Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Shelton.
Hi Jessica, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, how can you bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My twin sister (Jamie Davenport) and I decided to open our unique boutique in Downtown Belton, Texas, next to our mom’s store (My Giving Tree Gift Shop). Our mom owns a beautiful building in our little downtown that we rent one side from. By knocking out a portion of the wall, we can share our customers and create a new slogan, “Shop Two Great Store One Location,” as a family-owned and operated business. We also noticed twin owned businesses are becoming increasingly popular as more and more people realize the benefits of working with a sibling. Twins share a unique bond that can translate well into business. They often deeply understand one another and can communicate effectively without saying too much. As for opening a boutique, it was a natural choice for us. Growing up, we both had a passion for fashion and style. We often spent hours discussing the latest trends and shopping for new clothes. As we got older, we realized we could turn our passion into a business. We saw a gap in the market for a boutique that offered high-quality, trendy clothing at an affordable price. Many boutiques were either too expensive or needed to offer the latest styles. We wanted to create a store that catered to fashion-forward women and men who wanted to look their best without breaking the bank, and working together as twins have been a huge advantage for us. We can bounce ideas off each other and devise creative solutions to problems. We also have a great balance of strengths and weaknesses that complement each other well. One is more detail-oriented, while the other is better at big-picture thinking. Overall, opening a boutique has been a dream come true for us. We love helping women and men feel confident and beautiful in their skin, and we are proud to do it together as twins.
Alright, let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
The Covid-19 pandemic has affected many businesses, including our boutique. Some struggles that our boutique may have faced during that time could include:
- Decrease in foot traffic: With people staying at home and practicing social distancing, the number of customers visiting our boutique may have decreased significantly. We had to create retail to go and turn our display window into a vending machine.
- Supply chain disruptions: The pandemic has disrupted the global supply chain, making it difficult to source products and materials needed for our boutique. We had to resort to selling face masks to help keep us essential to stay open.
- Financial challenges: With a decreased revenue, our boutique faced financial challenges such as paying rent, salaries, and other expenses. Thankfully we have a great town that offers financial help. By doing that, we have given back to our community by dedicating our time to cleaning our streets and volunteering at food pantries during hard times.
- Changes in consumer behavior: Consumer behavior has changed during the pandemic, with more people shopping online than at our store. This shift may have affected our boutique’s sales and revenue.
- Health and safety concerns: Health and safety concerns may have impacted our boutique’s operations as we may have had to implement measures such as sanitizing, social distancing, and wearing masks to ensure the safety of our customers.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about iMERAKi LLC?
We are a twin-owned brick-and-mortar fashion boutique located in Downtown Belton, Texas. We carry a huge assortment of unique clothing brands, gifts, gadgets, and handmade jewelry for the whole family. Our services include tailoring, dry cleaning, and a personal stylist. We also carry a clothing line for men exclusively for us at this time called Vincent D’Amerique. This clothing line is based out of Montreal, Canada. George St-Pierre is currently the spokesman for this line. By representing this line with hard work, dedication, and giving the best customer service possible, we achieved awards. We were voted best menswear in our area during our 5 years in business. With every purchase, we give a succulent (mother of thousands) to all our customers for helping us grow, so we provide them with something to grow.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those just starting.
Our mom is our mentor and has been in business since 2011. She taught us the 7 rules that have helped us before opening our business.
- Define your target market: Before opening a boutique, it’s important to identify your target market. Who are you selling to? What do they want? What is their budget? This will help you determine what products to offer, how much to charge, and how to market your store.
- Choose a location: The location of your boutique can make or break your business. Look for a spot that gets plenty of foot traffic, is easily accessible, and is in an area your target market frequents.
- Develop a unique brand: Your brand sets you apart. Develop a unique brand identity that reflects your style and personality. This will help you attract a loyal customer base.
- Offer quality products: Your products should be high quality and unique. Offer items that are not readily available in other stores. This will help you stand out from the competition.
- Provide excellent customer service: Customer service is key in the retail industry. Train your staff to be friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful. This will help you build a loyal customer base and increase sales.
- Use social media: Social media is a powerful tool for marketing your boutique. Use platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to showcase your products, engage with customers, and build your brand. Also, make sure to post every day by the latest!
- Stay on top of trends: The fashion industry constantly changes. Stay up-to-date on the latest trends and adjust your inventory accordingly. This will help you keep your customers interested and coming back for more.
Contact Info:
- Instagram:instagram.com/imerakiofficial/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shopimeraki?mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Other: https://pin.it/3hMwVZu
