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

Monell, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?

One of the best things my mom did for me was teach me independence. I remember turning 15 and my mom made me get a job. I finally landed my first job at a clothing store in the mall which was about 15-20 mins drive from our home. I was so excited. Then my mom looked at me and said, “How are you going to get to work?” My expectation was that my mom would take me. She made me figure out how to catch the bus (Totally a new experience). After a few weeks of working, I received my first check. I showed my mom the check, she congratulated me and said, “Your rent is $100.” I thought to myself, what kind of cruel and unusual punishment is this? but I paid it with every check I got.

While I didn’t fully understand it then she was teaching me responsibility. Not everything will be handed it to you. When you know what you want you have to figure out how to make it happen for yourself. Catching the bus in Detroit at night was not something i was too excited about, I’d heard so many horror stories I was afraid. However, once I learned my route and did it a few times that fear left and i was taking the bus all over the city.

Starting a business is a huge responsibility to undertake and can be terrifying. It’s because of lessons like this from my mom that I’ve learned the importance of believing in yourself, your dream and vision for your business is the real key to your success. If you don’t believe in it why would anyone else? I’ve started my business several times. However, it wasn’t until I started taking it seriously, putting myself in uncomfortable situations, (i.e. being a part of a vendor fair and partnering with stylist for photoshoots) to break out of my comfort zone that others started to support my work.

Whenever i feel stuck or afraid to make the next move for my business i reflect on this story with my mom and i figure out how to make it happen and to go for it even if I’m afraid.

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.

My name is Monell LeRon Petties, most people call me Mo, Thus the business name The Mo LeRon Collective. I’m from a small town in southern Illinois called Mount Vernon. I have 1 older sister and 2 older brothers making me the baby of the family.

Growing up in Mount Vernon I was always creating. I would write poems and songs in my free time, painting things, building homes and towns out of building blocks and toys my grandmother would find at thrift stores. I remember one Mother’s Day taking the green raffia grass from my Easter basket, purple and blue markers, and a pencil to create a floral garland to cascade down my grandmother’s bannister. You could always find me sitting in the kitchen watching HGTV. I was captivated by the idea of seeing something that was dated or unwanted and seeing it transformed into something desirable.

Around the 8th grade I moved to Detroit, Detroit is where I started learning about business. I would make flyers on our windows 95 computer, when Myspace became popular, I started charging people to make their Myspace pages. Around the age of 15 I was given the opportunity to work in our church’s tape ministry, It was a team of 3 of us. I completely revamped the packaging, created promotional media, helped establish business practices etc. I learned so much all while having fun.

Also, while living in Detroit i fell in love with fashion. The city had so much to offer when it came to style. From streetwear to your most beloved luxury brands Detroit had it all. I loved going to the luxury brand stores with my best friend and trying things on and conversing with the sales reps. We clearly didn’t have the money to afford any of the items, but we had great imaginations and being exposed to such items gave us something to aspire to. I delved further into fashion by working for several clothing stores and doing some styling.

As I matriculate through life, I always find myself falling in love with fashion and its ability to transform the way a person looks, feels, and carries themselves.

The Mo LeRon Collective is a bead jewelry company that started out as a hobby and an inexpensive way for me to give gifts to friends and family. When I saw how much they enjoyed them I wanted to share my talent with others.

When someone wears a piece from The Mo LeRon Collective, I want them to experience the same level exclusivity and luxury as their favorite retailer. It is rare for me to duplicate a piece. I want our clients to have the same emotionally transformative moment as I saw when I watched HGTV or working in the mall. When someone buys a piece from me, I imagine them making the purchase to commemorate a moment in their life. Whether it’s a birthday, anniversary or a self-love purchase There is a MOmento for every MOment.

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

The best strategy for me to grow my business has been one that I’m still working to become more comfortable with and that is making myself a public figure. I’m a fairly private person and truly wanted to only post my product in hopes they would sell themselves. However, when I began to step out of my comfort zone and do photoshoots and meet people in-person, I noticed a rapid rise in sells.

Clients want to hear your voice, see your face, know your story and build a relationship with you. That is part of the luxury experience, making a client feel as if they are family and showing them that you care.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I’m a fairly new business however, taking the leap to do my first vendor fair was what really drove traffic to my website and boosted sells and good customer service is what makes them return.

I’d never done anything like it before, I made about 200 bracelets for the event, invested in displays, hired an assistant etc. The cost was steep nevertheless I had the opportunity to hear in-person feedback on the product, passed out business cards, had genuine conversations with people and got their information to do custom orders.

As technological as society has become you can’t beat old fashion hospitality, even if it is through social media. Discovering a way to make the virtual experience more tailored to an individual or small niche will help solidify your reputation.

At Disney we would make magical moments, were we would go above and beyond to create an unforgettable experience for our guests. Depending on your business follow up call/email, a personal note in the order, special packaging, in-person delivery and there are so many other ways you can show appreciation to your clients and provide exceptional customer service.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.themoleroncollective.com
• Instagram: @the_moleroncollective
• Facebook: THE MO LERON COLLECTIVE

Image Credits
Roy Williams – The Becoming Project Images Leo Harris – OEP Video & Photography