Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Cassandra Birdd, CEO of Treehouse Gift & Home, located in Onalaska, WI, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Beauty can spread joy. At Treehouse Gift & Home, there's nothing we love more than helping you ignite that spark of inspiration that breathes new decorative life into your favorite spaces. And with an interior designer on staff, we can even help you coordinate colors, textures, and themes for your home. We bring families together for shopping traditions and invite you to escape, browse, relax, and enjoy a slice of heavenly retail therapy around every corner of the Treehouse. On our shelves, you'll find things made by local artists -- what you buy here is truly unique. We also sell popular Christian brands whose missions we love, such as Vera Bradley, Lighthouse Christian gifts, and Willow Tree. Whether you're a regular or a new visitor, we welcome you with open arms to peruse our 10,000 square foot space and attend fun events. There's always something new to see here at the Treehouse, and we are passionate about helping you give these Treasures from the Heart!

Tell us about yourself

Becoming a gift and home decor shop owner was never a dream of mine. It was an unspoken desire of my heart that the Lord led me to fulfill. Because of my willingness to open my heart to him and allow him to take control in this area of my life that I had not allowed him into prior, he confirmed where I should walk with him through three distinct confirmations to prayers. It all started with a prayer. My family and I were returning from a weekend away in the Wisconsin Dells on November 13, 2016, when we decided to stop by the Culver's in Mauston, WI. Next door to the Culver's at that time, I ventured inside a small shop called the Red Geranium to spend a little time shopping while waiting for our food. While wandering through this gift shop, I was praying for direction from the Lord.

I had a great job as the Senior Store Manager for the La Crosse Helzberg Diamonds, where I had been working for the prior ten years. I really enjoyed helping couples get engaged and celebrate anniversaries and birthdays, but I had begun to wonder if God wanted to use me in any other way over these next ten years. I had not seriously asked him for direction in some time about my job, so I decided to pray while wondering through the Red Geranium. I just prayed, "Lord, I have enjoyed my time with Helzberg Diamonds, and I would do it for another ten years if that's where you want me, but if you have any other way that you want to use me, please, let me know." In my heart, I really committed myself to whatever he might throw my way. Half of me thought he would send me on an African Missions trip or some other place halfway across the world, but whatever it was, I really wanted him to lead me and had committed in my heart to wherever he would take me.

As I was checking out at this adorable shop, I got to talk retail with the owner a bit. She was very friendly and mentioned she loved what she was doing. Then she said to me, "Well, you're from the La Crosse area, and you know, I'm friends on Facebook with businesses like mine, and it was so strange, this morning, the Treehouse Gift & Home over by where you live announced they will be closing."

I couldn't believe my ears. I had lived in La Crosse for over 12 years by then and had always loved shopping at the Treehouse for all my gifts, and home decor finds! In fact, the Treehouse had begun its legacy way back in 1998. On my drive home, my wheels were spinning about this recent information I had been given five minutes after praying for a new direction. I asked my husband what he thought after I checked the Treehouse Facebook and read the closing letter to their followers. He said to ask if it was for sale. So, I reached out to them on Facebook, and they said it would be for sale after their going out of business sale that Christmas. So I thought, fair enough, I would never want to leave my employer right before Christmas anyway. They had been far too good to me. Treehouse had a huge going out of the business sale, while I finished out 2016 with Christmas at Helzberg Diamonds. In February, my husband planned to go ask our banker about a loan for buying the Treehouse. I thought to myself, well, I felt like God had answered my prayer question back in November with this opportunity, but then again, that was a long time ago. I thought I had better pray about it again.

So, on lunch from Helzberg, while walking down to the Barnes & Noble Starbucks, I said another 2-minute prayer. I thanked God for what I thought was his direction back in November, but I told him that I could really use one more confirmation before I uproot my entire life's career since college. Sure enough, as I was standing in line at the Barnes & Noble Starbucks, I noticed a mother with several kids running around trying to decide what they wanted and several more ladies in front of them. I started looking at the time and thought, I only had 30 minutes for this break and began to leave for the food court instead. Just as I turned to leave, this nice gentleman asked me if I was on a lunch break. I said yes, and that he should go ahead; I didn't have time to wait. He said to me, "No, no. Why don't you go ahead of us? This is my family here in front of you. They will take forever to decide anyway." I thought, well, that was sure nice of him. Normally, I wouldn't budge ahead, but this time, maybe I should just accept his kind gesture. So, I did. While I was standing in line ahead of this husband-of-the-year, I overheard his wife ask him what book he had brought to read for lunch today. He said, "Oh, I found this really good book called "How to Build a Treehouse!" I turned and stared again at him in awe. God's timing truly is perfect. I couldn't believe my ears. Of course, I quickly called my husband, who was on his way to the bank, to discuss a loan for the Treehouse building and shared the story with him about the unique timing and the situation.

We then discovered the Treehouse building was tied into a pending bankruptcy and foreclosure sale. It was a long, drawn-out process for it to shake out. Even my husband's lawyer told us to just wait it out. By July, I was losing hope again that my prayer would ever come to fruition. I had also become unusually sick that year. I hadn't used but maybe a day of sick time in 11 years with Helzberg, but 2017, was quite different. I had come down with an infection that needed surgery to find and fix twice. Even after the surgery, I had to revisit the hospital weekly for special maintenance to get rid of the infection for good. Then I came down with pneumonia for two months and thought I was truly dying. I could feel my dreams just slipping away from me. Looking back, that sickness did give me a lot of separation time from the job I was so used to going to for 11 years.

I explained the situation to my pastor and asked him to pray for my health and for direction with this business, and he did. The next day, he sent me a text message at 7:20 a.m. saying, "I'm praying for you to get healthy and for you to have a very, very clear direction with this business venture." My husband and I were headed up to Minneapolis for the day, and on the way, we stopped at a gas station to fill our windshield washer fluids. While we stopped, he was checking some of his emails, and he found this one from the prior owner of the Treehouse. The prior owner went on with a one-page long email about how he knew the pending lawsuit would settle in his favor, and he just decided he would give us keys to the building to go in and store some of the displayers we had purchased at the Macy's going out of business and then just get immediately started on prepping for a holiday. I looked at my husband and said, "That's strange, we haven't even bought anything yet, and he wants to give us keys?" So, I asked my husband what time that email was sent. My husband said, "The email came through at 7:20 a.m." Wow, God had just given my 3rd confirmation, and his timing was so perfect. Since then, countless prayers have been answered for us to move forward with God's plan, including us bidding on and receiving our building at the Sheriff Sale six months after stepping out in faith and moving into the building that was under foreclosure. I have never been more sure that God has me right where he needs me for now. God really does know the desires of our hearts, and he writes an even better story for us than we can imagine if we just ask for his guidance. He keeps me motivated to make the Treehouse the best that it can be.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Treehouse Gift & Home has had very deep roots in our community since about 1998. When we purchased the name and eventually the building after their huge going out of business sale in 2016, our challenge was to get the word out almost a year later, when we remodeled and reopened, that we were back! We got into the building in October of 2017, and we filled 10,000 square feet full of gifts and decor in only six weeks short weeks. If that wasn't a big enough accomplishment right out of the gates to get open for Christmas, then making it through those first tough years of getting the name back out there only to then need to survive the COVID closure months on our third year in business has to be tied with the biggest accomplishments as a business owner so far.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

I think the hardest part was making the first decision to leave a good job that I was great at doing. And I felt I had pulled in so many directions when I first got started. And, so many people who have been in business before or just know the mountain of work ahead of you think they will save you from it by making you question your decision to go out on "your own." They feel more secure working for someone else because it is also less of financial risk. But, having confirmations through prayer, a supportive family, and an amazing core staff has been a true blessing for me.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Pray about it. We have a good Father. He wants the best for you. When you truly give him the control over this area of your life, you will find he knows your hidden talents best. He knows what you will be good at. Just ask him for advice in a place where he can answer you easily.
  2. Find a life-work balance. Nothing is more important than my faith in God and my family in life. I have to constantly remind myself to make sure these things always get prioritized properly. Life should come before work. Life-work balance.
  3. Use the resources available online and through local Universities to help you research the market for your business niche. You can sometimes even get funding from these resources.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Join our conversations and see what else the Lord has in store for the Treehouse by following us.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://treehousegift.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/treehousegift
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/treehousegift/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cassandrabirdd/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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