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

Morgan, appreciate you joining us today. Being a business owner can be really hard sometimes. It’s rewarding, but most business owners we’ve spoken sometimes think about what it would have been like to have had a regular job instead. Have you ever wondered that yourself? Maybe you can talk to us about a time when you felt this way?

Being a business owner was always my destiny. I grew up admiring my dad, who owned a construction company. After graduating college, I followed the socially acceptable route of taking a corporate job with a salary and benefits. Everyone told me that was the adult and wise decision. Abandoning my role in the bridal world took a toll on my mental and emotional health within a couple of years. During the pandemic, I knew something had to change. I would have been miserable until retirement working a desk job. Now, I get to serve my community, empower women, and promote small business in ways I could not have done without Magnolia. I love what I do, even on the most challenging days. There is no part of me that wishes to have a “regular job” ever again. Besides loving my work and my team, thanks to this career, I found balance in my home life of being a wife and mom. I spend more time with my son than I work working a 9-5, and nothing could beat that.

Morgan, 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?

Magnolia Bridal is full of heart. At first, it was just my love being poured in, but now it’s a whole dedicated team of amazing people who believe in our work. We focus on empowering, including, and advocating for our customers. Our shop is a safe space for everyone. Our mission is at the center of everything we do. Of course, people come here for beautiful dresses and wedding attire! Magnolia offers bridal gowns, mother-of dresses, suit rentals, in-house alterations, and bridal accessories. We attend buying markets twice a year, always fine tuning our collection to meet the needs of our customers. My job is truly the best of all things – working with customers to provide a meaningful experience, and choosing the products that will bring out their inner confidence.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Authenticity. We are women helping women and remind ourselves every day that we are here serving that purpose, not here to make money. We treat our customers with love, understanding, and respect. Our brides buy because they love their gown, not because their sales consultant talked them into it. We hold true to being honest and trustworthy in our work. People who know us, know that fact. Yes, keeping rent and payroll paid is important, but I believe this business would break if we changed the very core of why we do this. We are here to serve and empower, always.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

Word of mouth and online reviews drive the most traffic. Supporting small businesses in this way is how customers help us succeed. We value every referral, review, and mention of Magnolia Bridal, because it reinforces that the work we do is appreciated and stands apart from the rest. Apart from the support of our customers, we find many new customers from social media and online marketing. It’s a constant effort to stay relevant! We have a team of in-store models who try on gowns and a marketing manager who developes our content. It’s a labor of love, but does help people understand why Magnolia is their ideal fit for bridal shopping.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.magnolia-bridal.com
• Instagram: magnoliabridalmi
• Facebook: magnoliabridalmi
• Yelp: Magnolia Bridal
• Other: Pinterest Magnolia Bridal
  TikTok magnoliabridalmi

Image Credits

Morgan Jean Photography