Bradley Byrne: Welcome to the Mobile Matters podcast powered by the Mobile Chamber, where we’re diving deeper into important topics that make a significant impact on Mobile’s thriving business community. I’m your host and president and CEO of the Chamber, Bradley Byrne. Today, we have a very special episode because we get to sit down with our Chamber Board Chair, Melissa Cross, with McAleer’s Office Furniture.

We’re going to pick her brain on everything from leadership to advice for small business owners like herself. So Melissa, welcome to Mobile Matters. 

Melissa Cross: Well, thank you for having me Bradley 

Bradley Byrne: Well, we’re great to have you here. Thank you for your leadership on the board Um, you’ve been a tireless advocate for the chamber and uh, so for so many years on top of running a business a business that you own so McAleer’s office furniture, I know is important to you. [00:01:00] Share a little bit of details right now about your background and how you got to where you are 

Melissa Cross: Well, I can start by saying I never intended to be here.

So my dad started the company in 1979. So we grew, I grew up in the company. I’m one of seven Children, and honestly, none of us thought we’d see ourselves here. We all went and scattered across the country when it was time to go to school and college, including myself. So, I actually went to college and then I moved on to graduate school in California.

And, uh, I went to law school, actually, in California. And, yes, I was an attorney. Please don’t seek any kind of legal advice from me now, I haven’t practiced in over 20 years, but I just didn’t find it to be the right fit for me. And through a lot of different life choices and changes, my husband, who I did meet at law school, so that made it totally worth it.

Uh, we ended up in Dallas, Texas, and I was in the real estate industry, uh, [00:02:00] running showrooms. for new home design, uh, building companies. So it was great because I got to work with designers, I was running a showroom, and then I ended up and stumbled into, in 2009, the office furniture industry. I started working for Allsteel, which is a large scale office furniture manufacturer based out of, uh, Iowa, but they had a showroom in Dallas.

So I ran their showroom and then soon I moved up and I started running their showrooms in the west half of the country. So LA, San Francisco, Chicago, Dallas, and so I did that for a couple years. So even despite myself, I ended up in the office furniture industry, even though I lived in Dallas. So it was about 2012 when my brother, who had come back to actually work for my dad in the Pensacola store, called me and said, would you ever consider doing this?

Dad does want to retire one day. By that time, I had had a lot more life experience and it is something I could see myself doing. So I flew down and I met with them and I said, [00:03:00] I’m not interested actually. I don’t want to come back and manage one of your stores. But I will come back if I can own it one day because it became a dream of mine to own my own business and office furniture was it.

I ended up there anyway, so it was kind of happenstance. I’m not exactly who I think my dad thought would take over one day either, but we ended up being the perfect pair to run the company for many years together and then for me to buy it from him. 

Bradley Byrne: So I’ve seen the two of you together. It’s really special, you know, father, daughter, but also he’s got a lot of pride in what you’re doing with his business that he started.

So that’s really cool. So what’s it like running a small business in the present business environment? 

Melissa Cross: Well, I think first you have to really look at and examine the word small business because most days it doesn’t feel small when you’re running a team of 30 to 40 people. And it feels very large when you have [00:04:00] that many people, you have three different locations and you’re a corporation, so you’re dealing with all those regulatory things that you have to deal with if you were just as large as some other companies.

But I will say that any, running any business is just a series of daily challenges that you almost can’t anticipate. 

Bradley Byrne: Well, let’s talk about those challenges. Yes. Tell me about the challenges, but also tell me what advice would you give to somebody running a business today? 

Melissa Cross: Well, uh, let’s see. I’m trying to think.

Dealing with the unexpected and yet trying to stay out of the weeds. So, you, you want to get in there every day and do what you have to do. But you also don’t want to get bogged down. So I’m lucky that I have a very, very good team and, uh, an amazing team. And some of them have been with me for even 35 years.

Tom, who is my VP of operations was my next door neighbor growing up and he is amazing. So it frees me up to go and be out in the community like I am and to go work on my business [00:05:00] instead of in my business. But I would give other people advice also as far as, It’s okay to make the tough decisions. It’s okay to be unpopular.

And it’s, because I’m often not very popular. I know you find that hard to believe. I do. I do find it hard to believe. But I’m kind of opinionated, which I know you find easy to believe. But, um, it’s, it’s just like, sometimes you just feel like you’re alone on an island. So what I would tell people is to not do something that I wish I would have done a little sooner, which is to find your people, find your network.

Look at what, know your resources. Look at what the chamber does. The chamber is, they have the business navigator program. They have the thrive program, the capital readiness program. All of these are for businesses. and business owners that need to fall back on somebody and get advice from somebody so you don’t feel like that island, that you’re running things alone.

I have people in my network [00:06:00] that I can call on any day of the week and they’ll give me advice. Like, Tim and Cindy over at Lew’s Jewelry. It’s not just because I like jewelry, because I do, but at Lew’s, they’re a family run business. They understand my challenges. I have Trevor at Gulf Coast Containers, who is a waste removal company, and I have Jennifer at RICO Signs.

I haven’t talked about furniture at all with these, you know, we don’t have to sell the same thing or be in the same industry as jewelry or waste removal or signs, but we all face the same challenges. 

Bradley Byrne: So, if you could get in a time machine and go back, To the very beginning when you came back to take over the business.

What advice would you tell yourself starting now? 

Melissa Cross: It would definitely be get involved sooner. I was kind of in the weeds, let me tell you, for the first five years because of all the challenges in taking over a family run business. So I didn’t do that. I didn’t actually develop my network with the people that I know now until I about 2017, [00:07:00] it was the Chamber’s, their partnership with the SBA and the Emerging Leaders Program that gave me, that’s where I met Abe Harper.

Abe Harper is a great friend with Harper Technologies. He changed my life. He showed me the value of Chamber membership and being a Board of Advisor and of having such an extensive network. You know, I’ve talked about him setting my goal of being Chamber famous. And how I think I’ve accomplished that now, but it’s because of 

Bradley Byrne: Well, you’re on this podcast.

Melissa Cross: I know, right? Now I am. Woo! 

Bradley Byrne: I think that’s sort of self defining.

Melissa Cross: But it’s, but it’s done so much for my business. That I would, I wish I’d done it sooner. That’s all.

Bradley Byrne: Well, you know what? I’ve watched their business and it’s doing great And it seems to me that is your secret. You develop your clientele because you’re out there seeing a lot of people am I seeing that right?

Melissa Cross: I think I think like to think so of course being in this community now for 45 years Uh, we always did things a little differently than a lot of other office furniture dealerships where we go out and advertise and And we put our name out there on [00:08:00] billboards and commercials and social media. So I think it’s that with a combination of me being out there as a face of community and also falling back on my amazing staff because I have the people to support me.

Bradley Byrne: Yeah, very important. Okay, it’s time for a brief sponsor break, but when we come back we’ll hear more about how Melissa became chamber famous and how she ended up in a music video. We will be right back.

William Bryant, Jr.: Being a member of the Mobile Chamber has allowed it myself as a non profit executive to open up many opportunities to the c-suite executives that we have in this area from prospects through relationships building and most importantly, um, building an engagement with potential donors and supporters of our organization.

So we’re proud to be a member. I’m proud to be a member of the board of directors of the Mobile Chamber, but more importantly, I’m [00:09:00] proud to be a benefactor of the chamber as well. So thank you for more information about joining the chamber, visit mobilechamber.com.

Bradley Byrne: We’re back on the Mobile Matters podcast. We’re here with Melissa cross from McAleer’s office furniture. Melissa is currently serving as the 2024 board chair. So Melissa, share with us some of the goals you’d like to see accomplished during your year as chair. 

Melissa Cross: Well, I’ve given this a lot of thought and really it’s something I like to refer to as engagement awareness.

Membership in the chamber is very important to me because I have mentioned to you that my business and the chamber are so intermingled because of my success. in, you know, being involved in the chamber and what it’s brought to me, both professionally and personally. I don’t think I’d have any friends had it not been for the chamber.

I mean, it is where I’ve met the best people. [00:10:00] And so I want to tell people and get them more engaged in the chamber, if you’re already a member, if you’re not a member, if you were a member. And you want to know how you can make your membership worth it. And how to be more engaged. And, and just to do something like I have done.

I want to talk to you. I want people to reach out to me and tell me what they think we could even do better. I’m always open to hear that. And I, because I really want to increase engagement because our members are everything and a huge majority of them, 90 percent or more, are small business owners. 

Bradley Byrne: I’m glad you said that because from a small business owner’s perspective, what is the impact on the business community from all the stuff the Chamber’s doing?

Melissa Cross: Well, it’s it’s surprising when you go out to when I started this role. I go out and ask people. Did you know and one of the first things I like to ask him is Did you know that the Chamber [00:11:00] houses the Economic Development Department of the City of Mobile and most people don’t know that. So they don’t know what David Rogers and his amazing department are doing for the economy in Mobile.

They’re the ones that are the economic engine that’s driving the growth in Mobile. And all of us small businesses in this area are just so appreciative of all the work the chamber is doing. And we want that work to continue and we want to see mobile thrive and grow. And I just think that a lot of people don’t know that that is one of the things that’s offered.

I mean that the chamber offers and does and accomplishes on a daily basis. 

Bradley Byrne: So you’ve been involved for a long time with the chamber. But what you’re famous most for is your work with Chamber Chase. Infamous or famous? Seriously, tell people what Chamber Chase is and why it’s so important. 

Melissa Cross: Chamber Chase is life changing.

I joined in 2019 as a volunteer. [00:12:00] It is the Chambers annual total resource campaign. We go out, we get a group of volunteers together, and we go out and recruit new members, upgrade members, we also offer sponsorships, and we sell advertising, like on this fabulous podcast. So, you know, we just do it all. And we can speak from a volunteer’s perspective.

I mean, the Chamber staff is great at doing this all year round, but for four months, you have advocates for the Chamber that have actually actively seeing how amazing it has done for their business, all the amazing things it has done. And you, you want to activate their relationships in it both personally and professionally and, and get them to see the benefit of the chamber.

Bradley Byrne: Well, they’re an inspirational group of people, I can tell you. 

Melissa Cross: Oh, they’re the best. 

Bradley Byrne: And they’re fun to be around. 

Melissa Cross: Oh, yeah, we do try to have a little fun. Well, 

Bradley Byrne: speaking of having fun, I mentioned this earlier. We have you doing a music video for the Chamber, and Cody, do we have a quick clip of that? 

Video: I’m on a boat! I’m on a boat! [00:13:00] Everybody look at me, cause I’m sailing on a boat! (Sailin’ on a boat) I’m on a boat! I’m on a boat! Take a good hard look at the Chamber Chasin’ Boat! 

Melissa Cross: Oops, I was still dancing. 

Bradley Byrne: (laughter) That’s somebody that’s really giving it their all. 

Melissa Cross: Oh man, I wrote every single one of those lyrics. 

Bradley Byrne: Ha ha ha! Well, that and that is that is you’re also famous for having fun and we appreciate that because

Melissa Cross: We could put this in context though, right?

Bradley Byrne: Alright, you put it in context. I’ll give you credit.

Melissa Cross: I don’t just roll up to the chamber with a rap video. I promise. But in 2019, they actually asked me to be the chair of Chamber Chase. They have a leader every year. This year, it’s me. It’s Teresa Williamson [00:14:00] with Roberts Brothers, and she’s doing an amazing job. 

Bradley Byrne: She really is. 

Melissa Cross: She is amazing. And, um, in 2019, they asked me, of course, for the year 2020, and I had no idea what was going to happen.

And then, unprecedentedly, we did, we did fabulous. And then, um, They asked me back for a second year for 2021. So I got two years of COVID and it was, it was, it especially important to me to bring the fun and to try to encourage our volunteers to have a little fun during those two years, um, and still sell the chamber.

Bradley Byrne: Well, we appreciate the fact that you took over that very important role and it is a very important role. Uh, at a difficult time. 

Melissa Cross: Yes. 

Bradley Byrne: And we could have had a lot more difficulties around here, but you’re right, we sort of beat the odds. 

Melissa Cross: We did.

Bradley Byrne: And got through it well, and it’s because of volunteers like you did such great work.

So you are a saleswoman extraordinaire. No one can quite match your sales ability, [00:15:00] so I’m going to give you a chance to do something. Talk to me like I’m not involved with the chamber and give me the best sales pitch you’ve got on why I should be in the chamber, more than that, be active in the chamber.

Melissa Cross: So, usually what I start with is because I said so. Oh. And that usually works because they’ll know me by this point. But if I have to go further, I can either, uh, threaten to sing for them again. That’s the second technique. But, um, actually all I do is talk. Share my story. It’s, it’s nothing that, Oh, you’re going to see this benefit, this benefit, this benefit.

It’s, it’s, it’s about what you put into it. And if you want to make it into something that will change your life, you can, I did. And I just tell them the story. I mean, it was really being a board of advisor. And that changed my life because I walked into that room and I knew two people, Abe Harper and Carolyn Golson that worked at the chamber.

And that is it. That’s it. [00:16:00] But now I can walk into that room and I know everyone. 

Bradley Byrne: Now tell everybody, what is the board of advisors and why is that so important? 

Melissa Cross: It’s so important because that is an upgraded level of membership at the chamber where you’re, um, networking and getting to know and coming to functions with the CEOs and with the business leaders in the community.

So it’s a different group. It is more expensive, but I would say it is worth it. It’s been, it’s been one of the best things I’ve ever done for my business. I mean, hands down. 

Bradley Byrne: That’s great. And one of the things we’ve tried in the last couple of years is to upgrade the quality of the programs that we’ve done for you all.

We had Mayor Simpson come and talk about the Civic Center and we had, um, Neal Bradley from the U. S. Chamber just a couple weeks ago and we’ll have the Port Authority come and speak to us about what’s happening in the port in a couple weeks. Do you feel like that extra information is helpful to you and your business?

Melissa Cross: Absolutely. Just, just from one of those alone, just understanding what’s coming to the city, knowing what’s happening all around you, and understanding even on a federal level, like you said with Neil, [00:17:00] that was so eye opening. And where else are people going to get this information? They’re bogged down, like I said, in the weeds running their businesses.

Bradley Byrne: Which they should be.

Melissa Cross: I mean, they need to be, and 

Bradley Byrne: That’s our job to bring it to them. 

Melissa Cross: Exactly. But then you can take a break from that and come in here and get some great information. You won’t regret it.

Bradley Byrne: As I travel around and go to these national programs, I’m always looking for somebody like Neil Bradley to bring here because I know that when I, our members don’t get it any other way.

Melissa Cross: Right. 

Bradley Byrne: They’re not going to get in an airplane and fly to see somebody like him. And to be able to bring somebody like Kim here to give us that program, I think that was special. And, and we’re going to do more of that. Trust me. We’ve got some ideas about bringing some other cool people here in order to, we had the head of the Atlanta Fed last year, which was really cool.

Melissa Cross: Yeah, that was very fascinating. 

Bradley Byrne: Well let me just say something to you. And I mean this seriously. Thank you for all that you have done and continue to do for the Chamber. And I know you’re doing it because you really like it. You know the value of it. But we don’t exist without people like you. I mean you’re it [00:18:00] and if we don’t have members like you We won’t be successful no matter how great my staff is no matter how hard we work And I would say that to a lot of other people who are members of the chamber who do that for us So thank you and thank all of you for that So, um, thank you for your leadership.

Thank you for being a great, um, member of the Chamber. Thank you for all the great things you do for us. Um, but most of all, thank you for being you. We just enjoy getting to know you and being around you. 

Melissa Cross: Well, thank you for giving me this opportunity to sing on your behalf. 

Bradley Byrne: Thank you. So, from the heart of the Mobile Business Community, This is the Mobile Matters Podcast powered by the Mobile Matters Network.