Community Voice

"I didn't start Litterati with this idea of creating a business, but as I've gone over the years what has become obvious is that there's value in what we're creating and we belive that the best way to create the biggest impact possible is by using business as a force for good."

"The first piece of advice I would give them (college undergrad) to say managing your career, you have to go backward as say "start your career", most important thing they need to do is get that first opportunity and go out there and do it some work and get exposure on it. I wouldn't obsess about what the first job is to any degree in terms of prioritizing where it is located, but you know it align with what your strengths are and your interest and just get started"

"Don't think that cutting cost by dropping employees down to the bare minimum is a smart move, it hurts your business in so many ways. Far better to have an extra talented person within your team who'll challenge your other team members and or if somebody's failing your feel more comfortable with getting rid of them because you can drop somebody in straight away."

“I've always wanted to contribute to this world of food and beverage that I love so much. It's just so exciting to see people enjoy it and to see it go on amazing cocktail lists and be made into these beautiful cocktails.”

“And so our view is that if we can utilize some of the resources the business creates to make sure their kids have a path to college and career through tutoring through mentoring through a variety of things then we're going to have a workforce that you just can't beat.”

"Hiring these remote workers was incredible because no longer did I just have access to the talent around me and the talent next to me, I now had access to talent all over the world, people who can work on different time zones so business could run 24/7, people who specialize in different things who had use of experience and that was really my first entry into that remote hiring world and I became addicted to that I really saw the power and how much it helped me grow my business"

"If you're thinking about a new venture or taking on more responsibility, just do it, take that leap and act despite the fear, sometimes it's more important to get your feet wet and not to overthink"

“Don’t try to implement the habits of others to you because you need to fit it in your own working style in a way that you want to develop habits... Start small: If you want to develop a habit of flossing your teeth, start by flossing one tooth”

“Don’t wait for permission to make change”

"When you walk into Laurie’s store, there is a distinct smell. It smells like bikes. And it’s a really cool smell because you feel like you’re in a garage where things are happening. Bikes are being fixed. Bikes are being spun. Another challenge that small business owners face is being able to market themselves as this unique location. Not as another shop that popped up in College Park in 2017. But as a shop that’s been here and that’s been part of the culture, the history. As a shop that’s founded by two Terps, two University of Maryland students."