We were lucky to catch up with Alexia Wilborn recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alexia, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Are you happier as a business owner? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job?

I am happiest as a business owner. I’ve had regular jobs and often used to romanticize them when I was single, but my goal was always to have the ability to stay home once I started having children. I usually work alone, which is my least favorite thing. My husband helps me after work, but we currently have one-year-old and are expecting twins later this summer, so I have been praying for a shop assistant or two. I expanded the shop’s inventory last fall and want to continue growing. I hope that God will provide at least one suitable assistant before the babies are born. I’d love for my work life to be less of a one-woman show and more of a team effort. Rather than people with a regular job, I often envy those who have family members or friends who are willing to help them run their small businesses.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m a wife and stay-at-home mama of one with two more on the way. I started an online thrift shop when I was 14 years old. My goal was to help minimize global textile waste and provide affordable clothing options to women nationwide. I sell name-brand clothing in sizes XXS-3XL and recently added various styles of women’s cowboy boots. I encourage my customers to create bundles where they can submit a reasonable offer and “name their price”. Occasionally, I host flash sales, where items can be bought for as little as $1. I include free gifts whenever possible, and each package is outwardly adorned with a verse of the day from the Bible. When people buy from my shop they’re not only reducing unnecessary landfill waste, they’re spreading the gospel! I’m most proud of how interactive I am with my customers. Even though this business is currently based solely online, I’ve had the opportunity to get to know some of my regulars. I hear fun stories about their nieces going to their first school dance or how they’re in the process of losing weight and appreciate the affordable wardrobe options. This is a Christian faith-based business, so there’s a lot of emphasis on community. 10% of Alexia’s Threads profits are donated to various local causes, such as helping people out of homelessness, raising money for funeral costs, helping families with children experiencing hunger, and so much more. My customers’ business truly helps others in so many ways!

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

My best source for reaching new customers has been how I treat my current customers. Word of mouth will forever be the most honest way of attracting new customers. I believe it shows a business’s true value. Even if a customer buys one item for $2, I treat them the same as a customer who just made a $100 bundle. The items are packaged with great care and shipped as soon as possible. Their repeat business is noticed and appreciated. All of my customers are valued equally. I love to see sisters, mothers, daughters, and best friends fall in love with my shop. In the past year or so, I have been more open with new acquaintances about what I do, but they rarely ask for a link. One day I plan to go IRL (in real life) so I can interact with customers face to face. It will be such a different owner experience than the one I’ve had for the past 10 years.

How’d you think through whether to sell directly on your own site or through a platform like Amazon, Etsy, Cratejoy, etc.

I have been selling exclusively on the Mercari app since 2015. There are many pros to using this platform. You don’t need a super professional set-up to get started, the focus is already on pre-loved items, they offer affordable shipping options nationwide, customers can follow your shop, it’s easy for people of all ages to use and they have all the shop stats and performance information you need as a professional seller. I have free access to my shop’s revenue and profit reports. I can see the average price my items are selling for. I can track how often my items are being viewed and make strategic plans based on that. The only con, in my opinion, is their fees for sellers and buyers. They change fairly often and I think they’re pretty high, though I haven’t done extensive comparison research since I have so many reasons to continue using the app. I’ve tried Facebook Marketplace, Poshmark, Depop, and various live sales platforms but Mercari won overall for me. You can find me on Mercari by searching “Alexia’s Threads” or visiting https://www.mercari.com/u/alexiasthreads/.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mercari.com/u/alexiasthreads/
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/alexiawilborn
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@alexiawilborn