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

Alright, Taylor thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

I came up with ShopBTXO from being into makeup since I was a teenager. I would put on my eyeshadow, eyeliner, and mascara just to play outside with my friends. I’d watch a lot of beauty gurus on YouTube do their makeup and show their fashions and I’d sit there and copy what they were doing. So as I got older it only made sense for me to start my own YouTube Channel and my own cosmetics brand, BeautifulTaylorXO in 2018. It wasn’t until 2021 I changed my brand’s name to ShopBTXO.

ShopBTXO is an online boutique that offers all your fashion and beauty needs. I’d say it’s a luxury urban brand that’s affordable for everyone. I wanted to create something that all women could be a part of. For me, it is more than just makeup and clothes. I feel like those things can really help boost someone’s confidence. And if I can make someone’s day just by providing the products that I have and helping make them feel beautiful inside and out, I feel like I’ve done my job. “Be your own kind of beautiful” is a slogan I like to use to remind not just women but people in general that you have to be yourself and within being yourself remember to be kind, loving, and caring to others. I feel like that’s what makes someone beautiful, not with just the clothes on their backs or the makeup on their face. What sets me apart from others is that I do it all by myself. I have no one but me putting in the work and hours when it comes to my brand. Occasionally, I will have help from my amazing spouse but I’m the creative director, the photographer, the model, EVERYTHING you can think of. My proudest achievement would have to be the support of my customers. I love when I get feedback, whether it be good or bad because at the end of the day the people are talking. It makes me happy when I can make someone’s day just by providing quality products at an affordable price.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers?

So, I was born in Jacksonville, FL and raised in Hinesville, GA. In grade school I was a cheerleader and even placed in the school’s spelling bee. I had a pretty good childhood. My mom and my grandmother were the women I looked up to the most. They are the reason I am who I am today. As a teenager I knew that one day I wanted to be an entrepreneur and work for myself. The only job I’ve ever had outside of what I do now is Hooters and I worked there for about 6 years off and on. I did try becoming a makeup artist but I realised I wasn’t in love with that. I have also done a few pageants as well, which was really fun. I just really enjoy being in the “spotlight” but only if I have a group of other people in it with me if that makes sense.

I started out with YouTube in 2015 doing makeup tutorials and working with major brands such as Janet Collection, Divatress, Lovelywholesale, TeamiBlends, and DOSSIER. And that has helped me transition into what I do now. In 2018 I started my own cosmetics business “BeautifulTaylorXO Cosmetics” selling mink lashes and lip gloss, and it wasn’t until 2021 that I decided to expand my brand and change the name to “ShopBTXO”. And now my brand consists of fashion, cosmetics, and accessories.

Transitioning my brand into all things beauty has NOT been easy. There are so many competitors out there in this day and age doing the same thing as you, so you definitely have to find ways to stand out and just focus on what your audience is into. My customers are very loyal, once they shop they come back and that’s always been my goal. I want ShopBTXO to be a household name and this is just the beginning for me.

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

Something that I had to unlearn when it comes to my business is that everything is not going to be perfect. I’m such a perfectionist so if it’s not the way I see fit then I just freak out and stall until it is. I have learned that in this industry sometimes you have to work with what you have because you’ll miss out on a lot of opportunities overthinking and waiting for things to be perfect.

There was a time where I missed an entire Spring Collection because I wasn’t happy with two pieces out of the collection. I could have still dropped the other 4 pieces in the collection but I decided not to and that cost me a lot of money. I know now that that wasn’t a smart business move because in this industry you have to make sure you’re dropping something every time the seasons change. You can’t be selling winter items in the spring. So it was definitely a lesson learned and I’m still learning til this day.

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

Another thing I’ve learned is when you own a small business it’s usually one person doing everything from the marketing, the shipping, taking pictures, building the websites, talking to customers etc. It can be very discouraging sometimes owning a small business and working so hard and some weeks not making any profit from it. I had to learn that at the end of the day this is something that I’ve always dreamed of doing. I put my blood, sweat, and tears into my brand because I believe in it. If you don’t believe in yourself or brand then it’s not going to work out for you. You have to continue to put in the work until it pays off because someday it will. You’ll have your good months and then it’ll be crickets the next but keep going and work just as hard and be just as determined in both the ups and the downs.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.beautifultaylorxo.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/shopbtxo
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/beautifultaylorxo
• Youtube: www.youtube.com/beautifultaylorxo