Today we’d like to introduce you to Brandi Smith
Hi Brandi, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My entrepreneurial story started on the mainland of Galveston Island as an 8-year-old bright-eyed girl watching my late mother Nadine Hurst, a licensed Master Electrician, hang ceiling fans, install power outlets, and even wire entire homes for neighbors and fellow church members. She was a trusted resource in our community for all things electrical, many times being tasked with having to rewire previous work that was improperly or unsafely completed by someone less qualified, but more expensive. Her prices were always beyond reasonable, and she often did work for free for senior citizens who were willing to offer their wisdom to her talkative, tag-a-long daughter as she worked tirelessly in their attic.
My mother always wrote her estimates on a yellow legal pad in the neatest handwriting I’d ever seen. She would break the cost of materials and labor down for her customers to easily understand. She’d write two numbers down for the labor cost. The first written in black ink with one red slash through it, and the other written next to it in an even bolder black, circled in red. When I would ask why she did this each time she’d tell me, “You should always show people the value they’re receiving so that they’re aware of your generosity, and this by the grace of God will inevitably lead to more business.” Bearing witness to such dedication to service and integrity even on such a small scale, helped hone my leadership skills, and ultimately molded me into the type of business owner I strive to be today. Just as observing how poorly my mother was treated at times in a male-dominated industry, demonstrated to me the importance of perseverance in business. This proved to be especially challenging during the late 80’s and early 90’s when women weren’t yet believed to be capable of holding the title of trade “Master,” of anything, and to add insult to injury to the nay-sayers…a BLACK woman at that. Unfortunately, her expertise was questioned at every turn. Yet, instead of blowing a fuse, pun intended, she always kept her composure and let her work speak for itself. I thank God every day for her guidance.
I was blessed to be surrounded by visionaries on both sides of my family.
My late paternal grandfather, Louis Henderson Sr., owned the premier landscaping business that serviced the Galveston area for over 50 years, and his wife, my beautiful grandmother Essie Jean, ran the books for the business for the duration of that time and in spite of a 6th-grade education, had enough business savvy to invest their earnings in purchasing island real estate in the 80’s which allowed for my grandfather to retire decades later with ease.
So, it would be naive of me to think that coming from such sound self-employment stock, that I wouldn’t eventually be bitten by the entrepreneur bug as well. After spending my first 17 years post-undergrad in prominent leadership roles in the childcare industry, running successful preschool programs for others in the Houston area… I decided to take the leap of faith that led me down the path of business ownership for myself, continuing my family legacy of supreme service with top tier offerings.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Struggles? Ha! Absolutely there have been struggles. I could write a book on obstacles I’ve had to overcome on my journey to entrepreneurship and it would start and end with that infamous “F” word that all start-up business owners keep in their arsenal for when they’re frustrated due to lack thereof…FUNDING! 😉
If we’re being honest, the beginning of business ownership is the toughest time when expenses are maximized, money is scarce, and profits are in the distant future. Not to mention the fact that even though YOU believe in your vision and know the cutting edge, highest quality product you plan to bring to the market, the fact remains that NO ONE else does! Building your brand and gaining the trust of potential customers is not easy, and it becomes even harder to do consistently when you’re on a new business budget!
BUT…we have to remind ourselves that this is all par for the course. If owning a business and potentially creating a legacy for our loved ones were easy, everyone would do it! Personally, my faith tells me that there is no testimony without a TEST and when a seemingly insurmountable set-back comes my way, life has taught me to rely on my faith. “I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me!” (Phillipians 4:13) God always makes good on His promises. So, when the weight of entrepreneurship becomes too heavy, I go to God in prayer, and just when I need Him most…He shows up right on time! I don’t believe anything is left to luck or chance. God is intentional and He is faithful to those who believe in Him.
That potential customer you crossed paths with, that lucrative partnership you seemingly walked into, that unexpected grant, that “Yes!” you received when you thought you weren’t qualified…this is how He shows up for us! And a wise entrepreneur knows to give God all of the glory when He makes a way for us…so here’s my chance, Thank You Lord!
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Posh Pouponniere ?
Posh Pouponniere is a nursery that provides Professional, Obedient, Safe and Honest childcare exclusively for infants up to 18 months. We are centrally located, with easy access to the Medical Center, the Museum District, and Downtown. Posh Pouponniere offers our families infant to teacher ratios that are considerably lower than the state requirement, tenured caregivers who specialize in infant care, an engaging curriculum, an interactive parent app, and so much more in a small, home-like environment.
Absolutely no one will out-serve us, and our commitment to supreme service to our families, projects us leaps and bounds above our competitors. This commitment is solidified through parent perks like part-time care options, curbside pick-up and drop-off, and quarterly parent’s day/night out events with Friday evening and Saturday care opportunities, all included in their monthly tuition. Our ideal client requires that their baby be pampered, nurtured, and cared for in a manner that is second only to the care they provide themselves. We do not believe there’s a such thing as “spoiling babies,” as we believe our arms were made to hold them…We welcome picky parents with open arms because we always win them over…
We are now enrolling for late fall and early 2025 for newborns up to 18 months. Visit our website today to schedule your tour!
How do you think about happiness?
Personally, seeing my daughters in their elements makes me happy. Rather it’s watching one at her basketball game or the other at a debate or track meet, seeing my offspring owning their commitments and being leaders in their own right, really brings me joy. Also, I am a self-published author of a fictional novel series, so writing also makes me happy. It’s something about the ability to escape my reality by creating a new one that brings me so much happiness.
Professionally, servicing families and earning their trust makes me happy. Knowing that a mother and/or father trusts me with their baby is really fulfilling for me because as a mother myself, I know that this is not an easy feat, and I don’t take it for granted.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.poshpouponniere.com
- Instagram: @poshpouponniere
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/poshpouponniere/
Image Credits
Andrew Fontenot, Fontenot Photography
