We recently connected with Tina Loyd and have shared our conversation below.

Tina, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you tell us about a time where you or your team really helped a customer get an amazing result?

As a locally owned special occasion dress store with one of the largest selections of prom dresses in the nation, Terry Costa has had the pleasure of witnessing several customer success stories. In our 30 years of serving our clients and putting dreams within reach, we’ve had customers fly and drive hundreds of miles for a special dress to highlight their memorable day. We’ve helped everyone from homecoming girls, prom girls, and pageant queens, to brides and mothers of the occasion. We’re there for every memorable moment, helping our clients prepare for any formal event that one could imagine. We work tirelessly to find a dress that compliments each client and encourages them to bring out their best selves. Our clients have taught us that dreams are worth the wait and always within reach.

Tina, 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?

Tina Loyd is the Owner and Chief Executive Officer of Terry Cota, Inc. in Dallas Texas. With over two decades of experience in personnel management, marketing and fashion merchandising, and buying, Ms. Loyd has guided Terry Costa to success. Ms. Loyd graduated from Missouri State University with a Bachelor of Science in Communications and a Minor in Theater. Among other jobs, she worked as a model to help pay her way through school which opened the door to her working as a marketing consultant in the wholesale side of the fashion industry. It was during this time that Ms. Loyd met Terry Costa. She soon went to work for Ms. Costa as a Bridal Manager and Buyer at Terry Costa. Within the next few years, Ms. Loyd earned a percentage of the company, buying Ms. Costa’s portion out with a SBA loan. She later purchased the company in 2007.
Since then, Terry Costa has grown tremendously with a 65 member team that works tirelessly to put “dreams within reach.” For over 30 years, Terry Costa has been serving clients across the country despite being a small business with only one location. In addition, Terry Costa has successfully expanded its services to the online space, with its very own e-commerce website. Terry Costa has made leaps toward success since Ms. Loyd’s purchase, and will continue to serve, grow, and work toward further success.
Ms. Loyd attributes her success to this amazing and diverse team, many of whom have been by her side for over a decade. The Terry Costa Team is full of brilliant, resilient individuals who are dedicated to giving clients the ultimate buying experience. The team is oftentimes, more like a family, caring for each other and making up for one another’s weaknesses to create one of the best teams in the industry. Together Ms. Loyd and her team have persevered and will continue to grow as individuals and a company, serving clients in every step of life– from their first formal dance to their wedding day, to their grandchildren’s wedding day, and everything in between.

We’d love to hear your thoughts about selling platforms like Amazon/Etsy vs selling on your own site.

The Terry Costa ecommerce website has been something in the making for 16 years. Making a successful ecommerce website that the Terry Costa Team has a say in and control of has been a series of trial and error, many of which have ended in unsuccessful attempts and even a lawsuit. The Terry Costa website team, led by Christina Towell, has faced challenges adding and organizing pictures, colors, and sizes of dresses. Additionally, in order to have a successful ecommerce, the Terry Costa Team has taken the time to educate website developers on the industry and the company’s goals. Towell has been the brains behind the project, persevering through every challenge to constantly improve the website. Her work has made it both a reflection and extension of Terry Costa Inc.’s success and resourcefulness.
The web team expanded in 2021 to include Megan Jeter, a new Terry Costa team member that shared Ms. Towell’s innovative spirit and ambitious goals for the website.
Because of their hard work, resilience, dedication, and outside-the-box thinking, Terry Costa’s website finally surpassed a long time goal in revenue for the first time in 2022.
Although the website is successful and the team has plans to continue improving it. The team understands that the website provides clients with convenience, so they do their best to continue to provide high quality products and services. However, they also encourage clients to come through Terry Costa’s doors to receive a trying-on experience unlike any other. They believe the experience is as important as the dress when buying for a special occasion.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

After overcoming several challenges to purchase Terry Costa in 2007, Tina Loyd continued to face a rocky start. Within the first year of purchasing, the recession of 2008 had hit the economy. To make matters worse, she was told words very few business owners want to hear from their accountants. Ms.Loyd’s accountant had tossed a stack of 10th of the month bills onto her desk and told her, “good luck”. She was informed that Terry Costa was $300,000 in debt with little in the bank, however Ms. Loyd had a dream and goal in mind. She pictured bigger and better things for Terry Costa and its clients. So, she did as any resilient leader would. She gathered her team of dedicated and tenacious leaders and got to work. Ms. Loyd went to the sales floor, working alongside her team from open to close seven days a week, providing clients with dream dresses and an exceptional experience. The Terry Costa Team cared for the company as if it were their own child, giving their all to guide it out of debt and into the successful store it is today. Many of the Terry Costa Team members continue to care for and guide the company to success, working alongside Ms. Loyd for over a decade.
Terry Costa’s goal isn’t to put dreams within reach for only their clients, but for its team members and surrounding community as well. That’s why no matter what challenges they may face, Ms. Loyd and her team will continue to persevere and pick each other up every time hardships knock them down. From times of recessions, inflations, pandemics, natural disasters and supply chain issues, to unexpected events in the store, the Terry Costa Team will find a way to come together to succeed.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.terrycosta.com/
• Instagram: @terrycostaprom
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/terrycostaprom
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/terrycostabride
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/terrycosta
• Other: TikTok: @TerryCostaProm