Today we’d like to introduce you to Chelsea Rabroker
Hi Chelsea, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
It’s been 5 years of Style Kalōn, but truly a lifetime of playing dress up, styling, and empowering women through the wardrobe.
Since a young age I’ve always enjoyed fashion, the experience of shopping and mostly styling friends or as I always called it playing dress up. I can remember on several occasions friends calling me to come over to help them get ready for certain events or gatherings. I at one point even did Prom Hair for a friend because we had a certain vision…I was in High School; I had no hair licenses just the trust of a friend and curling technique with a flat iron no-one else had. That was a big moment for me – I knew I loved making others feel beautiful and special.
When the time came to go to College, I knew I wanted to go into a major that I felt could be flexible to my ever-changing career dreams and goals. I ultimately went to Texas A&M where I got a degree in Ag Communications and Journalism. I still believe that those classes have helped me develop some of the day-t0-day skills that I use in my current every day.
I had two big jobs post college one as a Sales Associate in a woman owned start up where I really learned a lot about starting a business and what goes into building a brand. The second I was a Merchandise Buyer for a Women Owned online plant business, it was there that my world of Agriculture and Retail blended. In the end I decided there was a lot of my own heart and soul going into a company that didn’t really feel like mine. I wanted that tangible product and visual that felt like a real extension of me. So in March of 2019 I left that full time roll to start Style Kalōn.
The company has grown so much since I started that March, we’ve launched 25 collections, done over 70 events, some of which we’ve traveled out of state too, and last year even trialed a brick-and-mortar opportunity.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Smooth road? What’s that? No I decided to leave my full time gig in March and took the next few months to create everything I needed from the little funds I had and go-to market at the end of that month and pitch myself to brands to take me on as a client.
Don’t get me wrong there were long nights involved in the last 5 years but many of them so rewarding and so worth it.
Covid hit a year later and I remember being in Waco, Texas at the time in my sisters apartment sitting in the floor crying about how I had just taken this huge leap and was about to launch my first Spring Collection. If I didn’t have customers I wouldn’t be able to keep going.
Covid changed the retail space drastically for both big box retailers and small retailers, in some ways for good and some it made it more challenging. Marketing became and issue, everyone decided to go online and everyone then needed to run ads. To be scrappy I would host Instagram and Facebook Lives which now is the total norm.
I’ve also been the only employee ever. That wasn’t really the plan in the begning and still wouldn’t say its ideal to this day. But it’s how I’m able to keep doing what I love and stay lean enough to keep doors open when times get tough. Doing everything on your own can be both rewarding and extremely tolling. Luckily, I have a supportive family, my Husband helps me and my Mom is always up for picking up some slack where she can.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Style Kalon?
I’m proud to be a Female-Owned (Mother Run) Online Boutique. I do my best to offer versatile pieces that can really grow with women in all walks of life.
I believe we accomplish this by our buying structure. I focus on Fabrics, Fit and Function and if doesn’t pass every test it doesn’t come into the shop. Its always a bonus when I can find other Female-Owned businesses to work with along the way. The site highlights all these features! In the last two years I’ve even extended our offerings to include some Kids and Plus Sizes.
Something that makes me extremely happy and proud is our quality. I really pride myself on only working with brands that I know offer quality pieces, it bring me so much joy to receive notes from customers who’ve bought items from past collections and see them still wearing and enjoying them like new!
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I try my best to believe in luck, but I think a lot of it has to do with saying yes at the right time and saying no at the right time. I’m lucky to have a supportive family, one who listens to me when I need another sound ear. I was smart enough to start lean when I did. Covid took a lot of friends out of business and the last 5 years haven’t been easy financially.
For us it was about being smart with our growth and where we invested. We are still not where I had expected us to be from my original business plan 5 years ago, but we are still on track.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.stylekalon.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stylekalon/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stylekalon/
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/stylekalon/
