Born and raised in Charleston, the Motley, Ascue and Hund families shared why they chose their career paths, what they love most about running a business, what inspires them to stay motivated and overcome the challenges that can come with being an entrepreneur and what it means to work and play in Mount Pleasant.
Danielle and Mark Motley
When 18-year-old Danielle Motley walked into Wild Birds Unlimited 20 years ago looking for a job, she immediately fell in love with its magical setting amongst the running fountains and birdsong. Having secured the position, she spent the next few years learning the ins and outs of the business and in 2011, she bought the shop.
In those early days, Motley frequently worked 15-hour shifts from 8 a.m. until 3 a.m. the next morning, while 9 months pregnant and with a toddler on her hip. Her husband Mark still had a demanding job outside of the store. Now they run the business together, which she said has been amazing. “We have an incredible team and store manager that allow us to spend time with our three kiddos, show up to all their sports functions and be there when they get home from school. Throughout all the years of hard work and growing to a point of stability, we feel incredibly grateful to all of Mount Pleasant for giving us the opportunity to build something this special. Our customers have carried us through and kept our business not only alive but thriving and we owe so much to this community.”
She added, “As the company has continued to grow year after year, we have never taken for granted that folks could shop elsewhere for their bird feeding supplies and they trust us, our products and our advice to be the very best here in our local area. That’s a responsibility we don’t take lightly.”…