Several local women business owners say it is difficult to strike a perfect balance between professional and personal with the stress of running a successful business, but despite long hours and the neverending daily demands, they are thriving thanks in part to trustworthy employees and a drive to succeed.

October Moon

Aura Ozburn says she is used to it by now, but the luxurious fragrances of lavender, vanilla, spice and citrus that greet customers upon entering her October Moon Art Gallery & Gift Boutique in Lansing’s Old Town simply soothe the senses.

October Moon is filled with soaps and candles and enough unique gifts to satisfy any selective shopper. The store sells things Ozburn really likes, from leather handbags and baby items to fancy French stoves and wonderful bathrobes.

“This is really a dream come true for me. I always wanted a store of my own even as a little girl. Now I get to fill it with things I love like gorgeous shower curtains and the best dishware from oven to table,” Ozburn says.

October Moon, which Ozburn opened in 2002, offers a unique blend of customer service and quality goods. The nearly 1,600-square-foot store on Grand River Avenue just west of the Brenke Fish Ladder in Old Town, also sells all kinds of art such as ceramics and paintings and wearable art like broaches.

Ozburn, who worked as waitress and bartender before opening her own business, puts in about 60 hours a week, many of which come after she puts her four-year-old son down for bed by 8:30 p.m. every night.

“That’s when I can focus on placing orders and doing all of my paperwork. I’m extremely fortunate to find a balance between the business and my son. I brought my son to work with me every day when he was a baby and now I work in the store about four days a week,” Ozburn says. “I’m lucky to have a great staff. They are so helpful and open-minded about my schedule. I have a beautiful flexibility with the store.”

October Moon has six employees and Ozburn is quick to add that no employee has ever left her gift boutique since it opened in Old Town on Turner Street. The store moved around the corner to its current location on Grand River Avenue in 2008.   

Ozburn says she approached opening her own business with passion and preparation, but really no business plan.

“I think not having a specific business plan helped me stay flexible. It was to my advantage to be able to quickly make changes to my business. The keys for us have been customer service and quality of goods,” she says. “I have such a deep appreciation for my clients. You really get invested in their lives over the years and there is a real beautiful intimacy that comes by that. People have to search us out since we are not really on the way to anything else. I appreciate their loyalty.”

Kean’s Store Co.

Not too many family-owned businesses span the length of a city block, but Kean’s is a variety store like none other in the area. The downtown Mason business is 17,000 square feet of candy counter, crafts, cards, toys, gifts and bargain basement.

Teresa Wren is the third generation of her family to run Kean’s, which was founded by her grandparents Gus and Fern Kean in 1928. Wren, who co-owns the business with her husband, Steve, took over the family reins in 2000 from Teresa’s father, Warner Kean, who owned the store from the 1950s through 2000. 

“This is a real destination store. It has something for everyone, but we are probably best known for our huge bulk candy counter. The kids love it of course,” Wren says. “Most important though is the customer service and personal interaction you receive when you come in the store. Our core group of employees has been with us 15 years or more.”

Kean’s, which features a Hallmark Gold Crown department, survived the Great Depression, but Wren admits the great recession since 2008 has been tough on business.

“It’s been a very stressful two years. We have micro-examined everything we do. We have had to cut a few employees. We have hired a consultant to help guide us though the crisis, but we are here still,” Wren says.

Wren, who has three children, has learned to balance family with the responsibility of running a retail business that demands attention.

“We are open seven days a week, so that is very demanding right there. My children are all very active in different extra-curricular activities after school and in the evening. Honestly, a lot of the running is done by my husband,” she says.

Wren gives credit to her staff of 15 employees for being so good that it frees her up to do little jobs around the store that might otherwise be ignored, like maintenance issues.

“This is an old building so you can imagine things do go wrong every now and then,” Wren explains. “We also rent 11 apartments upstairs, so life as a landlord is also challenging.”

Wren’s advice for other women wishing to start their own business includes setting goals and hiring good staff.

“No one can do it by themselves. Hire knowledgeable staff to help. I meet with my top managers every week to problem solve and to look at numbers. I couldn’t do it without them,” she says.

The good news for Kean’s and other retailers is that the economy appears to be improving and people are spending money a bit more freely.