Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristin Russell.
Hi Kristin, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up on a ranch in North Central KS. I love food, and farming, and am passionate about being conservative (and by that, I mean conserving resources). I went to college in MN and got really cold so I moved to Savannah.
My college roommate and I opened a fair trade coffee shop and cafe to try to live out some of the ideals we’d waxed philosophically about in school. The Sentient Bean was born. Fast forward 20 years: The owners of the amazing natural foods store next door decided to retire in 2019 so my partner and I decided to buy it.
Then Covid. So here I am running both businesses – just 2 years behind on any plans. I am really excited about leveraging the joint ventures for more local food support, more sustainability practices, and the generally greater good for our neighborhood and myself.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Gosh- everything is relative. Lol.
The road was smoothed by the 40+ years of the former owners giving it their heart and soul and the general awesomeness of our neighborhood. The road was torn up by Covid… but that’s true everywhere.
Staffing (which is something I’ve always enjoyed and felt very confident about) changed drastically during Covid and I can honestly say that has been one of the biggest struggles I’ve faced as a business owner.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Brighter Day is an independent natural foods grocery store located in the heart of Savannah. We are known for our support of healthy lifestyles and our unique product selection. The thing that really sets us apart is our incredibly knowledgeable wellness staff.
We put in countless hours of training to ensure that there is always someone on the floor who can guide our customers through the products they might be interested in trying for the first time or help them figure out what they might want to try for whatever they are trying to accomplish for themselves.
We have a first-rate bulk herb and spice selection and people come from very far away to shop it. We have a walk-up window for smoothies and sandwiches which are made almost entirely from organic ingredients. We have a great bulk staples selection that is super competitive with much larger stores.
We are very proud of the long history of serving so many different communities here in Savannah. You see all kinds of people coming for help at Brighter Day and the store has a long tradition of being a very welcoming place. We support myriad local causes and are always advocating for better health for all.
What would you say has been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
Trust is crucial to any healthy relationship. This goes for the employer/employee as much as for a business partner or romantic partner.
A lot of small business owners tend to micro-manage and not let their people do their own thinking and their own decision-making. That is the same as saying you don’t trust them. They won’t learn and grow and you’ll be stuck in the micro-management, day to day instead of being able to think about bigger things.
Trusting people to do their best, even while accepting that they’ll make mistakes, is the best way to ensure that good people stay engaged, and grow. hopefully love their jobs, and stay with you for the long term.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.brighterdayfoods.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrighterDayFoodsSavannah
