We were lucky to catch up with Monique Roberson recently and have shared our conversation below.

Monique, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. If you’re open to it, can you talk to us about the best (or worst) investment you’ve made. What’s the backstory and the relevant context behind why you made the investment

When I started my boutique business (MoGlamorous Boutique) I did some research but not a whole lot that I know now. When I first started I got a lash vendor then I worked my way to getting a EIN number and reseller license. Once I got my license I started ordering sunglasses and clothes from a vendor in China. I purchase a vendor list and it was all China vendors which at the time I thought they quality of clothes were the same. I was so wrong lol when those clothes came in they fit but it was either too tight or when you wash them they shrunk, and some of them didn’t look like the picture I had seen. I was so mad and disappointed I felt like a failure because I spent my money and thought I was getting cute fashionable clothes to come out with cheap material clothes. I did end up selling some of them to people that just wanted to support me and I didn’t charge a lot for it cause I was shame. So once that happened I went back into researching and finding USA vendors with way better qualities and even talk to some vendors telling them what I was looking for and once I received my first USA shipment I was so excited I cried because I felt proud of myself and was just happy that the clothes fit and the material was good and the products look like the picture. I learned to take your time when you start a business, do not rush, research research research!!! Take business classes and learn about business credit and don’t purchase every vendor list some are scams and some of them are not legit vendors.

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 Monique Roberson, I am 34 years old. I have a 12 year old son name Kyran, I am a sports mom. I am a hairstylist (MoGlamorous Xperience), I have a online boutique (MoGlamorous Boutique), I make alcohol drinks (MoBuzz Drinks) and I am one of the co-host for Trill Spill conversation podcast where I am among 5 other co-hosts. I first got into starting my boutique back in 2019 I started with lashes and sunglasses first, then I got the clothes, shoes, and accessories. Once COVID hit my business blossom so much because I had clothes that were comfortable to wear around the house, run errands in, and just be comfortable in. I started my drink business a few months later when we’re out of quarantine because I felt at the time people need to unwind, get out and be around their families so they might want to sip and just enjoy life. I started doing hair on and off since high school, I was doing my sister and her friends hair and went to Cosmetology school when I graduated high school but dropped due to moving, so I went back in 2022 and graduated and been doing hair since. My goal for my businesses is to make people feel good and look good. When I do my clients hair I don’t mind listening to their problems because it’s a safe outlet and everyone needs to vent. With my boutique I like to see my customers look and feel good when they getting dress or wearing something they purchase from me. They could be suffering from mental health and just need that pickup rather it’s a pair of lashes, an outfit, or accessories to complete the look their going for and to boost they confidences up, could be feeling down that day, or not good or pretty that week, or life just getting overwhelmed that month. They still need that cause when you look good you start to feel good on the inside.

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

Social Media & Networking. I started w/ social media first from posting on Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat. I would take pictures and videos of my products or me wearing the clothes. I would also make business pages and do raffles, or contests to get people to follow my business pages. Ask for emails and send out emails or discount codes to draw them to my website. When it comes to networking I would go to pop up shops and be a vendor, fashion shows, and just places that have a crowd. I’ll pass out business cards, join facebook groups and look up pop up shops and just work the room. In public places I’ll complement someone on what their wearing, their hair or nails, just something to spark up a conversation and pass them my business card and tell them about my business.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I am a domestic violence survivor and I am diagnose w/ anxiety & depression and PTSD. I don’t let those things define me or hold me back from what I set my mind to do. I try to keep going and think positive when I want to push myself during my depression stages. Sometimes I don’t have the motivations and that what happen with my boutique I couldn’t push myself to keep going because I let everything I had going on affect me to the point I just stopped. Now I’m pushing myself to get back into routine and wanting to do better then ever with my boutique business. Learning more about business credit, building a warehouse to keep my inventory in and get my customer flow back. I feel good that I’m back in the spirit of revamping my boutique and to come back better then ever.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.moglamorous.com
• Instagram: Moglamorous_xperience
• Facebook: MoGlamorous Xperience
• Other: Instagram: MobuzzDrinks Hair booking site: https://moglamorousxperience.as.me/schedule.php

Image Credits
Edgar L. Walker Jr.