We had the good fortune of connecting with Summer Smith and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Summer, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I have worked in corporate America since I was 18 years old and when I started my business I had been laid off 3 different times. It was so frustrating to me to have to rely on my savings and unemployment to survive after I had been laid off. Once I got laid off that 3rd time, I had it set in my mind that I would no longer rely on anyone else to support myself and my family. I would never work for anyone ever again if I had it my way. It was at that time that I decided I would create my own income and not have to worry about being laid off ever again.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
CPR at Your Door, which is my primary business, provides CPR and 1st Aid training to individuals and companies. We are unique in that we actually travel to you to provide training, while most places are stand-alone buildings that a student would have to go to. We are also very community-oriented and provide low or no-cost classes for those who need to learn CPR but may not have the finances to do so. I also co-own a custom t-shirt and apparel company called COF Dezignz. We offer low priced customizable apparel, such as t-shirts, hoodies, caps, etc. We have been in business for a little over a year now and business is doing better and better. Getting to where I am today has been far from easy, as a matter of fact, it was downright hard initially. I threatened to give up and return to the corporate world I don’t know how many times. The start-up costs of the business were also very high and it took almost six months just for me to break even. There were times throughout the first year where business was slow, almost nonexistent during the holiday months. I downsized, my kids and I moved out of our town-home into a smaller apartment, I traded in my high priced car for a more economical one, I got rid of cable and reduced the bills down to the bare minimum. It all paid off in the end now and I can now proudly call myself a “successful” business owner, not just a business owner.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Honestly, if my best friend was visiting, we would likely leave Dallas and go explore other cities/ countries. I love to travel and although I do live in the DFW area, it is not my favorite city, ironically enough.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
First and foremost, I would like to shout out MYSELF! Often times, people don’t realize how much determination and accountability it takes to start your own business and stick to it. So for that I would like to give myself a pat on the back for making it this far. I would also like to thank my personal support system comprised of a few select family members and friends. I love you guys and I definitely would not be where I am today without you!

Website: www.cpratyourdoor.com
Instagram: instagram.com/CPRatYourDoor; instagram.com/COFDezignz
Facebook: facebook.com/CPRatYourDoor; facebook.com/COFDezignz
Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/cpr-at-your-door-plano?osq=cpr+at+your+door