How Much Money Do I.need To Start A Country Decor Store

How To Start A Boutique Business | Valuable Advice From Art Gallery And Store Owner, Joanie Ballard

HEADS-Upward: If you haven't already read information technology How To Kickoff A Bazaar Concern | Valuable Advice From Antique Shop Owner, Carolyn Bradford, (the offset installment of this series), I encourage you to check it out also.

I've always dreamed of opening my own store with fabulous habitation decor pieces like I use in my clients' homes. I know, still, that it most likely looks easier than it really is!

So, I've decided to ask for advice from some of my successful Facebook and blogging friends who own some wonderful shops themselves.

Joanie Ballard, of RH Ballard, Art, Rug, and Dwelling house, has graciously offered her wonderful tips and advice for u.s.a. today. If y'all've always dreamed of opening your own boutique business, y'all volition just swallow up her wise words below! -- Carla

How To Start A Boutique Business | Valuable Advice From Art Gallery & Store Possessor, Joanie Ballard

Owning a shop is a lot of work. But, because I beloved it and my gallery so much, all the effort I put into information technology is well worth information technology.

My growth as a business organization owner has been organic. I didn't take a business organisation background when I came into all this, so I've had to learn everything I now know past way of my day-to-day experiences within the store. Now, I'm proud to say my business concern background is quite extensive!

Our shop, R.H. Ballard Shop & Gallery, started in 1997 as a result of our passion for Paris and beautiful things, and it'south grown steadily ever since.

My husband, Robert H. Ballard, first began the business organization by selling original French lithographs and oriental rugs. I then introduced Le Jacquard Francais and Garnier Thiebaut French Jacquard tablecloths, as well as with fine gifts, once we purchased a 2-story, 1929 business firm on Principal Street in "Trivial" Washington, Virginia. Our historic, 2-street boondocks is dwelling house to the world-famous Inn at Petty Washington, and there are only a few other businesses hither.

Throughout my life, I've been kind of a free-spirit.

I've worked in various professions: theatre, music, and once equally a Textile Librarian for Brunschwig & Fils (a major turning point in my love for French textiles and fabrics). Having a want to know more than virtually the world and the people who inhabit information technology, I moved around a lot - New York, DC, Nashville, Los Angeles, Boulder, merely to name a few places.

All of that life experience led to the opening of the store and gallery in 1997 with my husband Robert. Together we have dealt with all the ups and downs, but have ultimately created a business organization that we honey.

For me, owning a retail shop has been a gamble to create my own colorful world, fill it with cute objects, fine fine art, accessories and gifts, infuse the air with divine scents, and hope that whoever walks in the door will exist transported a bit. I want customers' start experience to exist 1 filled with joy and unexpected delights.

(Can you tell I spent a petty fourth dimension in the theater?)

For me, the shop is a little stage of sorts. The joy is in searching for the props, scenery, and costumes. Inspiration came from the many Parisian shops I visited on the Left Bank of Paris where little boutiques are filled with everything from soaps to tablecloths, from scarves to glassware.

I try to create an experience where people can not just savor dazzler, art and design, but also have the opportunity to take something home with them and arrive office of their life. That niggling, beautiful thing that they purchased in my shop is something they will put in their dwelling, something they will hang on their wall, something they will utilize, and hopefully something they will love (a romantic notion, yeah, but a joyful objective for a shop owner).

Why do annihilation if you can't have joy while doing it?

And so much of the retail world has inverse in the last few years.

I am running my store and gallery with a much closer attending to the bottom line, making harder choices when buying and selling, and keeping the operation costs lean (this has been the most challenging).

Nosotros've cut back, trimmed staff, rearranged the shop and trade mix many times, and focused on best-selling items. This may all seem similar obvious things to do, just the recession changed everything. There is much more than focused attention to all the little things that brand the shop run.

We are as well expanding our website reach, and the cost for this is higher and more complicated than owning just a brick and mortar — it'due south basically owning and running a second shop

(Carla, you lot need to publish another article about running an online shop!).

In fact, I remember I might be able to write a book by now. There is merely so much to tell! We started pocket-size, but our website is getting bigger. It's been obvious and necessary to aggrandize in this mode as a large portion of the world shops on the net.

All the same, I believe there will always be people who must affect and experience their merchandise before buying. And there volition be customers who crave direct contact and feel from an unexpected surround – such every bit a small boondocks shop.

As for my advice to you...

In regards to the specific advice Carla invited me to share with you, I am speaking from the perspective of owning my brick and mortar shop & gallery that has been in operations for a long time here in a tiny historic town that is nestled at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia.

Hither is my list of three things to consider earlier opening your ain boutique business:

1. Have a clear vision of what you lot want your store to exercise and to provide, and know where you lot want to be in v years time.

I think, above all, this is a key issue for some new businesses. Do you take a niche? What do you have that is unique and stands out from all the rest? What trouble are y'all trying to solve, and who is your audience?

Know exactly why yous desire to own your own shop. Know your customer base really, really well - know everything virtually them and learn what they love and yearn for. In the cease, people matter, and your relationships with your customers will exist ones that you cherish the most.

ii. Be prepared to piece of work 7 days a calendar week, or at to the lowest degree to exist thinking about your shop vii days a week.

I did not know that I would spend nigh of my waking, sleeping (dreaming) moments thinking about the shop, the merchandise, the displays, the product mix, the

customers, the employees, the finances, the buying, the researching. It really is all-consuming for me, and I believe this is true for most shop owners. In fact, I exercise not think I have met a shop owner who is not completely engrossed in their business 24/7. Sometimes it is taxing, sometimes information technology is exhilarating.

If you lot decide to open a shop, be certain you love everything that happens unconditionally. Exist positive -this is key - every bit in that location will be many highs and lows along the style.

three. Surround yourself with people who are smarter than you lot in your areas of weakness.

For me they are accounting, marketing, and website management, and we accept contracted out a number

of these specialties. This leaves me more fourth dimension to practise what I am good at: creating shop displays, researching and finding unique products, organizing special events, developing piece of work outside of the shop like Telly stage setting and photo shoots for magazines, blogging nigh the shop, doing some social media tasks and interacting with customers every twenty-four hour period.

Be sure y'all like human beings, and that y'all dear knowing and learning all well-nigh them. Every twenty-four hour period on the floor of your store you will meet extraordinary people who live amazing lives. Y'all need to love people if you open a shop of your own.

Thanks again, Carla, for letting me share my perspective!

- Joanie

Store: RHBallard.com | Blog: Maison de Ballard

I want to thank Joanie so much for offering up her wonderful and sage words of wisdom!

Exist sure to bank check out her mannerly store. It has cute gifts, abode decor and stunning artwork! Her passion for her business really shows, and it is - I must acknowledge - incredibly contagious! -- Carla