Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole McKnight.
Nicole, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Who am I you might ask? I am a mother, a wife, a sister, a daughter, a friend, a mentor, etc. I have always wanted to be my own boss along with having the freedom to raise my kids. I used to work odd hours from leaving the house at 6 am and at times, coming home at 7 pm to find out, I missed out on dinner with my family. I realized that balancing my corporate job with my family life started getting in the way. I value my time with my kids and missing out on their life wasn’t an option for me. So my husband pitched an e-commerce idea to me. It took me months to research the niche market I wanted to jump into and I wanted to ensure this was the path I wanted to get myself into. I mean if I don’t put in the work, I’ll get nothing in return.
This is why I created and opened up iKandey Boutique in October of 2017. iKandey Boutique was named after my boys Issak, Trey and Andre. As you can tell, my boys are my motivation, my heart and my drive. They are the reason I strive to succeed and because of them, they’ve helped me become a better individual personally and professionally. I wanted to create this business solely based on the fact that, I was able to still be a stay at home mom, to be able to build customer relationships and I love the idea of being a strong career minded woman. (Or in short terms, I wanted my cake and to eat it, too!)
Taking this journey into becoming my own boss is just the beginning and something I’ve always felt passionate about. Before starting this business, I worked in the banking industry for about 5 years as a banking officer. Prior to that, I worked in retail where at the age of 18, I came to realize that I loved fashion and I had to have the latest trends. Fashion became something I was passionate about, which led me into creating this business. With my passion for fashion, I am able to offer the latest trends with an affordable cost.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Honestly, I wish it was a walk in the park. Where all the money is flowing through will I sleep at night. LOL!
But, I know that’s not the case. Since I am starting from the ground up and I’m not well known, I have to work double the time to build relationships, gain customer loyalty and still bring in a paycheck each month. Although, I love the challenge because in the end, I know if I don’t put in the work, no one will know who I am and what my business stands for. I started my business with zero customers, zero loyalty customers. After a few months of business, I have built my platform up and I am proud of the success rate that I’m receiving.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about iKandey Boutique – what should we know?
iKandey Boutique is a where you can find the latest fashion trends, such as purses, jewelry, clothing, etc. We also carry iKandey Kidz accessories. We cater to women and kids fashion.
I have worked in customer service for over 10 years and customers are what drives my company. Along with providing my customers with retail merchandise, I think it’s important to ensure my customer service is a 5-star service. What sets me apart from many businesses is that no matter what you’re going to get me (the owner) and I love to personally reach out to customers to ensure every transaction was what they expected it to be.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Like I mentioned before, my customer service is what’s most important to me. As a business owner, you want to make sure your customer service is top notch. Every time you provide that 5 star service, there’s an 80-90% chance your customers will be returning. Gaining that trust from customers is important.
Pricing:
- Our prices range form $5 to $40.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.iKandey.com
- Phone: 2145540295
- Email: contactikandey@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ikandeyboutique/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iKandeyBoutique/
Image Credit:
Nicole M McKnight
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
