Today we’d like to introduce you to Megan Schock.
Hi Megan, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
Eight years ago, I applied at a job at a prom store my freshman year of college for fun, but it quickly became my passion. The manager and person who hired me is now my business partner today. Jacob has been in the industry for ten years, and I have eight. Jacob and I worked beside each other for eight years and have always wanted to open our own store and move to Florida. We never thought that dream would ever happen because of the startup costs. This past year, a family friend of Jacob’s reached out because they heard about how well we were doing in Minnesota. They offered to become our investors because they saw our talent and hard work but knew we didn’t have the capital to start our own business. They also said that someone had given them a business opportunity when they were younger, so they wanted to pass it onto someone else. It truly feels like a miracle, and we are so excited to be opening in January.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
We knew there would be challenges but moving from a small town in Minnesota to a big city in Florida was a big change. The biggest issue for us was finding the right building. The prices were extremely high and there weren’t a lot of commercial buildings on the market. If not, they would only lease to chain businesses. There was also specific zoning and parking requirements that we’ve had to work around. When we finally thought we had found the perfect building, it flooded during our due diligence period, so we had a very short amount of time to find another one in order to be open for prom season. Our amazing realtor, Dawn Burch quickly found us a new building that was move-in ready.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
We sell prom, pageant, and evening-wear gowns. We’re known for making it a one-on-one experience that people are willing to travel for. We create an environment that is fun, making not only the event that you’re wearing the gown to, but the shopping for it memorable as well. A lot of people don’t really enjoy shopping, but our goal is to make it fun and bring confidence to all of our customers. We like to make it a personal experience so when people think of our store, they are excited to walk in the doors and find a dress that makes them feel beautiful. We don’t want you to think of it as “shopping” we want you to think of it as a “shopping experience.” It has been extremely rewarding when customers come back year after year and ask for you to help them because they enjoyed their shopping experience with you so much because they trust you. We are not here just to sell you a dress, we are here to build connections and create a lifetime memory through fashion.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
There are so many people that deserve credit for our success. First, our investors who have so much faith in us. They don’t question when we need something, they know we know what we’re doing and trust us through it all. Our realtor has answered any and all questions we’ve had, including spreading the word about our business. Our friends are always asking for updates and willing to give us advice. Our families are both helping us with getting the store ready for our grand opening in crunch time. The designers have also been extremely supportive and have helped us with choosing inventory.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.prompageantcouture.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prompageantcouture/
