TYLER, Texas — A step toward their dream is how some small business owners describe what it's like taking that first step to starting their business.
Saturday afternoon nearly 20 businesses gathered in downtown Tyler as part of the East Texas Small Business Festival.
"Once I found the right path that I wanted to take I focused on it until I finally said this is what I want and this is what I'm going to focus on," Lourdes Esparza, Owner of Jewelev said.
"My daughter was like, that's it, we're pushing you you're gonna do it," Shekima Dudley, Owner of Majestic Designs and more said. "And I was like, wait, I'm not ready. And so she was like, No, you're ready. We're gonna do it for you. And so she put me on Facebook."
Each business has its own story of how it began.
Dudley started Majestix Designs and More about a year ago. And despite some challenges from the pandemic, she now travels all across Texas showing off her work.
"I like to travel and I like vendors' events and so anywhere I could come out and see where it sells, what picks up what doesn't," she said. "It's a learning experience and I like people."
Esparza started Jewelev, a gift shop that specializes in sterling silver from Mexico, in 2017. After years off work, she'll be opening up her very own store in Tyler in a few weeks.
"If you don't push yourself to do it, you're never gonna do it," she said. "You have to really cross that barrier of yourself first and then go from there. Because most of the time, that's the hardest part."
Sometimes when we talk about small businesses it's a phrase that gets thrown around to grab attention. However, to the people trying to get their company off the ground, it's so much more.
And that's why Latoyia Jordan with Empowerment CDC wanted to hold this festival to show off what East Texas businesses have to offer.
"Hosting these types of events, that helps them get that exposure and get out in the community more and just talk about what they do," she said.
