Meet Janea. Nestled on a piece of farmland just minutes from downtown Concord, Janea lives and works on the land where she grew up – a place rich with family history, stories and now, new beginnings. Her company, Good Greene Gardens, is a tribute to that legacy. The name blends her maiden name, Goodman, with her mother\u2019s maiden name, Greene.<\/p>\n
“It\u2019s a reflection of everyone who came before me that led me to this moment,” she said.<\/p>\n
With her children grown and the hustle of life winding down some, Janea finally had space to pursue something she\u2019d always dreamed of – launching her own business.<\/p>\n
“I\u2019ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit,” she said. “And I\u2019ve gardened for years. My father and his grandmother started the farm I live on and I inherited from my mother a rich farming history through our large Greene family in Union County. My mom was one of eleven siblings, so farming\u00a0was a necessary\u00a0way of life. I wanted to connect what I was doing with my family\u2019s farming history.”<\/p>\n
After recently graduating from NC Farm School in Randolph County, she narrowed her focus to creating a line of natural skincare. Her journey began with products she developed for herself – balms and butters to help manage her psoriasis when traditional treatments stopped working. \u201cI haven\u2019t looked back since,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019m my own walking testimonial.\u201d<\/p>\n
She now creates tallow balms, lip products, scrubs and is studying to earn a certification in natural skincare formulation. Her ingredients are either grown organically on her property or sourced locally – tallow from a nearby cattle farm and beeswax from local beekeepers. Lavender, calendula, sage, mint and plantain grow just steps from her kitchen, and she\u2019s cultivating even more herbs and flowers to infuse into future products. \u201cI\u2019m very particular about sourcing,\u201d she said. \u201cBut it makes all the difference.\u201d<\/p>\n
Janea joined the Retail Lab at the Cabarrus Center in fall of 2024, after taking online classes through the Rowan-Cabarrus Small Business Center for several years. \u201cI wanted to understand how to launch a business and what I needed to do to get started here in Cabarrus County,\u201d she said. \u201cRetail Lab gave me the confidence to really put myself out there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Retail Lab is a six-week business boot camp designed to support local product-based entrepreneurs. Participants receive training in branding, finances and sales, with the opportunity to pitch for a small business grant. Janea says the support of the cohort and instructors was transformational. \u201cThe classes were intimate and the support was amazing,\u201d she said. \u201cEven though I\u2019d learned some of this before in Farm School, it hit differently this time. I took something away from every single class.\u201d<\/p>\n
She also credits the Small Business Center Director, Meg, and the Flywheel Foundation Program Manager, Grant, who collaboratively lead the Retail Lab, for championing her work. \u201cThey send things my way all the time,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019m their \u2018farm girl\u2019 now.\u201d<\/p>\n
One of those connections led her to a small farm conference at NC A&T, where she applied, attended and came home full of new ideas and inspiration.<\/p>\n
Janea excitedly shared that she has officially been accepted as a full-time vendor at the Piedmont Farmers Market (Winecoff Road and Rotary Square locations), where she\u2019s building a loyal following and gathering valuable customer feedback. \u201cSelling in person has been the best market research,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019ve even had couples come back because the husband tried what his wife bought and wants more for himself.\u201d<\/p>\n
As she grows, she\u2019s working toward a future retail shop inside her farmhouse. For now, she\u2019s setting up a website and expanding her offerings to include custom orders for weddings, corporate events and other special occasions.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery time I take another step to put myself out there, I\u2019ve had nothing but great experiences,\u201d she said. Her advice to other small business owners is simple: \u201cTake advantage of what\u2019s available. I tell everyone I meet about the Retail Lab.\u201d<\/p>\n