We recently connected with Suzanne Dayton and have shared our conversation below.

Suzanne, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. To kick things off, we’d love to hear about things you or your brand do that diverge from the industry standard.

Over the past five years, the world underwent a profound transformation. I don’t need to explicitly mention the pivotal event that reshaped our lives and consumer habits, but it’s hard to ignore the impact of the 2020 pandemic, known as COVID. From 2020 to 2022, buying behaviors shifted dramatically, with people flocking to online platforms for material goods as experiences became rare commodities. We filled our carts with clothes, shoes, self-improvement programs, and more as the tangible became our refuge.

But by 2023, a collective yearning to reclaim life’s richness emerged. The pandemic’s grip loosened, and people sought not more possessions but meaningful experiences. They felt burdened by the excess accumulated during COVID and craved genuine connection and joy.

For the retail industry, the mantra had always been simple: sell goods. Clothes, candles, shoes, you name it—customers were expected to come and buy. With the advent of drop shipping, online markets swelled, inundating consumers with choices. Yet, while the industry standards remained static, profits fluctuated. Small boutique owners found survival increasingly precarious in this crowded landscape.

The decision to establish Urban Cowgirl in Denver, CO was a deliberate departure from this norm. Rather than merely peddling merchandise, I envisioned my shop as an immersive experience—a place where customers could engage in hat shaping, attend album release parties, and partake in communal events. The store served as a conduit for what truly mattered: fostering connections, building community, and serving others.

I firmly believe that businesses possess immense potential to enrich communities through experiential offerings and altruistic initiatives. Urban Cowgirl Denver seeks to provide a haven for those enduring tough times, a sanctuary where they can find solace, joy, and belonging.

The retail industry must evolve, embracing its unique capacity for impact. That’s the mission of Urban Cowgirl Denver—transforming one custom hat experience and community event at a time, y’all.

Suzanne, 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?

ow you got into your industry / business / discipline / craft: I personally love the western culture, being outside in nature, and country music as well as the creativity it brings out in us. The westner culture helps us recognize hard work, community, fun, and to slow down and enjoy life. That is exactly what Urban Cowgirl Denver strives to do.

what type of products/services/creative works you provide- We provide a custom hat shaping experience where you get to pick your hat (cowboy or fedora style) and custom shape it into whatever you want. We add your flare with branding, hat bands, decorating, and more. And truly make a piece that is uniquely you and you can always remember that experience. We also sell country chich appeal and high-quality boots. We host regular events to bring the community together.

what problems you solve for your clients and/or what you think sets you apart from others- The experience is what sets us apart. You can buy a hat, boots, or western wear anywhere, but at Urban Cowgirl Denver it is an experience with people you love and a way to enjoy your life to the fullest.

What are you most proud of and what are the main things you want potential clients/followers/fans to know about you/your brand/your work/ etc.- I am most proud of the culture and community we have already created that encourages people to come together and live in the moment. I love that we are giving back to our schools and supporting over 10 local schools and organizations with a donation of the hat making experience not only to raise money, but help spread joy through experiencing and living life.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

The lesson I had to unlearn was that doing more, working longer, and harder is actually NOT the answer to success, joy, fulfillment, and company that is going to grow and thrive.

Often times we think that we have to do, do, do and wear ourselves out or we won’t be able to be successful, we won’t reap the benefits. But the truth is in slowing down, staying focused on the mission and what matters, that is what is going to grow your business AND your life.

The more fulfilled, at peace, and joyful you are, the more you will be able to focus on what matters in the business and that is the key to success all around.

For me this happened specifically when I opened up. I forgot for a moment that DOING more wasn’t the answer to the store’s success. So I was overworking, putting in long hours, never resting. And I was burning myself out. Our sales dipped because I didn’t have the energy to focus on what really mattered – the team, the community, events,

So I took a step back, a week off, refocused myself and went back to our mission of community and experience. And not only was I more at peace, having more fun, and had more time, but the business was growing and the community was right there.  

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

For Urban Cowgirl Denver I knew right away that I wanted my social media to be THEIR social media. The team, our customers, clients, and the community. I didn’t want it to be so structured and perfect. I wanted it to be messy and fun. Authentic.

Using this idea from the beginning I set out to give access to the team to post whenever they want.

I encouraged others to tag us and set us up as collaborators. We intentionally share other businesses all the time. Only a few months in and we grow by over a 100 new followers a month, sometimes more. Our engagement is high and people love and full the community on our social channels.

DO we offer new products and promote our events? Yes, but moreso we focus on creating a community people want to follow and come back to.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://urbancowgirldenver.com/
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/urbancowgirl_denver
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/urbancowgirldenver

Image Credits
Lindsey Mazzafero Photography