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

Olivia, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?

For as long as I can remember, I always wanted to have a career in fashion. When I was a little girl, I would sketch clothing all the time and I dreamed of being a fashion designer. In high school though, I took a summer course at the Fashion Institute in Boston on design and I realized I had more of an eye for fashion, so I wanted to learn more about the merchandising and business side of the industry. From there, I went to college for fashion merchandising and business, and when I graduated Covid hit. I knew I wanted to open my own business eventually but Covid accelerated it for me. During that time I thought t myself, what am I waiting for and I decided to go for it.

In one of my college classes, I had to create a business plan for our semester project. I ended up using that exact plan for Liv For Fashion, and then I researched everything else online that I needed to know as far as licenses and legalities. I spent a whole year before I opened my store, teaching myself everything by watching youtube videos, researching market trends, looking at other online boutiques and seeing what they were doing well and analyzing the industry nearly every day.

Once the business plan was done, I had to file for my LLC, EIN and trademark, build my website, design my logo, and travel to New York to find the brands I wanted to work with and what lines I wanted to carry. Finally, once I had all my inventory and curated my first collection, I launched in May of 2022.

Olivia, 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?

My name is Olivia, but most people call me Liv.. That’s how I came up with the name Liv For Fashion for my online clothing boutique. I’ve been exposed to many sides of the fashion industry through various jobs and internships, but the business side of it always stuck out to me. My passion is truly styling women to look and feel their best. When you feel your best, you are your best self – you perform better, you have more confidence and everything else falls into place. I feel the most fulfilled when I can make another person feel beautiful and confident through what she is wearing. I think what sets my boutique apart is the attention to every single detail, head to toe. I can advise my clients on how to style the pieces we carry beyond just the shoe or accessory to pair it with but I can also help guide them on jewelry, hair and makeup, depending on the type of look they’re going for. To me, fashion is art and I want the look to tell a story.

I am most proud of taking the risk and starting this business, it is my dream come true! Thank you to my loyal clients and followers who make this dream a reality every day for me. I want people to know how happy and fulfilled it truly makes me when I see you girls in your LFF.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

Growing my clientele has been a slow and steady journey for me. Most of my growth is through referrals and social media. Instagram has been an incredible way for me to meet other girls in the industry, especially in Boston, where I’m based. Collaborating with influencers and bloggers has been very helpful for me to gain more exposure. Also, since my boutique is only online right now, I’ve tried to step out of the box and come up with ways people can see my clothing in person. I know shopping online isn’t always easy so I thought deeply about my audience and noticed young women in their early 20s – late 20s was my main customer, and I started doing pop ups. I began targeting places they would be and now I’m on the road a lot, popping up at colleges, salons, spas and other small business events. I just recently launched my collection in a store in the Miami International Mall as well, a test for another approach to getting my clothing in front of people. So far, it’s been doing extremely well and I’m so grateful.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

To fund my business, I actually began thrifting and reselling the items on Poshmark and eBay, along with some items from my own closet. I set a selling goal of $3,000 worth of clothing on those platforms to fund my business and by the time I filed my LLC, I had made double. I knew I didn’t need much capital to start, since I had no overhead or payroll, so I really just needed money for the inventory and basic shipping supplies, which was the beauty of starting an e-commerce store. I also had a savings account as well in case, but I didn’t end up dipping into that thankfully.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://livforfashion.net/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livforfashion_/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shoplivforfashion/

Image Credits
Shawn Bissonette