JAMESTOWN, Ohio — This National Small Business Week, we are celebrating small businesses all across our state, including in our rural neighborhoods. Three sisters decided to create their own business later in life in their rural community of Jamestown and share how they’ve overcome hurdles to keep growing.
What You Need To Know
- JustBe Candles was created by three sisters in Jamestown, Ohio
- The sisters all point to each other's strengths, between making labels, pouring candles, or keeping tabs on inventory
- Being a rural small business has its challenges though, including internet connectivity to make online sales
- Thanks to rural broadband initiatives, more small towns like Jamestown are getting access to high-speed internet
There are lots of smiles among these three sisters at JustBe Candles- a venture they decided to take just a few years ago.
“Just something we wanted to try," said Valerie Welch the oldest sister. "None of us had ever made candles before.”
Each sister has their strengths, Welch is sharing her skills of candle making with her middle sister Gina Beardsley.
Youngest sister Stacia Anderson is the label queen.
“That’s my favorite part, is making the labels," Anderson said.
It’s certainly a way for these sisters to do something together.
“We thought well let’s try it out," Anderson said. "So we started making different waxes and trying and then we settled on a wax and said we can do this, we can do this. Something for us three as sisters to have together.”
But it’s not all beautiful candles and scents at JustBe, there have been challenges too. In a rural town like Jamestown, it’s tough to get service, which can make running a small business even more difficult.
“We have more sales online," Anderson said.
Thanks to rural broadband initiatives, more and more rural cities across the state are getting access to the internet. According to Charter Communications, $750 million will be invested in rural and underserved communities, bringing internet access to nearly 140,000 homes and small businesses like JustBe Candles and 80,000 of those households will be in Ohio’s Appalachian counties.
“I think it’s gonna make a big impact," Anderson said. "It has already.”
JustBe Candles' operations are now running smoothly.
The sisters can now focus on making candles and building their business.
“Four hundred and some in like two days," Welch and Beardsley said. "We were so exhausted. We laughed and we had so much fun.”
And making work feel fun again.
“Depends on the day really," Welch said. "Sometimes it feels like work. But most of the time we really enjoy doing it.”
Charter Communications has built over 3,000 miles of infrastructure in Ohio, which could add up to 28,000 customers so far in the project.
Charter Communications is the parent company of Spectrum News 1.