Shannon Gonzales
Sacrifices for Success
story by NAKEISHA DAWSON-THOMPSON photos by CHARLOTTE BERKELEY
Beaufort has been known to attract people from many different places due to it’s military presence. Shannon Gonzales is the owner of Tout Sweet Macarons, established in 2019 in her home, and currently located in Port Royal, SC. Originally from Arizona and a USMC spouse of 12 years, Shannon’s husband received orders to Beaufort in 2018. When the COVID-19 epidemic hit, many military spouses were obligated to leave their jobs to stay home with their children. For that reason, they were looking at how to earn income while juggling the new homelife conditions. Many followed Shannon’s business journey as she was regularly seen throughout the community, attending pop-up events in Beaufort County. It was then she was continually asked by many military spouses and locals, how they could start their own home-based business. Through her own ordeal with the county licensing process and her knowledge of how military spouses carry additional hurdles, she saw that there was a need for an education program that guides prospective business owners on what is required to get their idea off the ground.
When Shannon began her entrepreneurship journey, she had no idea the path she set out on would turn into mentorship as well. Shannon only planned for one business, not knowing her experiences would lead her into a second business of education and mentoring. Her ability to research local and state laws, or reach out to state departments to ask the tough questions led Shannon to developing a program that she now provides to her clients in our community. Shannon has currently mentored over 50 business owners with a combined estimated gross revenue over $600,000! Some of those clients/businesses include: Meg’s Sweet Treats, Lowcountry Made (where Shannon is the VP of Operations) and Blackspade Photography, to name a few. Her clients each receive a detailed, customized presentation, 30 days of follow-up, and practical information to make informed decisions. “My clients say their biggest takeaway from their sessions are how they can properly price their product. It’s not a one-size-fits-all method. Each business is unique, and I help guide them into what works best for them specifically.”
This program has been developed by Shannon over the last two years and is “the basics of business entrepreneurship.” Her program caters to all business types whether you are interested in retail sales, a service-based business, or a food-oriented business. She also includes basic information on marketing, business taxes, pricing, and teaches military spouses how to use the Military Spouse Relief Act properly. The military community has several “different” tasks that must be completed to operate a business including those who live on base, however, with the proper information and plan, it can be done. Shannon is committed to assisting the military spouse community in understanding the process of becoming a small business owner, how to transfer your business from one state to another when your family has orders, and how to obtain refunds for relocating your business as a military spouse. Shannon’s primary goal is to reach the military community to educate them on the ins and outs, particularly with how that works with their home state of record. However, the majority of her clients are locals throughout Beaufort County and a few in other areas of the state.
Shannon shares the importance of knowing “the power of saying, No,” and the need to value your time as a business owner and in your everyday life. She also adds, “Don’t go too big, too fast,” realize you must know your target market and stick to it. Shannon has turned her own personal business experience and merged it with her prior banking experience to continue to assist those who are seeking information on entrepreneurship. “Being a small business owner is sort of a catch-22 when it comes to your income tax filings. With my banking background, I let them know how it affects their financial goal with their business revenue.” Her goal is to continue mentoring small business owners and grow into a nonprofit organization, where she can assist upcoming business owners nationally, with a focus on the military spouse community. As she reflects on her journey, she states, “I wish I had someone like me to talk to when I first started out to help me make better decisions!”
Shannon is currently offering a “Small Business Masterclass” on November 4th at 11:00 a.m. and November 18th at 6:00 p.m. at The Loading Pad (500 Carteret St) in Beaufort. This Masterclass event is hosted by Downtown Operations & the City of Beaufort and is open to the public. Shannon speaks and mentors as a military spouse and a local area business license expert. “It is pertinent for business owners to understand why there is the importance of obtaining a business license.” Owning and operating a business can be rewarding and fun, but understanding the basics and fundamentals of business ownership is the foundation for the success of any business. It takes more than just having a good business idea. To be successful in business, you need to operate correctly and with knowledge and understanding of the market you are trying to venture into.
If you have a business idea and you don’t know what your next steps should be, contact Shannon of Tout Sweet Macarons and allow her to assist you in stepping into your new venture with confidence and business information specific to you. She can be reached via email at toutsweetmacarons@gmail.com. You can also visit Shannon’s business website @ www.toutsweetmacarons.com.
