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- [00:00]
Tracy Long
I remember going to the bank across the street and saying, okay, I need a computer. I need a loan for a computer. And I thought, you know what? Isn't that crazy? You think back to the times where, wow, I need a loan for a computer. When you think you cannot make it, you just think back to the times that you were like, I made it and I did it and I'll do it again, and I'll do it again. And I think that Tracy Long is.
- [00:33]
Narrator/Intro Voice
The driving force behind the Savvy Sister and Bougie Barkers. Blending entrepreneurial vision with community heart beyond building successful businesses, she mentors aspiring entrepreneurs, sharing her journey to guide others and create brands that celebrate community and meaningful connections.
- [00:48]
Podcast Host
How did you carve out this unique aspect of the brand? Because I think that's where most people start struggle. And you've kind of got, you know, this high end luxury boutique dog and then high end luxury, but community driven fashion side too. So how'd you do that?
- [01:04]
Tracy Long
Well, I will tell you, I feel like I have.
- [01:12]
Narrator/Intro Voice
It spans the globe like a super high cold Internet Elvis. Today, Apple is going to reinvent the phone. It's not over until I win. The Living youg Legacy podcast. For those who live to leave a legacy that's extraordinary. The impossible has. Oh, that is sensational. Jordan, open Chicago with the lead. You said Paul is the fastest man on the planet. You can live your dream.
- [01:51]
Podcast Host
Hello, and welcome back to another episode of Legacy Makers. Joining me today is Tracey. We share a mutual passion of fashion and dogs. Pretty much. Right. So multiple businesses, serial entrepreneur, a couple of great businesses doing great things. We're going to dive into and of course dive into her legacy. Welcome.
- [02:10]
Tracy Long
Thank you. It's nice to be here.
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Podcast Host
Good. So let's talk about the two businesses, Dogs and fashion. The only one missing for me is food. You know, if you throw that one.
- [02:19]
Tracy Long
We got the trio that maybe come and see.
- [02:23]
Podcast Host
Good. Tell us about the two businesses.
- [02:25]
Tracy Long
So the Savvy Sister is a women's consignment SL boutique. We, we have home, decor, clothing, all kinds of stuff. Everything a woman would want, she can walk in there and find. So except for a man because we have no men's stuff. But yeah, we have just grown so much in the last seven years. And one thing that I love about the Savvy Sister is how we've literally grown off of just being a store and really been a haven for women that come in and want. We've, we've actually opened up and, and kind of we have like thrifting tours, bus tours, a Savvy Sister cruise. So there's so many things is a community now, right? It really is a community. It really is a community. And you know, another thing I've noticed is not just for our local area in Anderson, South Carolina, but also online. So we started an app called the Savvy Sister about four years ago and it has just took off. We ship all over the United States. So it's almost like a totally separate, separate store in itself. But yet we become more like family even on the app, you know, because we do lives every day. So you have people from, I mean, everywhere, Tennessee, Alaska. I mean, we have customers in every, every state.
- [04:05]
Podcast Host
That's. That's business one. Let's go into business two.
- [04:08]
Tracy Long
Business two is. Oh my goodness, it is a dog facility, a luxury dog facility. But it's so different. I can't wait to share with you and tell you how different it is. So we're only one of just maybe one or two in the whole state of South Carolina that does this. So we have a luxury dog boarding, daycare, grooming training facility.
- [04:33]
Podcast Host
And tell everyone what it's called.
- [04:35]
Tracy Long
It's called Bougie Barkers. Yes, Bougie Barkers. And oh my goodness, those little fur babies are just absolutely precious. We have a love for dogs and we took that love for dogs. We went all over before we ever started Bougie Barkers, we built it from the ground up with a dog in mind. So we went and we took everything we found from different facilities that we loved and combined them into our facility when we built it. So. So one thing I love is we are a social sleeping. So we don't put dogs in kennels. If you bring your dog to us, someone will be with your dog at all times. What I like to say is, number one, your dog is never left alone, never in a kennel. And we, we want your dog to feel as if they are still at home. It causes, you know, so much less anxiety for your dog to be able to stay. And we don't put them in, in different kind of bays. Like if a, if a dog is big, but it has a, a small temperament, they may go in, you know, with a little Chihuahua.
- [05:55]
Podcast Host
I was going to say the chihuahua are in the big one, you know.
- [05:59]
Tracy Long
Yes, you're right. You're right. But it's just a. It's already become a community. We have had, we've only been open six months. We've had over 4,000 reservations and just our presence online there. And people are Coming from all over to bring us their dog from Georgia. You know, being in South Carolina, we're, we're on the Georgia line. But you know, they're coming from all over because if you're going to go out of town and even out of the country for, you know, two weeks, you want your dog to be in the best facility. And so they want to drive and bring their dog to us. And that's what I love because we have such a passion for dogs and it really shows.
- [06:44]
Podcast Host
Yeah, yeah, I love that. So two common denominators. Both businesses very unique and you're building these unique communities too. So I want to talk about both. Firstly, how did you carve out this unique aspect of the brand? Because I think that's where most people struggle. And you've kind of got, you know, this high end luxury boutique dog and then high end luxury, but community driven fashion side too. So how'd you do that?
- [07:10]
Tracy Long
Well, I will tell you, I feel like I have always had a marketing mind and I knew that if I could open anything that I wanted it to be some sort of consignment boutique because I've always loved fashion and I've also always knew how to make a lady like dress her body because a lot of times us women have a hard time doing that and I've just always been able to do that. So I finally took a leap of faith and you know, God's a big part of everything we do. And I tell you, I left a very lucrative career with the American Cancer Society. And we, I've worked there 17 years and finally decided, you know, if I'm going to do it, I'm going to, I'm going to do it, I need to do it. So we just kind of jumped out and took the leap. And the Savvy sister is something that I've had for a good long time. In my mind. That's the name I had like year 10 years before I ever opened it. And then once I opened the Savvy, we were in like a thousand square foot store, three parking lots. People literally would park in the turning lane. We had no sign. And it just grew like wildfire. And then we moved to our third, our second store and it was around 4,000 square feet. That's when really things took off as far as like the community, the women coming in and then me thinking, you know, what can I do more than just, you know, have them come in, you know, sell them clothes, different things. What can we do? That's when I started the thrift and Tours, which was a hit. I'm tour bus sellouts every time. When I get back, I re. I literally get back tomorrow afternoon, and we go on a thrifting tour Saturday. So we take usually around six tours a year, and we just go different places. But that's really what started the community of women. And it's just continue continuously grown now. We do a huge event in December called Sparkling Shine, and that is where all the women come in. And we. It's just a big Christmas event where we dress up and things like that. So I just feel like the savvy sister pretty much started that community. I have a lot of followers now just from that and the love I have for them. You know, it's not just a consignment store or going on the thrifting tours. It's the love that we literally have for the customers that come in our store. And then Bougie Barkers, I just. I guess you've noticed I just love everything starting with the same letter as a savvy sister, Bougie Barkers. But I'm very bougie, and we have three dogs, and they are very bougie.
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Podcast Host
So.
- [10:22]
Tracy Long
So when we were thinking about, this is my daughter's passion, and she's like, mom, I really want us to open up a dog facility. And I said, well, I've been thinking about a name, and Bougie barkers just fit perfectly because, I mean, look at all the golden doodles, the Frenchies. I mean, even your rescues. I mean, people love their animals about as much as I love their children. So, I mean, all dogs are so bougie in their own way. So we. We opened it up, called it Bougie Barkers, and it has just been unbelievable. Have no doubt that bougie barkers will be in several other towns.
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Podcast Host
You got to open one here in Miami.
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Tracy Long
Oh, my goodness. I would love that.
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Podcast Host
Yeah.
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Tracy Long
Yeah, Love it.
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Podcast Host
Good. Let's talk a little bit about your story and journey. Right. So you've got this entrepreneurial, you know, thing going after many years in corporate. Right. What's been part of that journey? The ups and downs. It sounds like it's going great, but every entrepreneur story isn't a straight line. What was one of the old crap moments?
- [11:33]
Tracy Long
Yes, well, I've had several, and there has been times where I think, am I going to make it? And it always works out. But I'll tell you one story, and I was telling someone else this weekend, One story was, I will never forget when I left the. The cancer Society. I was like, you know what? I had a laptop, that laptop belonged to them. And I was thinking, I need a computer. How am I going to process all this? All these clothes, like, I don't know what I'm going to do. And I remember this going to the bank across the street and saying, okay, I need a computer. I need a loan for a computer. And I thought, you know what? Isn't that crazy? You think back to the times where, wow, I need a loan for a computer. But then, hey, now you could walk.
- [12:33]
Podcast Host
To Best Buy and just buy one if you need it.
- [12:37]
Tracy Long
But it's. You think back to those moments of like, wow. You know, think when you think you cannot make it. You just think back to the times that you were like, I made it and I did it, and I'll do it again, and I'll do it again. And I think that just not having any excuses, you know, just do it. And don't do it when you have the time. Don't do it when you think everything's going to be perfect. You just do it afraid and do it in fear if you need to. That's one thing I have just really tried to tell everyone is, you know, don't try to do it when you're all ready. You're never going to be ready. Do it. And it don't have to be perfect. I mean, the store we had, well, actually all three stores now we're in a 10,000 square foot store. This is our third move. And none of them has been perfect. But, you know, we just do it now. I'll tell you another thing, too. I about died on this one. But when we moved into that third store, the sign alone was like 10 to $12,000. Yes, yes. And I had no idea. So I was just like moving in with the big dogs. I'm talking like, we're in, you know, a big shopping center, 10,000 square feet, right on Clemson Boulevard. Great location. And, you know, I'd already put down this huge deposit because when you're leasing a place like that, it is expensive. So I had already put down this huge deposit. I'm moving into this third store. The sign. I don't know what I was thinking. I was thinking a couple hundred dollars. But this thing is massive, you know, light up everything you need. And it was like $12,000. And I remember thinking, when, I am not kidding you, when we went into that store on the third store, we went into that store with like $3,000 in the bank. I had 22 people on payroll. But let me tell you, we had our grand opening the next day. The line was all the way. I have a picture I was. I meant to show yesterday, but we had a line all the way down past at the very end of that shopping center. And I think in that one day, we made like $60,000 in one day.
- [15:12]
Podcast Host
But you put hundreds of thousands into it, right?
- [15:15]
Tracy Long
Yes. I was just like, you know, so I remember that night, I was, dear Lord, please let people come to this. And they showed up. I mean, they were camping out, they had their chairs sitting out. It was amazing. I had my fur, my pink fur boa. Most of the time when you see me, I'm just all in pink and everything else, and it's just. I love it. But, yeah. So, you know, every time I think, what in the world am I going to do? Lord just makes it happen.
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Podcast Host
Love that.
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Tracy Long
Yeah.
- [15:46]
Podcast Host
Well, last couple of questions I would love to hear. What else are they going to learn from your main episode?
- [15:53]
Tracy Long
I think you'll learn a lot about tenacity and just literally how to do things when you are down to nothing or when you have nothing. Because, you know, I. I've never had a lot in my life. Growing up, I had a wonderful childhood, but I never had a lot. But it's not always about money either, because I'm gonna tell you that third store, two weeks before opening that store, and I mean, we were hitting hard trying to get it open. My brother passed away, my aunt passed away, and then six months later, my father passed away. And just emotionally trying to open up a store knowing that you had one chance to get it right. And it was. It was them the most emotional thing I think I've ever been through thus far in my life. And, you know, I was just thinking, if I can survive that, then I can survive anything that comes my way. And I believe, you know, you'll learn a lot in. In my episode about just having tenacity and how to continuously continue on without stopping. I mean, no matter what comes your way, you just gotta go and do it.
- [17:20]
Podcast Host
Love that. And last question. They want to. Well, actually one more. What does legacy mean to you long term?
- [17:27]
Tracy Long
Legacy means having something that people know you from. Years from now, when I do not even have a store or, you know, I can't take women on a tour, but they can look back and remember. I remember at my darkest time, I went in there and we talked, we shared our moments, we cried together. I remember Tracy as one of the kindest people that I have met and that she cared about me because that's one thing I want to pass on is that when I meet you, I literally, I love you and I want to. I want all these things to happen for you just as they do me. And that's one thing I want people to remember. And that's. I really think that is a good legacy to have.
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Podcast Host
Yeah, I love it. Last question. Easy one. Where do they go check out these amazing businesses and see it on Instagram and socials.
- [18:36]
Tracy Long
So we're on every social media. We are on Instagram, the savvy sister the and then savvy's S a v v y on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, all the social media places. And then also you can go to our website, the savvy sister shop. And then on bougie barkers, we have a website called bougiebarkers.com and we do spell it B O u j e On Instagram and Facebook, tick tock. You can see videos of all those furry beautiful pups that we care for every single day. So we'd love for you to check it out and then of course, come in. If you're ever in Anderson, South Carolina, we would love to see you.
- [19:25]
Podcast Host
Good. Love it. That's another episode in the wrap. Go check out the awesome brands and of course the full episode. And as always, keep working hard. Build impact and make a legacy. I'll see you guys soon. Take care of.