Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelly Joy Freeman.
Kelly, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I retired from Avaya in 2012 as a Global Program Manager in the telecommunications field. After a few years, I offered to help a family friend who import/export goods, to sell their overstock of disposable bamboo plates. What I fell into was a movement of people, behavior changes, information and laws to reduce single-use plastic in the food industry. As I talked with potential clients, they had questions. They had sustainable needs. They had sustainable goals for their business but they didn’t have what they needed. So I began researching what was going on in our city and country regarding why there is such a need to reduce single-use plastic and start replacing with those items which are reusable, biodegradable or compostable. I learned the demand is out there, in both the commercial and consumer industries. So here I am, four years later and over 50 items in the stock of products made of rapidly renewable plants instead of plastic.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
No, it has not always been a smooth road. Selling products requires capital for inventory. You’ve got to have stock available. With today’s megastore online shopping, people expect a quick turnaround on deliveries. It has been a dance to try to manage pricing, stock and all the components of a start-up business all at one time. This is a personal and family funded business. No outside loans have been made to fund the business. I have learned to engage contractors when I can’t pay an employee and that works well.
When Covid-19 hit this year, most of my corporate clients went away but then business actually increased with another market – the restaurant business. This year I have had a challenge with stock availability due to much larger companies buying much larger stock quantities, leaving minimum stock available for a smaller company such as mine. But it helps that I have multiple manufacturer relationships.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the CircleTerra story. Tell us more about the business.
My company, CircleTerra, was founded in 2016 in Garland TX. We specialize in supplying eco-friendly disposable tableware and food take out packaging for businesses and consumers. People are becoming more and more aware of the detrimental impact single-use plastic is having on our earth, water sources, animals and now, even our bodies. Our country and the world has to start making different decisions on what we use as consumers and then throw away. We have created some toxic environments as a result of our blind or unaware actions. Our mission is to become one of the companies that offers solutions to replace plastic with biodegradable plant-based products.
We are most proud of since we have been in business, we have sold over 24 tons of biodegradable and/or compostable tableware/takeout ware. We have had numerous 5-star ratings and our clients are very pleased with our service and products. We set ourselves apart from others by providing a white-glove, concierge service to our local and remote clients. We are proud to say that we give one on one attention, do specialized buying and we are definitely more than a website! We have shipped to 4 countries and over 25 states now!
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I am not too much of a believer in luck. I believe in destiny, probabilities, choices and action/impact and definitely prayer.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.CircleTerra.com
- Phone: 972 992-8779
- Email: kellyfreeman@circleterra.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/circleterra
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/circleterra
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