We recently connected with Allison Costa and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Allison, thanks for joining us today. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your business sooner or later

I started my business in October of 2022 as I found myself at home with my first baby about a year after leaving my previous job. After Covid hit, I was furloughed and then I took my baby bonding time before I “went” back to work remotely. I attempted to work from home while taking care of my baby initially and because of Covid, I didn’t feel comfortable having him in a daycare. Eventually it was too much with working and taking care of a baby so I decided the best option was to be a stay at home mom. I finally took the leap of faith to start my business when my son was 1.5 and then almost immediately after I started, I found out I was pregnant with baby number two. I wish I had started sooner so that I would have been able to dedicate more time and energy to the business. I was navigating motherhood and learning to be a small business owner at the same time which was hard. It has taken me a lot longer to accomplish things than I have anticipated.

Allison, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m Allison Costa, owner of Siesta Baby Company, a baby boutique that offers a curated assortment of high-quality baby clothing, accessories and gifts. I am a mom of 2 boys and a wife to a super supportive husband who allows me to follow this dream of mine. At a young age I was always interested in fashion. I have worked in various areas of retail and have experience in sales, management and buying. I never quite knew what area I was truly passionate about until I had my first son. My experiences as a mother and my love for all things baby has led me to creating Siesta Baby Company.

Being in the retail space has its challenges as there is a lot of competition so it’s very important to me to find smaller brands with unique product offerings. I truly enjoy putting together a collection of products so that customers can find an array of basics as well as trendy items. I spend a lot of my time deciding on the perfect assortment, creating my own marketing and social media posts as well as all the behind the scenes stuff that a small business owner has to do. It’s very challenging doing it all while taking care of my 2 little ones but it’s so rewarding I wouldn’t have it any other way.

The name Siesta Baby Company is special to me for two reasons. Growing up in Sarasota, Siesta Key holds a special place in my heart. The word “Siesta” reminds me of home. The second reason is that Siesta is a Spanish word and my husband’s family is from Panama. In Spanish, Siesta means nap. Anyone who has cared for a baby knows how important naps are.

Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?

My husband and I primarily funded the business and my parents also gave a contribution. My plan was to start off with a small amount and then just put all of the revenue back into the business. I have more than double the inventory now than when I started.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

The best source of new clients has been the pop up markets I attend. I love being able to interact with my customers in person and I can give them the back story about me and the brands I sell. There is just something to be said about talking to people and making genuine connections which has really helped me grow over the past year.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.siestababy.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/siestababyco/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/siestababyco/

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