We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jessica McClure. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jessica below.

Hi Jessica, thanks for joining us today. Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?

I have always loved looking at magazines, new collections, outfit ideas-all things fashion. After high school, I decided to pursue that love with a fashion merchandising degree at Brenau University. While having a full course load, I also worked full time at Wendy’s. Wendy’s was just a car payment at that point until my college professor urged me to find a job fashion related. I applied at tons of places and never got the call, until what felt like an eternity later – Plato’s Closet wanted to set up an interview. I remember (ironically) being at the mall with my friends and getting a call saying they would like to hire me. I was so excited and couldn’t wait to begin my new retail job! Little did I know at the time how much Plato’s would teach me in the fashion industry beyond what a college education ever could. I began as a Sales Associate and worked my way up to Store Manager within a couple years. During my 8 years at Plato’s I learned how to manage a team, enhance my customer service skills, understand the impact of social media, and so much more. After seeing the success of managing someone else’s dream, I began to desire the success of a business of my own. I eventually took the leap, and left Plato’s to begin my journey in October 2021. The past year and a half has been challenging. I have learned to have patience with myself and the business, to never give up on my dreams, and to always be acceptive to learn something new. In the years to come, I hope to see the continued growth of Capriluna and most importantly of myself.

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?

My name is Jessica McClure and I have a Bachelors Degree in Fashion Merchandising from Brenau University. Capriluna has always been a dream of mine. One of my main focuses for the business is to provide customers with affordable trending fashion. I have enjoyed watching it form from an idea being brainstormed in my friends kitchen, to an office in the basement, and at its most current phase – a physical location at Painted Tree in Buford, GA. I can’t wait to see how Capriluna continues to grow.

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

Capriluna began as ecommerce only and has now grown to have a physical location at Painted Tree in Buford, GA. In the beginning, I thought online only was the best choice for multiple reasons. The most obvious one, I’m able to keep my expenses low. Without a physical location, staffing, and various property expenses – I assumed this was the best route for my small business. During my short time of being a business owner, I have quickly learned a physical presence is very important for a small business. I began to attend local markets and pop ups hosted for small businesses in the area. I’ve gained a lot of friendships and done a lot of networking with other small business owners in the area. This support system helped Capriluna grow to have a permanent location for customers to shop in person. At Painted Tree, Capriluna has been accepted by the community and has been able to grow in new ways that ecommerce only could never allow.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

Pop-ups, markets, and events! Giving my small business a physical presence has helped it grow tremendously. I love meeting new customers and being able to give a face to Capriluna. I enjoy that customers are able to shop, touch, and see the inventory in person.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://capriluna.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shopcapriluna/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shopcapriluna

Image Credits
Nancy Cuevas Caitlin Shoemaker