I found out about Boston area First Date Boutique in my college alumni magazine. One of the owners of the shop, Keri, and I both went to Babson College, a business school known for its entrepreneurship program. Keri was bold (and smart) enough to start this shop right out of college with her sister. It’s a really cute concept too – clothes are organized into themes depending on what type of event you need the outfit for. I asked Keri about how she started the boutique and what inspires her as it grows:
What was your motivation to start your own company right out of school?
My sister had a remarkable passion for fashion, I was attending Babson for business and it just seemed to come together. We started brainstorming what we would like to do and the entrepreneurial influence was so strong at Babson that it gave me the drive to act upon our idea. A lot of people have ideas but how many people actually put it into reality? At Babson, I was surrounded by a lot of people with common interests and support that it was hard to ignore the entrepreneurial spirit.
How is it working with your sister? Would you recommend running a company with a sibling?
You can go into a partnership with many different people so I don’t believe a sibling is that much different. It may even be better since you know the person inside and out. My sister and I are very different in our personality and style so we actually complement each other. The important thing is to be aware of each other’s strengths and weaknesses. You have to be able to accept that your sibling may be better at some things than you are. Of course, we do sometimes bicker about things such as what lines to carry and what priorities need to be set, but all in all it is great to truly trust someone. Brianne holds a demanding job during the week so now she has pretty much given me full control and she handles our PR and marketing for the business. I would recommend running a company with a sibling as long as your relationship is solid to begin with.
How did you learn the day-to-day of running a store like this? (For example, everything that goes into merchandising, marketing, buying, managing inventory and finances.)
My college courses obviously helped me but we also did a lot of research in every aspect of business. It’s a lot of trial and error. My sister worked for Lily Pulitzer and my internship at Reebok helped. I feel like we naturally had the “professional shopper” in us since we were little. We went into a lot of stores and checked out every detail from how the floors were laid to what size the dressing rooms were. From all that information, we gathered what worked the best and brought it into our space. We thought about how we are treated when we go shopping. For example, I hated when sales associates would immediately approach me and drill me about where I was going and what I want so I tend to give my customers a little time to explore before I approach them. And then, when I do approach them, I do it in more of a natural conversation style and only give my opinion when the customer asks for it.
How did your education at Babson help and do you still stay in contact with professors and resources there?
My education really positioned me as an expert immediately. Babson gives you the expertise to handle many different business situations. Babson is a small school so it was easy to have one-on-one conversations with professors and get help in certain areas. Babson also exposed me to so many people that have started businesses. Many of my friends are entrepreneurs and their businesses are growing and becoming very successful. If I ever have a question or need advice I can easily call and ask them since we are all still very close.
What keeps you inspired with your job?
When you look good you feel good so when I have customers come in and they are jumping up and down in the dressing room in love with a dress I picked out it can make my day. Especially when the cash register rings and the customer leaves happy. It’s not brain surgery but it is quite a detailed operation that takes focus, self-control and expertise.
Any recommendations for other people who may be thinking about opening a store?
Location, location, location- people say it but unless you live it you don’t fully understand the importance of it.
You will be eating, sleeping, dreaming about your store. You have to be mentally prepared to make personal sacrifices that may affect you and the relationships you have with others. A lot of the time you will wish you had a 9 to 5 job and weekends off so make sure you understand that this will take up a lot of your time and energy and you are seriously committed to the success of your business.
Be open to the possibility that you will have to change it up to make it work. You are going to make mistakes but make sure you don’t make too many of them and remember that every mistake is a learning experience.