Today we’d like to introduce you to Latisea and Jeremy Calton.
Hi Latisea and Jeremy, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Hello, my name is Latisea Calton. I am from Atlanta, GA, and I am an artist at heart who has always loved all things design. I’ve been a DIY queen my entire life, and in college, I studied interior design.
Hello my name is Jeremy Calton, and I come from a family of carpenters, so my love for the trade is basically in my DNA. I am from the 305 known as Miami, FL.
Together, we own MLEE Home Decor & More, an award-winning custom woodwork and home improvement company.
We met in 2012, working together in corporate America. Over the next four years, however, we grew tired of being mistreated, and we realized that the traditional career model wasn’t the best fit for us. We weren’t interested in climbing the corporate ladder. Craving flexibility and freedom, we began to play with the idea of entrepreneurship.
While Jeremy had always dreamed of having his own business, I was the opposite. I explored many career paths and had several interests. I wanted to work in the health field, I studied dentistry, I was interested in real estate, and I even considered being a weather anchor. *laughs* I was honestly all over the place.
Needless to say, Jeremy was the first one to bring up the idea of us starting a business. With everything we were enduring in corporate America at that time, the idea of us going into business together was exciting, and it sounded like the best fit. Once we were both on the same page, we got married, took the leap, and gave birth to MLEE Home Decor & More in 2016.
When people ask us how we got to where we are today, we always say one word: Prayer. We were very inexperienced when we first started, so it took a lot of prayers and divine guidance to move us in the right direction and to keep us focused. We faced many obstacles, but we learned from all of our mistakes.
We also learned how to properly communicate as a couple, we learned how to master the art of teamwork, we learned how to sharpen our focus, and we learned how to remain consistent no matter what. Giving up on the dream was never an option, regardless of what life threw at us, so we had no choice but to keep going.
We also made it this far because we always put our clients first. We are known for having excellent customer service because we place our focus on the client’s needs and bringing their vision to life. We find joy in designing pieces that they can’t design on their own or that they can’t find in the store.
We’re passionate about making them happy, and we believe that’s the reason they voted us Jacksonville Magazine’s Best Local Furniture Maker twice in 2021.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Absolutely not. When we tell people what we’ve been through, they are always so amazed at how far we’ve come. From mental struggles to financial struggles, we’ve lived through so many terrifying experiences that left us thinking, “Is entrepreneurship really for us?” “Will MLEE ever grow?” “Are we qualified to do this?”
When we started in 2016, we only had three tools: A drill, a grinder, and a hammer. We had no business trying to start a business with just three tools, even though we made some amazing pieces with them. *laughs* When we look back at that year, it was so humbling. We literally had no idea what we were doing.
We didn’t know how to start a business, we didn’t know how to run a business, and we definitely didn’t know how to grow a business. At that time, we posted our products on Offer Up, Let Go, Craigslist, and Facebook Marketplace, and if you know anything about these sites, you know people like to haggle.
We got lowballed by almost everyone, and as new business owners, we lowered our prices because we didn’t know our worth. Even with our three tools, we were putting out amazing products and didn’t even know it, so we allowed people to take advantage. We struggled financially for a while because of this.
We also wrestled with a lot of doubt and fear. Today, we are full-time entrepreneurs, but for years, we both craved stability and went back to having full-time jobs while running MLEE. Talk about being exhausted! We also had our first child, went homeless at one point, and moved from house to house. That chapter was filled with blood, sweat, tears, late nights, and early mornings.
We’re talking a lot about our struggles because that’s the question that was asked, but we want readers to understand that even with all the bumps in the road, we would do this all over again. If you have at least one person who you can depend on, you can get over any and every obstacle that comes your way.
We are so blessed to have had a family to fall back on when we needed them the most. We’re also grateful to God for making sure we never lost ourselves or gave up. He always reminded us that we were a couple, and we were in this together.
Ultimately, that is how we got past every roadblock.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
MLEE Home Decor & More is award-winning custom woodwork and home improvement company. We specialize in interior design, custom woodwork, built-ins, restorations, decks, unique patio furniture, and much more. We are known here in Jacksonville and nationwide for providing high-quality decor at an affordable price.
As big believers in the power of community, we also serve as mentors to adults and children throughout Jacksonville, as well as online through our Facebook Group, Get Crafted With MLEE. Our dream is to one day turn Get Crafted With MLEE into a nonprofit that will serve and teach the next generation about the ins and outs of carpentry and design improvement.
When it comes to what we are most proud of, the list is so long. However, in 2021, we were voted twice as The Best Local Furniture Maker by Jacksonville Magazine. That’s our proudest moment thus far. We are still in awe. To think that our clients and community took the time to vote for us makes us feel so blessed and keeps us going.
We are also very proud of our five-star rating across all socials. Our motto is, “Making Life Elegant & Efficient,” all while providing excellent customer service, and it feels good to know that our customers agree.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
We have learned so many lessons, but the one that we think can help fellow entrepreneurs is this: Take every single opportunity that is handed to you, and create opportunities for yourself if they don’t already exist.
If you do this – while continuously believing in yourself, remaining humble, and making yourself a sponge when you’re around greatness, you will be unstoppable. Also, don’t be afraid to fail. Failure is a part of the journey, and it is ultimately what inspires people when you tell your story.
The truth is – that entrepreneurship is not easy at all. Everyone will tell you that, but it is so worth it. We wouldn’t trade it for the world, and we will never take it for granted. Though we work longer and harder as entrepreneurs, we have the freedom and flexibility to create our own schedules.
With this time freedom, we can make it to every soccer game, we can spend time with family, and most of all, we can freely bond as husband and wife. We are truly blessed to have MLEE Home Decor & More and each other. We thank God every day for the courage he gave us to step out on faith and to go full speed with our business.
If you’re reading this, take a bet on yourself. Never stop believing in yourself and your dreams, and always make sure you keep God first.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.MleeDecor.com
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/mleehomedecorandmore/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MleeHomeDecor
- Other: https://www.facebook.com/groups/752770421890478
