We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Elyse Gilreath. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Elyse below.

Elyse, appreciate you joining us today. What’s something crazy on unexpected that’s happened to you or your business

We often say that She is Cheval was created out of chaos and camaraderie. This could not be more true.

Cheval and I had spent almost a decade pouring our heart and soul into the Hayley Paige bridal brand, and suddenly that was taken away from us. We thought- well, we’ll do bridal on our own….then that was taken away from us too. She lost her name, her trade, her instagram; it felt like we were starting from scratch completely.

The craziest story of our entrepreneurial journey is that we never actually planned any of it. We happened into this strange place where all we had was our friendship, our faith in each other, and a determination not to run and hide. From that place, I would have followed her just about anywhere. And I have…..perpetually learning on the job: from Quickbooks to Shopify, ROAS to freight forwarding. The hats of a small business owner are many (and often unexpected).

Elyse, 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?

She is Cheval is a female-founded, female-focused brand that believes in the power of fresh steps. On the surface, we sell women’s specialty footwear. But our true purpose and vision reaches so much deeper.

Our brand story is one of extreme resilience and dedication to one’s own path, no matter how it might twist and turn. After my cofounder chose her new name (Cheval), it was important to both of us that the messaging of our brand encouraged and empowered other women to stand up for themselves as she had done. This is why we chose “She is Cheval”: not only to tell her story, but also to invite others into it.

As for me, I have spent most of my working life in the world of fashion, and all of my life as a shopping enthusiast! My most recent experience (prior to founding She is Cheval) was as a Bridal Sales Director. But before that, I held various positions in the world of fashion retail. So while e-commerce was brand new to me (and so was shoes to be honest!) I am very experienced and excited about helping women shop and feel amazing about the way they look.

When I’m asked what really sets our brand apart and what I’m most proud of, I would have to say that it comes down to the part we play in putting a smile on someone’s face. Sometimes it is through an inspiring story or through exceptional customer service; and then other times it comes in the form of a beautiful new pair of shoes that makes the customer sparkle inside and out.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

The BIGGEST lesson I have had to learn is really an internal narrative that I needed to change when I became an entrepreneur. This is the idea that I would really prefer to do what I know and to do it really, really well.

In theory, this is not a bad point of view; but as an entrepreneur, it is both detrimental and potentially dangerous.

When you focus on only what you know, you miss out on the potential of everything that exists outside of that little box. When you don’t understand what other people do in their roles, you can quickly and easily find yourself getting taken advantage of and your business at risk.

I will never be someone that believes I have all the answers. And I am still a big believer in allowing people to focus on their strengths as much as possible. But becoming a small business owner has definitely made me more willing to explore, to contemplate, and to learn new things from those around me.

Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?

Right out of college, I was given some advice: I don’t even remember who gave it to me, but it was a good one! I was unhappy in my retail job at the time, and they told me, “Go pick up a magazine. Flip through it. Whatever companies you might want to work for, just give them a call, see if they’re hiring.” So that’s what I did, and that’s how I landed my first “real job” for JLM Couture, a bridal house of brands, located in NYC.

I ended up moving away for a few years, held some other positions in the fashion world, but came back to JLM in 2012. At the time, I was the rep for a different line, but Hayley Paige had just debuted her first collection. I remember the day in 2013 that our CEO asked me to take over the Hayley Paige collection. I thought, “I’m not cool enough. I’m not experienced enough. She is way too good for me.” But he assured me it would be a great fit. I guess that was some pretty good advice too.

So from there, we really built the brand together – she came up with the most beautiful and unique dresses, and I provided the best sales and support experience that I could to our growing list of bridal boutique partners. We became known at trunk shows as “the dynamic duo”: both with the same vigor, excitement, and genuine happiness in doing what we did.

In 2020, after a tumultuous series of events, she resigned. And with that, I resigned as well. As difficult as it was to lose what we had worked so hard to build, what we found left in the rubble was even more valuable. Not only did our friendship get stronger, but we found what many entrepreneurs aren’t lucky enough to have: a working partnership that was built on trust, complimentary skill sets, and a shared vision to find a way forward.

Contact Info:

• Website: Sheischeval.com
• Instagram: @sheischeval
• Facebook: @sheischeval
• Other: Agirlyoumightknowfoundation.org