Kelly Charles, owner of The Big Mattress Outlet located at 1924 Shorter Avenue is answering questions for this week's Small Business Snapshot.

What is the primary purpose of your business?

To offer name brand mattresses at below wholesale to the public

What is the business background of the owners?

I worked for Simmons Bedding Company for nearly 15 years as an Operations Manager. My responsibility there was to liquidate

excess product such as overstock, factory seconds, floor samples, etc. nationwide. I became very acquainted with the product

itself and the most cost-efficient means of offering it to the public. I realized the tremendous value in these items, and eventually

decided I was on the wrong side of the business!

Why did you start (or purchase) this particular business?

I had always wanted to own my own business. Despite this not being the best time economically to leave a job of many years

and venture into the unknown, I really believed that I could make this work. I didn’t really have any savings and didn’t want to go

in debt, so I sold a Mustang that was very special to me and stretched those dollars as far as possible to get the doors open.

What makes your business unique? (Examples: History, building, specialized product or service)

The term “Outlet” is overused and rarely accurate in retail. We are a true Outlet, buying directly from top name brand

manufacturers at pennies on the dollar. These manufacturers are very selective about whom they allow to purchase these

closeout models in the interest of protecting their full-price retail accounts. We are the only authorized outlet in North GA! We

offer all the top name brands – Simmons, Serta, Sealy, Stearns & Foster, Tempurpedic, and more, at as much as 80% off retail.

My familiarity with the area and experience in the industry allow me to say with confidence that you will not find a cheaper price

on comparable product anywhere around.

What do you enjoy most about your chosen profession?

It’s funny to me now that years ago when I was recruited to Simmons I was hesitant at first. I was in retail apparel management

and loved it. I recall one of the VP’s having to come back several times with offers to entice me to leave my beloved clothing

store, because at the time I thought surely mattresses must be the most boring thing in the world to sell! I also slept on some

hand-me-down at the time, with no knowledge of how much a good mattress can actually change your life. A good mattress is

usually so expensive that, for many, it’s a luxury that’s not on top of the priority list. It’s not that I personally have the ability to

change lives for the better, but our lives are so hectic that a good night’s sleep really does make a difference in how one feels

on a day to day basis, and if I can help make such an improvement affordable while at the same time fulfilling my dream of

owning a business, I feel pretty lucky. Additionally, this is something my husband and I can do together. While he still has a full-

time job elsewhere until we are on our feet, we are both counting the days until this can be a true family business.

What has been the biggest or most interesting challenge to overcome as a small business owner?

As any business owner knows, it’s not easy. Even if you’re fortunate enough to be successful right out of the box, it requires

an incredible amount of time, physical effort, and emotional commitment. Attending my son’s Friday night football games is not

so easy anymore, nor can I easily take the kids to the local fair on Saturday. The family has really pitched in to help around

the house, and when I need extra muscle around the store my son is happy to have the work. I am blessed to have such a

wonderful family.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

Please join our Facebook fan page where we support the local community and offer exclusive discounts, giveaways, and other

fun and games! We can be found at www.Facebook.com/BigMattressOutlet.