Editorial Team
3 min read
After a long day of house hunting, Army veterans Kartisha Henry and her husband Robert craved spicy wings. None of the local spots satisfied them. So, serial entrepreneur Henry began planning her next move: entering the restaurant business. It didn’t hurt that she loves flavorful comfort food with a side of kindness.
Henry had plenty of experience with logistics and supply chain organization, courtesy of her military background. Since leaving the Army, she’d used those skills for online businesses, including drop-shipping and selling body care products.
“I’ve learned through all of my business ventures that if you have a product that people need, it will sell. That’s how we generated the idea. Every day, I’d drive past a shopping center on my way to work. I thought this was the perfect location to open a restaurant.”
A new “wingstaurant”
In 2019, the couple opened their first business, The Wing Suite, in the heart of Grayson, Georgia. The successful “wingstaurant” concept features mouthwatering flavors like Piping Peach, Honey Lemon Pepper, and G.A. Red Clay. Soon, they’re expanding into a second location in Lawrenceville with their son, Tijai, as General Manager.
Henry attributes her success as a food and beverage newbie to careful research and creative thinking.
“Know your market, know your customer base. Marketing is the top priority for opening a restaurant or any type of business. I tell everybody who asks me for advice that I don’t care how great your product is. If nobody knows about it, you will sell zero.”
Initially, Henry promoted The Wing Suite on the back of grocery receipts and print circulars in the neighborhood. She ran paid ads on social media, encouraged reviewers to stop by, and joined organizations eager to help grow new businesses.
With a dash of technology
She thoroughly researched options before choosing the right technology to run her business.
“I looked at all the top POS systems on the market and figured out that Clover was the easiest to use, and the reports were pretty robust for small businesses. It was also rated at the top of POS machines for restaurants.”
With 14 employees, Henry needs operational efficiency. Like most entrepreneurs, she uses tech to maximize everyone’s time and effort.
“Our Clover use has actually grown. We started out with one Clover, and now we have three. We love the Mini and the Flex for tap-and-pay. It’s an awesome system, very robust.”
Henry enthusiastically leans into Clover’s app integrations.
“We do the DAVO app that takes our taxes out daily, so we don’t have to remember to pay them at the end of the month. That is the most amazing app, and I’m so glad it is on the Clover App Market!”
And a side of kindness
As a veteran-owned business, The Wing Suite serves more than delicious meals. Henry is building community strength with every waffle or catfish dish they offer. “We were blessed, even when other restaurants shut down. We switched to takeout and did well.”
Building a generational legacy
Henry has a growth mindset. In addition to catering local and city events, she’s taken The Wing Suite on the road to significant sites, including the Atlanta Food and Wine Festival. Her family is deeply involved in planning future ventures. Henry sees Tijai’s managerial progress as part of the overall goal.
“We’re building generational wealth, we’re building generational legacy, and we’re going to absolutely keep it going. And, who knows, maybe we’ll franchise in a couple of years.”
Read more stories about how Clover supports entrepreneurs engaged in using their skills for new business ventures.
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