Good Girls Hustle!
FYI: Good Girl Season is a rebirth of my blog Good Girls Finish First. (The following blog post was transferred from there, originally posted on February 28, 2019.) Enjoy!
Happy Friday Good Girls! I want to continue to encourage you all to explore the wonderful world of side hustles. While the process can be intimidating, there is so much fulfillment you'll experience in creating a brand that is a reflection of you. Whether it's an accessory line or meal prep service....you can use your talents to create extra income for your household. That brings me to my next Good Girl, Sha P. (IG: @1stduckinline). She created an online and traveling boutique!
Sha is a 27 yr old Mississippi Native, who was raised in Mobile, Alabama. After working as a medical social worker for several years, Sha knew she wanted to create a brand that represented her personal style. She opened PopStylez Boutique, LLC a little over a year ago, and is determined to grow her business while inspiring others.
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What inspired you to open your boutique?
I have always wanted my own boutique since I was in high school. However, my maternal aunt (who I am adopted by) wanted me to get a degree that would guarantee a job and said that I could one day start a boutique.In 2017, while I was in school for my Masters in Social Work, my aunt passed away. As a result of her death I suffered from depression and it effected my grades heavily. I was dismissed from the program in summer of 2018. I prayed and asked God to give me the strength to find an outlet and also use this new free time as an opportunity to fulfill my dream...in the midst of my sorrow. I filed my LLC in October 2018 and launched my boutique in January 2019.
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Did you feel intimidated or discouraged at any time during your planning stage? If so, how did you overcome that?
Of course! I was still battling depression most of the time, but I knew that this was my gift and outlet. It motivated me to keep going, nevertheless without GOD and FAITH it would have never happened.
______________________________________ What advice do you have for women who want to open a boutique, but are nervous about finding the right vendor(s)?
Finding vendors can be so overwhelming. There are so many to choose from! I personally tested several vendors to see which ones I liked the most. I currently order from more than one. To jumpstart my vendor process, I purchased a vendor list from an instagram influencer. However, my personal opinion would be to do the research yourself. ______________________________________ Where do you see your boutique in the next 5 years?
In 5 years I would love for Pop Stylez to be a boutique that offers not only wholesale items, but original items designed by myself and a team. I would absolutely love for my brand to be world wide and possibly even become a vendor for small boutiques.
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In a culture where so much on social media and in music glorifies a fast money/gold digger lifestyle, what has kept you from that path? (For lack of better terms...what kept you off the pole? LOL)
Now let me start off by saying I have NOTHING against that lifestyle lol However, I knew I wanted to make an impact another way, and that was through fashion and making women FEEL good. I believe that confidence is beauty and therefore a confident woman is 9/10 feeling at her best! I love that I am able to bring that out of women and men as well. So in a nutshell...I love helping others (hints why I’m a social worker).
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As we all know, the road to success is not always easy. On days when you're frustrated, what motivates you to keep going?
Prayer, Prayer, Prayer and having FAITH! Also I have a wonderful support team filled with friends and family and even wonderful strangers! They motivate me by sending motivational quotes, bible verses, text, messages etc. I am so grateful for them all!