We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful April Hicks. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with April below.
Hi April , thanks for joining us today. Can you tell us about a time where you or your team really helped a customer get an amazing result?
I had a customer come into my boutique one day. This was her first time in, she wasn’t looking for anything specific. We got to talking, she was really having a bad day, and started to share with me what was going on. She has a son who has learning disabilities, his teacher was expressing to her how bad he was doing, which is a direct result of his disability. I began to share my similar experience with her with my son who also has a learning disability and how difficult it was for me in his younger years, specifically school years. I told her none of what was going on was going to matter eventually. My son who is now an adult who watched me struggle with his disability is now and adult who works with disabled children, and is probably one of the smartest people I know. I told her her concern and stress is also hard on her son and that she needs to realize God made all of use unique and that there was a purpose for her sons disability.
I don’t really remember if she purchased anything that day but her husband came in a day or so later to thank me for my conversation with his wife, he let me know how much it meant to her, and he wanted to purchase everything that is wife had shown interest in.
These conversations or personal experiences don’t happen when you buy online line. Life long relationships can’t form, and saying just the right thing that can actually change some ones life with a kind word or smile when you might be having a bad day.
Many people love the convenience of online shopping but it has taken away from the communities and small owned businesses, which help keep our communities thriving.
April , 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 decided to take cosmetology after one semester of general ed courses at my local city college. I had planned to transfer to a 4 year University after completing my general ed to study psychology and become a therapist.. At that time it was hard to get any of the classes you needed to be able to transfer without a high priority number. I stood in the quad one day looking through the course catalog trying to figure out what class I could take that could get me a high priority number. Cosmetology was a year long, carried 10 units per quarter, so that’s what I decided to take. My plan was to finish it cosmetology, start working doing hair while continuing to attend school , which would also help me pay for college.
I started working doing hair, my business started to become very successful. I continued to take classes, but eventually stopped because I was making enough money. and the demand for my services began to grow. I also got married and started having kids. I realized my original idea was probably not going to happen. It was hard to take care of my family, own a business, and be in school too. My business began to grow to the point where I had enough clients to open my own hair salon.
My business continues to grow. Off and on I would take courses, but mostly in the field I was now in. I went back to finish my associates degree and teaching credentials to teach Cosmetology in the same school I attended. I taught for about 10 years.
I had continued to work in the cosmetology field but began to see a need for another business that I could see being profitable and needed. The space next to where my hair salon is located opened up, so I decided to open a women’s clothing, accessories, and gift boutique. When my kids were in school, I began to notice how their classmates mom’s started looking. Many of them look like they were so focused on the husbands and children that they started to forget about taking care of themselves. I curated clothing that was stylish and comfortable. Many women after child birth keep a few of the extra pounds they put on during their pregnancies so they don’t feel as comfortable in the clothing they use to wear. My hope was that if they could wear something that they could fit, look good in it, they would ultimately feel good. One of the things I have observed in the years of owning a hair salon, is a woman can come in feeling down or depressed but after their hair has been done they leave feeling completely different. I see it as a form of self care and necessary for our well being..
As far as my brand, I try to support local artist and women entrepreneurs who make jewelry and crafts. My brand also supports sustainable brands, echo friendly, and brands that support ethical manufacturing.
My brand is also starting a new service that will help women who do struggle with what to wear for their body type, style type, and life style select clothing that is just right for them.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
I realize through a program that I just started taking through Goldman Sachs that my personality type is a driver. I see that I that although things have not been easy I have that personality that doesn’t give up easily, or I am willing to try things that someone else who has a differently personality type might talked themselves out of it because of fear.
Most of the opportunities that have been a career decisions have not been planned. When I plan things, something else happens. I had no plan to be a cosmetologist, I had no plan to teach, nor did I have a plan to open a boutique. These Ideas were opportunities that I took advantage of at the time. I believe there’s my plan and there’s Gods plan.
I respond to the opportunity with thought, but mostly with excitement. I see it as a challenge and hope it works out. When the economy fell in 2008, The opportunity for me to teach came. I did loose a few clients but the income from teaching came just in time. When the pandemic in 2020 happened, my clothing business who had an small online presence began to shift to more than before, because we were able to shift to curb side pick up.
Business ownership is extremally hard and unpredictable but I hope to be able to shift and stay resilient as needed.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
I have shared a little of this in some of my previous responses. One of the times I had to pivot part of my time and business. When the economy fell in 2008 my hair salon business started to decline some. I went from doing 17 clients a day to on average 12 clients a day, which may sound like a lot still, but it was enough to make a difference financially. I had prepared earlier for a potential career in teaching cosmetology. I had no idea if I would ever use my teaching credentials but when this change in the economy happened it gave me more time to shift into teaching while still running my salon and doing hair. I did both for awhile until I decided to open a clothing boutique, and that’s when I gave up teaching to focus more on the boutique.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.aprilblooms.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shopaprilblooms/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shopaprilblooms
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/april-hicks-b0b01138/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/4aprilblooms
- Yelp: https://biz.yelp.com/biz_info/WL9v7AsfAelvkJ0yR7To2g