Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Wickard.
Emily, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
After working 20+ years in Corporate America, I landed what I thought would be my dream job – Vice President of Finance for a Fortune 500 company. The only problem? I was miserable. While I genuinely enjoyed the people I worked with, I knew I loved my family more. I had two young kids under five and realized I wasn’t able to be present for them on a daily basis. Taking them to school and attending class functions were things I could never participate in – there was always some fire burning at work.
So, at 43, I took a leap of faith, quit my career and decided to pursue my lifelong dream of opening my own online boutique. Having VERY little experience in the fashion industry (I sold clothes at Ralph Lauren for 6 months after college), I did what any enterprising middle-aged gal would and googled – “How to start an online boutique”. Yes, I actually did that. Sitting at my kitchen table.
Ignorance was bliss back then – Had I realized all that I DIDN’T know about what I was embarking on, I probably would never have done it. I got my DBA, procured a tax ID and started shopping on online marketplaces that sold wholesale. I picked a few pieces I really liked and starting reselling them on a local Facebook group. Soon, I developed a following and created my own page – Shop Avara.
I wanted Shop Avara to be a different experience from all the other online boutiques. I wanted women to really LOVE what they bought from us and feel good wearing it. There’s nothing that makes me happier than hearing women recount how she got “so many compliments” wearing a piece of ours. We are here to be of service to our “Avaraistas”. We take pride in providing exemplary customer service and will do pretty much anything to make sure our ladies get what they want when they want it. No fashion emergency is too small!
In our first two years, we’ve built a community of over 3,000 customers in 22 states across the country. We’ve built a team of four hard-working, capable women who love coming to work every day and really care about our customers. After an amazing 2019, we’re excited to see where 2020 takes us.
Has it been a smooth road?
While it may sound strange, starting this business was the first thing I ever did without a detailed plan. I had very little industry experience as it pertained to retail or e-commerce, so I didn’t know enough to have expectations or set goals. My daily motto would be – do the next right thing. When I became overwhelmed or lost faith, I just focused on getting into action and knocking off the next thing on my list. I ate the elephant one bite at a time. The best advice I could give is just GET STARTED and KEEP GOING!
Looking back, one of my biggest challenges was recognizing that I needed help. I’m a self-starter and self-reliant to a fault, so admitting I needed help was tough. Looking back, hiring Meagan was the best thing I did to grow Avara. Being a newly-graduated fashion merchandising major from TCU, she was smart, hard-working and committed to my vision for Avara.
Also, I find it’s important not to compare yourself to others. Focus on your customers, employees and doing the right thing by them and the rest will fall into place.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Shop Avara story. Tell us more about the business.
Avara handpicks chic, boutique-style clothing and accessories available online and in our pop-up shops. We believe good style should be accessible, affordable and flattering. Every piece is hand-selected to give you just the right look whether it’s at school drop off or on date night.
We love being of service to our customers. My greatest inspiration comes from hearing their excitement over a piece they love. It’s music to my ears when someone tells me they “got so many compliments” when they wore Avara.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
Obviously, the shift from brick and mortar retail to online has been a significant change to the industry. That said, we believe that the art of shopping is not lost – women still love to shop in person, with their sisters, mothers and friends, as long as the experience is enjoyable and not overwhelming. We love our pop-up shop concept that gives women an opportunity to try clothes in person in a relaxed environment where we’re able to give honest opinions and styling suggestions.
Pricing:
- All of Avara’s products are under $100
Contact Info:
- Website: SHOPAVARA.COM
- Email: SUPPORT@SHOPAVARA.COM
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shop_avara/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/158828084713054/
- Other: Our App in the Apple and Google Play store is Shop Avara
Image Credit:
Merissa De Falcis Photography
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