Business Experience
Goal:
To learn as much as possible, grow as individuals, and come out of college debt-free.
This is
Clark County Storage
…the business I co-own
Common Questions I Get
When Did We Buy Clark County Storage?
My siblings and I purchased Clark County Storage on July 6, 2017, just before I began my 10th-grade year.
Why Self-Storage?
My parents built their own self-storage facility in 2004 with the goal of leaving the corporate world and becoming their own bosses. By 2015, they had expanded to own seven properties. They mastered managing the business remotely and operating solely on profits. Their next step was to teach us the skills needed to carry on the family business.
Why Arkadelphia? Why This Location?
My parents specialize in distressed properties—buying them at low prices, rebuilding them, and leaving a positive mark on each community. Arkadelphia, a small rural town off I-30 in Arkansas, has many such properties. Our first location was facing foreclosure and priced in the five figures. Using money saved from stock investments and a loan from my parents, we acquired the property at a reasonable cost.
How Has Clark County Storage Done So Far?
As of July 2025, we own six locations, with the newest purchased in February 2025. We continue to grow amid new competitors entering the market. Clark County Storage has exceeded its original goals—thanks to the business, my siblings and I will graduate college debt-free. We are incredibly grateful for our parents’ patience, guidance, and support throughout this journey.
What Skills Did I Develop?
Before college started, I had already developed important skills including…
People Management (Customers and Employees)
Financial and Data Analytics
Project Management
Advertising
Process Development
Contracts and Specific Industry Law
Strong Work Ethic
I continue to learn from my entrepreneurial parents and from managing the dynamic business we co-own. While we face ongoing challenges, I always take time to celebrate our successes. This photo captures my ribbon-cutting ceremony when I joined the Arkadelphia Chamber in May 2025.
My Role At Clark County Storage
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Facebook
I manage the Clark County Storage Facebook page full-time, which presents unique challenges compared to other social media accounts I’ve handled. Storage is an “as-needed” service—most customers only require a unit during specific life events such as moving, the passing of a relative, major decluttering, or temporary storage needs. Because of this, our information must be clear and easily accessible to current and potential tenants. Although the Facebook page is relatively new, it has already helped book new tenants.
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Advertising
In the storage industry, the most effective form of advertising is owning a prime, highly visible location. The distinct exterior design of storage facilities naturally informs passersby about the business. Many storage owners rely on their property’s appearance as their primary advertisement. However, we also supplement this with banners on our fences to promote special offers. Given that Clark County Storage operates in a college town, we place banners during Ouachita Baptist University’s football season to connect with the local community.
The Other Important Thing I Do…
Since attending college in the same town as our business, I’ve had the unique opportunity to closely monitor our properties—something we hadn’t been able to do before. Over the past five years, living in Arkadelphia, I’ve been able to quickly inspect each location after events such as tornadoes, break-ins, or tenant turnovers. I regularly clean units, change locks, and ensure everything stays in good condition. Being less than a mile from multiple properties has allowed me to witness and contribute to the growth of our business firsthand.
How Have I Been Able To Transfer This Knowledge To My Internships?
Here’s How…
Process Development
PRCSA
Problem: During fall 2024, patient folders were frequently getting lost, and important information was not being logged digitally.
Solution: I redesigned the day-to-day paperwork process for counselors and student volunteers. Counselors were instructed to take the patient’s folder from a locked cabinet into their sessions for handwritten notes. Afterward, the folder is placed in a designated drawer for student volunteers. The students then retrieve folders from this drawer, digitize the notes into the software system, and return the folders to the locked file cabinet, organized alphabetically.
Result: This simple, clear process helped counselors easily remember where to return folders and allowed student volunteers to know exactly what tasks to complete without additional guidance. As a result, no folders were lost, and the workflow became more efficient, with everyone understanding their responsibilities.
Bakes By Bree
Problem: Bakes By Bree opened in December 2024 and initially received a manageable number of custom orders. However, by January 2025, the bakery became overwhelmed with custom orders, leading to lost or incorrect requests.
Solution: I noticed customers were placing orders via text message directly to the owner or through Facebook messages, which became unmanageable. To streamline the process, I implemented an automatic Facebook response informing customers that orders would no longer be accepted through social media due to high volume. Customers were directed to place orders by phone or in person. Additionally, I created standardized order slips that could be used by any staff member to take orders consistently. These slips were organized into three categories: current week, next week, and future orders. Current week orders were displayed on magnets in a designated area for easy access and tracking.
Result: Customers quickly adapted to the new ordering process, and no custom orders were lost after the system was implemented.
People Management
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I have extensive experience providing both over-the-phone and in-person customer service across various roles, including manager on duty, administrative assistant, front desk associate, and barista. These positions taught me how to communicate clearly, handle challenges gracefully, and prioritize customer satisfaction.
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As the Marketing Coordinator at PRCSA, I maintained friendly and professional relationships with multiple organizations and individuals to encourage monetary donations. This role required persuasive communication skills similar to sales, as I worked to build trust and secure support for the nonprofit’s mission.
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With seniority as the longest-running volunteer at PRCSA, I took on the responsibility of recruiting and managing student volunteers from Ouachita Baptist University (OBU) and Henderson State University (HSU). Over two years, I managed more than 20 OBU volunteers and successfully recruited the first HSU nursing student volunteer since 2019. This partnership led to the nursing department sending students to PRCSA for clinical rotations. Additionally, I organized Tiger Serve Days—semesterly community service events where OBU students completed projects at the center. I submitted project proposals and supervised the groups to ensure successful completion.
Strong Work Ethic
I credit my strong work ethic to the values instilled by my parents during childhood, as well as insights from the book GRIT: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth. These lessons guide how I approach every project and team: by showing up consistently, maintaining curiosity, and following through even when faced with challenges. To me, a strong work ethic is not about perfection—it’s about being dependable, embracing learning, and genuinely caring about the work I do.
If you’d like to see how others have experienced my work ethic firsthand, I invite you to read the recommendation letters on my About page or view my résumé.