 |
|
|||||
Gil and Collin Carter, owners, North Georgia Mountain Outfitters
Job: Co-owners, North Georgia Mountain Outfitters, East Ellijay
What we do: Ever dream of chucking the city rat race for your own business in the mountains? That's what Gil and Collin Carter did in April, when they left their Atlanta jobs, sold their house in Sandy Springs, moved into their vacation cabin and opened North Georgia Mountain Outfitters, a hiking and camping supply store in East Ellijay.
For the Carters, it's more than an escape. It's a chance to be involved daily in what they love -- hiking, backpacking and the outdoors -- and fulfill a sense of mission to introduce people to a healthier lifestyle and the beauty of the mountains. Besides running the store, they also lead day hikes and overnight backpacking treks into the mountains and have a gear-rental program.
"Some people come in here with nothing, and we can outfit them from head to toe," said Collin, 35.
"We're the hiking headquarters," said Gil, 40. "It's important to us to be complete."
Compatibility is important, too. "We work well together," said Gil, as they toasted each other with their coffee cups. "We have skills that are compatible."
Collin added with a smile, "I'm bossy, and he works with me."
What got us interested in this: Both Collin and Gil have been backpackers for years. They met at a hiking group. So owning a store devoted to outdoor pursuits is "a dream come true," Gil said.
Both bring retail and business experience to the operation. Collin ran the Atlanta office of her father's diamond business, J.J. Chambers & Co., for seven years, and Gil was a travel agent for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"We loved Sandy Springs, but the traffic trying to get up here -- forget it," Collin said.
Best part of our job: "We get to talk to people about going hiking, show people how to go backpacking. It's such a thrill to see their sense of wonder out in the wild," Collin said.
"We can work together to achieve our dream," Gil added. "I like the role we have in introducing these mountains to people who don't know the southern Appalachians."
Most challenging part: "Getting the word out," Gil said. "Part of what we want to do is share -- backpacking, the trails, the beautiful places." In the store, it's knowing what people want to buy and balancing the need to sell high-quality equipment at prices people are willing to pay.
What people don't know about our job: "A lot of entrepreneurs are financially goal-oriented," Collin said. "[Our goal is] better: getting people to enjoy what's in their backyard. We're not trying to be rich."
Gil added that owning your own business is an attainable goal. "A lot of people get tied up in the details and talk themselves out of it. . . . If you have the drive, you can do it."
"We have faith -- a belief in ourselves and our products," Collin said.
What keeps us going: "We're getting busier, seeing more people come in," Collin said. "This new generation is active, and we want to get people to give [hiking and backpacking] a try."
Preparation needed for this job: You need to be a self-starter and be self-motivated, goal-oriented, patient, creative and unafraid to work long hours, the Carters said.
"You also have to know how to get your hands on a pretty good wad of money," Collin added.
"You have to know how to rein in everything you've been taught in your life and bring it to the job," Gil said.
The Carters also do as much as they can on their own, such as painting signs and running their Web site. "We're our own ad agency and public relations agency. I'm the custodian," Gil said.
Collin is a certified gemologist, attended the University of Tennessee and once sold insurance. Gil earned a bachelor's degree in communication from Georgia Southern University and worked in various customer-service jobs and in public relations.
- By Karl Ritzler, for ajcjobs. Got an interesting job that you love? E-mail your story to jobseditor@ajc.com.
