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

Kayla, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s start with what makes profitability in your industry a challenge – what would you say is the biggest challenge?

There are a lot of other boutiques in the area so I try my best to set myself apart. It’s challenging to find new vendors and keep up with the trends. I strive to find quality items at an affordable price.

Kayla, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Before beginning Marley and Me Boutique, I worked in higher education. Marley was about 6 months old when I was unexpectedly laid off from my full time job. I knew I wanted to stay home with her to watch her grow so I began the boutique shortly after. I am beyond blessed to be able to do what I love while staying home with my sweet girl! I began solely online but participated in several pop ups throughout the year. I decided to branch out into a booth at Painted Tree in November 2024. My hope and dream is to one day have my own brick and mortar location! I can’t thank my customers enough for all their love and support!

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I began my career in higher education. I did various things for community colleges and universities for over 6 years. After an unexpected lay off I truly didn’t know what I would do. I toggled between going back into higher education or trying to stay home with my daughter. Thankfully my husband and family encouraged me to follow my dreams to start the boutique or I wouldn’t be where I am today.

If you have multiple revenue streams in your business, would you mind opening up about what those streams are and how they fit together?

I recently partnered with an all natural health and wellness brand, Make Wellness. They specialize in bioactive precision peptides. I wanted to get my personal health journey under control so that’s what lead me to this opportunity. Once I found this company it was like a God send. I am able to help others reach their health goals while providing extra income to fund the boutique! My goal is to use this supplemental income to fund my dream of opening a brick and mortar!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.marleyandmeboutique.com
• Instagram: @marleyandme_boutique
• Facebook: Marley & Me Boutique