After creating hair pretties for her daughter, Monica started Accessory Connectz®
Tell me a little bit about how you got started?
When my daughter was born in 2004, I had to have all of the pretty hair accessories for her but just couldn’t afford them while being a stay at home mom. I took matters into my own hands and starting designing all of her hair pretties! My little hobby soon spiraled into a business I was truly passionate about called The Boutique Kids! I quickly ventured into manufacturing a full clothing line for boys & girls of all ages. With many years of designing and engaging with my customers, I saw a huge demand for embellished items such as flip flops, headbands, belts, pet collars & more! I knew I had to come up with an easier & more cost effective way to creative high ends looks without breaking the bank! In Aug. of 2011, my new patent pending product & company was born called Accessory Connectz®.
Did you have a specific reason for instance to pay off debt, take a vacation, etc?
How long have you been doing this?
Nearly 9 ½ years all together. 2 years for my new company.
How do you make money (Hourly, By Project, Retainer or One Time Fee)?
I currently sell my clothing line direct to the consumer in hopes that one day we can offer wholesale to retail locations. Accessory Connectz® is sold direct to the consumer as well as wholesale to our lovely retail partners.
What Areas of Marketing have worked best for you, for instance Referrals, Social Media, etc?
Social media has got to be the best cost effective way to get your brand out there. I have also been very fortunate to get great free press along the way such as many blog reviews, editorials, news segments, contests, discounts & giveaways which in all turn create great buzz for my brand.
When do you work on your side hustle?
I work on my business full time, around the clock.
Did you set any business Goals when you started?
I did. I wanted to offer the best customer service, high quality items & the most unique & trendy designs out there! My long term goals include getting into mass retail & making a household name out of my brands.
What has been the Best thing that has Happened in your Side Business?
I will say the most important one is how my customers respond to my products. It is soo rewarding when you can put a smile one someone’s face! I was very honored to be one of “The Next Big Thing” finalists in the nation given by The Dallas Market Center, I got to design for the San Fransisco 49ers players wives, and have worked with some very amazing designers along the way!
What advice would you give someone just starting out?
Please prepare yourself for an emotional roller coaster ride. 😉 We all seem to think just because we create something unique or have the best offerings; it will be an easy sell. You literally have to work your fanny off every step of the way to succeed and meet your goals. If you are planning on taking your product & brand to the masses, be sure you have available funds to start. I am talking thousands! I do believe that anyone can accomplish anything they want with hard work, dedication and persistence!
If you were starting all over again, what would you do differently?
I would have most definitely had more funding in place before launching & avoided a few business deals that I thought were legit. I have learned not to be nieve when it comes to business. Usually when something seems too good to be true, it most of the time is.
When you started did you have a Business Plan or fly by the seat of your pants?
I sure did. I reached out to the director of SBA at our local college to help me with my biz plan. She is now a fabulous mentor of mine!
How can people find out more about your Business?
You can find us on the web 😉
www.theboutiquekids.com
www.accessoryconnectz.com
Anything exciting coming up that you would like for us to know about?
I have a few things in the works but unfortunately they are not set in stone just yet ;-( We are currently working on our Holiday offerings and will be releasing discount codes and giveaways on our facebook pages:
www.facebook.com/theboutiquekids
www.facebook.com/accessoryconnectz
Andrea is the Chief Chick of Smart Money Chicks. After filing BK twice (once because she panicked, second time because the pro messed the first time up), she realized that it all could have been avoided if she understood more about how her Finances worked and the options available. At that point, she wanted to help as many as she could never make the same mistakes again. Our Promise is that all the content you read on here is created or edited by Andrea