Today we’d like to introduce you to Tiffany Simpson.
Tiffany, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My husband, Jeff, and I started Love, Ellie a little over three years ago right after our daughter, Ellington, was born. After she was born, I struggled finding clothes that fit, I couldn’t find new things that were cute and flattering, and the items I did find were all so expensive. I knew so many women who felt the same way and felt called to change the way my friends and family shopped in order to provide them with the things I couldn’t find. It’s been a dream of mine to own my own store, so the timing seemed perfect! It’s been three years since we opened and we have grown and changed so much.
When I first started, I had five items and did everything through pre-orders on social media. Now, I travel to different vendor shows on the weekend, have my own website, and carry over forty styles at a time! I think the best part about the last few years is seeing how our original mission has evolved and impacted so many around me. Our hope has always been to encourage women to have confidence in the unique self they were created to be. When we first started, the verse “She is clothed in strength and dignity and laughs without fear of the future” from Proverbs 31:25 was something that weighed heavy on my heart and my mission was to cultivate that confidence within my business. We’ve had many ups and downs over the last three years, but our mission remains the same and it’s been so neat seeing the joy we’ve been able to bring to others through fashion!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It has definitely not always been smooth! We have two little ones and other jobs we are juggling, so finding the time and energy to stay competitive has been challenging at times. There is so much competition in the fashion industry and there have been many days where I have felt discouraged about continuing. But then I receive a special comment about how we’ve impacted someone and given them the gift of feeling confident in themselves and my energy is renewed.
The fashion industry is always moving and changing and it takes a lot of work to keep up. I would say that is probably the biggest struggle we’ve faced. What do we do now and how do we do it? It’s the same struggle that is also one of my favorite things about this business and industry. How can we help others and what does that look like? We’ve learned to manage the struggles and work more as a team in order to push through the hard days!
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Love, Ellie Boutique story. Tell us more about the business.
Love, Ellie Boutique is a local women’s clothing boutique that specializes in trendy, unique, and affordable clothing, accessories, and jewelry. We carry women’s sizes small through 3XL and focus on finding items that are flattering for all body types at a price that it is affordable.
Our mission is not just to be another boutique to shop at for on-trend clothing, but to also serve as an encouragement to everyone who shops with us. Many who shop with us do so because they are searching for items that can be worn in multiple ways and fit them well. We have many new moms who come to us looking for things they can wear to fit and flatter their new figures, as well as women who have struggled pairing things together and need help with styling. I think that is what I am most proud of as a company! Being known as someone who loves people and wants to serve others is such an encouragement to me and has been my hope since day one. Many of my customers have become close friends over the last few years and I believe that’s what sets us apart.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I don’t know if I’d call it luck, but we’ve definitely seen many blessings and many hardships! I can see the many ways our company has been blessed. We have amazing customers, we’ve been able to attend many great vendor shows, and we’ve had waves of great success from new lines and new ideas. At the same time, we’ve seen seasons where we’ve failed and totally missed the mark. We’ve started new lines that never took off. We’ve had ideas that never came to fruition. And we have tried new styles that flopped. I think that is just part of owning your own business! If I put all three years together though, I can see how we have been blessed beyond measure and how that always outweighs the failures! The failures have taught us where to change the path and how to grow.
Contact Info:
- Website: loveellieboutique.com
- Email: loveellieboutique@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loveellieboutique/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/loveellieboutique/
Image Credit:
Madison Rodges, Mandy Hernandez
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