Running a small business takes time and hard work, but some student entrepreneurs have taken on the challenge despite carrying a full load of classes.
“It’s hard sometimes,” said Annie Dibble, interior merchandising junior. “But I’m getting better at managing my time.”
Dibble said her store, Down Dog Designs, 503 S. Washington St., is her dream come true. The store sells a variety of vintage home decor items ranging from candles to furniture.
She said the business is primarily an extension of her hobby of collecting vintage accessories.
“I’m still trying to find out what direction I want to go in, and this has always been my dream — to have a small business,” she said.
A full load of classes can be stressful to juggle with the time commitment of a business, said Brian Robinson, apparel merchandising senior.
“It does inhibit your ability to perform at school,” Robinson said.
Robinson handled his own vintage clothing store, “B-line Galaxy,” as a full-time student for more than three years. Now a part-time student, Robinson has been able to dedicate more time to the store and has seen it double in size.
When Dibble’s store first opened, she would close for a few hours to go to class.
“To run a business, you really have to have normal hours,” Dibble said.
This semester, her classes are scheduled so she will not have to close the store.
Dibble said she did not take any business classes before opening the store, but her store has been a valuable educational experience for her.
“I have learned a lot about small business by jumping out and doing it,” she said.
Dibble said she learned the most from her mother, who also owned a store.
Most of her clientele is composed of college students, but she does have older customers as well. Many regular customers come in — some even once a week, she said.
“There’s not a store like it in Stillwater,” said customer Nicole Benskin.
Dibble said that after graduation, she wants to continue with the store but will first have to see how her finances and location work out.
“I want to work for a company first and get connections, then open a store later on,” she said.
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