Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Mandy Brasher. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Mandy, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?
Resilience, for me, is deeply rooted in my faith in Jesus Christ. As a young adult, He placed an entrepreneurial spirit in my heart, guiding my path just as He did for my grandfather, an artisan whose footsteps I’ve followed for over 15 years through crafting and vendor shows. In the fall of 2023, a door opened with great promise, but due to unexpected complications, I made the difficult decision to close that door. Yet, what I couldn’t see in that moment was that God’s plan was far greater than my own. Several vendors took a leap of faith alongside me, and from that shared trust, The Platform’s journey began. Since then, God has continued to bless us, opening doors I could have never imagined, reminding me that resilience is trusting in His perfect plan, even when faced with difficult choices.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
The Platform Longview is a Small Business Market & Creative Event Center in the heart of the ongoing revitalization in The Junction of Longview, Texas. We serve and the store front to over 60 small businesses. We proudly offer a diverse range of women’s and children’s boutiques, artisan home decor, handmade jewelry, bath and body products, gourmet food items, craft supplies, and unique handmade accessories—all under one roof. Our mission is to provide a seamless shopping experience, where the elevated, modern farmhouse aesthetic of our 1930’s gas station-turned-boutique makes it feel like you’re stepping into a single shop, not 60 different businesses.
In addition to our storefront, we host monthly creative events, including crafter and vendor markets, featuring over 30 East Texas small businesses and food trucks!
As a former home-based business owner, my passion for helping small businesses thrive has driven me to create The Platform as a place for entrepreneurs to grow and succeed. I am honored that so many business owners and creators have entrusted me with this incredible opportunity.
Mark your calendars for our upcoming holiday events:
• Nov 16: Christmas in The Junction
• Nov 23: City of Longview Christmas Tree Lighting Vendor Market
• Nov 30: Small Business Saturday Sip N Shop
• Dec 14: Polar Express Craft Day
• Dec 21: Holiday Whobilation and Mistletoe Market
We can’t wait to celebrate the season with you! We’re open Tuesday-Saturday, 10am-5pm.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Three keys to my small business journey have been resilience, a willingness to learn, and unwavering trust in God’s timing. Resilience has been crucial, as many doors opened and closed along the way, but I’ve always believed that God’s plan was greater than mine. My willingness to learn has been another key, especially during my time running a small t-shirt business. I was fortunate to work alongside some amazing marketing experts, and I even took a virtual assistant class to improve my skills in social media and graphic design—tools I now use daily. Above all, trusting in God’s timing and plan has been essential. He has opened doors I never expected, guiding me to opportunities beyond my imagination.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
At The Platform Longview, we are always seeking quality and unique small businesses to collaborate with, whether as a permanent addition to our small business storefront or as part of our monthly vendor markets. We love partnering with passionate entrepreneurs who offer something special to our community, and we strive to create an environment where every business can thrive. If you’re interested in joining our growing network, we would love to hear from you! Please reach out to me at [email protected] to learn more about how we can work together.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://theplatformlongview.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplatformlongviewtx?igsh=MXRybDh5dzVncW1xdg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61554438866631&mibextid=JRoKGi
Image Credits
Myself
Tony Harp
Longview News Journal
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
