We were lucky to catch up with Nicole Denny recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Nicole, thanks for joining us today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

I have always considered myself somewhat of a risk taker. Throughout my life, I’ve consistently thrived under pressure and have enjoy the challenge of execution. There is something beautiful in facing a challenge, maintaining grace and composure while unflinchingly going for your goals. After separating from my husband I found myself in a predicament. Up until leaving my marriage I had taught primary school. While I loved many aspects of teaching, I was burned out and not convinced I could sufficiently raise my children on a teachers salary.
I knew I needed a change. At the time I was working part time in a local consignment shop specializing in designer goods. I thoroughly enjoyed working the shop. I always loved fashion since a young age when I entered the modeling world and was introduced to design and form. Learning of different designers and their aesthetics, materials and construction fascinated me. Later in life my passion was awoken, I stood in the store dreaming of owning my own, envisioning how I would brand and grow it.
I spent the early months of my separation alone sitting in a small apartment wondering what I would do to get back on my feet. The thought of starting a store began to take hold of my imagination. As the months wore on, I was convinced it was time to pursue my dream. I outlined and perfected a business plan, sheepishly approached a bank for funding and was elated when I was approved.
Around that time Nancy Allinovi, the owner of ADORE, the shop I worked, approached me with an idea of partnering on a store. Ultimately, she proposed I buy ADORE and brand it as my own.
Aside from briefly majoring in business while in college, I had no experience running a business. It was a huge leap of faith. What if I failed? I considered the possibility. My mind would return to my experiences taking risks. I had learned and knew wholeheartedly believed without risk there is little to no reward. I also knew there is no shame in failure. Failure provides us with lessons that hone your ability and skill.
I ended up buying the store and making it my own. J’Adore has been successful mainly because I continue to learn by setbacks, get back up and carry on. Taking risk and following your dreams does not ensure success. You will fail, make mistakes and feel like giving up. Those that do succeed are the ones that take their failures and learn from them, admit fault and honestly evaluate decisions made. Experience has taught me failure fortifies your resolve, strengthens your tenacity and ultimately makes you unstoppable.

Nicole, 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?

I was fortunate to buy an existing business. Much of J’Adore’s foundation was laid by Nancy Allinovi, I inherited a healthy business with a strong customer and consigner base. After buying ADORE my goal was to brand it as my own. I worked with a marketing firm to create brand standards and bring my vision of J’Adore to life. Soon after, I began networking to find trustworthy and consistent supply sources. I started with meager margins but gained the trust and faith of suppliers overtime by always paying on time and following through with my word. After time, my margins grew and other suppliers began to reach out to work with me. I was making a name for J’Adore. I diligently made sure all luxury goods hitting the sales floor were authenticated, real and in good condition. Customers were coming to shop J’Adore from near and far, hearing how items are ensured as authentic and the consistent wide variety available to shop. I’ve prided myself on these basic principles: transparency, honesty and always upholding principles and promises.

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

Over the last five years J’Adore has grown in profits and popularity. We started off as solely a brick and mortar but I could see the value of expanding the business online. I set up a website and soon was full filling orders globally. With the success and new notoriety came a lot of attention. Unfortunately, not all attention is good attention. Criminals found the website and we were subsequently robbed. Initially I thought I wouldn’t recover, I owed consigners cuts on the stolen merchandise and was unsure insurance would pay. We also dealt with regular thieves scoping the store and canvassing for opportunities to break in. After the robbery in December 2021 I closed the store. My employees were uneasy, didn’t feel safe and were reluctant to come to work. Anxiety plagued my daily life. I slept very little and felt on edge. I had to reevaluate the business. Over the weeks we closed, I thought about the problems we encountered. I took time to get away and visit friends and family in California. The distance helped me step away and look at the big picture without so much emotion. I realized I needed to pivot resources into securing the brick and mortar and put the online aspect of the store on hold. I up fitted the store with every kind of security I could find. I also developed better business practices to not only curb theft but more importantly to ensure the safety of my employees and customers. Reflecting back I can see how I grew from the experience. I learned to trust myself, become confident in my ability to persevere and aware of my tenacious work ethic that never fails to carry me through rough times.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

As a highend reseller it is imperative we sell only authentic items. I have seen many fakes brought to me with the promise they’re authentic. We authenticate every highend piece sold. Sometimes items need to be authenticated by third parties to guarantee authenticity. Over the years, customers have come to trust our business. Furthermore, if a customer has doubts of authenticity, we encourage them to get their item authenticated and will refund the purchase if proven fake. To date we have never had to refund a customer due to inauthentic merchandise.

Contact Info:

• Website: jadore.fashion
• Instagram: jadoreboutiquehighendresale
• Facebook: J’Adore Boutique High End Resale