We recently connected with Eleni Angelis and have shared our conversation below.

Eleni, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to start by getting your thoughts on what you are seeing as some the biggest trends emerging in your industry

Working in the home decoration industry, with a large focus on seasonal items, we are constantly seeing pieces being “re-invented” and trends shifting. But in the last 14 months, especially for the Christmas collections, I have seen a pretty big shift from the classic “traditional” pieces you would normally see (reds and greens) to a completely different aesthetic. The trend I have seen most moving forward has been “Pinkmas” and “Candyland” with lots of pastels and lots of large statement pieces being put into the trees to really add a WOW factor. This trend is all about creating a playful and fun atmosphere and I am here for it.

In the past years people were looking for more earthy, natural and rustic materials in their home decor which gave the space a warm feel. I have seen now a lot more play on pastel colors and fun pieces being added to a once natural decoration setting in the home. I think it is wonderful to see the client having a playful look with home decor.

Overall, I am excited to see how these trends will continue to evolve and I cannot wait to see all the new and innovative ways that our industry will adapt to them year over year!

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?

I’ve always had a passion for creating and innovating. From a young age, I was always interested in new and exciting products, and I was always looking for ways to improve upon what was being offered out there. I think that this passion for creating and innovating is what led me to start my own business, Dunn Deals.

When I first started out, I knew that I wanted to create a brand that was different from anything else out there. I wanted to create a brand that would stand out, and that would offer customers something truly unique. To do this, I first started the brand as a “Personal Shopping” service. The main goal was to pivot the brand to a full service home decor & seasonal company. I knew that I would have to put in a lot of time and effort to make this happen, There truly was no days off during the first year and a half of building the brand. I believe that all the time spent on the back end led me to be able to create the meticulous experience we now offer customers with Dunn Deals in every aspect of the brand.

At Dunn Deals, I wanted the brand to pride itself on offering our customers the highest level of customer service possible. I believe that our customers deserve the absolute very best, After-all they are the one’s that are on this journey with us & allowing us to bring them the highest quality products in to their homes and we work hard to ensure that they receive the absolute best. We also pride ourselves on the quality of our products. We source our items that we carry in our extensive catalog only from the best vendors, and we take great care to ensure that our products are packaged and presented on arrival the best possible way.

When I was creating the brand, I wanted to bring a motto to it that would make me happy if I was on the receiving end of waiting on an item to arrive, and that’s what led us to our “Let’s unbox your happy” philosophy. This philosophy is all about providing our customers with a truly enjoyable and satisfying shopping experience. From the moment they press checkout to the moment they receive their package, we want them to feel happy and satisfied with their purchase. We believe that this is what sets us apart from other brands, and we are proud to offer this level of service to our customers.

Overall, I am incredibly proud of the brand that I have created with Dunn Deals, and I am excited to continue to grow and evolve in the future. I am always looking for new ways to improve and innovate, and will continue to strive to be the best in every aspect of the business.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Pivoting a business is never an easy decision, but sometimes it’s necessary in order to meet the needs of your customers. For me, the pivot came when I realized that the personal shopping service just wasn’t providing the amount of volume of products that our customers needed. I knew I had to change the approach and expand my offerings in order to truly meet the needs of the Dunn Deals clientele.

So, I made the bold decision to pivot the brand and turn it into a full-fledged home decor and seasonal business, complete with a website and shopping app. It was a daunting task, and there were definitely moments of uncertainty when you are building out a full website & a shopping app that will be launching the same time, but ultimately we knew that without risk there is no reward.

I am extremely happy to say that the pivot has been one of the most rewarding things I have ever done. I have been able to provide customers with a much wider variety of products which in turn has led to expanding in to our own micro-fulfillment center with a small staff picking and packing items daily and it’s truly been amazing to see the items in their homes for seasons to come. It’s the best feeling to know that our catalog is being enjoyed by so many people and we’re grateful for all the connections we’ve made with each and every customer along the way.

It’s not always easy to pivot a business, but it can be one of the most rewarding things you’ll ever do. I am truly so grateful that I took that leap of faith and excited to continue growing and evolving the brand to meet the ever-changing needs of our customers.

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

E-commerce is incredibly important in today’s digital age, as it allows businesses to reach a wider audience and operate 24/7. For my business, I chose to go the website route for a number of reasons. Firstly, having my own website allows us to fully control and customize the branding and messaging of our company. This is essential for building a strong and recognizable brand that resonates with our customers. Additionally, we are able to update our website with the seasons and offer VIP discounts / Free shipping days / Birthday discounts, which helps us to connect with our customers on a deeper level.

One of the most significant benefits of having our own website and shopping app is the ability to connect with our customer base. By offering VIP days and other exclusive promotions, we are able to build our community among our customers.

Furthermore, having our own website and shopping app allows us to to create a more personalized and engaging shopping experience for our customers.

Overall, I believe that having your own website and even shopping app is essential for any business looking to thrive in today’s digital landscape. It allows us to fully control our branding, connect with our customers at anytime.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.elenishops.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/dunndeals_
• Facebook: www.dunndealsvip.com
• Other: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064108147549