Starting a successful business is probably one of the most difficult things, and if you know how to run it properly, it is also the most rewarding.
Today, three female boutique owners will share with us the ups and downs of being the boss of your business and tips to motivate and aspire entrepreneurs.
… it is faraway from romantic stories
The first lady is simply the mastermind behind a boutique whose distinctive aesthetic attracts sharp shoppers from all corners of the globe.
Before starting her own boutique, she worked in buying and product development for retail brands where she was able to learn the ropes while being surrounded by industry experts.
Then she decided to have her own business, knowing very well the importance of this step and the extent, magnitude and mass of this risk. She didn’t look back since then and surfed the waves of toughness and determination in order to reach her goal.
Upon her experience, opening a boutique is not a romantic story or vision. It is so complex and demanding, and owners should fight the temptation of all the products and suggestions available and stick to what is right for the store and the brand only.
… It never sounds like work!
The second lady went from a freelance footwear designer to entrepreneur and she now has her own shop.
She started her career as a freelance footwear designer, living and working in London all the time. Then, when she got married, she relocated to the village where her husband was born (who was also a shoe designer). The lack of original, beautiful independent shops in that village gave her the courage to start her own.
However, despite the fact that it is a small boutique start-up with limited brands on offer, she finds running her own business incredibly rewarding; from the freedom it affords her while raising two small children to the lack of restrictions she has in unearthing and stocking emerging brands and products she loves. “It never feels like work” she said.
Her advice for anyone wanting to open their own boutique: To take a leap of faith and do it; the more independents there are the better, so one should not be afraid of competition. She said that independent boutiques are full of personal touches and fragrances that could make customers “fall in love” with the brands and place.
… its location!
The third party is actually a trio of ladies. They own a shop founded by a mother, her daughter and a best friend.
Before hitting the business, they had no deep experience in how to run a boutique. They started whilst socializing at a knitting evening when they decided to launch a homeware brand. They first started online, developing their own products. They soon grew and moved down the corner.
The best thing about owning a boutique, according to the three ladies, is becoming part of the local community and for example sharing an evening drink with customers. Their advice for anyone wanting to open their own boutique is: Location, location, location.
Owners can have the most beautiful shop with the most beautiful, curated products, but if there is no footfall, it will be difficult. The best place would be in the midst of an active street full of cafés and restaurants where people actually have easy access.
At the end, and despite all the challenges, all those ladies are still motivated to continue their business journey and encourage all entrepreneurs to do so and enjoy their independent business.
