Emerging Entrepreneurs: Strong work ethic proves successful for young Freedom business owner

Heather Graves

Staff

November 29, 2023

FREEDOM – Though Bridget Wisneski left her hometown of Freedom to attend college in Oshkosh, where she obtained a degree in finance and marketing – she said it was always part of the plan to return home after graduation.

The 28-year-old also walked in her parents’ footsteps of becoming a small business owner.

“I grew up watching (my parents) run their own business and find success – and that was cool to me. It was interesting that someone could not work for somebody else but run their own business. So, that is what made me interested in (small business ownership), by firsthand watching it.”

And though Wisneski admits business ownership was always on her mind, it wasn’t necessarily her first career aspiration.

“I’ve always thought about it, but I wasn’t sure,” she said. “I enjoy traveling, so when I was growing up, another idea was to always find a job that would allow me to travel.”

Wisneski said she quickly recognized that being a business owner could afford her that opportunity.

“I realized that by being a business owner, I can always try to make that fit into my work schedule,” she said.

Wisneski took her own leap into entrepreneurship five years ago, opening B’s Brew – the town’s first-ever coffee shop located on County Road E.

Why a coffee shop, why Freedom?
Through first-hand experience, she said Freedom was long overdue for a coffee place of its own.

“When I started in high school, I would always go with friends to a coffee shop to do homework and study,” she said. “But, we always had to leave Freedom to go do it. You had to go to one of the surrounding communities because Freedom didn’t have something like that offered.”

Wisneski said her hometown has many great adult gathering spots, like bars, but didn’t have anything for younger folks to gather.

“I wanted to open a coffee shop to provide that gathering space,” she said.

After recognizing the need, Wisneski said she wrote a business plan.

“I started a business plan probably three or four years before I opened the coffee shop,” she said. “I threw out some ideas and ran numbers and looked into what loans were available and if there were any grant options out there for me.”

That, Wisneski said, eventually led to writing more business plans – adjusting as she gathered opinions from others about what the needs were.

From there, it was time to look for a location.

“Because space in Freedom is so limited, the next step was trying to find space,” she said. “Once I found space, we then went to work designing it and filling it with all the things that a coffee shop needs.”

B’s Brew – named after Owner Bridget Wisneski – offers a variety of beverages and food items. Submitted Photo

Having experience working in a large corporate environment, Wisneski said she has realized that the small-business atmosphere is a much better fit for her.

“I just truly enjoy working in small businesses, knowing everyone you’re working with – the small business family environment,” she said.

Planting a seed, watching it grow
Watching the business grow, Wisneski said, is the best aspect of being a small business owner.

“From where I started to where we’re at right now, it’s awesome to see how many more people I can staff and how many more people we can serve and to watch that opportunity grow not only for our community but for the surrounding areas, too, means a lot,” she said.

The steady growth the coffee shop has seen, Wisneski said, also allowed her to host an apprentice.

“We have a high school girl who does a youth apprenticeship program with us – four years ago, I would have never been able to offer something like that,” she said. “So, I think it’s just watching the business grow and seeing where we can take it, that’s probably my favorite spot of being a business owner.”

The shop recently celebrated its fifth year in business, a milestone Wisneski said means quite a bit.

“The people I work with and the community I’m in that’s, what got us to five years,” she said. “Freedom is a great community to be in, and they’re supportive.”

The magnitude of that community’s support, Wisneski said, was very apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“During COVID, a good chunk of the community made a point to stop (at the shop) or support in any way they could when we had to run at limited operations – so we could stay open,” she said.

Wisneski said maintaining and training staff is also a challenge as a small business owner.

“There’s a lot to being a barista,” she said. “So, when you’re hiring so many employees who are part-time or who want to work just nights and weekends, it does take a little bit longer to train them. So, that would be another obstacle that we’ve learned to overcome by different methods.”

For further support, Wisneski said she added a business partner – Jada Maulick – about three years ago.

“Jada started as an employee and then came on as a business partner, and she’s been a tremendous help,” she said. “I know business partners aren’t for everybody, but she and I seem to work well together.”

Having Maulick on board, Wisneski said, helps her manage the work-life balance.

“(That balance) is a tough one, because work comes home with you – you don’t just lock the door and leave,” she said. “It does take some balance – having a business partner helps. When you go on a vacation, they can kind of handle the operations for you.”

A good work ethic, Wisneski said, is also “extremely important” as a small business owner.

“I truly believe that is one of my better qualities, I have a strong work ethic,” she said.

That being said, Wisneski said it’s also important as a business owner to focus on your home life at times as well.

“You have to be able to take time for your family and friends, so (that part of your) life doesn’t doesn’t dwindle either,” she said. “I think that’s another thing I’m pretty good at, too – balancing that and making sure I do take time for my friends, family and travel and the things I enjoy doing because it’s important that you stay you – and don’t just become your business.”

Wisneski said this year also brought on a new dynamic as a business owner – the birth of her daughter.

“I didn’t have a baby before while owning and running the coffee shop, (so that is a new aspect to balance) – you kind of learn to adapt everything with it,” she said.

While the amount of work as a business owner doesn’t change, Wisneski said being the owner does give her a bit more flexibility of when that work gets done.

“I can work from home a little bit more doing bookwork and things like that – so, then I can spend some extra time with my daughter,” she said. “Or I can work after my daughter goes to bed. So, there’s a little bit more flexibility being a business owner because you can pick your schedule.”

Small-town opportunities
Wisneski said one of the things that makes B’s Brew unique is that the majority of its staff is high school students.

“We hire a good chunk of high school students who work in the evenings and on weekends with us,” she said. “It’s nice that we’re able to provide them with a job opportunity.”

B’s Brew’s small-town, family atmosphere, Wisneski said, also sets it apart.

“We’re a small business, and we know a lot of people that come in… they’ve become like family friends because you’re so used to seeing them,” she said. “It’s also nice to get to know and see new faces as well.”

In addition to the coffee and beverage menu offered at B’s, Wisneski said the shop also has food items – including sandwiches, soups, salads and breakfast options.

“All of our soup is homemade by Jada and me,” she said. “We also have soup flight (events) where we offer six different soups – all made from scratch by Jada and me – (as a flight),” she said.

Wisneski said small businesses are important because of the impact they have on the community.

B’s Brew – located at N4083 County Road E in Freedom – just celebrated its fifth year in business. Submitted Photo

“Small businesses are the ones that keep the small community, like Freedom, running, and I think they’re important to have – clothing boutiques and small-family restaurants – and I enjoy going to them,” she said.

As a young entrepreneur herself, Wisneski said it’s important for young people to recognize that business ownership is a possibility.

“It sounds like a huge goal or a huge thing to do, but it’s a tangible goal,” she said. “You can do it, you just have to put in the hard work.”

Another entrepreneurial hat
At the beginning of the year, Wisneski purchased Freedom Overhead Doors – the overhead door supply and installation company her parents started more than 20 years ago.

Before starting the coffee shop, Wisneski said she worked alongside her parents at Freedom Overhead Doors, and there were “always talks that I would buy their business from them” eventually.

Wisneski said she brought Maulick on board at B’s Brew when she had made the decision she would eventually purchase her parents’ business.

“That was how I figured it would all work… because I truly think that businesses need your focus and attention, and it wouldn’t be fair to either of the businesses if I was solely focused on one and not the other,” she said.

Wisneski said she also has a business partner at Freedom Overhead Doors as well.

“Having a business partner helps so I can kind of take a little bit of time away from one to help the other and then vice versa,” she said. “I’ve learned to divvy up my schedule a little bit so each one knows where I’m at at all times, and we make it work.”

In terms of the future, Wisneski said she hopes for continued growth for both businesses.

“Continued growth is what we’re striving to achieve for both businesses,” she said. “Freedom Overhead Doors is a little bit more established, so the growth is there, but it’s more of a constant, steadier growth where you don’t have to nurture it as much as the coffee shop, which is a newer business.”

At B’s Brew, Wisneski said she is constantly looking at ways to grow the business to continue to serve and support the Freedom community.

“We’ve talked about a mobile cart or expanding where we’re at,” she said. “So, there’s always talks and plans in the works, we just have to take each step as we go and take each day as it comes.”

For more on B’s Brew, including the full menu and hours of operation, visit bbrewwi.com.

More on Freedom Overhead Doors can be found at freedomoverheaddoors.com.