Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Lindsey Zilliox. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Lindsey , appreciate you joining us today. What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?
I think success looks different for everyone. For some, it’s about reaching the highest position and making the most money…that’s not me! Success for me, is doing something I love and making enough money to be comfortable. Although I do love clothes (obviously), I’m pretty simplistic…I just want to make enough to keep my business going and to pay for all my gardening needs.
That’s not to say I don’t work hard, because I definitely do. I just structure my workload so that I’ve a lot of free time to get outside into my garden and to play soccer.
Lindsey , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I’ve been into vintage clothing for almost as long as I can remember. Starting in middle school, I’d rummage through my dad and mom’s closets and grab whatever I thought was cool…my dad’s tees and Levi’s were favorites! My foray into selling was quite a few years ago on Etsy and it’s just kind of blossomed since. In 2018/19 I quit my job as a merchandiser to sell vintage full time.
I started off selling on Etsy and doing some markets. Eventually, I built a website and became part of several collectives, Mojave Flea Yucca Valley and Market Market in Palm Springs. And I continue to try and broaden my reach.
Along with selling vintage clothing, accessories, and home goods, I also offer styling consults, personal shopping and photoshoot styling.
I am most proud of the environment I’ve created when it comes to photoshoots, shopping appointments, and styling sessions. It’s always been most important to me to create a safe space for everyone and make them feel a sense of belonging. Vintage, as with most communities, can be intimidating and appear unwelcoming for some. I mean, I don’t always feel like I fit in or belong…
Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?
Other than really great customer service, working within my community with other creatives! When you nourish relationships with other small businesses and artists, it kind of works like the domino effect.
My main collaborator, Yulissa Mendoza, who is a photographer, reached out on IG about wanting to work with local stylists. I responded and we’ve been pretty inseparable since. Not only have I gained clients through my work with Yulissa, but I’ve grown as a human and a creative and have learned so much. I think they would say the same!
Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?
As with many small businesses, it started out as a side project. I just couldn’t let all the beautiful vintage I would find go to the landfill! So, I started collecting using any extra income I had from my traditional full time job.
As far as doing the build outs for each of my spaces in the collectives; I’ve been lucky enough to have great friends who build and enough revenue from markets and online sales to cover any of the expenses.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.louellabasilvintage.com
- Instagram: louellabasil
Image Credits
Photos 1,2,5,6 model Yulissa Mendoza Photos 3-4 photos Yulissa Mendoza model Jaylen Cooper