We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Courtney Pugh a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Courtney , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s talk about social media – do you manage your own or do you have someone or a company that handles it for you? Why did you make the choice you did?
Love this question and the answer is- both! After managing Piccadilly’s branding and social channels over the years, I started to hone my approach towards a very authentic engagement strategy and love to get creative with brand campaigns/designs that feel unique and genuine to our audience. The response we see is huge with existing customer engagement and organic growth with new followers. We acknowledge what’s trending on social platforms but always try to think outside the box when it comes to our own campaigns!
As a result of this approach, other brands started reaching out for strategy and content help and the growing need helped me launch a consulting business called “Little House Artistry”. The company focuses on content creation, copywriting, and social support for new and established brands. The best insight I can share with business owners struggling to stand out in all the social “noise” is to remain true to YOUR brand and message. There’s so much pressure now to get more followers, more views, etc. that it can sometimes prompt action to post content that’s unauthentic and misaligned just to be seen. Your followers are smart and want marketing they can trust, not messaging that’s rushed.
Courtney , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Absolutely! I’m proud and humbled to be one of three founders for Piccadilly: a bespoke clothing line intentionally designed for women and children. We created this line to help provide women and children coordinating pieces that compliment for special occasions yet still stand beautifully on their own. We’re unique in that we custom design all textiles for each collection on organic, cotton materials to be both “posh & playful” for all that life holds in a day. As a mom, I struggled to find occasion clothing for my children that felt low maintenance, but highly styled. So, we created it!
This year we’re celebrating our third year in business, and I’m so proud of the community we’ve built with our customers and fellow creatives. I believe when you spend time investing in quality products and genuine people, success will always follow. That’s a motto we’ve always valued and prioritized as a company and we’re starting to enjoy some of the fruits of that investment as we grow!
It’s a gift to work in a creative city like Charlotte and I’m thankful to learn and grow alongside other talented entrepreneurs from designers to non-profits every day.
The opportunity to manage our own company’s marketing and to also consult for other brands through that experience has been a welcomed plot-twist in my professional path and I’m loving the detour!
Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?
My favorite question to be asked because it led to my NOW family! I first met my co-founders (turned in-laws) during a chance encounter on a London tour bus. I met my mother-in-law, Katherine, who is one-third of Piccadilly in London. Following that encounter, I met my husband Ben shortly after in Raleigh. Our third founder, Sadie Wilson, is a full-time artist in Charleston and has always had an entrepreneurial heart. Together, we dreamed up this little clothing line and made it a true family affair when we coaxed their other sister, Elizabeth, to model each collection!
The name Piccadilly is a nod to the ever-echoing tube announcer whose voice remained in our heads following this trip: “Next Stop, Piccadilly Circus!” It’s the best reminder of when our families first united. Sometimes running a family-owned business aligns more to the latter part of the phrase “circus” but there’s a lot of grace for each other in the grit and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
Pivoting has been the “pivotal” part of my story. See what I did there!
The fact that I’m writing this interview would have absolutely shocked a terrified version of myself circa 2018. After 10 years of working in traditional corporate roles, first in software sales and then briefly in commercial real estate, I found myself stepping out of the workforce as we moved for my husband’s job and added our first daughter to our family. I remember finding so much of my identity in those roles that when I walked away to focus more on my family, I was terrified that I’d never work again or find something mentally and professionally rewarding. If I’d only known what God had in store for me as a terrified, new mom, I could have saved myself so much anxiety!
Leaning into a dream three years ago and embracing ALL the vulnerable, terrifying moments along the way has stretched my soul in more ways than I can count. I’ve made a million mistakes, but I’ve also learned there are valuable lessons in those missteps. If you just keep going and use the challenges to fuel the next endeavor, you will be amazed at the person you become. I’m stronger mentally and emotionally after pivoting professionally, and while it’s exhausting and overwhelming wearing multiple hats at times, it’s also one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever experienced.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://dresspiccadilly.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dresspiccadilly/
Image Credits
All photographer credit to: Erin Bowman with Erin Bowman Creative.