We recently connected with Aleasha Reich and have shared our conversation below.
Aleasha, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We love asking folks what they would do differently if they were starting today – how they would speed up the process, etc. We’d love to hear how you would set everything up if you were to start from step 1 today
Opening A Delicate Edge in May of 2013 at 20 years old was probably one of the most challenging, yet rewarding times within my life. I decided to open the boutique while I was finishing up my college program, and because of this, I struggled with the idea of finishing school while coming up with plans to open a successful independently owned fashion boutique. In the end, I decided to move forward with my dreams, but I also realized that I wasn’t prepared to let my 2 years of schooling go to waste. Because of this, I decided to complete my program while moving forward with my business.
When opening up a store, one of the first lessons I learned was to go with my own gut in regards to where my money was spent. Often in the beginning, it was easy to be taken advantage of by sales representitives because you want to trust that they are telling you the truth when it comes to what styles would suit your store best. I learned very quickly that it was myself and myself only who knew my customer. And although not always the case, a sales rep is there to sell you those items, they need to get paid too! So, they sometimes will convince you to purchase more than neccessary so they can get to their quota. Reality is, you are the customer. You have the power to spend your money where you see fits best. Another thing to take note on (which should not be shocking), is to ALWAYS have everything in writing. In my first year of business I lost close to 10k by making a deal with a denim company that assured me I could send back any styles at the end of the season that did not sell, and that I would be given a credit for it. Well, turns out the person who had made me this deal was no longer with the company at the end of the season. They had moved on and the company denied ever having made such a deal and were not willing to reconcile with me in anyway, lesson learned.
Another trap that new owners can fall into is spending money on the aesthetic of the property, and not as much on what is actually going to make you your money. Don’t get me wrong, branding and your business’ identity is HUGE (even more so now with social media than it was 10 years ago), but – in the end, it is your product and your stock that should sell itself. What you are selling and your quality of customer service should be your company’s calling card, the rest can be built and improved on as your store grows.
I am (and have always been) somewhat of a risk taker when it comes to where I invest my money within my business. I find most of the brands or items that we have taken off with, were one’s that everyone else was hesitant over, but I just had a gut feeling about. As cautious as you need to be with your money, sometimes it comes down to simply going against the grain, and trying something new that will make you stand out amongst your competitors. In saying that, start out small. You can always order more once you have made your money back on the initial investment. Or, if for some reason it didn’t take off like you had hoped, it’s going to sting a lot less knowing you ordered less to start.
Aleasha, 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?
My name is Aleasha Reich and I am the owner of A Delicate Edge Fashion Boutique in Walkerton, ON. My parents are successful business owners, and although they are in a completely different industry, the idea of building a business from the ground up just came naturally to me, having been witness to their hard work my entire life. I had always been interested in opening a clothing store, so while I was in college and finishing up my courses in visual merchandising, my father encouraged me to start off with a business plan so that I could open up shop almost immediatley after graduation.
Along with always having had an interest in fashion, customer service has always been something that I felt fit my personality. I enjoy making those around me feel comfortable and at ease. No matter a customers budget, or whether they come in to simply take a browse, it is extremely important to me that all those who enter A Delicate Edge have a pleasant experience. Whether or not someone decide’s to make a purchase, it should not effect how they are treated.
At A Delicate Edge, we are known to offer a blend of brands and styles that suit an array of body shapes and sizes, at an affordable price point. We also work hard to ensure are styles are current while being different from the rest, so that our customers have a truly unique boutique shopping experience.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
I think every single independently owned business had to learn new ways to grow and change during the pandemic. Being in Ontario, we were faced with several shut downs and forced to either sink or swim in an industry that originally relied on people leaving their houses.
As many other store’s did, we offered our products at curbside pickup & dropoff and focused our energy on our online boutique. Very quickly, I learned that with little to no government assitance (After applying for almost everything that was offered to small business’ I was granted one, which I was later told I should not have been eligible for and now have to pay back) things had to adjust, so I started racking my brain.
After watching a few shows that a crystal shop I follow in in Regina, SA. (@divinevibrationsyqr) had on Instagram that helped them showcase their product, I decided to try my hand a live show on our Facebook page. I knew just showcasing the items may not be enough to entice people to purchase. So, after jotting down idea’s and seeing what would work, I became the first shop in the area to do our LIVE Facebook Sale. A unique experience at the time, in which we would showcase pieces from our collection that were on sale for one night only, and that customer’s had the oppurtunity to “claim” at a price that would only be valid during the show. These shows became so successful for us that we began doing them on a regular basis, and we ended up having to cancel very few orders for the season as we were able to sell to our customers in a different way than we normally would. We even had several other boutique in the area reach out to us and ask us for tips & tricks on how to do their own, which we were more than happy to offer. I’ve always believed that competion is healthy, and that there is room for us all.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
I think that at the time of Opening A Delicate Edge, customers were ready to see something different. Many independently owned stores offered the same brands that were sure to sell, and knew would do well. I was more interested in offering a collection of brands and items that were different and never seen by customers in the area. I also wanted to make sure that customers were able to invest in pieces that were luxurious and quality driven, while not breaking the bank. Another thing that came down the road for us was sourcing size inclusive brands that made ALL of our customers feel beautful, so that we could find something perfect for anyone who entered the shop.
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