Today we’d like to introduce you to Ariel Richardson.
Hi Ariel, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I worked for a Popular resale company as their 3rd employee in Atlanta, In working there I saw so many things happen in resale that were good and bad. I grew my book of business by targeting celebrities to convince them to consign their items and put the earnings towards charity if they weren’t concerned. During the pandemic, I became busier than ever. While everyone around me lost their jobs, I was beyond busy because helping with closet cleanouts or if they needed money they would liquidate. That’s when I realized this is recession proof lol. I grew so fast that I ended up moving on to another resale company but this time working in private auctions specifically selling diamonds and watches. After 3 months in that role, I courageously approached my CEO and encouraged him to change his business model based off what I’ve seen and know works. He gave me an opportunity and once again, I grew that company to new heights. I then had so many former clients encourage me to start my own company but I was hesitant because I’ve seen so much good happen, but I’ve also seen so much bad. After consideration, I figured the only way I’ll be in this space is if I target people who have so much inventory (celebrites, influencers etc) and give their followers access to that inventory thus starting FamousFinds. I started it in ATL where I’m from and have now been doing the pop-up shops for 4 years. It has been awesome to see people shop their favorite influencers closet, buy their first designer piece or finally score a look they’ve been eyeing on social media! Each event we partner with a charity that we give back to because of the platform the vendors have. I’ve wanted to expand and make this inventory accessible which is why we’re preparing to launch a resale website this Fall.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has not always been a smooth road as it took me some time to understand the business I was doing, and measure the success rate. You always have people in your ear providing suggestions of what you should do better, but as a founder, you already know what you want to do better. I remember being told before the first event I hosted, “be prepared to take a loss, but to learn” and that stuck with me. Because I was prepared for the loss, I really learned so much from each event, consumer feedback, influencer feed back to continue to build it and make it better each time.
We’ve been impressed with FamousFinds, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Famous Finds, is a luxury consignment company where influencers/celebrities closets are opened to the public for one day only. Inspired by her former roles at resale companies, Ariel created a platform that gives consumers access to
coveted designer pieces while offering celebrities a seamless way to liquidate their
wardrobes. Starting with pop-up shops, FamousFinds is transitioning to a website to allow everyone access to shop their fav influencers closet.
What matters most to you? Why?
What matters most to me is creating a great experience for everyone that interacts with my business. Whether you’re attending a pop-up or shopping online. I want this to be a platform that people feel their accessing the best inventory, for the best pricing and the best shoppers/sellers.
It’s important to me because working in resale, I have seen so many things go wrong and maintaining a good rapport will go longer than anything
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