
Um, so that was a great,um, I think helpful.
Um,

Randy (47:51):
and I think that I could, you, you would probably, what
was the, the grand number?
I think when you think about whatwas purchased, plus the in kind, you
know, kind of cards that the chamberdonated against that, do you remember?
Don't even remember it was big though.
Oh, it was big.
I wanted to.
I thought it was likesomething like $90,000 or

Molly (48:13):
somewhere around something like that.
It was like that.
And you know, the best part aboutthat is, is, you know, I know with our
restaurants, nobody goes and spends $20.
No.
So that $20 gift card that you got,and then we specifically made sure that
we told the right the shops and, andanybody that don't, we want a $50 and
we want a 20, because we want that 20to become a 50 or a hundred or whatever.

(48:35):
So.
Yeah, but then we did thingslike, um, we didn't name that tune
virtually, which was super fun.
And again, just an opportunity for ourmembers to continue to stay together.
Right.
Uh, that annual awards ended upbeing at a drive-in instead of a
theater, another brilliant idea.
Oh, that was so much fun.

(48:55):
And we had fireworks.
And so we, we took thatand everyone got to.
Safe, but you know, what was

Randy (49:01):
great about that as well?
Because I, I could take,like, my kids wanted to go.
Yeah.
And so we went with a carload,like, Hey, we brought my kids.
Some of their friends, it was like drivingto the drive-in and it was kind of fun.
And, and, uh, I think that yearwas the, um, uh, the guy with
the gangster to kill an Irishman.

(49:23):
Yes.
To kill an Irishman.
Yeah.
Rick par it was the, themovie that you showed.
I mean, it was like, that was a greatnight, but I thought how brilliant,
because you gotta do outside, but howdo we keep this energy still flowing?
And, yeah, that was a great idea.

Molly (49:37):
I, and that was so, you know, through all these things,
moving into my new role, you know,I, I wanted to make sure that I.
I had the ability to, to use thatpart of my creativity at the end.
So, and, and I did right offthe bat, we did the, the, uh,
Christmas room at the end.
So it's, you know, I mean, I'vegot a lot more, yeah, yeah.

(49:59):
A lot more up there that I need to

Randy (50:00):
get out.
Well, I just know, um, and I'vetold people this a number of times
is that I, uh, and I, our currentexecutive directors amazing doing a
fabulous, um, mm-hmm , this is Jessica.
She, you know, is just done.
Terrific.
And, but I would say at that time, ifyou look through our course of history

(50:22):
of civilization, right, you can identifyhere's critical time of points in history,
world war II and, uh, the, the recessionsor whatever those instances were of like,
um, cataclysmic events, so to speak.
You can always as well identify peopleas being like the right person at that

(50:46):
time to guide through those events.
however that happened,Providence, whatever.
I always think, man, Molly was the rightperson that we needed as, as a director
of our chamber and guiding the chamberat that time, because I don't know that
anybody else, nobody that I know couldhave created and maintained, I think

(51:12):
kind of the energy that passion, thecommitment that you did during that time.
Thank you.
And you probably saved,you know, countless number
of businesses through that

Molly (51:20):
attitude.
I loved every second of, of that job.
Every second of it, it wasvery, very hard to leave.
It was a big decision for me.
Um, I think one of the best thingsthat would definitely be the, the,
we salute our first responders yes.
Week, you know, that, that, uh, we startedthat with, um, Bob and Joe warrior.

(51:41):
And, um, and all we did was our, ourchamber members would bring a meal, the,
our chamber, uh, services, 13 communities.
And, uh, so we fed themfor a week fire and police.
Um, you should have seen thatspreadsheet it was a spreadsheet.
Um, so I think that that one is,is one of my, my proudest moments.

(52:06):
Um, and the drive-in.
Yeah, that was one of the ones thatI was like, this is a good father.
That was great.
A father in my camp,

Randy (52:14):
a great, great event.
In thinking about the chamber, whatwould you tell, um, small business
owners about making the most out oftheir chamber membership, first of

Molly (52:29):
all, join.
Right, right.
I mean, I, I find it amazing thatpeople don't join their local chamber.
Why wouldn't you wanna, you know,have somebody on your side and
work for you, um, and utilize it,then, you know, you get your me.
I think that was the hardest thing,you know, somebody would call and
say they weren't rejoining, cuzit didn't do anything for them.

(52:51):
And, and we would look back at theirhistory and they didn't go to any events.
They didn't do anything and right, right.
You know, I mean just because youwrite a check doesn't mean that the
responsibility is totally on whatever,whatever group it is that you join.
Um, you've gotta do your part.
Uh, which usually means a lot of fun.
I mean, going to events andsocializing and something I do tell

(53:14):
or like used to tell, or I stilltell, um, send the right person.
So if you're a business withmultiple people, everyone has
their, their talent, right?
Some are.
Good behind the computer, right?
That's their talent.
Some are good marketing yourbusiness and, and bragging and

(53:35):
talking about your business.
Um, and some are not right.
Send the right person thatis selling your business.
I think that is a, a key, especiallyin these, there's already that
stigma on these gatherings, right?
Like I gotta go here, Joe, again, Joe'sgonna jog about his business and he is

(53:58):
gonna give me my seventh card that he's,you know, I mean, so make sure you're not
sending Joe, um, make sure you're sendingthat right person to, to promote and sell
your business, whether it's, you know,some owners are not that right person.
Uh, so find the right person.
Right.
And I, I think that's extremely important.

(54:20):
Um, So that that person is, and, andlet me tell you something else now that
I'm not the director, I can say it.
here's here's another tip folks.

Randy (54:29):
Yeah.
See, this is the, the unspoken.
Exactly.
I'm gonna, that book is coming thatyou've always wanted to give, but
couldn't now you can let it go.
Even before you

Molly (54:38):
go.
All right.
Don't stand in front of thefood table and have your dinner.
Okay.
Because nobody likes that.
Nobody likes it.
It, it just, there just were people that

Randy (54:52):
we just do.
I'm so God, I I'm, youwere not one of them.
I, I have in the, I have attimes been them person though.
I,

Molly (54:59):
I, I, I just, it was, you know, the, the, the, unless it's
a dinner, if it's just a couplethings out and you know, you.
You as the director and theassistant, you're like, oh
gosh, there's this many people.
And I need this many pieces of pizzaand they're, they're gonna have two.
Meanwhile, you're watching Joe andJoe is on his fifth piece of pizza.

(55:23):
you know, I mean, it'sjust like common sense.
So yeah, those, those, those are my tips.
Good advice.
But you have to do the work.
Yeah.
You have to do, and it's not hard work.
Let's be honest.
Yeah.
And that's
probably the best advice right.
There is you have to do the work.
Yes.
And don't expect that it's just gonnaflow out at you because you're a

Mo (55:43):
member now and go visit the, like the, and, and it, this just
happens naturally, cuz we're human.
But the people that came into our officeand said hello, or helped us carry a box.
And those people weretypically top on mind.
Right.
If that makes sense.
Not that we did that on purpose,but it it's just common sense.

(56:05):
Right.
So go visit them and bring 'em a cookie.
Yeah.
Mike Butler Mike Butler everyweek would bring us streak.
Okay.
He's the best

, Randy (56:15):
there's so much that you are involved with.
you know, I mentioned thefive children's books.
whether we talked about it in theshow or before the show, you wanna
do, you've been involved in a podcast.
You wanna do another podcast?
Maybe start that up again.
You've got this very cool.
That's my jam going on, uh, on your,uh, you, I gotta get that back going.

(56:38):
Yeah.
You've taken a break, a documentaryfilm that you won an award
with about the history of thepumpkin roll here in cha grand.
So much stuff.
I'm gonna ask you two question.
Well, it's a two part question.
Um, one about Molly and twoabout the in, , what is.

(56:58):
Around the corner.
Mm what's.
Around the corner for Molly.
You do so much.
You're so creative.
Right?
What do you see around thecorner for Molly on vacation?

Molly (57:10):
so best.
I, Brett keeps saying youneed to take a vacation.
And I keep saying know, Ijust, I can, I don't know.
I don't, um, what's around the corner.
I think I wanna, for me, I wannaget to a place where, um, there's a
balance at the end with the staff.
Um, so that I can, youknow, start adding on those.

(57:33):
Um, and, and if anyone knows me sayingwhat's around the corner for Molly and
what's around the corner for, in it's

Randy (57:41):
same.
I know I, I'm not even surewhy I tried to make the

Molly (57:44):
distinction to tell.
Yes.
Um, and that's, you know, that's howit, it has always been, you know,
and that's, that's the curse maybe.
Um, and the benefit of really,really embracing what you're doing.
Right.
You become right that entity or, yes.
Yeah.
So, um, But I would say, you know,always with Molly, it's, it's my

(58:09):
babies, my twins, um, and being apart of their, every second of every
life, we do a cooking show with them.
Yeah.
Online, which is super fun.
And, um, and as far as the in, I wouldlove to get it to, um, a place where
I can start adding those amenities,um, and doing those extra things.

(58:32):
I wanna do a Sunday morning breakfastwhere I literally just have the griddle
out in the library and I'm flipping,you know, jacks and, um, and having, you
know, a happy hour champagne happy hour.
And so being able to startadding those little moments,
um, into, I like those, yeah.
That, that would be what my focuswould be next for the in, um, is

(58:56):
just kind of adding and packages and.
Um, you know, have a dinner atI'm Italian and, you know, come
back to the, to the end for, youknow, champagne of strawberries in
your room or something like that.
So that would be just starting to createthat vision is, is next on, on the list.
Yeah.

Randy (59:16):
Yeah.
I love it and making great ideasknown like Christian obviously has helped
us, um, uh, get it out there more thanjust locally mm-hmm , you know, you
know, what, how, how do we get it outthere so that people in Germany, right?
Germany, France, come, come,stay, visit end that come to Ohio.
What's great about the end though.

(59:38):
And Randy, you know, this is,you literally park your car.
Yes.
Which we have 12 spots folks, whichis a big deal in sugar, grand falls.
It is, um, you park your car andyou never have to get back in
your car, uh, until you leave.
So you can have theater, shopping,dinners, drinks, um, fun.

(59:59):
All in all in a walking distance,and then you can go to Randy's house
since he said you could walk there.
um, but it's like, how cool is that?
You know, you don'thave to get in your car.
That's so great.
So yeah,
that, that is a, a great, well, I look forward to, uh,
hearing, seeing all of the fun stuffthat you're gonna do at the Inn.
Uh, and what's around the corner.

(01:00:20):
, we are coming into the showhere, bottom of the ninth.
This is, uh, where Iget to ask our guests.
What advice do you havefor rookies in the game?
Meaning those starting out in businessor who already have their business
and are looking for some guidance?
What kind of advice do you have?

Molly (01:00:40):
I would say, um, don't be afraid to reinvent yourself, , which
leads to fake it till you make.
Which is very famous quote from azillion people, but it's so true.
, listen, um, which is a hard onefor me, but, you know, listen,
uh, surround yourself withpeople that are smarter than you.

(01:01:04):
, and then trust your gut.
That's a huge one for me.
I mean, and I know it's so simpleand people are like, eh, literally
your belly will tell you if whatyou're doing is right or wrong.
It, it honestly will.
And I am not in tune with myself.
I don't yoga.

(01:01:26):
I don't meditate.
Believe me.
If you listen to our podcast with Alex, hetried his hardest to get me to meditate.
I'm very a D D thereis a lot self diagnose.
There's a lot going onin my head at all times.
, but I, I think if you.
Take two seconds about a decisionin, in business or in life.

(01:01:49):
, and if it's knowing at you, it'sprobably not the right decision, right?
If it's, if it's bothering, ifyou, if your, your body's gonna
tell you if it's the wrong one.
So I think that, um, you know, thereare analytics and, and numbers,
and God bless you, Brett, but Pand LS and, and all that stuff.
But at the end of the day, thereis right and there is wrong.

(01:02:11):
Right.
And your body's gonna tell you.
Yeah.
So those are my, those aremy, that's it, that's it.
Good advice.
Good advice.
And don't be afraid.
Like, if, if you look at my, my journey,um, you know, from clowning , um, you
know, I went to Kent state for oneyear and I came home with my B a B.
Everybody think about that.

(01:02:32):
Take a minute.
Mm-hmm so I had a baby at nine and 20.
Um, so, you know, I hadto survive at that point.
I didn't finish school.
, so, you know, I, I had lengthy jobs.
It's not like I went from oneto the other, to the other.
No.
Um, but you know, I,I was never afraid to.

(01:02:52):
To take a chance and reinvent myself.
So, yes,
well you've done very well andhow you've reinvented and I love the
invention that you continued to create.
So you I'm done yet.
You're not done yet.
Uh, well, listen, Molly,thank you so much,
this so much fun.
Randy, did anybody evertell you you should be on

Randy (01:03:11):
the radio?
Yeah.
I've I, when you were saying about,you know, yes, I've had a number
of times people said, you know,you've got great looks for radio

Molly (01:03:20):
yes, yes.
I didn't say that you havea great voice for radio.

Randy (01:03:24):
No, I appreciate it.
But thanks for beingthanks for having me this.
Awesome.
Yes.
I'm so glad we couldfinally, , make it come together.
Yes.
, alright folks, that's the ball game.
Thanks for joining us today.
And if you like our show, please tellyour friends subscribe and review.
And as we like to say, we'llsee you around the ballpark.
Running the bases with small businessesis brought to you by 38 digital market.

(01:03:50):
A digital marketing agency committed toclient growth with lead generation higher
conversions and increased sales connectwith us today at 38 digital market.com.

All Episodes

Molly Gebler - The Inn of Chagrin

Episode Transcript

Popular Podcasts

Hey Jonas!

Crime Junkie

Betrayal Weekly

.css-15opob5{left:0;position:absolute;top:0.8rem;} All Episodes

.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}Molly Gebler - The Inn of Chagrin