Episode 31 - Wichita Chamber Business Accelerator

When Jessie Sterling saw a unique opportunity for a new business in Wichita she jumped right in with Paint the Towne. Despite having no business background, she has continued to thrive and operate 11 years later. Jessie shares with co-hosts Don and Ebony what led her to become an entrepreneur and her unique perspective on success.

Jessie Sterling is a former elementary teacher, who now spends her time at work painting and partying with aspiring artists young and old at Paint the Towne. Paint the Towne has always been about the experience that can be created for others. This business allows many different groups of to come together and get creative. They encourage the fun, engaging, diverse image that the Wichita community has built for itself. Through her own struggles and successes, Jessie realizes that her business only is what it is today because of her staff, customers, and community. Starting out with very little, she has been able to grow this business beyond her original business plan, and bigger than she thought it would ever be. Jessie appreciates the continued support from the community, which in turn allows her to continue to grow her business.

Paint the Towne

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On this episode we discuss:

• The meaning behind the business
• Going from elementary school teacher to entrepreneur
• Jessie’s unique way of finding instructors
• How she used potential competitors as a pathway to success
• Having to get laws changed to allow the business to operate
• Persevering despite a lack of formal business training
• Listening to your customers
• How a primarily “in-person” business survived during COVID

Listen on popular podcast directories and aggregators, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Pandora, and ICT Podcast Network or using the player above. Send feedback on this show and/or suggestions for future guests or topics by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or emailing communications@wichitachamber.org.

Preview:

Wichita Chamber Business Accelerator is a weekly podcast devoted to supporting and learning from area business owners. Released every Wednesday, it's produced by Forge Podcast Co, managed by the Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by Evergy. 

Learn more about this podcast series by visiting our January 7 blog post.