CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Some Charlotte women who went from working side hustles to growing booming businesses are sharing lessons they learned in hopes of helping other small businesses succeed in the Queen City.
They're some of the most talked-about businesses in all of Charlotte, all women-owned with humble beginnings. Now, these women are sharing their journey in an upcoming forum.
There's one word that keeps coming up when you talk to these four women.
"It feels a little surreal," Cris Rojas Agurcia said.
Corrie Huggins echoed that, saying surreal is a "great word to use." Michelle Castelloe said her success is unexpected and surreal.
The women all use the word surreal to describe the experience of their side hustle growing into a very successful business.
"I started making treats at my house and people would order through email," Agurcia said.
Now the owner of Batch House, one of Charlotte's most well-known and beloved bakers, Agurcia says she's still figuring things out after finding her business by accident.
"Every day I'm still learning," she said.
WCNC Charlotte is always asking "where's the money?" If you need help, reach out to WCNC Charlotte by emailing money@wcnc.com.
Lindsay Anvik, the "babe" in Babe and Butcher, the wildly popular charcuterie business, says the same thing. She went from working out of her car to opening a Camp North End shop. She's currently shopping for a second location to meet demand.
"It was a side hustle and I thought on the weekends once in a while, I'll get extra cash," Anvik said. "It took over our lives in the best way."
The biggest lesson she learned?
"It's a shift," Anvik said. "You have to focus on being a team. You're not the only one with the best idea. Others have good ideas, I want to hear what everyone has to say. Everyone has something to offer."
Huggins was furloughed during COVID-19 and decided to start her own branding and photography business.
"It's been far more successful than I ever expected," Huggins said.
Castelloe brought them all together to share their stories. She left corporate America to start a boutique — Moxie Mercantile — that's grown to include five stores around Charlotte.
"Being able to be in my community and make an impact with retail has been important to me," Castelloe said.
The owner of Moxie Mercantile is hosting a forum called Eat the Elephant. All four of these inspiring business owners will talk openly about their struggles and successes in the hopes of helping other small business owners.
"It didn't come without a lot of work," Castelloe explained. "Work on myself, how to get over my fear."
Contact Michelle at mboudin@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.