Today we’d like to introduce you to Lawanda Givens.
Hi Lawanda, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I am the owner of L Michelle’s Boutique. We offer high-quality yet affordable fashion accessories for all occasions. I have been married to an amazing man for 14 years and we have four beautiful children. One of the reasons that I started this boutique was so that I could leave a business behind for my children. I also started this boutique to inspire women to love themselves and to help build self-confidence. We often give little pieces of ourselves to other people and things and forget to take care of ourselves.
Growing up as a child, I remember my dad gifting me a piece of jewelry for almost every special occasion. Anytime that I would leave the house, I made sure that I always had on my jewelry to complete my look. I grew to love to coordinate my accessories with my clothes and shoes. In 2017, my dad passed away and I experienced the most difficult time in my life.
In 2005, I started to pursue my Bachelor’s Degree at the University of Florida. While attending school, I worked as a
Sales Associate at TJ Maxx. My previous job was at the Department Store called K Mart. I worked in the Clothing and Jewelry Department. I gained so much knowledge in fashion working in Retail. I learned how to style clothing with accessories to make an outfit come together on store displays. I appreciate the experience I gained at such a young age. Once I completed my degree, I became employed at a Physical Therapy Clinic as a Clinic Coordinator. I recall the patient’s progress as they went through their sessions and the confidence that was gained along the way. It brought me great joy. I wanted to help bring joy to people and help others build confidence doing something that I was passionate about.
In 2008, I found out that we were expecting our first child, so me and my husband decided that it would be better to make the sacrifice for me to become a stay at home mom. During this time, I came up with the idea to start a boutique, so I began researching different sources for grant money. To my surprise, I found it very difficult to find grant money for start-up businesses. Due to lack of capital, I was not able to launch my boutique.
In 2020, I found out that we were expecting our fourth child and knew that I needed to start building a business. I started researching everything I needed to do in order to start a business. I found vendors and ordered samples of products to test for quality. I also gifted family and friends products in exchange for their reviews. My husband and I built our website and got to work. I drew up ideas for my Logo, the colors I wanted to represent my brand, and the props I wanted to use for my product photos. It takes so much more to run a product-based business than meets the eye! I launched my business and really got to work. I advertised on Facebook, Instagram, and in person. I got lots of support from my family and friends and I am grateful.
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 is like a roller coaster ride. There are so many bumps along the way, but it is all a learning experience to know what mistakes not to make. The first thing that I should have done different was focus on fewer products starting out. I launched my accessories boutique selling earrings, watches, necklaces, bracelets, anklets, purses, etc. At one point, it became so overwhelming and if I could do it over again, I would have only focused on two main collections and then add more collections over time. I also should have done more promoting of my business on different platforms. As an up and coming business, it is very important to get exposure because if people don’t know you exist, they can’t be clients. It’s also very hard finding time to work on promoting my business while being a mom that homeschools. There are a lot of early mornings and late nights up planning.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a homemaker and I have been for the past 13 years. I have four children and we are in our fifth year of homeschooling. The ages of my children range from 10 months to 12 years old. I believe that I wear many hats as I am a wife, mother, homemaker, business owner, etc. I am proud of myself for accomplishing so many of my goals in my younger years. I graduated from a major University, gained experience working in the corporate world, became a wife, and became a mother to four wonderful children. As I became older, my goals started to shift. My goals became as follows: building a legacy for my children, working towards financial freedom and enjoying life.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
My favorite childhood memory was when my dad went on a field trip with me and my class to Jacksonville Zoo. I was in the first grade and he was a chaperone. I remember standing by a monkey’s cage and the monkey reached out and took his cup and swung off. It was hilarious!
Contact Info:
- Email: lmichellesboutique@gmail.com
- Website: lmichellesboutique.com
- Instagram: @lmichellesboutique
