Blocked by Bureaucracy: Khalilah Few’s Fight to Open Her Business

paperwork together. They wanted to hear from the water. They wanted the

“deed to the business. They wanted the parking lot. They wanted all of this”

information. I found talks to the people, sent the emails, gathered all of the

information. The first step in the process was a technical review where the

water, the fire, it all of all of the county, the zoning and planning, everybody was on a Zoom meeting. They asked me about my business. They asked me these questions. Nobody said that there was a problem we contained you on with the next step of the next step. The next step was a community information meeting. They wanted me to present my business to the community.

Americans are capable of achieving extraordinary things when they have the freedom and opportunity to do so. This is American Potential. Welcome to American Potential Podcast. I'm your host, Stephen Fraud. Today, we're going to be talking about small businesses and some government

obstacles that, you know, one business on a particular is it's really dealing

with, but I mean, it's kind of everyone's American dream to start a small business. So, engineer Matt, do you ever want to start a business like when you're a kid or, I mean, I guess you actually have. Oh, you know what, when I was a kid, I don't think I appreciated small business. I didn't really understand it,

“but as an adult, I think small business is absolutely part of the American dream.”

The notion that you can come along and provide a service, whatever skill you have, and sell that to people, obviously, who need that skill, but being able to do that to be your own boss. I think part of that's the American dream right there. It's not working a nine to five. It's running your own business, doing what you love. Well, I mean, your small business owner. So, I mean, you're talking from

firsthand experience. You know, it's, oh, yeah, absolutely. Yeah. And there's something about that. Now, being your own boss, that a lot of people say they want to do that. That that comes with some responsibility, too. You got to be ready for that. But I think the rewarding part of it, again, is just you're able to do something you're passionate about. And obviously, you make a living

off of that. But, you know, you're, you're doing that day in and day out. And I think there's something special about that. And something special about the American small business owner, the drive and dedication it takes to do that. Yeah. Oh, you said, I used to, I used to, on a consulting firm, I'm afraid, joined America's prosperity. And, man, if I could do it again, I'd be way more successful because

hindsight's 2020. But I loved it. And I love the freedom associated with it. But there's certainly headaches that come with it. You know, you're making your own payroll, painful sides of, so security, there's, you know, if you, stuff doesn't come through, you don't make money. So it's, I admire folks who decide to do it. Because, you know, I know firsthand it's, it's not easy. But it's also super rewarding.

So, well, I'm looking forward to talking to our guests about what she's passionate about. And, you know, we get government out of the way. You know, today we're talking about small businesses. Because for a lot of people, the American dream is to open a business. The idea of being able to offer clients a product or service that they need is really the exciting part. What isn't is all the paperwork and research that has to be done

to make sure you have the correct permits and licenses that are needed. Nobody likes it. But you do it because you're really care about it. Our guest today did exactly what you're supposed to do. She started a business, worked hard, and grew it. So naturally, it was time to expand. Then she found a new location, talked with the community and other businesses, other owners, and had their support. Everything was lined up. Then just before

the finish line, it all came to a halt. So what happened? How did the plan to expand ultimately

turn into a lawsuit? Well, I want to welcome Khalil if you, who is the owner of Creative Crown Collective and Jessica Bigbie, who is Khalil's lawyer and works for the Institute for Justice. Khalil, Jessica, welcome. Thanks for joining us. Thank you. Thank you for having me. Thanks much for having us, David.

“Yeah, well, I'm excited to tell you to talk about this. I think it's unfortunately something”

that happened. We've featured before, not quite in this way, but, so Khalil, let's first talk about your business. How did you decide to go into natural hair care, and what do you offer your clients as a business? So what led me into natural hair care is probably just my own experience going natural. I went natural at a time where there really wasn't a lot of information, or a lot of people doing it. So I, of course, turned to you to

go to Cosmautology School, and I went to Cosmautology School and just kind of perfected what

“I wanted to do, but I always knew that it was going to be natural hair and hair braiding.”

So I guess probably after working at a couple of natural hair salons, I felt like I had learned enough and created enough skills to go ahead and open my own salon. And so we started in a small space, almost like the tiny house, if you will, but the business grew so quickly like everybody really liked what we were providing to braids, to twist locks, and really just like a safe space. So from there, that's where we decided to expand, and we thought

we found the perfect location in Jonesboro. So tell me what the difference is between natural hair care and just other types of hair care, because it seemed like it was pretty popular amongst your clientele if you were grown so much. I would say the difference is that it's more of a specialized care specifically for black people. It really deals with learning to care for the natural curls and the curl patterns. So it really differs there, and especially

because natural hair needs a lot of different things. It needs a lot of water, it needs a lot of moisture, it needs a lot of patience. The strands are so easy to break, but when you see them coil together, you think that it's like strong and requires like almost

“like a firm hand, but it's really the complete opposite. I think you need just like a”

lot of education to know that. Yeah, well clearly, if you guys are outgrown in your space,

people who are finding well to it. Yeah. You're growing. So your first space, you know,

my understanding is like if you're all working at the same time, it's pretty tight. So you decided to look for a bigger location, and that's kind of what led to these trials of sorts. You know, and these problems with the government, maybe talk to me about how you went about trying to get into a bigger space. So we quickly knew that the space that we were in was that going to be enough space. Like I said, the business is grew as such

“an exponential rate. So I think probably about six, six months before our lease was about”

to end, we started to look for a new space. We knew that we wanted it to be in Clayton County, just because two of the people who are also working with me also lived in Clayton County, I graduated from Harris School in Clayton County, it just seemed like a place that we wanted to give back to. So we decided that we were-- Maybe tell everybody listening, like, where, what state are you in in Clayton County? Oh, I'm in Georgia. Our business was operated

out of Harris County and make done a Georgia, and we wanted to move to Jonesboro, which is in Clayton County. It's maybe about 20 to 30 minutes drive. So neighbor in cities, but two different counties. Yeah, okay. Yeah. So we also knew that a lot of our clients were commuting from that particular area. So we wanted to just be a little more centralized for everyone. So we started looking and we initially found this space in December, but we hadn't fully committed. We looked

at a couple of other places. They were all still generally in that same area. It seemed to be a lot of vacant commercial properties along the stretch of South Main Street. So we looked at probably about five different properties in that area. And by March, we settled on Jonesboro, I mean, South Main Street. Mm-hmm. And what were some of the things that you did to engage the community and other businesses, as you looked at signing a lease? So when we initially

first looked at it, we realized that there was a barbershop already there. So we asked the

leasing agent, if like, that would be a problem. If us opened in the Harris County would be a problem. He told us no, he was like, you know, there were hairstyles here before. So it wouldn't be a problem

did go and speak to the barbershop next door. And they were, in fact, okay, with us opening as well.

They didn't see it being a problem. We also talked about how it could be a mutually beneficial relationship for the both of our businesses. The barbershop dealt with, like, men and things like that. And so I'm like, you know, I have a lot of men clients that come and get their re-twist. I can send them next door to get their lineup. You know, just different things like that, different ways that we could, you know, be in business together. So they were in support of us opening. And it didn't

really seem like it was going to be a problem. As also a part of the process, the conditional

“use permit process, you have to send out 20 certified letters to 20 neighbor and businesses.”

We sent out those letters. We didn't get any response. No one, no business spoke against us when we went to any of the information no need is. The community felt like seemed to be in full support. And even when I presented my case to the commissioners, I had over 50 letters of support for our business. Wow. So yeah, so it seemed like you seemed all kind of clear to keep going and then you signed a lease, right? Yes. And without any opposition. And then when did this like really erupt and

come to a head? Was it with the zoning committee? I would say I would say maybe kind of early on, so we signed the lease. And we go to get our business license. We go to register the business

“and go get the business license. And they're like, oh, by the way, you need to get this conditional”

use permit. So I was just kind of like, well, what's that? So they give me a website, I go back, I read what a conditional use permit is. And my, from my understanding, it was, you followed this process, you submit this application as long as you don't pose any harm to the community or to the public's health, then they will approve you to open. And I'm like, oh, okay, well, of course, they would allow me to open. I don't feel like my business would cause any of those things.

So I proceeded with the conditional use permit process, the application for, indeed, may first

and that was what kicked off the process. So did they, so eventually, when you went for a regular

“permit, was it denied? How did it, how did it come to its filing? How did it come to filing a lawsuit?”

Okay, so what happened was I went through the process. So I filed the application, I paid the $500 application fee. I got all of the paperwork together. They wanted to hear from the water. They wanted the deed to the business. They wanted the parking lot. They, one of all of this information,

I found talks to the people, sent the emails, gathered all of the information. The first step in

the process was a technical review where the water, the fire, all of all of the county, the zoning and planning, everybody was on a Zoom meeting. They asked me about my business. They asked me these questions. Nobody said that there was a problem. We continued on with the next step of the next step. The next step was a community information meeting. They wanted me to present my business to the community, present what it was that I wanted to do and talk about my business.

I went to the meeting. They were having a lot of technical difficulties and really by the time that I presented, there was no one there. But I presented to the people who came to support me. I let the community know what my business was about, how we had already previously given back, how we like to give back, how we like to engage with the community. I did that meeting. Then the following meeting after that was the zoning and advisory group meeting. This was where I found out

where it was probably going to be something different or something difficult. I woke up that morning. I checked my email and inside the email, I have a email from the zoning and advisory board.

for before the board. Nobody ever raised any reflects. I don't even understand. I'm reading the

“paperwork and the paperwork is saying that there are similar businesses within the radius and it's”

also saying that it's not in alignment with Clay and County's strategic plan. I literally have

hours to pull together a presentation and basically pleat my case as to why my business

is in alignment with Clay and County's strategic plan as well as try to figure out what oversaturation is when they say there's oversaturation like how do you know there's oversaturation where would I have like found out this information. I do my best to put together that presentation and I go and present to the zoning and advisory group meeting. And basically at that

“meeting, I think it was five people in total, two people supported our business and the other three”

people opposed it. So then they all voted to their recommendation would be to deny the permit.

So that was the recommendation that they were going to forward to the commissioners for the commissioner meeting, which was the final review. So then I did the commissioners meeting at the commissioners meeting. I really brought home how my business does affect a line with the community goals and how they seem Clay and County in the future. It aligned with the commissioner of that district, his goals, personal goals and how he's seen the county. I showed how I had so much

support from the community. I showed how we had already given back to the community and our future

plans to give back to the community. And at the end by the end of it all, he said how he liked me, he said he liked my business, he liked everything about it, but I was, I chose the wrong location. And there was one commissioner district, one commissioner who supported my business and the rest of the commissioners voted to deny my permit. Once they did that, I, I felt like I didn't have any resolve. I felt like I had literally put my everything and all of my savings and everything into

the renovation of this space and making it a beautiful space and preparing to open it and they told me no, so after that, I wanted to speak with the commissioner. I asked for a meeting just so that he can kind of really explain to me why they denied the permit, like give reason in because, you know, after you hear you like everything about it, but it's a no, you really want like closure explanation, like nobody wanted to meet with me. My employees, who are members of

I mean, who are residents of Clayton County, they wouldn't meet with them, they told them if they had anything to do with that, that they don't want to speak about it, that it's a no. So it was just crushing. So I just really felt like I, there was no where it's hard, but it didn't feel fair. It didn't feel like they could tell me no, because they didn't have any reason. Oh, yeah. It seems, you know, we've, someone like you trying to achieve their American dream

building and building and having some success and then all of a sudden the government just stands in your way, that seems pretty un-American. Jessica, why don't we bring you in and we talk about,

“how you guys got involved in this case and maybe talk about the lawsuit that's filed?”

Yeah, absolutely. So we had a similar case in Georgia, just almost exactly a year prior to Clayton where a woman was denied a permit in, I forget the county, but close by and denied a permit because the county feared that she would pose competition to other salons in the area. A kind of, a kind of similar situation as, as here, where Kalil is being denied a permit

reason to deny a permit. So we had that prior case. It was publicized. I believe Kalilah actually

had heard about that case from maybe one of her friends and so she contacted us to ask for help. And luckily, we were able to take her case on. It was a really quick turnaround. You only have 30 days to challenge the zoning decision. So we had to get on it extremely quickly, filed the lawsuit within that 30 days and we got it done. So the lawsuit's pending right now, we had asked the court to allow Kalilah to operate her salon during the lawsuit and that's through what's called an

injunction and injunction. Unfortunately, the superior court did deny that request in December of this year. So we are going to appeal that decision to the Georgia Supreme Court and ask them to reconsider. Just to talk real quick about the Institute for Justice and I know you guys

“are a great organization, but like how do you come to be engaged in this sort of lawsuit?”

Yeah, absolutely. So we are a non-profit public interest law firm. We are really focused on holding the government accountable when they violate individuals' constitutional rights. And we get involved in cases of economic liberty such as Kalilahs, but also property rights,

first amendment. We kind of deal with the whole host of issues, unfortunately when the government

is overstepping its authority. Yeah, unfortunately, as we've highlighted in the show, tons of times, there's no shortage of probably cases for you to take on and people to fight for because it's kind of endemic that government in some places loves to overreach and I think it's a great

“thing that Institute for Justice are doing. And then even more Kalilah, I think like you”

just trying to picture your dream. I mean, that's all we could. That's all we'd ever want someone to be able to do and like to have the government send your way is really bothersome. So

what are you doing right now? If you can't be in that space where you look for the permits,

where do you see clients and what are you doing right now? So right now it is actually really difficult because again we are locked in so that two-year lease. So we have to pay rent and utilities on that space. And in the meantime we are currently renting chairs in another salon in McDonald to be able to see the C clients. But of course, that has come with these challenges because of the inconsistency, of course, like we've lost some clients. Because before we found the

location we were at now, we were in a couple of different spaces. All three of us were working at three different salons until we found the space that we were in. But by the time we found that space, one of our employees was, unfortunately, unable to stay. It was just too inconsistent. She wasn't making the income that she was used to making before. So she had to find employment elsewhere. So it's just been kind of challenging and also, you know, running your own business inside someone

else's business and like re-achistan and trying to keep your footprint small, but still trying to grow your business because now you've taken on the responsibility of essentially running to locations with just the income of one. So it's been a challenging transition, I would say. Yeah, so maybe I heard from other businesses and business owners that have maybe endured the same kind of situation. Absolutely. We had a new story run on the local news and after that story ran

I had a couple of salon owners reach out to me who had gone through a similar process. There was a daycare owner who went through a similar process and then also someone who was trying to open

“a theater estate, like a stage plate theater. I think she ultimately ended up pulling out”

when she like fully understood, I guess my story or how it happened for me. So there were a lot of people who reached out, not only people in Clayton County, but people in other parts of Georgia, like Perry, Georgia. Well Jessica, where's the lawsuit stand now? What's the immediate future?

but the underlying case is still going forward. We're moving forward with discovery. So that's just

“trying to get as many facts from the county as possible. We'll do depositions and then really push”

toward trial in that superior court case. So we kind of have two avenues going right now in terms of the lawsuit. But yeah, like Clayton said, unfortunately the wheels of justice turn quite slowly and you know, she's just trying to stay afloat, which is really tough. She's trying to pursue her

American dream and there's just every obstacle in the way. I've been reached out to you by

multiple people in Georgia as well who this is happening to. It's not just a one-off case. This is

“unfortunately more common than people like to believe and we're really hoping that this lawsuit”

will make some great precedent and build on really some already great precedent that Georgia has that protects businesses and protects the American dream and protects economic liberty. Like there's great precedent there. There's still obviously room to grow and to tell these these local governments that this isn't right and this isn't something they can do. Yeah, well I hope you're really successful in the lawsuit and you know the injunction.

It's just very, you know, it's hard to start a business. I mean, I don't really need to tell you this. I mean, it's really hard to have it gain some success and then get blocked by the government just seems so un-American. You know, we want local governments to have some say so over how their communities develop. But to this, just understanding the facts of this, it just seems so ridiculous and arbitrary to be honest with you. So I wish you the best. I hope

you guys, I hope you get in the space and just kind of regain those clients and keep growing. I really appreciate your resolve because not only are you trying to get your business on track, but you're actually now part of an effort in this lawsuit to try to make precedent for

“all the people that come behind you and try to do the same thing you do and I think that's a”

courageous thing. Yeah, thank you. Good luck to you. I appreciate you guys joining us. Thank you for having me. Thanks so much, David. We appreciate you having us on. Well, folks, if you like this episode and like to stay connected with the podcast, be sure to like and subscribe to our channel as well as following us on Facebook and Instagram in

YouTube. Always remember, liberty and freedom are easily taken for granted. Don't take for granted.

Go out there and defend freedom and liberty. Thanks for joining us and we'll see you on the next episode. Thank you for listening to American Potential. You may listen to more stories from Americans working every day to expand freedom and opportunity in their communities by visiting of americanpotential.com.