The Uptick

People, Profit, and Planet: How Plenty Mercantile Built A Sustainable Retail Empire

Imagine a store where every product tells a story — a story about where it came from, who made it, and how it makes the world just a little bit better. That’s the vision behind Plenty Mercantile, a purpose-driven retail brand created by mother-daughter duo Traci Walton and Brittany Matlock. In today’s episode, we’re exploring how they’ve built a business rooted in sustainability, responsible design, and what they call a ‘triple bottom line’  of people, profit, and planet. Key Insights:  * Sustainable Business is Possible and Profitable: Every product in their store must meet at least one of their purchasing principles (environmental or social impact), proving that businesses can maintain profitability while staying true to their values—it's not an either/or choice. * Strategic Downsizing Can Be Growth: Closing profitable stores isn't failure—it's strategic decision-making. When they closed their Edmond location after seven successful years, it wasn't because it wasn't working, but because they prioritized long-term sustainability and family well-being over short-term revenue. * Family Business Success Requires Intentional Communication: Working with family members, especially through challenges like mental health struggles, requires developing new communication patterns and being willing to address triggers and protective behaviors that can impact business decisions. Resources:  Learn More about Plenty Mercantile [https://www.plentymercantile.com/] Watch The Uptick on Youtube. [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCg9HiItBheBjWJcOBE8q9HQ] Credits:  The Uptick is sponsored by Global Payments [https://www.globalpayments.com/]. Helping you move faster, sell smarter and scale stronger. Stay ahead in the fast-paced world of commerce, knowing we spent yesterday thinking of what you need tomorrow.

The Future Is Collaborative: Factory Obscura’s Creative Business Model

Ever wondered if there’s a path to pursue your art without being a “starving artist”?  Our guests on this episode of The Uptick Podcast made it their mission to find out. Meet Kelsey Karper and Tammy Greenman from Factory Obscura — the Oklahoma City duo who cracked the code on turning immersive art into a thriving for-profit business. From launching their first temporary installation that drew 20,000 visitors in three months to creating a sustainable B Corp model that's changing how we think about arts funding, this conversation reveals how two visionaries proved you can pursue art and make a living wage at the same time.  Tune in to this episode to discover the pros and cons of investment vs. donation, tips for navigating creative collaborations with artists and how to rebuild your entire employment model. Even if you’re not an artist, this episode is about reimagining how businesses can serve both profit and purpose while creating jobs that didn't exist before. About the guests:  Kelsey Karper is a co-founder and Director of Logistical Creativity for Factory Obscura. Her creative practice is focused on projects that build community and create new opportunities for artists. Tammy Greenman is a co-founder and Director of Strategic Creativity for Factory Obscura. She is an experiential artist focused on facilitating and collaborating with the artist team to create emotionally immersive experiences. Episode highlights: * From concept to profit: the art of proving your business model: Learn the exact steps Factory Obscura took to generate market demand, from their first free installation to charging admission and repaying investors with interest in just three months.  * The collaboration code: managing creative teams at scale: Discover what the "Code of Collaboration" framework is and how the "yes, and" approach helps navigate disagreements when working with different people on massive creative projects. * Building sustainable creative careers: beyond the starving artist myth: Get actionable advice for turning creative work into business, including finding successful models to follow, creating passive income streams and making yourself visible in your community. Want to learn more about our guest? * Check out Factory Obscura [https://www.factoryobscura.com/] online * Follow them on Instagram @factoryobscura [https://www.instagram.com/factoryobscura] If you liked this episode: * See it in action on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCg9HiItBheBjWJcOBE8q9HQ] * You can also find us on Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-uptick/id1833273290]  * Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/globalpayinc/] and Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/GlobalPaymentsInc] * Visit The Uptick blog [https://www.globalpayments.com/insights] Catch new episodes of The Uptick Podcast every Tuesday. Credits: The Uptick is sponsored by Global Payments [https://www.globalpayments.com/]: helping businesses move faster, sell smarter and scale stronger. From the start-ups to the been-there-done-thats, our commerce platform helps millions of businesses around the world stay ahead, knowing we spent yesterday thinking of what customers need tomorrow. Because if it has anything to do with commerce, we’re Already on it.

More Than a Bakery: How OKC Sweets Went Viral Under Pressure

What do you do when life falls apart and you still have a business to run? For entrepreneurs the world doesn’t stop when we face challenges. Learning to navigate the personal and the professional, is not only a skill but a necessity. In this episode, we are talking with Stefanie Embree, founder of OKC Sweets, a bakery that grew from her kitchen table into a thriving business, all while she faced a global pandemic and deeply personal challenges at home. Stefanie opens up about how she balanced a family health crisis with business demands, and how she built a 52,000+ social media following that catapulted her brand and tested her resolve.  From her faith and financial wisdom to finding the right team, this episode is a behind-the-scenes look at building a business that honors your values especially when things get hard. Key Insights: * Crisis Mode: How to Launch and Pivot Under Pressure: Discover what it takes to start a business when everything goes off-script—plus the mindset shifts that helped Stefanie turn a pandemic pivot into a thriving bakery. * Why Your Business Isn’t Your Whole Identity: Learn how to navigate unexpected personal challenges without losing yourself in your business—and why separating your identity from your work might be the key to long-term success. * The Daily Ritual That Built a Viral Brand: Get the behind-the-scenes look at the simple daily strategy that helped Stefanie grow to 52K+ followers—and how you can apply it to build genuine engagement and community online. Resources: Learn More about Stefanie Embree http://www.okcsweets.com/ [http://www.okcsweets.com/] Find OKC Sweets on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/okcsweets/?hl=en] Watch The Uptick on Youtube. [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCg9HiItBheBjWJcOBE8q9HQ] Credits:   The Uptick is sponsored by Global Payments [https://www.globalpayments.com/]. Helping you move faster, sell smarter and scale stronger. Stay ahead in the fast-paced world of commerce, knowing we spent yesterday thinking of what you need tomorrow.

Beyond Charity: Business Solutions for a Better World

What if the answer to solving one of the world’s biggest crises wasn’t charity, but better business? In this episode of The Uptick, Matt Hangen, CEO of Water4, shares his remarkable journey from a rural Alabama upbringing to becoming a pioneering social entrepreneur tackling Africa's water crisis. Listen in to learn how he revolutionized the traditional nonprofit model by creating a sustainable business approach that treats communities as customers rather than charity recipients. His groundbreaking work has evolved into a hybrid financing model that blends grants with debt financing, creating over 1,300 jobs and completing more than 20,000 clean water projects. With ambitious goals to reach nearly a billion people in rural Africa by 2050, Matt reveals the secret to how entrepreneurship can be a powerful vehicle for addressing global humanitarian challenges while restoring dignity and economic opportunity to underserved communities. About the guest: As CEO, Matt designed and led Water4 through a massive transition in operational strategy and scale, set a new long-term vision, led an organizational rebranding, navigated multinational acquisitions and saw a doubling of the organization’s revenue in his first four years of leadership. Matt is passionate about championing people who are overlooked and helping maximize unrealized potential. Episode highlights: * Charity as startup capital, not perpetual capital: Discover how to merge profit with purpose, creating sustainable businesses that solve big problems while providing employment and economic growth. * Challenges and pivots: Get hard-won tips for overcoming difficulties in scaling operations, changing mindsets and professionalizing businesses. * Entrepreneurship as a tool for global impact: Learn about the importance of understanding customer needs, humanizing business relationships and the role of entrepreneurship in solving global problems. Want to learn more about our guest? * Check out Water4 [https://www.water4.org/] online * Follow them on Instagram If you liked this episode: * See it in action on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCg9HiItBheBjWJcOBE8q9HQ] * You can also find us on Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-uptick/id1833273290]  * Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/globalpayinc/] and Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/GlobalPaymentsInc] * Visit The Uptick blog [https://www.globalpayments.com/insights] Catch new episodes of The Uptick Podcast every Tuesday. Credits: The Uptick is sponsored by Global Payments [https://www.globalpayments.com/]: helping businesses move faster, sell smarter and scale stronger. From the start-ups to the been-there-done-thats, our commerce platform helps millions of businesses around the world stay ahead, knowing we spent yesterday thinking of what customers need tomorrow. Because if it has anything to do with commerce, we’re already on it.

Navigating Brand Transitions: The Art and Science of Business Evolution

What if the biggest opportunity for growth in your business started with a disruption? Today on The Uptick, we’re diving into the importance of reimagining disruption as opportunity, how to know it's time for change, what it takes to pivot without stumbling and why sometimes the smartest business move is letting go of the plan you thought you’d stick to forever. In our can’t-miss conversation with Sarah Sears, founder of the award-winning design firm S Design, we cover the ins and outs of navigating major business transitions. From restructuring her business model to helping clients face the vulnerability of a total brand redesign, Sarah has seen it all. If you’ve ever wanted to know how to lead your business through uncertainty without losing your team — or the thing that makes your business special — this one’s for you. About the guest: Sarah Sears is an award-winning branding and design professional and AIGA Fellow. Sears speaks at local and regional events about how branding, design and marketing are catalysts for business and organizational growth. Episode highlights:  * Balancing brand consistency and change: Gain a deeper understanding of brand equity and why consistency in branding matters just as much as staying open to evolution. Plus, get actionable tips on how to shape perception and communicate clearly during rebrands. * Rebrands, generational shifts and mergers: Learn how to lead your business through major changes — whether it’s a rebrand, a generational shift or a merger — while honoring your roots and bringing your team along for the journey. * Why stories matter more than slogans: Discover how authentic storytelling has the power to build emotional connection, strengthen culture and turn customers into brand advocates. And learn how to make it a core part of your strategy. Want to learn more about our guest? * Check out S Design [https://www.sdesigninc.com/] online * Follow them on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/sdesigninc/] If you liked this episode: * See it in action on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCg9HiItBheBjWJcOBE8q9HQ] * You can also find us on Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-uptick/id1833273290] * Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/globalpayinc/] and Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/GlobalPaymentsInc] * Visit The Uptick blog [https://www.globalpayments.com/insights] Catch new episodes of The Uptick Podcast every Tuesday. Credits: The Uptick is sponsored by Global Payments [https://www.globalpayments.com/]: helping businesses move faster, sell smarter and scale stronger. From the start-ups to the been-there-done-thats, our commerce platform helps millions of businesses around the world stay ahead, knowing we spent yesterday thinking of what customers need tomorrow. Because if it has anything to do with commerce, we’re already on it.