We were lucky to catch up with Jessica Lumpkin recently and have shared our conversation below.

Jessica , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. The more we talk about good leadership the more we think good leadership practices will spread and so we’d love for you to tell us a story about the best boss you’ve had and what they were like or what they did that was so great?

The best boss I ever had was when I was a personal assistant. His name was Walter, and he was a regular at the Starbucks where I worked. I mentioned to him that I was graduating soon and looking for work, and he hired me on the spot. Over the course of several years, I went from being his personal assistant to executive assistant to Chief Financial Officer of his estate. Walter was an amazing boss because he 100% believed in my capabilities even when I did not. He expected a lot of me, and I did my best to figure things out even when I had no idea what I was doing. When I would come to Walter with a problem he would always say, “Don’t worry, I know you’ll figure it out”. The caused me to be very solution based in my decision making which is a huge asset. Rather than focusing on the problem and stressing out I focused on finding a solution. It was this strategy that helped me navigate the ups and downs of life and running my own business.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I’m the owner of Refined Leisure, an online reselling company. Resale has always been a large part of my life, as I’ve always loved shopping at thrift stores. As a pre-teen I’d beg my parents to drive me downtown to all the cool thrift stores in Montrose. As an adult, when I realized I could flip thrifted items online, I discovered my passion. My business has evolved since it began in 2017, as I learned all the different aspects of reselling. While I still love to shop for treasures at the thrift stores, my business is now more focused on consigning items for clients. Now that I’m well versed in what brands and items will sell, I help others clean out their closets, and make some money while they’re at it! Essentially, a client gives me items they no longer wear or want, and I sell their items for them and split the profit. It’s a great way for me to get inventory with no capital, and it’s incredibly satisfying helping clients make money while freshening up their wardrobe. What sets me apart from other consignment resellers is my attention to the client. Consignment is about much more than selling people’s clothes. There’s a psychological aspect to letting go of things, and I strive to make clients feels as comfortable as possible during the process.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

The most effective strategy growing my clientele has been utilizing social media and referral marketing. Refined Leisure has a large social media following on Instagram. Since Instagram is a visual media, it’s a great place to showcase items I’m selling and to get people excited about new inventory. As a small business owner, referral marketing is my bread and butter in terms of getting new clients. People love referrals because they’re looking for someone they can trust in a sea of options. It’s hard to just blindly pick someone. I tell everyone I meet that I consign clothes because you never know who could be a potential client. Once you have a collection of solid referrals, you can really skyrocket your clientele growth.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

Building an audience on social media is one of the most important things you can do to grow your business. Learning a new social media platform can seem daunting, but a little patience and effort will go a long way. My advice is to pick one and become a pro at utilizing it. Instagram is my favorite because you have a lot of different ways to access your audience through photos or videos. I grew my presence by posting often and doing Insta stories everyday. Insta stories are a great way to let people get to know you. People will find things they have in common with you and start a conversation which could then turn into them being a client. The best way to grow an audience is to be yourself, be kind, and interact regularly with your followers.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://msha.ke/refinedleisureco/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/refinedleisureco

Image Credits
Chris Lumpkin