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Meet Erica Gentile

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Erica Gentile.

Erica, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I come from a family of entrepreneurs and have always had the “itch” myself. A few years after graduating from ASU’s W.P. Carey MBA program, my brother approached me about opening a franchise called Kid to Kid that buys and sells gently used kids’ stuff. I was single with no kids at the time so I had ZERO knowledge about kids’ stuff but I loved the concept and, based on my research, resale seemed like a great industry that was trending upwards so I agreed to quit my job to open a Kid to Kid in Gilbert. I had heard before that owning a business is not for the faint of heart and that is SO true! You face so many obstacles and challenges as an owner but you always have to have your game face on in front of your customers and employees. Every job comes with its ups and downs but when you own a business the ups can be a lot higher and the lows will be a lot lower! Like the time that I had to decide to close my Kid to Kid store in Chandler. That was a very tough thing to decide and then execute. But today my Kid to Kid store in Gilbert is doing well. I currently have 14 employees, including a manager and an assistant manager who runs the store beautifully. This has allowed me to pursue other opportunities including a wellness clinic, called ReNew Infusions, that some friends and I opened in August of 2019. I’m also back to doing solutions sales for ICM, a certified woman owned small business Document Management company here in the valley.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The first few years were a roller coaster! There’s a lot of learning curve in figuring out how to own and run a business. And there are many LONG hours. I think I was working 70-80 hour weeks for the first 1.5 – 2 years, oftentimes not being able to pay myself. Building a cash reserve and managing cash flow for the slow months was a struggle; especially in the low margin retail/resale world. Don’t believe some of my reviews – we are NOT making a lot of money on people’s used kids’ stuff! 🙂 Reviews are another thing you have to learn to deal with as a business owner. You put your blood, sweat, tears, and good intentions into running your business and then someone leaves a nasty review. And people do NOT hold back with online reviews. It can be pretty brutal. You have to learn to take them with a grain of salt and realize that the nasty reviews are probably more fueled by something else that’s going on in their life that has NOTHING to do with you. I’ve also had to experience theft and betrayal. In addition to customer theft, I’ve had employees steal from me as well. It stings when it happens but you have to learn how to get over it, realize that desperation often replaces dignity, and not assume that everyone will do this to you. It’s an unfortunate cost of doing business.

Tell us more about the business.
Kid to Kid is a national franchise where we buy and sell gently used kids’ stuff such as clothes, toys, and baby equipment. It’s a great way to make parenting less expensive because parents can sell the items in a safe environment and purchase great quality kids’ items at up to 70% off of retail prices! And because we are helping the community to reuse items, it’s also great for the environment! Each location is individually owned and operated and I pride my location with our mantra “Fast, fun, friendly service!” For my employees, I want it to be a fun, safe, and enjoyable work environment that allows them to have work-life balance.

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
If anything, I’ve had more bad luck than good luck. The key isn’t luck, though, it’s how you roll with the punches. We can all be resilient if we put our minds to it. And that can be a VERY conscious effort! 2018 was a very rough year for me personally and professionally but I made myself get up, look in the mirror, and say positive affirmations. I was determined to do it until my mind believed it!

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had some luck in life. Mainly in the form of my “tribe”. I’ve been lucky to have been blessed with an amazing family and the best friends a girl could ask for. I’m usually a very positive, motivated, and goofy person but when I’m in a funk my friends and family know how to push me along and get me back to my normal self! Not every day is positive. That’s life. The trick is figuring out how to ride out the storms.

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