Erica Owens WINs by providing resources and activities for families in the Detroit region

Welcome to W.I.N. (what's important now?) - the entrepreneurial podcast where we dive into business challenges, achievements, and opportunities!

Join your host, Ian Richardson, from Richardson & Richardson Consulting as he explores what entrepreneurs care about and focus on. This week, Ian hosts Erica Owens, Founder of Frugal on the Fly, a nonprofit encouraging people to find joy by engaging with their local community by way of spontaneous adventures and acts of kindness.

Erica empowers people to live their best life on a budget by promoting free + cheap experiences in Metro Detroit. She also hosts events gathering or offering resources - free produce giveaways, popup little free libraries, coat giveaways, diaper drives, toiletry drives, nonperishable food giveaways, voter registration, feeding the unhoused, spearheading a women's shelter remodel, food rescue, school supply giveaways, and keeping voters warm at the polls.

Carrie Richardson and Ian Richardson host the WIN Podcast - What's Important Now?

Serial entrepreneurs, life partners and business partners, they have successfully exited from multiple businesses (IT, call center, real estate, marketing) and they help other business owners create their own versions of success.

Ian is certified in Eagle Center For Leadership Making A Difference, Paterson StratOp, and LifePlan.

Carrie has helped create and execute successful outbound sales strategies for over 1200 technology-focused businesses including MSPs, manufacturers, distributors and SaaS firms.

Learn more at www.foxcrowgroup.com

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Transcript

Ian: 0:53

Hello and welcome to WIN. I'm your host Ian Richardson from Richardson and Richardson Consulting, and today I'm joined by my friend Erica Owens from Frugal on the Fly. Erica, how are you today? I'm great, thank you. Hey, thank you. Thanks for taking the time to, to join us and share your story on Wynn Erica's founder of Frugal On the Fly, which is a nonprofit that encourages people to find joy by engaging with their local community, by way of spontaneous adventures and acts of kind. She empowers people to live their best life on a budget by promoting free and low cost experiences in metro Detroit. She also hosts events gathering or offering resources, including free produce, giveaways, popup free libraries, coke giveaways, diaper drives, toiletry drives, non-perishable giveaways, voter registrations, and other effort. She is making a difference throughout the Metro Detroit region and we're excited to have her here on the show. Erica, what are we looking out outside of that fabulous view you have there?

Erica: 1:59

downtown Detroit. So we are at my, you know, home office, the corner of my bedroom.

Ian: 2:04

There you go. We're, uh, we are right outside my kitchen for this recording as well. So right there with you, Erica. We always follow a, a, uh, set theme here on Win, and we're always talking about organizational challenges, achievements, and opportu. And you had mentioned that one of the key focuses, one of the, it's a constant quote unquote challenge or a constant area of focus, is that you and your team are driven to help people find that joy through acts of kindness, spontaneous adventures, or new experiences, and to support that goal. you're having to constantly focus on figuring out, Hey, what are the new resources? What are the activities that we can promote and share and gain awareness on to help assist in that goal? Tell us about that focus.

Erica: 2:55

Yeah, so, um, I'm kind of in a unique nonprofit in Michigan where a lot of times they focus on one avenue for us. We're constantly pivoting and listening to the community to see where the need is. And so that, while that's really fun and exciting and also as a challenge because it's like we're educating the audience always. Hey, this is our new passion this quarter. We're gonna do, you know, food security next quarter is gonna be, you know, making sure people are at the polls and voter registration. You know, so that's really, it is just, um, I kind of look at myself as a bridge. So how can I be of service to. people in need and then, you know, what can I offer to kind of connect the two? Or sometimes there's a surplus of something like say food, and it's like, well, or masks. Like sometimes I get calls where they're like, Hey, we've got, you know, 3000 K 95 masks. Can you do it? I'm like, oh my gosh, yes, I can move those. I know exactly where they need to go. So it's kind of that sort of thing. But yeah, we're always trying to make sure that we are, have value and that we're mm-hmm. making sure that people see us as a resource for, um, whether it's just free, fun and, you know, cool concerts or museum things to, oh my gosh, thank you for this. I needed help with my utilities and the website for the city was so hard to navigate, you know, so we're trying to like break those barriers of like, Hey, here it is. You know, you don't have to look far. Here's the link. Here it is. Here's the graphic, like with all the details.

Ian: 4:24

Yeah. That, that constant focus on making sure there's awareness of how much resources there already is in the community. And so with focusing and figuring out like, Hey, here's what's next. Here's what's next, here's what's next. I'm imagining that you have a, um, like either a pile of notebooks or, or something similar with, Hey, here's, here's kind of like our, well, our well of ideas. Here's the fountain of youth on what we're gonna pursue next as. As an organization, how do you and your team choose that focus? Is it, is it driven by that community feedback? Like, Hey, we hear it once, we're kind of keeping an eye on it, we hear it 10 times. Hey, like, we might need to focus on it. We hear this 50 times, we gotta go now. Like there's, there's a driving need is, is there, what are the metrics that you guys use to choose that next? that next initiative.

Erica: 5:19

Sure. Well, um, you know, I've been rooting the community for the last several years, and so I know a lot of, you know, activists and leaders, and so there's a constant conversation, right, of like, what's the. The new need or, or is it a constant need? You know, we never filled it right. We just need to continue, um, to do so. And sometimes it's the world around us, right? Like, uh, I think it was in 2021, like around, um, spring to summer, um, petroleum costs went really high, so Oh, yeah, diapers. Diapers ended up being really expensive, so it was like, oh my gosh, you know, let's do a really fun give back event. Um, we did. um, jewelry store, but they gave us, you know, proceeds. But at, we also popped up at it and we're like, you know, your entry fee to a raffle, like drop off a box of diapers, drop off wipes. And so that was great because those went right to shelters that are serving, um, women and children. And it was perfect because. that was it. Like a lot of people, I think want to be of service but don't know how to give, right? Or wanna make sure what they're giving is like going to the need and not just like, well, yeah, I could just pick the top ones that I always give to every year. But here, you know, Erica's coming through and being like, Hey, did you know like diapers are gonna be really expensive either now or soon. Um, let's help with that and. That there's an awareness too, that there's a, you know, metro Detroit diaper bank, like a lot of people don't know about those things. So if you need that resource, here's the links to find it. And also that could be something that you grab, you know, maybe once a month when you go to Costco, you just toss a box in and you know exactly where to drop it off to, or you message me and say, Hey, I wanna continue to do that. Like, yeah, I remember, you know, diapers were breaking the bank when I was a mom with babies and I can't imagine already. In need and having trouble put food on the table and I also have to have diapers or I also need formula. So I think that's really, it is just a, a constant involvement in the community to know, um, where the need is and how we could be of service. So that constant and railing others, it's not just about me. It's like, okay, like let's all join first as we can. You know, we can do a lot more as

7:33

a.

Ian: 7:34

Yeah, man. That constant, constant feedback cycle from sources and then coordination efforts, so then the, the impact maximized. I love that. Speaking of, speaking of impact and, uh, and, and really like a, a very large impact, you were, you were on stage last month, uh, over at the Fox Theater with the governor, receiving an award for some of the impact you and your team have had, specifically a Michigan hero. Take a moment and tell us what's that award about and what was the activity that kind of bubbled up that, uh, that garnered that recognition for you and frugal on the fly.

Erica: 8:14

Thanks. Um, yeah, that was pretty exciting. um, the Michigan Heroes Project, uh, came out I believe in 2021, so mm-hmm. the go. Um, the state of Michigan was noticing that there were just a lot of people that. doing big things during the pandemic to be of service. You know, maybe it was a nurse that came outta retirement to help with COVID vaccines, or someone that was helping the restaurant industry with tips or, you know, there was all these different people just saying, oh, I, I could help with this. Mm-hmm. Uh, and so there is a website, so that is, you know, that they're all, all of us heroes are on that website and you can look for ones in your local area. So it was, um, March or June of 2020. So kind of the height of the Pandemic Food securities on the rise. U S D A Farm to Families Grant was rescuing, you know, food out of farmer's fields and paying for it to be trucked to cities and they were looking for organizations to distribute that out. And at the time, um, my son is, who was eight at the. or like, wow, this would be kind of cool to do. And he was in, um, virtual school still. So Friday mornings were no big deal. And so I'm like, let's do this. So we signed up for 25 boxes of 32 pounds of fresh produce each. And we were excited about that because we've always helped with non-perishables at shelters. But at the time, like that's a lot of what the food lines were. It wasn't fresh food. So this was exciting because it was like, ah, you. A free apples potatoes, carrots like how exciting. Yeah, good

Ian: 9:51

healthy food,

Erica: 9:53

Yeah. And so that was really important to us and I was like, gosh, I would love to be that vessel for this. And so we popped up in a parking lot in Hamtramck, and for those that don't know, it's, you know, just outside Detroit and. in 20 minutes it was gone. And we're like, oh my gosh. You know, I've never done anything like this. Right? I was the person that was at this, at this point in my life. I was the person that's like, Hey, this group over here needs volunteers. Hey, this, you know, I wasn't doing my own thing. I was like, oh my gosh. Well that was quick. And so, you know, we called back and they were like, yeah, you can get more food. So we kept increasing it and increasing it. And before we know we were serving over 2000 families every Friday morning.

Ian: 10:38

What an immense amount of impact now,

Erica: 10:41

and it was fast. So in 23 weeks we passed out over a million pounds of produce.

Ian: 10:46

A million pounds of produce. Yeah. Yep. That is an awesome impact. And that's, that's all food that got rescued from a field. Yes. It didn't rot, it didn't go bad. And then it went into families in need around the, around the Hamtramck and greater Detroit. Yep. 2000 families every Friday. Now it's not like right there, that's a full-time job, passing out that much food over over 20, 25 weeks. But you and your team don't just give away food, right? What are the initiatives? Are you leading the way on over? Yeah, on the fly. And

Erica: 11:27

even then when we had the free produce giveaway, I was noticing like, gosh, this is a community event. Like how, what else could we do? We already have the people coming every 40 morning. How could we be of more service? So I ended up sourcing, um, new and used books and all ages and genres and we did popup little free libraries. So when families rolled through, it's like, Hey, cuz at that time, if you remember libraries were closed, you know, there was, you were still. Social distancing. And my line was that way, like, you drove up in my line, you popped your trunk, we put the food in the back, you know, so it's contactless. And so I was like, wow, you know, what else could we do? And, um, it was a census here. So the census came out and we're helping people fill out the census. Um, the a, it was election here, so A C L U um, came down and. had information in five different languages to help people register to vote or find their polling location. So, you know, when it got cold, cuz it was October, so it was starting to get cold. Mm-hmm. we, you know, made sure people had hats and mittens, you know, so it's like, you know, that kind of cycled through. And then that turned in Q2 I worked with Warm the Line, which was a national grassroots movement. So I was the Michigan distributor for that. And it was makers around the country with idle hands that wanted to help. So we thought, Let's make stuff. So it'd be handmade sew, crocheted knit, whatever. Mm-hmm. of hats, MIT and scarves. And then everyone mailed those to the cold states. So then we had early voting, which was great. So we would just go from pull to pull and my son and I passed out, um, I think it was over 860 items. To voters to keep them warm with the poles and then they get to keep them like, you know, they get to keep them. Oh yeah. So it's like lots of different initiatives like that. We've done coat drives, um, like I said, diaper drives. We helped with the formula shortage recently. We. Have done drive-through toiletry and non-perishable drives too. So we're not always giving it out, we're also collecting it. So it's like, Hey, if we make it really easy for people to donate, how could we do this? Cuz a lot of people during the pandemic were home and they still wanted to help and they had funds to help. And we always take monetary donations, but a lot of people wanna be active in the process. Mm-hmm. so, or they might not have money, but they have. You know, one out of four canned goods could probably get slimmed down and go into a donation box, right? So we did stuff like that where it's like, yeah, drive through, we'll collect it, we'll get it to where it needs to go, and you can whip through in an hour and a half and collect a lot of items. So we had a lot of creative fundraisers and GA gathering of items for that. Um, we've done, um, backpack and school supply giveaways, so mm-hmm. the last two years in a row, the first 250 kids that showed up to our event got backpack stuff with quality school supplies, and we make that event too. It wasn't just a come grab your thing. So it was, we had vendors, we had a DJ spinning the event. Uh, we had STEM activities, um, two years ago. Yeah. Like all

Ian: 14:24

that, it puts pride in the event versus a, Hey, I'm, I'm going. and, and getting this, it becomes an event where people go and, and they're enjoying themselves while, while getting those, while getting those materials as well.

Erica: 14:38

right? Even in the food line, we had Bluetooth speakers with blaring Motown music always, cuz it's like, we're glad you're here. Like, you know, you have to wait in line. Let's make it fun. Roll your windows down, listen to music, sing and dance with all of us. So it was, it was fun. Um, in March of like, say like March of 2021, I closed down a street in Detroit and did a all. Jazz Festival is a fundraiser, so we had five different bands, and it was outside, socially distanced. And you could sit in your car and roll down the windows or bring a lawn chair and listen and give back and you know, have a party too.

Ian: 15:13

That's just awesome. That's awesome. And, and that's really, that kind of brings up that, that before the show you were mentioning that there is. You, you've got a, a focus, and th this is kind of a, a strategic initiative that you're pursuing next, this next opportunity around making sure people are aware that, hey, this isn't just a local Detroit thing. This Frugal living is a lifestyle. It's, it's a set, it's something that you can take with you if you're on vacation, if you move outta state, if you're visiting friends or. These are a set of skills that you can use anywhere. Talk to us about how you're raising that Ed, how you're, how you're raising awareness and, and pursuing education around how people can use this no matter where they're at.

Erica: 16:04

Yeah. For me, um, you know, when I pondered this last, this past January was like, you know, what, what is it about us? What are we trying to do and trying to help people with? And it was like really the, the joy word just kept floating around. It was like, yeah, we're, we're trying really hard to help people find joy, whether it's through doing something, giving back, or receiving it, right? So finding it, spreading it, or creating. So, um, in January and then I came up with like, I can see it, but the 52 Ways to Find Joy. Oh yeah. It's a joy journey checklist, like two sides and. everything on there was free or cheap things to do, you know, um, fun, silly things, but just to like, it's, I shouldn't say they're all silly, but just fun things to break up the day. Like we all, we all kind of need that reminder of like a little injection of joy, right? And a lot of things, um, you might not be aware of. Like one of the things on there is attend the fire engine morning, check at a station. They have to do them every morning. And if you have little. Super fun. They have to pull the engine out, check everything on it. Everything's flaring going around. So for me it was like, yeah, I didn't want this to be a bucket list where you had to complete all the items. It was like, no, it's a journey. You can start in the back and go to the front. You can do five in one day. But it was really about like, it wasn't hyper-local. It was like, this stuff can be. you know, anywhere. Like write a handwritten thank you note and then actually mail it. Um, seek out a new park and go, you know, we all tend to do the same things in the same area all the time, and that's okay. But if you're really just in a slump and you're like, what could we do? It's like start googleing stuff around and be like, that's our new destination. We're doing the nature trail hike next Saturday morning, You know, that's what we're gonna do. So yeah, the hope is to. And the goal for this next year going in is another Joy Journey checklist will come out, and then really showing people that this is a lifestyle that you can embrace and do it from Denver, Colorado, Detroit, wherever.

Ian: 18:03

Yeah. Any, any town USA or really any town in the world you can take, well, truly,

18:07

yes,

Erica: 18:09

it's a, it's a global movement cuz it's really just about a lifestyle, whether you're a parent or not. A lot of people follow me that, you know, are not parents. They're looking for creative date nights. You know, ways to save money and go do things, or ways to give back that they've thought, oh, I didn't know that I could, you know, do this or that for a, a nominal price or maybe nothing. You know, a lot of what happens with Frug on the fly is not because of me, it's because of a team of volunteers. Like they don't, you know, a lot of people or sharing all this stuff on socials, you know, the, all of that or puzzle pieces to that puzzle that make it happen. It's not all funding.

Ian: 18:45

Yeah, no. That, that. I just, I love that focus on making sure people realize, Hey, this, this, this skillset or these resources that you see here, there are gonna be resources everywhere you could use this skill everywhere. Education's one of those silver bullets that once you learn the skill, nobody can take it away from you. Great. Erica, I really, really appreciate you taking some time outta your day to come on to win and share. Share your story, share a bit about Frugal on the Fly. People can find you on pretty much every social media platform if they, if they look for Frugal on the Fly, but we'll have links to everything in the show notes and also a link to where you can connect with Erica on LinkedIn in case you're interested in the organization. You wanna support it or you wanna learn more. If you're curious about Richardson and Richardson and what we do, you can visit our website@randr.consulting. You can find other episodes of WIN blogs, white papers, case studies of organizations that we've been able to help, and some tools that you can use in your organization or business today to start making a difference and change the trajectory of where you're headed. Erica, thank you again so much for taking the time and, uh, I really hope that you and your family have a great holiday.

Erica: 20:05

Oh, you and everyone listening as well. Thank you.

Ian: 20:08

Oh, thank you. And until next time, take it easy.