We recently connected with Erica Blowe and have shared our conversation below.

Erica, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Looking back, do you think you started your business at the right time? Do you wish you had started sooner or later

I wish I would have taken my business more seriously when I started because the hardest part about business is starting. I started my business in 2013 and at the time I has just had my 2nd child and I couldn’t stay consistent not to mention I had a new job so balancing family, work and business was new to me. If I had started later it may have been a much less stressful journey as at the time there were not many entrepreneurs when I started that I knew only my husband. The knowledge I know now and the resources I had when I started would have made my business journey a lot different. I would have had at least 3 brick and mortar stores by now and would have been using business credit sooner. But they say you live and learn and that’s definitely the same concept not only in life but business as well.

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

My name is Erica Blowe I’m from and reside in Montgomery Al. I’ve been married going on 15 years next year and we have 2 amazing daughters one in college at THE University of Alabama and our youngest is a rising scholar in junior high. I am the owner and operator of Staying Classy Boutique LLC and D & E Services LLC.

I am am ex banker and ex education worker but with these two jobs came with having great fashion and confidence! We created D & E Services while I worked at the bank as it was a lawn service and just recently we upgraded our services and now we are a general contractor company.
We work on everything from the roof to the grass and yes I cut grass and I assist on the roof. I created Staying Classy Boutique while I worked in education and everyone loved all of my shoes I wore and the fact that I was a shoe fanatic and my husband being a full time entrepreneur already sparked my interest in opening a boutique but not a clothing boutique solely a shoe boutique although I always planned on venturing out to clothes but only when I get a brick and mortar.

Last year I stepped out on faith and quit my job with guidance from God and I became a full time entrepreneur. Many think running an online store isn’t much work but that would be incorrect. I decided to stay online until I reach realistic goals consistently. For those who are or want to become an entrepreneur or a full time entrepreneur always remember to pace yourself and go off your own beat and in this day in age don’t look at social media for approval of your next decisions and it’s never a perfect time to start you just have to do it.

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

Resilience is a word I’m familiar with. Right after I started my business I was diagnosed with Lupus and Fibromyglia. These diseases hinder me in many ways as I was in my twenties and could barely walk in heels like I use to love to do. They slowed me down as I was highly fatigue and in pain constantly which was a factor in me shutting down. I started my business back up during the pandemic in 2020 and have been consistent up until I was diagnosed with cervical cancer and this is my most recent battle and I was down for 4 months and as of today have been cleared to go back to normal so I will be even more resilent coming back to run my business.

We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.

My side hustle took over my career so much I was working my business at work everyday and barely could get my work done at work. In July 2021 I quit my job due to my business flourishing and my health issues. Everyday I made it my business to post my products to make sure it works reach many audience and that’s also when I found out who was my audience. Posting everyday,leaving my business cards in different businesses, passing my cards out to everyone I came in contact with and networking with our Chamber of Commerce events even landed me a free commercial on TV for 3 months. The milestones I’ve achieve in my 1st year of full time entrepreneurship lets me know I can rise higher especially since I’ve been dealing with health issues and still pushed through.

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.stayingclassyshoetique.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stayingclassyboutique/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/stayingclassyboutique/
• Other: D&E Services LLC www.dandeservicesllc.com

Image Credits
Ashley VictoriaLens