On August 2, 2019, Chris and I were relaxing on the beach after a swim, probably indulging in too much sushi. As with many of our best ideas, this one came to us while we were unwinding: the idea for Vitality South. At that point, it was just a hope. But, as usual, once I had it, I couldn’t stop thinking about it.
I’m far from perfect in my faith, but I prayed fervently. My prayer was simple: If this business wasn’t part of His plan, I asked God to close the doors, block the path, and make it hard to continue.
33 days later, the picture you see is Megan and me sitting on beanbags in our new office—because our furniture hadn’t arrived yet! In just 33 days, we had the idea, secured a loan, found an office, ordered furniture, worked out my two-week notice, hired an employee, and got started.
Now, here we are approaching September 5, 2024, marking the five-year anniversary of that first day on those beanbags. A lot has changed, but some things remain the same. One constant has been Megan—thank you, Meg-o, for standing by my side all these years. I appreciate you more than you know. Another constant has been the unwavering support of my family, especially my amazing husband, Chris, who is my source of strength in more ways than he realizes.
And some things have changed. Those beanbags were the first to go—great idea, but terrible for 8-hour workdays!
Here are some of the milestones I’m especially proud of:
- September 2019 – We officially started!
- 2020 – We survived the shutdowns without laying off a single employee. (By then, we had grown to five employees.)
- 2020 – Launched our programming team (mobile app and software development).
- 2021 – Started our IT team for business computer support and brought Chris in to lead the programming team.
- 2022 – Welcomed Jayme Bennett to lead our IT team.
- 2023 – Acquired GenTech IT and published the Shoestring Empire book.
- 2024 – Celebrating our 5-year anniversary!
Five years is a long time for a new business. Half of them don’t make it this far. It’s long enough to buy and pay off a car, earn a bachelor’s degree, or learn a new language. And I couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve achieved in these first five years. So, what’s in store for the next five? I’m not giving away all my secrets, but I promise you, we’re just getting started, and there are some exciting things ahead—stay tuned!
Thank you to my friends and family who have encouraged, supported, shared, and referred us. You are a huge part of our success.
Most importantly, thank you to our clients for making this dream a reality. Business is hard, but serving you and helping your small businesses thrive gives us LIFE. I recently came across a quote that says, “Behind every small business, there’s a family praying for it to succeed.” That’s true for me, and I know it’s true for many of you as well. We take our role in your success seriously. Thank you all. Love you!
Ashley Elkins
President
Vitality South
