Behind the Scenes at TIVOL

There are a lot of people that make a small business successful. At TIVOL, we're lucky to have a store full of amazing employees who go above and beyond to help all of our customers have the best experience.

We introduced you to our sales team during Kansas City's Stay At Home orders. Now we want to let you get to know our crew that operates behind the scenes. We couldn't do it without them!

We will begin this series with our Back Office team at The Country Club Plaza location, as well as our Shipping Department. These teams have played a vital role during our time at home.

Sarah Wheeler -  Office Manager

This August I celebrate my 9th year at TIVOL!  I am a KC native and have lived here my whole life. I came to TIVOL because a friend was working here at the time, and said TIVOL was a great place to work. It is so true even nine years later. I really enjoy working day in and out with people I consider family. When I'm not at TIVOL, I enjoy spending time with my dog, Max Factor, and my two cats, Minnie and Milton. I am also extremely close with my family and have three nephews I absolutely adore! I try to spend as much time with them as I can. In this COVID-19 season of separation, there are several things I've learned and come to appreciate more than ever!

  • There's no place like home (and I mean mom's house!)
  •  I enjoy being home more than I thought - projects, cooking, watching bad reality TV and spending time with my fur babies!
  • I really, really missed pedicures.
  • I learned it's OK to not be busy 24/7.
  • I learned how much I truly value all of my close relationships - whether it is a friend, family member or coworker. It is so important to stay connected however you can.
  • I'm so thankful my fur babies were around to keep me company!

Toni Smith -  Shipping

I was born and raised in Kansas City, and there are not many businesses that you see that have been around as long as TIVOL. My former mother-in-law worked at TIVOL over 20 years ago, and she is the person who introduced me to the company. I have now been with TIVOL a full 20 years and 2 months. Time flies!

I stay very busy here! I handle all of our shipping as receiving, as well as out of town repairs. There is never a dull moment! I enjoy coming to work everyday because of the easy-going atmosphere and the amazing team. All of the staff are like family, and we work well together. I'm glad we can all finally get back to work!

When I'm not at TIVOL, I love spending time with my family. I enjoy reading as well as playing with my 2 dogs and 3 cats!

The time we had stuck at home because of COVID-19 has taught me to truly appreciate the small thing in life. Stop and smell the roses!

JJ Holcombe - Administrative Assistant

I’ve done two tours at TIVOL!  My first time started in August of 2016 until March 2018, and I’ve been back since April 2019 (so about 3 years total)!  I grew up in the KC suburbs, and moved out here into my own little place in Hyde Park about 2 years ago! (It’s one of the prettiest neighborhoods in KC, in my opinion).
I learned about TIVOL from our wonderful photographer and long time friend, Julie Sidebottom. She told me there was an administrative position open, and it looked like the perfect opportunity to grow in my career! At TIVOL, I get to work directly with our sales staff to help process their transactions! So when you come to make your next TIVOL purchase, I’ll help make sure the transaction process runs smoothly!

TIVOL is such a special place to work,  especially the incredible people we get to work with daily! Our team truly feels like family! You can catch us working, and simultaneously swapping dinner recipes and catching up on what we did over the weekend. The people truly make TIVOL such a warm, welcoming and fun place to be!

Here's a little more about me! I’m newly engaged, so most of my free time will be spent planning my wedding! I’ve recently fallen in love with baking (still trying to get the hang of pie crust!). I love hanging out in all the cozy KC coffee shops, creative writing, and spending time with my sweet friends (many who work right here at TIVOL alongside me!)

What has been getting me through this crazy COVID-19 time is leaning into my faith and prayer, staying on top of my workout routine, making new recipes, and spending sweet time growing my friendship with Seth Harper (aka my favorite human on the planet).

Lorena Reyes - Administrative Assistant

I can't believe I've already been at TIVOL for eight months! It feels like I've been working here with friends for a long time. I was born and raised in Independence, MO. When I started attending Midtown Baptist Temple in KC, some sweet girls were looking for an extra roommate and I tagged along. I've enjoyed living in Kansas City.

My good friend JJ Holcombe (you got to know her just above this) is who brought me to TIVOL. As soon as she described the job and work culture, I applied right away! I have enjoyed working here ever since! I enjoy the challenge of learning new things. It keeps me humble and I am always challenged by those around me here. TIVOL has such a tight knit team!

When I am not at work, I am trying new restaurants and recipes. I love Asian food of all kinds. I also enjoy thrifting and finding hidden treasures. I speak Spanish fluently and am beginning to learn Vietnamese! The Stay-At-Home orders have reminded me to be still in a world where we are constantly on the go. It gave me the opportunity to enjoy my quiet time in reading. I have also come to appreciate my health more, and am taking healthy habits more seriously!

Jasmin Robinson - Administrative Assistant

I may be the newest of the bunch, as I have been at TIVOL for just three months. My friend Lorena recommended this job for me (but a lot of my friends work here). I ended up choosing TIVOL because of the way I was treated throughout the interview and application process. I could tell they really wanted me to be a part of the team. I enjoy the flexibility they have and their schedule works with my personal life.

I love how everyone treats you like family and we all have a lot of fun. I’ve already gotten close with the people here. I feel very comfortable learning from everyone and asking questions. I feel very taken care of here. I don’t have to wonder if my supervisors have my best interest at heart; I know they have my back.

I am a recent college graduate from UMKC. I majored in Business Administration. I also love food and trying new places to eat. I am a very social person, and I value personal relationships. Ministry is the most important aspect of my life. I go to church at Midtown Baptist Temple, just five minutes from here, where I sing in the choir, and volunteer in Kidtown. I help out wherever I'm needed. I love being able to work in an environment that respects my beliefs and are supportive of my values.

Through COVID-19 I have learned to be content in whatever state I am in. I know I have to be flexible in unprecedented times and be thinking of others before myself. I know God is comforting me so that I can be comforting to others.

 

We are all so close here at TIVOL. As you can see from the stories above, many of us start our TIVOL career because we're referred by a friend.

After having this time apart, we are all thrilled to all be back together!

The teams above are important to the everyday operations at TIVOL. We couldn't do it without them! Thank you team!