When Sekure Account Executive Mike Jaz, casually told his mother Carmelle in a phone conversation about how a new client he helped not far from her home outside of Nashville Tennessee, he never imagined the chain of events that would transpire.
Mom of the Year
In subsequent calls, Carmelle learned that Florence, the business owner her son assisted, had gone on to send her son five referrals. Carmelle decided that she wanted to meet this business owner who had been so supportive of her son. And not long after, she and her partner Allen made the nearly two-hour trip to Tullahoma, explore the aviation museum there, and – most importantly- visit Florence at Clayton’s Shoe Store.
When asked whether he was surprised that Mike’s mother would ask him if it would be all right with him if she were to meet Florence, he said that it speaks to “who she is as a person. Someone that is not shy and openly speaks to anyone, anytime, and any place…in the friendliest and most humorous way possible.”
Carmelle’s willingness to go out of her way is exemplary of the small and thoughtful things that mothers do for their children (of all ages) —without blinking an eye. It also speaks to how women, particularly mothers, are oftentimes the glue that holds our communities together. They are experts at building community by weaving relationships with people, simply by centering on people they love and appreciate.
Tullahoma Bound
The day that Carmelle and Alan made their way to Tullahoma, things did not go according to plan. First, the couple discovered that the aviation museum was closed. After learning this, they made their way to Clayton’s Shoe store and found that Florence was away briefly and would be back. While Mike told Florence that his mother might drop in, this was an impromptu trip, and the two were keen to enjoy everything Tullahoma had to offer. They were eager to try one of the restaurants in town and left to have lunch telling the store attendant that they would return.
When they did, Clayton’s was bustling, and Florence was providing knowledgeable and warm help for a customer looking for the right pair of shoes. When she was free, Carmelle introduced herself, and the two women – connected only by location and their appreciation for Mike and Sekure- shared an action-packed but brief encounter that Carmelle estimated to last no more than four or five minutes.
A Meeting of the Minds
The two women connected instantaneously and talked about the things that brought them together. Florence told Carmelle how much she appreciated Micheal’s help in resolving issues with her payment terminal. She recounted a little bit about how Mike was able to help her and how much she appreciated his attention to detail, his affability, and how quickly he was able to resolve all the payment processing issues her previous merchant services provider had left her with.
Carmelle is not a stranger to the realities of running a small business. While she devoted her life to caring for her family as a stay-at-home mom and wife, her parents ran a convenience store when she was growing up. She said this experience cultivated curiosity and an openness to people, because as a small business owner “you are always having to deal with people you don’t know”, meaning your customers!
Carmelle thanked Florence for the support she had shown to her son, Mike, and took no small amount of maternal pride in hearing her son praised for his professionalism, care, and ability to put people at ease. He credits his mother with his conversational skills, curiosity, and affability, and says that he strives to emulate the effortless way she can put anyone at ease and comfortable.
Sekure Celebrates Mothers
The team at Sekure has to concur with Michael’s assessment of his inimitable mother. Every mother understands Carmelle’s interest in meeting someone their child has spoken about that has been kind or helpful to them in their life. Not every mother, however, acts on that feeling. We are so incredibly pleased that Carmelle did, and are proud to have her as part of the Sekure family through her son, Mike. For his part this Mother’s Day, Mike wanted his mom to know “how much I truly love her and appreciate all the effort that she put forth to help me, and the love she has shown me”.
So on this Mother’s Day, we want to thank all mothers, but especially Carmelle for their devotion and attentiveness that make a difference in the lives of the entire Sekure team and in doing so, enrich the livelihoods of our small business owners.
