We were lucky to catch up with Jamie Carl recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jamie , thanks for joining us today. What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?

I think it takes Courage, Creativity and Curiosity to be successful.

Sure, not every idea is going to work and when it doesn’t, if you are able to demonstrate courage, creativity and curiosity
then chances are very good that you’ll be able to learn or pivot from that idea into something better, different and possibly even bigger.

I think courage often times looks like being worried, being afraid, not having all the answers but doing it anyway. I’ve always had worries and been afraid but looking back at my biggest milestones and greatest accomplishments, I’ve kept my goal front and center and have the confidence in myself that I if things don’t work out, don’t go my way, then I’ll figure it out, go a different direction..whatever may be needed. I’m of the mindset that I’d rather try and fail then to have not tired at all.

I thrive on Creativity and it takes many different forms for me. Since opening the shop, I pour most of my creativity into visually and cross merchandising the store, so that it always feels fresh and new when people walk in, But it also includes creating relevant social media posts, planning coordinating apparel floorpads, how product themes flow throughout the floors of the shop, and more but it also includes organizing the back room and storage room. I often feel the need to feed both sides of my brain, the creative, piled-up side with books, magazine clippings, scraps of paper and then the Type A side when the piles start to tip and I need them organized and put away.

And remaining curious also involves many different inputs to me..it can be hanging out with my boys and learning about new apps they are into but also sitting down to learn the latest Shopify software updates. I think traveling, reading, going to concerts museums, and events are some of my favorite ways to feed my curiosity.

Jamie , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m Jamie Carl, I am the Co-Founder and Owner of Serge + Jane, a 3 story Womens, Mens, Kids + Pets Lifestyle Boutique in Edina, MN. We offer apparel, accessories, new + used vinyl records, cocktail fixings and supplies, unique home decor, a wide range of gifts + a full pet bakery…a French-inspired Petisserie with dog treats, bones + gear + more.

I’ve been a Minnesota resident for the last 25 years. I moved here after college to work for Target Corp. I started my career in Merchandising, spent a couple of years on the Licensing and Softlines Advertising team, then spent almost 10 years working and leading the Internal Events Team. I feel great about the work I did there, the friendships I made + the valuable experience I gained and lessons I learned. I carried all of that with me into opening my own store.

I hope that when people think of Serge + Jane they know they can find cool looks for themselves and their entire family, including their cats and dogs. I hope they find cool, unique gifts and are always delighted with whats fun + new across all categories.
Customer Service is one of our biggest priorities and I hope clients feel joy and inspired when walking through our store.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Being a new business and opening just a few months before Covid, I think we may still be building our reputation. I think we are still getting to know and attract new clients everyday.

I hope the people that have shopped with us, follow us on social media and who support our business in any way, would say
that we are authentic, kind and fun to work with. We take retail very seriously but not ourselves. We carry sassy but not snarky
merchandise and aren’t afraid to drop an f-bomb when something annoys or excites us..especially when we open a new
leather jumpsuit or fringe jacket. We are still working to introduce ourselves to the market but hope by being ourselves and offering a fun, customer-focused experience, we quickly become their go-to, one stop shop!

Can you share one of your favorite marketing or sales stories?

One of my most favorite stories is from last holiday. We had some holiday decor for sale that didn’t seem too fragile but that I had merchandised too close to the edge of a table and a client accidentally knocked it off with his winter coat. It was a good lesson for me to better plan for bulkier coats and strollers during the holidays. He graciously offered to pay for the damaged decor or asked to purchase a gift card but we refused. It was absolutely nothing I wanted him to pay for and just really appreciated his offer and kindness.

When we wouldn’t accept any payment, he went home and sent a note to all of his grandchildren explaining the situation and
asking for their advice on how to best support our small business. He had already decided that the he would send a gift card from our shop to the one with the best response but didn’t share that with them in his original email. I think he was hoping to hear how they would handle as young adults and to also truly solicit a new idea. He purchased the gift card and sent me a letter with the full response from the winner and to explain that his one rule was that they were to spend the entire amount of the gift card and not receive any money back. It was the kindest, most creative payment we have ever received. We’ve met a number of his family members since and enjoy the time we spend with him, talking about new product ideas, Gopher Sports and more.

We value thoughtful times like this with the community and treasure connections we often make with clients.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.sergeandjane.com
• Instagram: Sergeandjaneshop
• Facebook: Sergeandjaneshop