Today we’d like to introduce you to April Brown.
Hi April, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Growing up, I’ve always been this shy kid that was too afraid to interact with people. My mother often loved to tell me the story about how people would ask her if I talked. She would laugh and say, “of course my daughter talks.” My shyness attracted me to dancing more than anything because it was an unspoken language. So, the idea of having my own business that involved me having to put myself out there to verbally engage with people never crossed my mind.
It wasn’t until my undergraduate years at Alabama State University when I really took on a true passion for fashion. My college journey, away from home, really introduced me to new experiences that I was later able to pour into my business. Over the years, I gained so much knowledge working for many different retail stores that catered to women clothing and accessories to later branching out to numerous of modeling projects where I landed myself on the main stage at the Bronner’s Brother hair show in Atlanta modeling for Milky Way wearing some of the boldest outfits.
When the pandemic hit in 2020, this moment of reflection really gave me the push I needed. I was even blessed to finally have the financial resources I needed to invest in my business. Believe it or not, YouTube became my best friend when trying to put all the pieces together. I came across so many entrepreneurs that openly shared some of their trials and tribulations throughout their journey which helped me along the way. By October of 2020, I was excited to announce the launch of Stylush Boutique.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Being an entrepreneur has not been easy. You know the saying, “If it was easy, then everyone would be doing it,” right?
When I first launched Stylush Boutique, we were exclusively a plus-size store. Not being plus size myself, I found it more challenging to connect with that audience on a more personal level. Not to mention, the selection of plus-size vendors that carried quality and stylish pieces at an affordable price didn’t leave many options to choose from. I realized that I needed to take a step back to re-evaluate my brand and the pain points those women can relate to. My own personal experiences of having to balance so many different roles as a business owner on top of being a wife, mother, and having a full-time career was something I knew people could relate to or at least empathize with. I have invested in so many things in my life. But investing in myself has been my most proudest moment.
As you know, we’re big fans of Stylush Boutique. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Stylush Boutique specializes in curating casual chic pieces for those women in mind who wears many different hats throughout their day-to-day and just enjoys the flexibility of having the option to dress up or down effortlessly. Our mission is to help women acknowledge the core foundation of every wardrobe which are basic essentials that are versatile, minimal yet stylish and timeless, all while remaining trendy regardless of the season. Our signature collection features a range of essential bodysuits, dresses, and jumpsuits with a neutral tone color palette consisting of your browns, nudes, whites, and blacks. Each collection will be cohesive based off texture, pattern, color, and themed destinations.
We’d love to hear about what you think about risk-taking?
Being an entrepreneur, in my opinion, is always a risk. We invest so much of our own money and time into what we love not knowing if the return on investment is going to be greater than what we have poured into our business. A lot of times, it take years for us to even see if it has been profitable or not. My first year in business, I took a major loss. All my profitable sales were re-invested back into my business. For me, it was expected. People have to learn who you are and see if they can even trust buying from you. But as a business owner, that’s just the risk you’re willing to take. It’s all a part of the process.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://stylushboutique.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stylushboutique/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shopstylushboutique
Image Credits
MCarson Photography
MGimages Photography
