How Faith-Fueled Entrepreneurship Can Transform a Town with Makaylen Genung

Welcome to the Together for the Mountains podcast, where we delve into stories of faith, community transformation, and love that extends beyond church walls. In a recent inspiring episode, we had the privilege of sitting down with Makaylen Genung, the visionary founder and operator of Olive Branch Market in Olive Hill, Kentucky. Her journey is a powerful testament to how a simple idea, nurtured by prayer and passion, can profoundly reshape a community.

Discovering Olive Hill: A Small Town with a Big Heart

Olive Hill, nestled between Morehead and Grayson, is a charming "two red light kind of town". While it might seem to "thrive on Dollar Generals," Makaylen emphasizes the immense beauty and deep-seated passion within its people, describing it as a place of "truly small town love all around" and the best support you'll find anywhere. It's also uniquely positioned near Carter Caves State Park, Grayson Lake State Park, and Greenbo Lake State Park, highlighting its natural splendor.

From Platters to a Purpose-Driven Market

Makaylen’s entrepreneurial journey began unexpectedly in 2020, during the peak of COVID-19, with her catering venture, "Olive Branch Platters". What started as a simple "meat and cheese platter" for a family gathering quickly escalated after a Facebook post garnered 50 orders in just two weeks, confirming a significant demand. She successfully catered for four years, but with four young children and a personal health journey involving grief and a shift to holistic health, the intensive catering became unsustainable.

This personal transition, combined with a growing awareness of the community's need for healthier options, organically led to the idea of the Olive Branch Market. Makaylen describes this pivotal moment as both "scary" but also an obvious response to a clear need, as she was receiving messages about her holistic health journey and food practices.

Addressing a "Food Desert" with Fresh, Local Options

Eastern Kentucky, including Olive Hill, faces the challenge of being a "food desert," where access to affordable, healthy food is limited. With no local, family-owned grocery store nearby, residents often faced long drives to larger chain stores like Kroger or Walmart for fresh produce. Olive Branch Market was established to fill this critical gap, initially focusing on fresh food options.

A core principle of the market is its commitment to supporting local vendors. Makaylen proudly shared that they started with just three vendors and have rapidly grown to 35 local suppliers in just four months. This local-first approach ensures that:

• Money is recycled within the community, directly benefiting local "mom and pop" businesses rather than corporations.

• Customers can find locally raised meats like chicken, beef, and sausage from farms such as Lewis Land and Cattle Farms, often at prices comparable to big box stores.

• The market offers better, healthier snack options for children, like their popular "better options Starburst".

• It provides unique, homemade goods such as sourdough bread (which customers eagerly line up for on drop days) and elderberry, often inaccessible locally.

The market's success with healthy options has been surprising to some, but Makaylen emphasizes her goal: to show people that "you can have healthy foods that still taste great," and the continuous stream of customers, including children who know exactly what healthy snacks they want, confirms this.

A Foundation of Faith and Overcoming Fear

Makaylen's journey with Olive Branch Market is deeply rooted in her faith. Despite having a Master's in social work and not a business background, she felt a strong calling. She admits to being "awful with change" and her "hardest critique," often fearing failure and worrying that no one would show up.

However, her conviction was that "if God's going to open these doors, he's not going to fail us in it." She saw God's hand in every step: connecting her with the right people, helping her find a suitable building, and overcoming her fear of failure by focusing on her mission for the community. A remarkable "God moment" occurred when they desperately needed a freezer, and Makaylen randomly found one posted by "The Wild Ramp" in Huntington on Facebook. The owner of a local Mexican restaurant, Tracer Monos, even rallied 12 workers to help transport and install it, showcasing incredible community support and divine timing.

Balancing Life, Business, and God's Will

Makaylen has learned to balance her roles as a mom, a Christian, and a wife, prioritizing them over the business. She acknowledges that challenges arise, like a freezer full of thousands of dollars of beef unexpectedly going out, but she’s learned not to panic. Instead, she trusts that God will show up and send the right people, often her "prayer warriors" who visit the market during chaos. This approach has helped her navigate the trials and find success.

Challenges and Inspiring a Community Renaissance

While building the market, Makaylen has faced challenges, particularly with the old, charming buildings in Olive Hill that need to grow while retaining their character. Yet, the market has become a catalyst for local growth, inspiring at least three other businesses to start in Olive Hill. A touching moment was when Sally James, a former flower shop owner, expressed tears of joy, saying she hadn't seen "this many people on Backstreet since I was your age".

Makaylen now makes it a point to speak to high schoolers, encouraging them to pursue their dreams, even if they're told it won't work in a small town. "Anybody can do this," she asserts, countering the past narrative that "there's nothing good here" in Eastern Kentucky. She and her family are committed to staying and investing in their community, believing "God has blessed us with more than we need in Olive Hill Kentucky".

Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs: Don't Let Fear Overwhelm You

For anyone with a passion or a perceived need in their community, Makaylen offers powerful advice:

• "You can't let the fears overwhelm you." Failure is possible in anything, but if God is opening doors, He will guide you.

• Don't let the fear of letting others down (like vendors) or concerns about perception hold you back. People will show up and support you.

• Find faith and strength in yourself, knowing that if others have done it, you can too.

• Don't be intimidated by the "paperwork side of things." There are people like Rachel Duvall (Small Business Development) and Bonnie Barker & Cody Carroll (ECDI) who are ready to help simplify the process. Makaylen humorously recalled being worried about an arrest for an $8.71 tax bill, only to learn it wasn't that hard. "If I can do it, you can do it," she proclaims.

The market's generosity is epitomized by "Free Food Friday," where Makaylen gives back to the community, fulfilling her prayer to God: "This isn't about me...This is about community, this is about your people and growing your kingdom".

The Future of Olive Branch Market: A Community Hub

Makaylen has exciting plans for the market's future:

• The current commercial kitchen has been approved and will stay at the original location, offering lunches and potentially becoming a seating area for farm-to-table meals cooked by local vendors.

• The market aims to grow the commercial kitchen for community use, hosting classes like couples' nights or "mom and me" events.

• They envision creating a gathering place with outdoor seating for food trucks, transforming Olive Hill into a vibrant community hub.

For Makaylen, success isn't about reaching a far-off goal but about being appreciative of where they are now. She sees God's hand in every opened door, guiding their journey. Her mission is clear: "keep helping people, keep sharing Jesus," trusting that God will continue to do more than they could ever imagine.

Makaylen Genung and Olive Branch Market are a living testament to what can happen when faith, passion, and community come together. Her story is a powerful encouragement to anyone with a dream, a nudge to "not have to wait until everything is perfect" and to "start where you are".

We encourage you to visit Olive Branch Market in Olive Hill, Kentucky – it's truly "more than a store, it's a story still being written".