Today we’d like to introduce you to Nancy Barger.
Hi Nancy, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My background and my passion were always flying airplanes. I was a corporate pilot for almost 10 years. When the recession hit in 2007, our boss sold the aircraft we (my dad and I) were flying and we were unemployed. My mom and I ran a horse farm together while I flew and no one was buying nor showing horses at the time either. So we decided to make our family farm into an event venue! We knew daddy’s little girl was always going to get married, high schools would always have prom, corporations would always have gatherings, etc. so it just seemed like a great fit for us.
It totally took off and we were slammed by year 2! In year 3, I discovered a passion for floral design and started Swank Floral. I mainly designed at the farm, however, a few years went by and it just organically grew and we moved into the space we are in today and have several hundred clients a year! Five years ago, I just thought it would be “fun” to have a clothing store. I have always wanted one. My aunts and mom informed me that a brick-and-mortar store was the hardest thing ever and told me specifically not to do it. I don’t listen very well apparently, and bought an airstream and started traveling around! All of our companies were event-based at that time.
We traveled to events, designed events, held events, etc. After 2 years in, it became too much to drive it all around, so Tallulah’s and Swank officially moved in together! And they all lived happily ever after!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Heck no it hasn’t been a smooth road! Starting a company when you have no idea what you are doing and at that time, no mentors, its insane! I have learned an astronomical amount just by trial and error. It’s been crazy and super fun though! Five years ago, my mom who was also my business partner, unexpectedly passed away of a heart attack.
Things got super messy with her estate and I ended up in court 14 times over 4 years trying to save my company from being sold out from under me. I won all 14 times and the court finally divided the property where I was able to keep my business which is now thriving! In the middle of all that craziness, in February of 2019, the lake on which we are on the banks, rose 12 ft., in a matter of days and flooded our building. We had to close for six weeks (which was miraculous that it only took that short amount of time) and gut our building and start all over again.
Other than having to move several events all over town, I saw it as a blessing. After mom passed, this gave me the opportunity to make it my own. My own designs, colors, layouts, etc. Fast forward to 2020 and COVID. Need I say more?!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
The Pavilion at Hunter Valley Farm is our event venue. We sit on a gorgeous 7 acres on Bluegrass Lake. We host literally any type of event you can think of with weddings comprising a majority. Barger Concepts is the parent company of Swank Floral and Tallulah’s. Swank is our posh little floral boutique. We specialize in custom floral artistry for both daily orders and events.
Tallulah’s is our fun! It’s an amazing clothing store with the most awesome gifts! Some sweet, some super hilarious which basically sums up my personality! I couldn’t do any of this without the support of my husband Matt, four kiddos, and my daddy. One of them is almost always hanging out at one of the companies! Brittany, our sales manager, and Jenna, our store and project manager, are my sisters from other misters. We are a team. They are family. They are why we are so successful. We bounce ideas off of each other, trust each other, chat about life and business and how they can co-mingle, etc. People come to us because of our reputation.
They know that they will get professional, kind, loving, and hands-on service from our whole team. When stress comes at us from a client, they usually get comedic relief right back and they know that we are here and want only the best for them!
What does success mean to you?
Success… being truly happy in what you do on a daily basis while being able to support your family.
Contact Info:
- Email: nancy@bargerconcepts.com
- Website: www.huntervalleyfarmtn.com
Image Credits
T&K Photography, Brittany Sidwell Photography, and Brittany Conner Photography
