Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Rachel Amado. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Rachel thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

I’ve been plus size my whole life. Growing up as a teen in the early 2000’s, the fashion options for plus size younger women were so limited. If I went to the mall with my friends, the stores they shopped at either had nothing to fit me, or there was a small dimly lit corner alllll the way in the back of the store or downstairs in a basement kind of area with few options. Mostly, if I wanted something that fit, I could shop at the 2 maybe 3 stores that my mother and elderly aunts shopped at. I used to cry walking into those stores. There was nothing that ever felt like “me” that fit. I used to dream about what I would wear if I could create my own looks, and the experience I would want to provide for my customers if I had my own clothing store. I would want them to feel comfortable, stylish, beautiful, and like they mattered and deserved all the options straight sized women had.

I have always had a passion for style since I was a child. As early as 6 I used to constantly sketch looks for my future “collections”. I’ve always been gifted at helping people around me feel good about themselves. In my 20’s I ended up working retail for a while, at one of the plus size stores I used to cry walking into as a 14 year old. I quickly became a retail superstar. Customers loved shopping with me. They would drive 30+ minutes just to come shop with me. They would call and ask if I was available, when I’d be there, etc etc. Women would walk into a fitting room looking anxious and stressed out…and they’d walk out beaming after I helped them. Seeing how happy I could make other women, watching them transform in front of my eyes, it lit something up inside of me and I knew I was meant to be doing this work.

Clothes shopping as a plus size woman (honestly for ALL of us) can really bring up a lot of yucky feelings. We have to face some of our biggest insecurities head on. I’d have a customer come in looking for an outfit for a date and she would feel so depressed, saying she wishes she could wear a dress and feel like a sexy woman, but that she felt too big to wear a dress. I’d quickly ask her a few questions, like what colors she felt good in, did she like flowy or structured fabric, was she okay going sleeveless etc… and then I’d hurry to find a dress that I felt she should try. Next thing you know, the woman who desperately wanted to wear a dress but felt like she COULD NEVER, was suddenly wearing a dress and absolutely glowing. Not to mention, I’d give these women serious heart to hearts about wearing whatever you feel good in and prioritizing your desires for your life over the judgements you fear other people will have. I was coaching in the fitting rooms and didn’t even know it.

Unfortunately, retail associate life didn’t pay the bills. I had never been happier, but I was struggling to make ends meet. So I looked for an office job with better pay and more room for growth. It was okay, I make the best out of whatever situation I’m in. But they treated me poorly, and thankfully the universe knew it wasn’t where I was supposed to be. And for the first time in my life I was fired from my job.

About two weeks later… I found out I was pregnant.

I was overjoyed to be a mom, but terrified about being able to support my baby if I wasn’t working. Again, I found another office job. This one was very nice. My boss was incredibly kind, he knew I was pregnant, and he set me up with all the maternity leave info I needed, and was extremely understanding and anticipated my needs as a working pregnant woman. Except he was so fearful that I was going to have my baby and never come back. He started promising me a promotion, a nice new title, more money, and even said I could bring my baby in to work with me while she was still very young. I thought I hit the jackpot.

And then maternity leave was over and….He hired someone to fill my spot without telling me because he thought I truly wouldn’t be coming back. Legally, he had to have work for me but…there was nothing really for me to do and after a “miscommunication” on the first day leading to me never actually getting to work that first day back…

I was tired of working jobs that didn’t light me up inside. I was tired of working jobs that didn’t pay well. I was tired of being promised raises and promotions that never came to be. And truthfully… I had this beautiful new baby girl that I didn’t want to leave. Thinking ahead, I didn’t want to have to beg a boss for a day off if she was sick or to go to the school play. I wanted to be fully present for her. While also fulfilling my passion of helping curvy women decorate their bodies and celebrate their lives. And I didn’t want to do it for someone else. I didn’t want to be forced to push store credit cards on people.

I wanted to help women MY WAY, and to lead from my heart, and to be my own boss, and to help women feel amazing and live a more expansive life just by changing what they put on their bodies and how they view themselves.

So I built my online boutique from the ground up all on my own while raising a newborn.

I felt this would work because I have a unique eye for fashion. People always compliment my style, and they always come to me asking for help styling themselves. Not only that, but women were always saying things like “I wish I could bottle up some of your confidence and take it for myself”. So i decided I wanted to show women how I was able to feel so confident, and how I was able to dress myself in a way that felt good to me. I viewed the plus size customer as an actual human being instead of just a dollar. I solve multiple issues that women face, in a full spectrum sort of business. I tackle beautifying the inside and the outside.

I had never seen something like that done before.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I was always interested in fashion. Playing with my “fashionplates” toy as a child, sketching my own collections, I used to drool over Odette’s puffy princess sleeves in The Swan Princess, and The Little Mermaid’s iconic sparkly white dress as she emerges from the sea on two legs once more, I’d use socks, hosiery, whatever fabric scraps I could find to make dresses for my barbies… I was obsessed with fashion. Always. I just loved beautiful things and adorning our bodies in them and how good that felt.

In my 20’s I found myself working retail and I was completely lit up by how good *I* felt, helping other plus size women walk into the store feeling bad about themselves, and walk out of it feeling like a million bucks. It’s a gift that comes naturally to me, and yet I don’t take it for granted at all.

I started my own online boutique while my daughter was a newborn, because I wanted the freedom of being my own boss and being able to be a present parent. Due to some unsavory work experiences either with the job itself, the bosses, the management, the opportunities… I knew I wanted to be my own boss to do things my way and to be able to lead with my heart.

I saw proof that when I approached selling clothing from a human and heart centered approach, that I had great success in sales, but more importantly, in my own fulfillment and in enhancing the lives of my customers. I needed the freedom to do that, and traditional retail wasn’t it.

I started Zoftig Boutique and I offer fun stylish pieces to curvy women who are ready to “decorate their bodies and celebrate their lives”. Because I believe life is precious and short and we deserve to love ourselves TODAY and live in a way that makes us happy TODAY. I also offer confidence coaching, to dig deeper in the internal journey of loving ourselves and living a more expansive life. I don’t believe in sitting on the sidelines of your life because you’re ashamed of your weight. Or waiting till you lose ___ amount of pounds until you can do ____ or wear ____ or go ____ or be ____ or have ____. Life is happening today, and you deserve to live it regardless of your size.

I think what sets me apart from others is how focused I am on the quality of life my customers and clients have. It truly matters to me that you feel good about yourself and go out there and live the life of your dreams as a plus size woman, despite all the opposite messages you might receive from the rest of the world.

I am most proud of the feedback I hear from customers. They know my goal, and they love to share with me how and where they wore their Zoftig Boutique pieces. Women who said their marriage had lost it’s spark, wearing a dress they bought from me to date night with their husbands and letting me know how GORGEOUS they felt, and how their husbands couldn’t stop telling them how beautiful they are. I’ve had women who were honest with me about having very low self esteem put on a top from me and receive more compliments than they’ve ever had in their life. And they’re beaming when they tell me. I’ve had customers wear my clothing to job interviews for their dream job, and report back to me that they felt so confident and they got the job. That’s what I love about my business. The impact that one shirt, dress, whatever can make on your entire life.

I want women to know that they have a life worth living, a life worth celebrating, and a beautiful body that deserves to be DECORATED not just dressed.

How did you build your audience on social media?

I’m dying a little bit inside to say this but….be yourself. I have a clothing boutique and coaching business. I am the face of my brand. I make sure that my social media presence reflects who I really am and how I truly feel. I love using social media as a tool to connect with people, I never engage in anything I don’t want to engage in. I like photos that please me, I comment and take part in conversations that are relevant to my interests. I’m just me but… on the internet…and also as the face of my business.

Your photos, your words, the music you add to that story, all of it… it should all be true to you. When you are truly yourself you’ll attract the right customers, clients, and friends.

I started out on facebook and instagram because those were the two places I hung out most personally. Then I noticed the more I engaged in my plus size fashion groups on FB, or the more I engaged with my fave body positive instagram influencers… the more of an audience and following I was building up. And not just men asking for feet pics. Legitimate people who were on board with my message and my brand and wanted to be a part of this energy and support what I’m doing. But if I was being fake or bland or suppressing myself… I never would have found them or them find me. And my socials continue to grow across multiple platforms.

So be you, do you, don’t buy the followers, and take your time! 1000k followers who are engaged and love you are better than 100,000 followers who are mostly bots and men trolling for feet pics. Have fun connecting with your people.

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

I’ve had the most clients and customers come from my heartfelt social media interactions. I’m in a lot of groups or forums for plus size women and fashion, and I’m very active in them. I am genuinely helpful and engaged. I like to chat about style, confidence, sex and dating as a plus size woman, motherhood, being a plus size woman in business, a lot of things. When I open up and am vulnerable or share tips and tricks from the heart, I find that I am flooded with new sales, followers, and clients!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ZoftigBoutique.com
• Instagram: @ZoftigBoutique
• Facebook: @ZoftigBoutique

Image Credits
Francesca Lee Photography Elisha Hunter Monique Coney Emily Wilson