If you dream of owning your own business, your first stop may not be the bank. While some ventures require upfront capital, many can start small—right from your kitchen table, garage, or spare room—and grow organically. That’s exactly how we built Sagebrush Marketing, and we’ve seen countless others take the same path.

When we purchased our building the awning was torn, tattered and held in place with zip strips. In part to save money, we decided to keep the antique awning hardware and replace the canvas. This winter, we replaced the front door. We’re currently preparing to hang the sign and pawing through tile samples. Updates are needed inside the building, too, and in time we’ll get there.

In launching Sagebrush Market, our retail business, I wanted it to be my “happy place,” and for everyone who passed through our door to feel that energy. Building on that goal, we adopted a slogan of “Spread A Little Sunshine” and stenciled it right on the wall. The greatest compliment I hear from our customers is that the store is warm and inviting. We take pride in that and we have invested in it greatly, for both ourselves and our customers. Picture credit: Small business owner, entrepreneur and talented photographer Emily Hartinger