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

Kelly , appreciate you joining us today. So, one thing many business owners consider is donating a percentage of sales or profits to an organization or cause. We’d love to hear your thoughts and the story behind how and why you chose the cause or organization you donate to.

At Snazzé, our mission is to clothe women in radiance while engaging in the movement to end human trafficking.

Did you know that over 40 million slaves exist in the world today? Most of them can be found in the clothing and textile industries.

Finding clothes that are good for you and the world is incredibly challenging, so we’re passionate about carrying brands that embody our values.

We give 10% of our gross profit to Unbound Now Austin, a local non-profit that launched earlier this year that aims to educate, advocate, and rehabilitate victims of human trafficking.

So, when you shop with Snazzé, you shop with purpose.

Kelly , 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?

My husband and I met at Baylor University in 2010. We attended the same church where Unbound was launched in 2012,

Actually, one of our first photos together is with a group of friends on the Waco Dam after Unbound’s first ever “We Run BeCAUSE.” I‘ve always looked up to the founders of Unbound and have admired their passion to see and end to human trafficking in our world.

As a survivor of assault, I’ve always been passionate about seeing an end to human trafficking in our city, State, and world. I’m appalled that Texas ranks #2 in victims trafficked in our nation.

So, when Unbound Now Austin, launched in Austin in 2022, I knew my husband and I had to find a way to engage in the movement to end human trafficking.

I never dreamed of starting my own business, but my husband, was going through his MBA program at the time. One night, we were talking about how ways to partner with Unbound Now. Jon threw the idea out there initially, and it simply felt right. And, that’s how the idea for Snazzé was born. Jon’s business accumen and my passion for the mission and movement gave us the spark we need to say “yes” to Snazzé.

So, why women’s clothing/retail?

I worked at James Avery as a retail associate while in college and loved helping women select stunning pieces that complement their style. And, I got into Rodan+Fields in 2018 because I love helping women feel beautiful in their skin. These passions, coupled with my love for boutique brands and clothing made building a business in women’s clothing a retail a natural fit for me.

COVID changed the way so many industries operate, and we noticed just how important the experience economy became for so many since. Having an experience with our brand is very important to us. So, when we launched Snazzé, we launched a personal shopping experience for our clients. Guests can book a time to visit our boutique. We provide wine or champagne and hors d’oeuvres while you shop. This experience allows our clients to try on new styles in a fun, yet private setting. We have hosted several Sip and Shops thus far and believe this will be a Snazzé staple for many years to come.

We want women to know how incredibly challenging it is to source clothing that is sustainable, fair trade, and ethically sourced. Many clothing suppliers aren’t aware of the contents of their supply chains, so it makes it nearly impossible for retailers and customers to know with certainty that they are buying ethical clothing. But, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try. This is why we are working to build partnerships with organizations and suppliers that embody our values. We are learning how to identify ethical brands, and were excited expand our network of organizations that are engaged in the movement to end human trafficking.

Have you ever had to pivot?

In 2013, I was driving north on Interstate 35, returning to Baylor from Austin in a torrential downpour when I got rear ended by a semi-truck in a construction zone.

My Honda Accord was unrecognizable. I’m lucky to be alive. I withdrew from Baylor for a semester to recover from the head trauma I suffered as a result of my accident.

The accident was a pivotal moment in my life. I became keenly aware of the fragility of life during that season, and my near death experience reminds me every day that every person and every moment matters.

Life is too short to live enslaved. We were made to be free, and my mission is to see women set free from the chains of beauty, perfection, and body image.

Do you sell on your site, or do you use a platform like Amazon, Etsy, Cratejoy, etc?

Snazzè is an omnichannel women’s clothing and accessory boutique. We are primarily an eCommerce store, built on Shopify, but we also have an in-person shopping experience and limited on-hand inventory.

We decided to build our brand with Shopify because of its broad array of apps and integrations and its user-friendly platform. Shopify accelerates the launch of our brand by giving us the tools to start from zero very quickly.

The best thing about being an eCommerce business is the ability to grow and scale quickly. We are able to reach customers all around the world without ever leaving Austin, Texas.

The biggest con about being a predominantly eCommerce women’s clothing and accessory boutique is that customers still rely on the ability to touch, feel, and interact with the brand to feel comfortable with making a purchase. Our greatest success has come from public events and trade shows where we’re able to interact with out customers and share our brand’s mission and values.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://snazze.co/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/snazzeatx/
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/SnazzeATX
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/snazze/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/SnazzeATX
• Yelp: https://yelp.to/S83M55L35ub

Image Credits
Jonathan Billiot