Eventually, Baesa transformed her love of art into an online store called “Designs With Jamie,” where she sells various products such as stickers, cards, notepads, apparel and more. Every product is personally designed by Baesa, and she has collections like “Taylor Swift Eras” and “Asian Love.”
Browsing: Small business
Most students focus on grades, their jobs, relationships and more during their years at college. On top of all that, Rockwall senior Laney Sledge runs her very own boutique.
Fifteen minutes outside of Waco, on a back road in McGregor, resides a small local dairy called Mill-King Market and Creamery. Aside from distributing milk and various other dairy products, the dairy also has a storefront on the farm that carries an array of other small business products and organic food.
Since its commencement last fall, the Austin Avenue Art Fair has cultivated community and enriched culture through showcasing artists and musicians. This year, the community will come together from Nov. 1-3 to celebrate and admire the talents of local artists.
Waco, like many other college towns, has an abundance of coffee shops for students to study in. While students often settle for convenience when it comes to their coffee, Dan Moroso, owner of recently opened Italian cafe “Azzurro,” urges them to venture out of the Baylor bubble to Bosque Blvd for a cup of coffee they won’t forget.
Waco has grown to become a prime hub for home goods and decor with the Magnolia takeover in recent years. However despite some overlapping niches, local boutique Lane’s on Austin Avenue continues to find ways to thrive as it extends its lifetime-long existence of over 75 years.
“Don’t even worry about failing,” he said. “Don’t even worry about the logistics, right? You start first. You bully yourself into starting, and then you figure everything else out as it comes.”
The Holistic Fair on Sept. 22, this year titled “Healing Harvest”, featured several small business teaming up to benefit The Phoenix Project, an organization with the goal of providing aid to the homeless.
“I hope that people feel just a sense of a Holy Spirit-filled space that’s just welcoming to all,” Lim said. “It just shows that the heart of our church is within our coffee shop, and possibly, they may want to visit the church.”
Penland Residence Hall — also known as the warehouse of the Fino St. apparel line. With three guys, 150 square feet and boxes full of sweatshirts, it’s a recipe for success.
When TikTok Shop came around, advertisements masquerading as regular videos became even more common. Not only that, but the same products would be advertised again and again in an attempt to pressure users into purchasing via the platform.
The lifeline of the Waco Downtown Cultural District, Austin Avenue is home to many locally owned businesses, both new and old. A favorite among vintage and antique collectors as well as fans of “shabby chic” style is Cameron Trading Co.
“The construction project included reconstruction of everything in the right-of-way on Elm Avenue from MLK Boulevard to Spring Street,” a City of Waco statement reads. “Improvements included sidewalk, streetscape, drainage, waterline, and accessibility updates. New pedestrian lighting as well as landscaping were also added.”
“She has a heart of gold and her mission, honest to God, is to love you, and she is going to do it with these cinnamon rolls,” Cook said. “My suspicion is that the secret to Kimberly’s success has far more to do with how she treats other people than even the quality of her product.”
“Professional brand image is how your reputation is perceived by others,” reads Shiners’ website. “We provide our services so that you can achieve and maintain that reputation.”
When West junior Audrey Holloman joined TikTok in fall 2021, she had no idea it would grow into a platform for a small business.
While neither entrepreneurs envisioned owning a coffee shop as their ‘when I grow up’ trope, they have successfully created a brand that has spread kindness throughout the Waco community.