Mississippi

With “a big vision and a small budget,” Abby and Brandon Thaxton founded The Lucky Rabbit in 2013. The two were in their twenties and shared “a passion for collecting, repurposing, and cool finds,” Abby says. “This was our dream. We put in the blood, sweat, and tears to keep pressing forward, no matter what.” Their eclectic shopping destination now occupies 40,000 square feet across two historic buildings in downtown Hattiesburg, adding fresh life to the revitalized area. The store hosts 150 vendors selling crafts, clothing, furniture, nostalgic treasures, and more. The couple even recreates the sets of popular movies and TV shows to make each visit memorable (and selfie-worthy). 3,000 shoppers come through the doors every weekend, some driving two hours to get there.

Lucky Rabbit’s Google Business Profile offers photos, hours, directions, and reviews–plus a website link that led to 9,000 views and 1,900 clicks on the directions page in one month. “That means 1,900 people used Google to get to our store,” Abby says. “That tells us we’re doing something right.” Google Reviews, Abby notes, shed light on what customers love and what could be improved, such as changing the store layout. “Feedback like that lets us adapt our strategy. Our sales reflect that.” She adds, “Google Analytics gives us all kinds of helpful information–it’s all a piece of the puzzle. It’s the data that helps us keep growing.” Google Workspace tools, like Gmail, Docs, and Drive, help them manage their busy operation. “We have 20 employees ages 16 to 70,” Abby says. “They can all do it. I share Sheets and Docs, and we all use Calendar.” She uses Gemini to proofread and check emails for clarity, freeing up time for her true passion–creating a fun experience and bringing commerce and tourism into her community. “Our store takes people back to nostalgic times. That gives them happiness and hope.”

Growing up on a commodity crop farm, Craig Schmidt wondered if farming could be made friendlier to the environment and more connected to consumers. He researched grass-based regenerative farming and watched YouTube farm channels before founding Shaded Grove Farm Market in 2018 with his wife, Cheryl. What started with 150 acres, 30 sheep, and a few cows is now nearly 1,000 acres and 600 sheep, plus cattle, chickens, and pigs. Craig rotates grazing areas, doesn’t use chemicals, and sells direct to consumers wanting natural meats, eggs, and the pecans they now shell and package. “We tell our customers to come out anytime and see what we’re doing,” Craig says. “It’s important that they can see how their food is being raised.” The photos and rave reviews on Shaded Grove’s Google Business Profile attract prospective customers, and the link to Google Maps helps them find the farm.

Customers can shop at the farm in person, online, or for delivery to select cities. Craig uses Google Workspace to keep it all organized. “I like that I can use Google Docs and Sheets across any device. We can work with other folks and share things easily,” he says. Shaded Grove now ships pecans, honey, and other nonperishables to 48 states, and frozen meat to some locations. In 2023, they had a 35-percent jump in sales. Craig credits Google Ads for increased orders and a 20-percent rise in email subscribers; he uses Google Analytics to see where traffic comes from and adjusts his Ads to those areas. As he introduces new product lines and looks to the future, he’s not losing sight of why he turned to natural farming. “Every year we do an open house for customers with a hay ride and lunch. Tonight we’ve got a customer coming for a pickup and staying for dinner,” Craig says. “Connecting with our customers, knowing what we’re producing is helping them live healthier lives…it’s tremendously fulfilling.”

Kristen Allen emphasizes that at the heart of BloomBridge, an online service that delivers silk flowers to gravesites across America, it’s “about people and spreading love.” BloomBridge was inspired by a promise Kristen made to always put flowers on her grandmother’s grave. As CEO, she partnered with Justin Johnson, CTO, for an early iteration of the company; they joined with operations and marketing experts and rebranded as BloomBridge in 2019. BloomBridge contracts "Runners"–about 1,000 around the country–to place the flowers and take photos for clients, who often can't be there in person. Many customers try the service once, then return for one of the subscription options. BloomBridge has seen 70 percent growth since launch, and delivered arrangements–custom designed by Kristen–to cemeteries in 47 states.

The BloomBridge team runs the company using Google Workspace. “We’ve been able to build internally from the ground up with Gmail, Drive, Meet, and especially Sheets,” Justin says. “It lets our customer service team collaborate, comment, and share details throughout the process.” Meanwhile, the positive reviews are adding up on their Google Business Profile. “That’s been a huge, huge bonus for us,” Justin notes. “A lot of people use the reviews to know that we’re a legitimate operation.” For Kristen and the rest of the team, making it easy for clients to feel a connection with a lost loved one is what it’s all about. “There’s healing and joy in it. I feel like the world needs more of that,” she says. “We’re just strangers helping strangers, and we’re spreading love one cemetery at a time.”

Jonathan McLendon and Mark Mavar founded the Biloxi Shrimp Co. in 2020, soon building a 20,000-square-foot production facility and a thriving wholesale business that supplied hundreds of restaurants daily. But when COVID-19 curtailed restaurant dining across America, the owners were left with a dilemma: freezers full of seafood, and no buyers. Who would buy their shrimp and keep their employees working? That’s when Jonathan had an idea: They’d sell directly to the public. “I looked at him and said, ‘That’s about the silliest thing you ever said to me,’” says Mark. Still, the pair put the word out on social media and unlocked their front doors. The first day a handful of curious shrimp buyers stopped by. A week later, cars were lined up for five blocks. As word got out, orders began coming in from as far away as Los Angeles and New York City. Suddenly, Biloxi Shrimp Co. was building a new direct-to-consumer business and brand, with its own packaging and family recipes tucked in with each order.

The two owners realized that to serve these new customers, they’d need to understand their needs and behavior. To do both, they turned to Google Ads and Google Merchant Center. “Google tools make it easy for us to change our Ads and our websites,” says Jonathan. “We get to measure almost everything. You can run a campaign next week and at the end of that campaign, you know who's buying, you know the demographics. It's really easy to make decisions at a fast-paced rate.” From a low of 35 employees, Biloxi Shrimp Co. is now back up to 150–and while their main wholesale business has returned, the direct sales will continue. “It’s an important area of growth for us,” says Jonathan. “The Biloxi Shrimp Co. is a piece of our heart. People are pulling our shrimp out of their freezer, our pictures are on the bag. They know just where it comes from. And that brings us a lot of joy.”