In “Your Story” we celebrate the remarkable stories of everyday Americans from diverse backgrounds — in their own words — showcasing the enduring spirit of Our America’s Hometown Heroes across the nation.
Our cost of living is killing the American Dream.
Holly Kessler and her family are the owners of two family businesses in Atlanta, Georgia.
“We’ve got the two family businesses, but I hear my husband say all the time that he could never have build it up like they did in today’s economy.
One of the businesses is a metal manufacturing company that makes parts for airplanes and firetrucks. That’s the simplest way I can explain it.
And then across the way we have a process line too.
But my husband’s father started the business, coming from nothing, and he worked hard, full time.
His parents married young. They had to borrow money, but they took a risk when they heard Gulfstream was closing its machine shop.
And about that time my husband was in high school. He quit, he quit school to stay home to keep the business going and keep up with the bills.
So it was truly a family effort.
And they do very, very well.
But the chances of people being able to start their own businesses today are just unbelievable.
It’s just so crazy how much we outsource now. People are struggling. Factories are shutting down. We need to bring manufacturing back to the United States.
It shouldn’t be so hard for people to invest their time and money into something important, see the returns, and be successful.
I mean, that’s what America was founded on, right?”
