Today we’d like to introduce you to Carla Raines.
Hi Carla, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Since I am enjoying my fifth decade, my chapters are many, so I will condense my winding career path as best I can. Hang on for the ride. I was blessed with a childhood of growing up on a farm, riding horses, baling hay, canning our vegetables, and filling the freezer with meat from the animals on the farm. We were organic before it was so cool. Farming is hard but rewarding work and gave me a strong work ethic. After graduating from the University of Akron in Ohio, I moved to Hilton Head, South Carolina, with a childhood friend. I worked for several years in dermatology as a surgical nurse and histotechnician. Life had many exciting firsts, including marriage, my first home in Bluffton, and a precious baby boy. My then-husband and I started a marine service business with his expertise. We grew the business with a partner, operated a working marina with a 75-ton boat lift, and added boat sales. All went well for several years until that horrible day of 9/11. Our business lost all of our contracts for the following winter, and we had to make some difficult business decisions throughout the next couple of years. It is always challenging when you have 20-plus employees relying on you and the business to provide for their families. It is not just about you and your family.
Forward ahead, It was time to change course and keep trucking. I updated my resume and added my new skills in business management, human resources, and office administration, and began my job search. A local healthcare management company with corporate headquarters based in Hilton Head brought me on board, and I had the opportunity to learn and grow professionally. I thought life was getting back on a positive trend until I had a medical crisis which I will cover in the next segment. Having to battle back to health, I eased back to work only to learn that there was also a work crisis. That crisis was summarized that our CEO was embezzling money, which led to a huge loss of jobs and me assisting the FBI with obtaining evidence. It was honestly like a bad dream.
After a few more bends and turns, I joined a local doctor with a newly opened outpatient pathology laboratory in the Okatie area. I began as the Director of Administration, and the business quickly grew over the next four years. One weekend one of my colleagues that handled Sales injured his back, and I was asked to work a Conference and man our booth. I gladly accepted as it involved a nice hotel in Charleston and dinners with clients, and it sounded like a fun experience. I knew our business well, having started on the ground floor, and the doctor was an excellent teacher to all that wanted to learn. The next Monday, I returned and announced that I had secured a lunch meeting with an outpatient surgery center. The next thing I knew, I was going into Sales. Talking to people is second nature to me, and I was passionate about our team’s quality work at the lab. The lab continued to be very successful and was acquired by a national laboratory. The acquisition offered me new opportunities to travel out of state to national conferences. My territory was all of South Carolina, and I traveled by car. I worked hard, developed relationships in different medical communities throughout the state, and was named third in sales nationally for our dermatology pathology services. This was a great accomplishment as we had offices nationwide, including several in Florida, New York, and out west. This was a huge win for me professionally, and I had found something that felt like something other than work. My competitive nature propelled me to succeed.
While my professional life was going well, my personal was not. Sadly, my twenty-one years of marriage ended in divorce. Divorce is never easy – but it is the hardest on a child who is a teenager. I did decide to leave my traveling sales career. The American Heart Association / American Stroke Association was a mission I had volunteered with over the years. When the local Development Director position came open, I was approached to apply. This role utilized my sales experience, and I had to learn event planning quickly. It was a big pay decrease, but I no longer had to travel for work.
This was an enriching opportunity, and I met many philanthropic people and, most importantly, survivors or families of those that did not survive. With a vivacious team of volunteers, we grew our local Heart Ball and received top awards nationally for our fundraising in our market size. After six years, I knew it was time to pass the torch. I attended Real Estate school during PTO days and obtained my real estate license while still at the AHA. I finished all of my events the next several months and then resigned. The next step was to inform all of my contacts that I had my real estate license and begin to build my client base.
Visiting one of my favorite survivor families led to a very unexpected conversation. Jeff and Renae Maine owned a merchant services company. At the time, I had yet to learn what their business even involved. It was like a foreign language to me. They had launched a new company with a giveback at its core. They offered me the opportunity to join them and work as an independent sales agent. Once again, my career was taking an unexpected curve in the road. It was a challenging transition. The business has many variables, but Jeff is patient and graciously shares his vast knowledge. After about six months of dipping my toe in the merchant service business while still working in Real Estate, Covid hit all of us. Real Estate and merchant service sales came to a dead halt. Being self-employed is a challenging path. The whole world shared this scary season of uncertainty. Thankfully I now have a partner that has been my biggest cheerleader. It always helps to have someone by your side to share this crazy thing called life.
Once we could meet with people again, the following year and a half involved working diligently and many times seven days a week to build up my financial reserve and not be stressed about finances. I can now focus primarily on Pay Proudly. I would have laughed if you had told me three years ago that I would know how to install a Point of Sale system for a restaurant, explain merchant services, or program a Clover. Technology is constantly evolving and was initially intimidating, but I have found it fascinating and feel accomplished. Working with Pay Proudly has been the best of both worlds. Our mission is to provide clarity to business owners while giving charity to the community. Supporting missions that make an important difference in our community is much bigger than just a job. Giving is always the best gift for your soul. We do it for all the right reasons, and Jeff and Renae are building something that will enable the team at Pay Proudly to leave a small legacy. I am blessed to be a part of this company.
If all goes as planned, this is my last career twist. I want to continue to grow my portfolio with time carved out to travel and explore this big world with my fiancé, Nik. I have hobbies I have not enjoyed for many years, and it is time to revisit and possibly find new ones. Throughout my career, I have learned that the knowledge you gain stays with you. Don’t be afraid of change or a challenge, and remain flexible. You never know what doors might open.
Would it have been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The first struggle that I hinted at was my health crisis. At 39, I was referred to a neurologist for my ongoing migraines. An MRI scan led to a late Friday night call from the neurologist and a return scan on Monday morning. They had discovered a brain aneurysm. After several consultations with neurosurgeons, I elected to have a procedure to coil the aneurysm. I planned to have the procedure on the Friday before Memorial Day weekend, so I would only miss a day or two of work. Little did I know that life was going to take a tough turn. I suffered a procedural rupture. It was not a medical error, the aneurysm was just ready to pop, and I still remember the sudden onset of intense pain and pressure in my head.
Yes, I was conscious and remained so throughout the entire ordeal. I spent the next several days in the neuro-intensive care unit. While this was a tough battle, I am so grateful that I survived and regained full function mentally and physically. Most people that suffer a brain bleed are not so fortunate. My son, only eight then, still had his Mom to raise him. I had amazing support from the medical staff, family, and special friends, and I will forever be grateful to them for their love that gave me the strength to recover. The aneurysm is still there, and I worry when I have a headache, but I believe God has me here for a reason. My work on Earth is not yet over. When I have a bad day, remember that all can be overcome as long as you have your health. It is a tough lesson and a cliché, but it holds a deep and true meaning. Don’t sweat the small stuff that doesn’t matter in the end. My divorce was tough, but I cherish the good years and memories. Our son was our mutual gift. Zachary has grown into a smart and caring man. I couldn’t be prouder and hope that one day he finds his special person and has his own family. Nik’s son and partner just gave us the first grandchild. What a joy! A few years of struggle began when we had to walk away from the marina. If I were to write a book containing the story, I would believe it to be fictional. It is hard even to recall what happened, as it was a tremendously painful period that made me who I am today.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Earlier, I shared that I now work as a Sales Representative for Pay Proudly. We are a merchant service company headquartered in Bluffton. We are referred to in the industry as an iso (independent sales office), meaning we are contracted with various systems to offer a customized payment processing plan for a business. Our give-back is the biggest thing that sets us apart. We attribute the ability to give back to the family of merchants that have chosen Pay Proudly as their payment processor. When a new business joins our platform, we ask what mission is important to them and align their portion to that mission. I love when I can call a new charity and tell them we have a check they did not solicit. At first, some were suspicious that it was some scam. Giving back is part of the company’s DNA. I have found great satisfaction in helping people understand the basics of merchant services and including them in a give-back that doesn’t involve reaching into their pocket. One of our company’s values is “We Got You,” – meaning we truly care about our clients. We meet our clients face-to-face and take the time to learn about their business and their individualized needs. I know every one of my merchants personally. Many have become friends. Relationship building is what it is all about and what I truly enjoy. They know I am just a phone call away if they need me.
Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
The one positive of Covid was that it made us slow down and have time to enjoy the simple pleasures in life. Thankfully, I have family locally, and we were able to share dinner in the beautiful Lowcountry outdoors. We ate healthier meals and actively worked in the yard, and took long bike rides, back to the basics and a big focus on keeping our bodies healthy. We all are aware of the negatives of Covid. We are grateful to be healthy and to be able to travel again. Nik, my fiancé, is from Bulgaria and has friends from other countries. Some were confined to their home for many months and could only leave the house with a pass to obtain food or for medical reasons. It is disconcerting how quickly the entire world changed. I believe it is important to be self-sufficient in uncertain times and be well-prepared for the unexpected.
Pricing:
- Free Consultations
- Honest Proposals
Contact Info:
- Website: www.payproudly..com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/southernbuckeyegal/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PayProudly
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carla-raines-b6553428/
Image Credits
Silly Goose Photography
