We recently connected with Andraya Blair and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Andraya thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Looking back, do you think you started your business at the right time? Do you wish you had started sooner or later
If I could go back in time, I would absolutely start Rowan Muse sooner.
I began my career as a Visual Manager in 2008 and always dreamed of having my own store to set, my own customers to style and a place I could call mine. But, I was too scared, I kept saying ” I am going to, I want to” but never did. Then one day (during Covid, obviously) I started researching, filling out paperwork, watching Youtube videos and thinking “You got this”.
So, why sooner? Ha! Because around the same time as my ‘ah ha’ moment, my son turned 1. Being a mom, is the most exciting, terrifying journey, I have ever been on but it is mostly exhausting. I found it hard to stay on track, post on social media and focus on getting my business going in the “right” direction. I constantly compared myself to other businesses and kept thinking “why am I even doing this?” If I am being honest, that thought still comes to mind.
I want to believe, if I started sooner, Rowan Muse would be more refined, I would have a bigger following and customer base OR it would have flopped but at least I tried and could start something new or try a different approach. But now, I am a single mom, I work full time and I find it overwhelming to keep the business going. However, I cannot quit just because there are a million people doing the same thing or because I go weeks or months without sales. I cannot quit, because this is something I have always wanted and I want my son to know, it is never too late to go after what you want.
What’s crazy, is that I am only in my 30’s but seeing women younger than me starting out or women my age who have been in this game much, much longer, can be discouraging. Starting Rowan Muse earlier would have helped with my confidence and help me realize sooner that I should care less what others are doing and where they are in their process. This is a flaw I am still working on but it is a flaw that continues to remind me that I am where I need to be and my son is the muse, I did not know I was looking for.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
I started Rowan Muse when I was 31 because Covid but mostly because I have always wanted to. I was in retail since I was 15 and became a Visual Manager at 21. I am obsessed with styling and setting stores; it truly makes my heart happy. My co-workers, friends and family encouraged me to start RM and with enough support; Rowan Muse was born.
RM is a casual styled online shop where I sell clothing-sizes small to XL and jewelry (I design and make the jewelry myself). Recently, I began making my own t-shirts and accessory pouches. Making my own pieces helps to keep me motivated and it is also relaxing. I am starting the process of carrying basics and layers to have a “go to shop”. I am a lover of basics that can be paired with prints, bright colors or keep it neutral. This is something I have been working on and I cannot wait to share my vision!
Rowan Muse also has a give back initiative called Muse Wednesdays; where I pick a Muse of the Month and at the end of month, donate to them. The money, I donate is accrued from customers who shop on Wednesdays. When customers shop on Wednesdays, they get free shipping and I give back. This idea came from wanting to find a way to stand out as a small business and from other boutiques so what better way than giving back.
I hope to have a store front in the future where I can share my vision in person but for now follow me on social, shop with me online and at times at a pop up!
We’d love to hear your thoughts about selling platforms like Amazon/Etsy vs selling on your own site.
I built rowanmuse.com on Shopify after trying other site builders. As a small business owner with an online only presence, it was important for me to build a website that is user friendly and affordable. I cannot say that I have cons but one thing I can say is that although affordable, if a new business owner, really be smart about shipping prices. This is one thing I have learned is that shipping can make or break your monthly payments to online platform. Some pros of using Shopify for me are that it is: User friendly, Easy to update as needed and something I find super helpful is that Shopify provides tips to business owners. This has helped me a lot especially being a new business owner.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
Like any new business owner, there will always be a time where you may feel defeated. I felt like this most of the time, even now at times. My biggest defeat has always been finances. I am self funding my business and have taken out business loans to buy inventory. When I started Rowan Muse at the end of 2020, I gave up about 4-5 months in because the only customers I had were family and friends. Although I was supported, it was discouraging and frustrating. I gave up because I could not stand to feel like I was failing. But after some time, thinking about what I had already done and my family and friends still rooting for me; I started again (almost a year later). I was aware that new businesses take a hit during their first year and obviously being an online clothing store, it was expected. So I decided to put on my boss babe, business woman pants and think differently. I changed the way I purchased, I changed the way I marked down but most importantly I changed the way I viewed my business. I felt like I needed to keep up with other boutiques and what they were doing, the inventory they carried and their pricing. But I started singing a new tune and now this tune is my own and not someone else.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.rowanmuse.com
- Instagram: rowanmuseboutique
- Facebook: rowanmuseboutique
- Twitter: rowanmuseboutique
- Other: TIK TOK- andrayamoniqueb