Meet Garrison Emmanuel Moore | Entrepreneur

We had the good fortune of connecting with Garrison Emmanuel Moore and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Garrison Emmanuel, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?

Months before I graduated from Spring Valley High School in Columbia, SC, in June 2020, I was super excited and nervous. Excited because I was finally almost finished with school. Nervous because I didn’t know what I wanted to do next. School had always been hard for me, not because I didn’t try, but because I learn differently and at a slower pace than most students. I knew that if I was going to be successful in life, I’d have to find a job that I could learn to do really well and an employer who valued my love for serving others and understood my differences. Several months before graduation, my parents and I were talking, again, about what I was going to do next. We decided that going to college right now was not my best option. So, with their help, I should start a business of my own so that I would be responsible for my success. It was then that I began to learn how to customize products that I thought people would appreciate and enjoy. That’s how Moore Puzzles and Gifts was “born.”

In 2021, I accepted a full-time position at the South Carolina Department of Mental Health, which I still love today. Since that time, Moore Puzzles and Gifts has continued to thrive as a family-owned business, operated by my mom and me.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?

Moore Puzzles and Gifts is a small homebased business that specializes in personalizing a wide array of products. When we began in 2020, we primarily focused on creating puzzles with pictures of our customers’ kids, pets, and significant others. After requests from customers, we expanded our focus to include personalized children’s books, photo mugs, photo pillows and blankets, journals, and other unique gifts.

Perhaps the biggest challenge was realizing that our business would not survive solely on repeat orders. Some customers ordered different items periodically; however, most did not order personalized products on a monthly or even quarterly basis. As a result, we had to change our strategy. We secured a small number of businesses to rely on us to produce their promotional items or personalized books for students. Since our beginning, the following businesses have been essential to our success: Visiting Angels Tampa, Chuckie Cheezz Steaks and Hoagiez, Voorhees University School of Graduate Services, IMPACT SC, and Florence School District One Afterschool Academy. Because we are, essentially, a two-person operation that operates out of our home, another challenge has been recognizing our capacity. To produce quality products in a reasonable amount of time (and to maintain our sanity), we have had to learn to avoid overextending ourselves by not accepting more orders that we can fill. We have also had to restrict the types of products we produce because of space limitations in our home. Despite these challenges, we love what we do, and we love our customers!

As we approach our five-year anniversary, we pride ourselves in offering superior customer service. Customers can be assured that Moore Puzzles and Gifts will go above and beyond to gain their trust in the quality of our service and products.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

Generally, I’m an introvert, who likes playing video games and hanging out with family after work. My family (especially my dad) really enjoys playing tennis. So, one of my favorite activities is hanging out on the tennis court or going to statewide tennis tournaments in Hilton Head or Florence to watch my dad and our family friends participating.

A fun weekend with friends would include a trip to Charlotte to see the Carolina Panthers or Charlotte Hornets play and a visit to Carowinds or the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

Whether in Columbia, Hilton Head, Myrtle Beach, or any other city in SC, one of my favorite spots to hang out is Dave and Busters or another place that has race cars and arcade games. As for restaurants, I’d have to say that BJs and Blu Fin are among my favorites.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My parents, David and Sabrina Moore, are my biggest supporters. When they realized that I was not planning to go to college right after high school, they encouraged me to start a business. They used a portion of my college fund to purchase all of the equipment and supplies I needed to get started. Since I started working full time, Moore Puzzles and Gifts has truly become a family affair. My mom handles product design and marketing, and I am responsible for quality control and packaging. When necessary, my dad is responsible for delivery.

Website: moorepuzzles.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/moorepuzzlesandgifts

Facebook: https://facebook.com/111559890579408