Two ambitious young women had a dream. Not too different than much of their generation, Morgan Schubert and Kendall Turnipseed knew the corporate world wasn't their thing. Instead, they dreamed of being the proud owners of a mobile retail shop. While working at a local men’s store in Athens, Georgia, and attending The University of Georgia, their dream began to pick up speed.
With a mobile shop, they wouldn't have to deal with the overhead or necessary investment of a traditional brick and mortar store. But it also came with a lot of unknowns. What type of trailer would they use? Where would the clothes come from? Would they design everything? How do you start a business? What is it like to tow a trailer?
I had a chance to chat with Morgan and I can tell you she is the definition of a go-getter. She's the kind of person who, when a barrier presents itself, looks immediately for the way around it. My brief FaceTime chat with Kendall suggested she has the same mindset.
For instance, their formal wear experience gave them an idea of where to start, but being college students with little initial funding made it difficult to build an inventory from scratch. A breakthrough came when a nearby women’s formal shop closed. With excitement and eagerness, the young entrepreneurs jumped at the opportunity to buy the inventory and so began their journey. They researched which type of trailers would best transport their new bounty and provide the best experience for their future customers. Morgan said it was a pretty easy decision to settle on an Airstream.
Operating on a tight budget, they contacted a local Airstream enthusiast in Georgia and after only a few weeks found the perfect fit. A 26-foot long 1963 Overlander would become the new home for the Rolling Runway. Neither girl had any experience with remodeling so every part of this venture was new and challenging. It took them almost 10 months to get the unit completely renovated. They gutted, re-floored, re-covered, patched, wired. You name it, they did it to this Airstream, all to create the perfect experience for their customers. The end result is a breathtaking beauty that now tours shows and markets across Georgia with dreams of expanding across the Southeast.
What started as an idea, has grown into a successful business. There were fears and doubts along the way, but courage brought them to where they are today. And Morgan's most proud moment from the first few years of this daring startup? “Being able to tell people that we renovated this Airstream by ourselves!” she said proudly.
Every person I've met on this journey has shown me a new aspect of what it means to be part of the Airstream community. I have so much respect for Morgan and Kendall for being bold and going after what they love so much.
For more information on Rolling Runway or to #ShopRiveted, check out rollingrunway.com or drop them a note on any of their social channels.
Follow Brett Schwab as he embarks on the Live Riveted Tour, a two-month nationwide Airstream adventure. Along the way he’ll be joined by friends old and new, discovering new experiences and lending a helping hand to non-profits and charitable organizations along the way.
Keep up with his trip online at roadtrippers.com, by searching the hashtag #liverivetedtour and on Instagram. Share destinations he should visit, or even join him in his travels!
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