welcomeMoney talksA series where we interview people about their relationships with money, their relationships with each other, and how those relationships inform each other.
Jamie Parker is 45 years old and has owned a Cartridge World franchise in Christiansburg, Virginia for 10 years. Her daughter Aishia Ahmed, is 25 and describes herself as her “mom’s sidekick”. Together, the two have turned a franchise into a family business and are actively working to maintain personal customer relationships in an increasingly online world.
Cartridge Worldwhich provides office printing systems to small businesses and individuals, has nearly 100 franchisees and generates more than $20 million in sales.
The following conversation has been lightly condensed and edited.
Jamie: When I was about 25, maybe 27, my ex-husband and I worked at a chain restaurant called Country Cookin’. That’s when we started researching franchises. We thought about Chick-fil-A for a while, but we didn’t like the restaurant work. We wanted something we could do ourselves, with minimal staff.
We opened our first Cartridge World in 2005. No one was doing cartridges or anything like that — no one had even heard of refill cartridges at that time. I built that store from zero to 100 percent in the first year. Got it off the ground. We started with inkjet and laser, got big business — Roanoke County Public Schools and things like that.
We really chose Cartridge World because of the minimal staff. We liked the idea that we could run it ourselves. With a restaurant, you need a minimum of 15 employees We wanted something that we could do on our own, that we could grow and that would be successful.
Isiah: It became a family business. All the teachers at my school who had toner or cartridges that needed recycling would put them in a recycle box and I would take the box to the school bus and take it home to mom and dad.
I have been in business since I was 5 years old. Do I understand the mechanics behind it? Of course not — but I do remember carrying toner and cartridges that teachers wanted to recycle.
Right now I’m in school for law, and that’s my passion. That said, I took a break during the pandemic. Covid has ruined a lot, and trying to go to college and learn online — and get paid for it! – I had no money, so I stopped. My brother is autistic and non-verbal, and my mom has to stay home to help my brother throughout the summer. It was time for me to step up. Mom can help Bubi and work at CC Cartridge World.
If something ever happens and my mom has to stay home full-time with my brother, she can — because I know the material and I know what I’m doing. I will never let our family business fail.
Jamie: You can tell who among us is more extroverted and who among us is more introverted. I’m more behind the scenes, I take orders, drop-ship, pay bills, that kind of thing. Ieshia is more up-front with customers. He really is the face of the business. She has a beautiful face!
Isiah: I competed, and I learned a lot from them. I had no idea I was going to win Miss Commonwealth Outstanding Teen — my family was so surprised they dropped the camera, and you didn’t actually see me get the crown — but it made me who I am today. I was thrown into a chaotic environment, and my only option was to thrive. I was making appearances every single day, and I had to go out there and socialize. I had to wear my crown. I had to wear it high up and never let it sag and it stayed that way my whole life.
“I know the material, and I know what I’m doing. I will never let our family business fail.
When our customers walk in the door, they see us. They connect with us. We listen to them. If they’re having a bad day, and they just need a 63XL HP cartridge, they’re going to get it – but they’re also going to tell me what’s going on in their lives. They are going to get human connection. That’s what you can’t get anywhere else. We’re not just selling cartridges, we’re selling a service. We are part of the community.
Jamie: We were in Roanoke when I opened my first store with my ex-husband. take note the former.
Isiah: They are divorced!
Jamie: I left the cartridge world for about 10 years [during which she worked for Country Cookin’ and started a catering business] And then I dusted myself off and opened my own Cartridge World in Christiansburg.
Isiah: definition of girl boss. Literally.
Jamie: The Roanoke location closed in November, but I’m thriving. It’s hard to get people from Roanoke to the Christianburg store because they think, “Oh, I have to drive 45 minutes,” but I can drop-ship their cartridges online.
Isiah: We don’t want to be an online-only business because our customers won’t see us anymore. That’s why we come up with things like Wiggle Wednesdays. Halfway through the week, we’re playing music in the store and that’s another way to connect. I have footage of customers, people with dogs, couples, all dancing to the music we put on, so they can get 10 percent off their order!
We always have business cards. I don’t care if I’m in Roanoke and I’m at dinner — if I hear someone say they’re a business owner, I’m going to give them my business card. You never know where it’s going to go.
Jamie: I have territory, but I can sell to anyone. I have many customers in North Carolina and I picked one customer in Washington state.
Cartridge World has told us multiple times that we should just go online, but that’s not how I want to do things. I would rather open my shop and come here every day. I do it for my customers. My customers are my everything. I provide a service that goes beyond ink and toner, if that makes sense at all.
Isiah: You don’t realize how small our city is until you’re here. As we go online, we go out of sight, out of mind. We would drown.
Jamie: I’ve thought about starting my own business, and we have the kind of following now that I probably could, but I really believe in the name Cartridge World. I really do. I could very well go out and do my own thing, but I think the cartridge world is going to be much bigger than it is today, very soon.
Isiah: We’re making a profit – if we weren’t, we wouldn’t be able to do this, and I wouldn’t be salaried – but I still need to save money for college. So I got a second job. I am in hospitality business management, but I am also working here. In today’s society, having only one job is not realistic.
I promised my mom that if she got to the point where she couldn’t run it anymore — it’s a family business, and it’s been in my life since I was 5 — I wouldn’t let it go if something happened, and she If not, I will put my legal career goals on hold. I have legal assistants, and I have paralegals, and even if I get my Esquire, I’m going to put it on hold and build the business until I can move and have other people work here. This has always been my plan. My brother needs a source of income, so continuing the family business is very important to me.
