We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Cherisse Stephens a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Cherisse, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?

Covered In Glam Boutique, LLC was launched in February of 2020. Before then, I would design specialty pieces for me and got so many compliments. So, I decided to launch the business and see if people would respond. Years prior to 2020, I would host home shows and invite family and friends to shop with me. It was always successful and so much fun.

After taking a sabbatical from the business, I decided that it was time to give it another shot. I wasn’t sure what the name of the business would be. I wanted it to be something that women and girls could relate to, no matter what their fashion style. I remember asking God to give me a unique name for the business and his reply was, you already have the name! I began to review book titles I had written and conference themes from conferences I had hosted in the past. Sure enough, I ran across a conference theme entitled; Covered In G.L.A.M. (God’s Love And Mercy). Once I saw that, I knew that was it. I already had t-shirts and logos from that conference. It felt right and I already had my first product, a t-shirt!

Deciding on the name was just the first step in launching the business, I had to then do all the legal work required to be an official business. I also knew that having an online presence would give me a wider target audience. So, with the help of our son and his media company, Castmate Media, LLC, we were able to launch the website and have a strong presence via social media.

I have always enjoyed designing accessories, writing empowerment books and being a personal shopper for clients. But making the decision to actually step it up a notch required more discipline, focus and dedication. I remember hosting the launch party in February of 2020. We had an online watch and shop party along with clients who came to shop in person. It was awesome and I was so very excited. But just one month later, the world experienced a pandemic. Everything and everyone stopped in their tracks to try to adapt to this new normal. I wasn’t sure if the business could thrive or just survive in this state. But I quickly realized that I had to pivot. I began to focus on building relationships with my online viewers by hosting theme shows. I would do special holiday theme shows for Christmas, July 4th, Easter, and so much more. The ladies and even men loved them and the brand. My audience began to grow and so did the sales for Covered In Glam Boutique.

Being a “small business” means that you will have to stretch yourself to make sure everything is done with excellence. I have played every role in the business to ensure that the clients we serve are satisfied. I understand that there are many sacrifices to be made when you are just starting out. Being flexible and adaptable is required in order to be successful.

Fast forward, we are now 3 years old and still growing. Our brand is expanding and our clients have remained and continue to grow as well. There will always be setbacks when it comes to running a business. But having a passion for what you do is key. It is so rewarding to design, empower and create for our clients. We believe in elevating the GLAM they already possess.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

As I have shared, I have always loved fashion. When I was younger, I would shop thrift stores and create accessories to elevate my style. People would often stop me and say, “excuse me, where did you get that hat or piece of jewelry from?’ I had no idea that I would have the opportunity to share my passion for fashion with so many people from all walks of life.

I believe that beauty starts from within and that we are fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God. What we accessorize with on the outside should be a reflection of how we feel about ourselves on the inside. I often say that I don’t sell products, I elevate your confidence with our products. When you rock our accessories, such as hats, purses, jewelry, apparel and other specialty items, it is my hope that you feel like the special and unique person you were created to be.

I am most proud when I receive compliments from our clients about the brand. I love hearing that they felt so beautiful and received so many compliments themselves. Everything we create, design or find is with the Covered In Glam customer in mind!

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Having a small business can be rewarding and challenging at the same time. There will be times when the business is booming, and your sales are going and growing. However, there will be times when the business isn’t thriving but barely surviving. I’ve been in both scenarios and have had to make decisions that were tough. In 2022, I made a decision to stop and take a break from the business. I want to encourage someone else who may have to make tough decisions concerning their business. It’s okay to pivot, take a break, realign and re-strategize.

Another important aspect of the business is self-care. We as entrepreneurs must make sure that we have renewed our minds in order to be creative, forward thinking and ready for what’s next in the industry we work in. Taking the break in 2022 allowed me to refocus and be prepared for the next season. I came back refreshed and ready to serve my clients. I love exceeding their expectations and taking their fashion style to a whole new dimension.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Reputation is EVERYTHING when it comes to business. In retail and fashion, you are only as good as your brand and the relationships you build with your clients. I want each client to feel special, because they are supporting our “small business”. For that reason, I go out of my way to make sure the products we create or find are quality. If there is an issue with products, (i.e. perhaps shipping damaged the product), we go out of our way to ensure that the client is happy when it’s all said and done.

In the pandemic, we received so many accolades for our customer service. No matter what the size of the order, we treated each client with respect and professionalism. Your customer service is what separates you from the pack. I know what it feels like to encounter bad customer service or to receive an item that doesn’t meet your expectations.

For Covered In Glam Boutique, we go beyond to ensure that our clients are satisfied.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.CoveredInGlam.Com
• Instagram: Covered In Glam Boutique
• Facebook: Covered In Glam Boutique