We were lucky to catch up with Paige Perconti recently and have shared our conversation below.
Paige, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Naming anything – including a business – is so hard. Right? What’s the story behind how you came up with the name of your brand?
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
A little about me… I’m Paige Perconti, and let me tell you, my journey into the world of crafting and creating personalized gifts has been a true labor of love! From a young age, I’ve had a passion for acting and art, but my knack for gift-giving and problem-solving has always been a significant part of who I am. There’s something incredibly fulfilling about finding that perfect, personal gift that makes someone feel special. While I was knee-deep in the marketing world during the day, my evenings were dedicated to crafting. Those in my life were constantly needing help with weddings, baby showers, birthdays—you name it. It was my way of breaking free from the confines of a desk job and channeling my creativity into something tangible. That’s when ‘Zshush By Paige’ came to life—a place where my business savvy can meet my artistic passions. My store is all about providing personalized home goods, apparel, jewelry, and unique gifts that stand out from the crowd. What sets this boutique apart? It’s the heart and soul poured into each piece. In a world dominated by big corporations, we offer something special: handcrafted items that are made with a personal touch. I’m incredibly proud of what ‘Zshush By Paige’ represents—a blend of creativity, quality, and spreading joy to others.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
Well, life throws curve balls, there’s no way around it. But as Rocky famously said, it’s not about how hard you can hit, but how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward. Just after the pandemic, I was suddenly diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a rare type of blood cancer. It was a shocker, especially at my age. When faced with such news, a million thoughts race through your mind, yet I knew that a positive outlook was going to be my greatest defense. Nothing about treatment or that journey was easy. I will always have immense respect and empathy for everyone impacted by cancer, whether personally or through a loved one. While I was fortunate to reach the other side of treatment, the recovery from the overall toll is still something I strive daily to fully overcome.
Shortly after receiving my “all clear” news, I did a lot of reflection on how to best move forward and reclaim my old sense of self and creativity. I made the decision to step back from the corporate grind to take some time off to ground myself again. I started taking art classes at the local cancer wellness center and art became my therapy. It was the first moment in my life where I could explore what would be the most authentic use of my skills during this stage of recovery. A desk job was too overwhelming.. acting was off the table as my new appearance after cancer felt foreign to me.. but, I could still create. One thing led to another, and eventually my store was formed. Every day I feel grateful to pursue something I love. It’s never too late to switch gears in your life and sometimes our toughest moments can lead us to the best discoveries. I’m also proud to mention that a portion of all proceeds from ‘Zshush By Paige’ goes to the Lymphoma & Leukemia Society as a way to give back and support others facing similar battles that I did.
What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?
Utilize what you already know and the people you know! Even before launching my e-commerce platform, the support and referrals from my close circles kept my business very busy. Even if we don’t always call it networking, we do it naturally all the time. An old boss of mine once told me, “your network is your net worth.” But the key to successful networking is always giving more than you receive. There’s a misconception that networking is something you do in order to get something and that attitude usually doesn’t prove successful. It’s about offering solutions, helping others, and building genuine relationships. By focusing on providing value to my network, I’ve been able to organically cultivate long-term clients and friendships. This approach not only strengthens my business but also enriches the connections I make along the way.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.zshush.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zshushbypaige/
