Welcome to the very first post in the #momcrushmonday series!

This series is dedicated to amazing local moms in our region. The goal is to take a moment to shine the spotlight on deserving moms. Why? Because we are the best support for one another in this journey of mommyhood. It’s not easy to balance being a mom with everything else life has to throw at us, and all too often we can feel like we aren’t enough. On Mondays, we say YOU ARE AMAZING, MOMMA! So if you know of a mom who rocks it, please use the contact form to let us know. We’ll set up an interview with her, and feature her in one of our posts!

When it came to writing this first post, I knew exactly the mom to start with. Karrie Cook is a friend of mine from our college days when we worked like crazy to get our teaching degrees. I thought my life was so hard back then. I had to drive all the way to Albany to take classes, I had loads of homework and reading every night, and I had all these responsibilities, like keeping my apartment clean and working shifts at my retail job when I wasn’t in school.

What I didn’t notice at the time was my friend Karrie. She probably had bags under her eyes because she was doing all the same things, except she ALSO had 3 kids! I didn’t notice how tired Karrie must’ve been. And to be honest, she wouldn’t have let anyone notice.

You see, Karrie is the type of person who will drop off a basket of baked goodies at your house without leaving her name on it. She’s the type of mom who comes into your school after you’ve gone home for the night to secretly decorate your classroom door. (Yes, she really did that when I had her daughter in my class.)

She’s the mom who, when I interviewed her for this post, didn’t even think to mention the fact that she spends hours helping her daughter Kassi make and sell baked goods to benefit the South High Marathon Dance. She didn’t mention how she volunteers to braid hair to raise more money during the dance. She didn’t mention she ran a Ragnar. She’s the mom who will blush when I hit publish on this post because she doesn’t seem to realize how much she ROCKS.

Oh, and by the way, she runs a family business while she’s at it. If you’re ever in need of party rentals- tables, chairs, tents…she’s your gal! I told Karrie this was the reason I wanted to write about her. As a former business owner, I know the toll it can take on…well…just about everything else you have going on in your life! You want nothing more than to make your customers happy, and word of mouth is everything. That means you’re giving 100% all. the. time. To do this AND have a family who has such a presence in the community is simply awesome. Plus she actually physically installs these tents. Talk about superwoman!

Here’s the chat I had with the fabulous Karrie about life as a mom and business owner.

Tell me little about your business. What are your goals for the business?

Karrie: I own a tent rental business with multiple assorted party needs (tables, chairs, linens, chill tables, beverage dispensers, etc.). 2017 brings us into our 5th year of operation! The shop is located on Ridge Road in Queensbury, and my office is in South Glens Falls. My ultimate goal is to continue providing an excellent, reliable, and affordable service. I hope to expand our wedding line in the next couple of years by purchasing a larger tent that can accommodate over 200 guests!

What inspired you to start your business? What initial steps did you have to take to get started?

Karrie: Initially it was my husband’s idea. He is a full time correctional officer, but runs a small, successful lawn care company. I completed my Master’s program in hopes of “nabbing” a teaching job, but as it turned out, there were a few speed bumps in my path. I haven’t tossed the idea of teaching out of the window completely, as I have a genuine true love and compassion for young eager minds, I just am filling my time tending to customers and sharpening my business sense.

Sidenote from me: Karrie is such a caring and kind teacher! She knows I believe she will eventually find her way back to the teaching world. 🙂

Help us understand your business industry. What is it all about? Who is your target audience? Why would someone be interested in using your service or purchasing your product? What makes you stand out among the rest?

Karrie: I provide party rentals (tents, tables, chairs, etc.) for a wallet-friendly price. I have five in my family, and I understand the importance of stretching my dollar as far as the next guy! I want people to know they can count on my business not because of how reliable we are… but also because we won’t rob them blind of their hard earned money. The way people talk about us after an event is the best referral! We strive to meet the needs of every customer, no matter what. Our customers come first! I provide a great service for grad, birthday, & bridal parties, baby showers, weddings etc. What makes us stand out? We are a husband and wife team. We both share the same work ethic, and we aren’t satisfied unless our customers are.

Another side note from me: Can you tell how genuine she is? And this is all true. She fully equipped my baby shower, and it was simply beautiful. She set the entire thing up, I didn’t have to lift a finger or think about it at all. She listened to my ideas, and had every thing I needed and more. 

Tell me about a failure, challenge, or a time you had to overcome a fear during your business journey.

What motivates you? What has been your greatest inspiration?

I feel incredibly motivated because, as corny as this sounds, lifting up a 20×40 tent, carrying poles, chairs, tables, etc. is what I consider manual labor at its hardest. Combine that with setting up in the hottest months of the year, and I’m getting paid to work out! It’s like a free gym membership with a nice financial kick-back. Don’t get me wrong… it’s not a bowl of cherries! Remember I work with my spouse, carrying heavy things in 90 degree weather…we don’t always see eye to eye. But we do respect each other as “work partners”. I do feel blessed for our combined success. My husband inspires me… he is LEGIT a work horse!

What are the next steps for your business? Do you have any upcoming changes or projects in the works?

How has owning a business impacted your family? What advice would you give other moms looking to start a business?

I think being in business has shown our girls you have to work really hard to be successful. Sometimes things run very smooth, sometimes they don’t. It’s important to have a strong and focused disposition that will (positively) carry you through the rough stuff. My advice: Devise a plan. Start small. Before you take on too much, be sure you have the support and resources to not drive yourself bonkers with work overload! Keep it intimate and remain true to your own values, even if you are making a TON of money. Don’t forget where you came from, how you started, and who helped you get there!

Where is your favorite local place to visit with your family or shop for your family?

My favorite place to visit with my family is FREE, and in about 40 minutes I can be there. Log Bay in Lake George has always been a special place to me ever since I was a child and my parents took my brother, sister and I there. As a mom, many years later, I truly enjoy disconnecting from a hectic day by driving in to catch the sunset and take a swim with Scott and the girls. We aren’t on our phones (maybe to just capture the beauty of the sunset). We are enjoying the beautiful water and the tranquility of the lake and its surroundings. My husband and I may be guilty of popping open an Angry Orchard and relaxing in a naturally beautiful landscape, which we are so blessed to have in our backyard.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to Karrie for being our very first #momcrushmonday spotlight! We are totally crushin’ on you, Momma!

You can find out more about Karrie’s tent rentals on www.askkatentrentals.com  (site design by yours truly!)

Contact Karrie on Facebook for information on how to support Kassi’s fundraising efforts for the South High Marathon Dance!