Many boutique owners start out by hiring a management consultant. However, many do not have the money after start-up to even consider it. Sadly, many boutiques fail in the first year, partly because of management mistakes. Most boutique owners are self-starters, self-employed, and prefer to do and learn everything on their own. This is great and if it sounds like you, then you’re on the right track. Here we’ve assembled a few things to think about when it comes to hiring a professional or doing it yourself.
- People that run their own businesses are very involved in every aspect of the business. Many people refer to their boutique as “their baby”, meaning that they’ve put a lot of heart and soul into growing it and they’re passionate about seeing it succeed. Your store can reflect your personality and your business decisions will as well. It’s hard to remain objective when making certain decisions, so this could be a reason to hire a professional. Professional retail management consultants may be able to give you the tools that you need to stay objective, organized, on task, and orderly. They could also help you to figure out how you actually can do something that you didn’t believe you’d be able to.
- Sometimes you may just want to hire a professional for the business start-up. If you do, make sure that you choose one with a few boutique start-ups under their belt. This can be a good way to learn about the best practices of this part of the retail world. You can avoid a lot of problems that others have learned to fix through trial and error, saving you time and money. Doing things your own way is part of the attraction of owning a boutique, so don’t be afraid to trust your instincts when you need to.
- Talk to other boutique owners. Whether it’s a call on the phone, a comment on their blog, or meeting them face to face, it’s important to network with other people who are doing what you’re doing. People like this can offer valuable advice about point of sale software, tax consultants, and other things that you may not know how to choose yet.
- Lastly, make sure that your store’s appearance matches the vision that you had in mind. Avoid crowding garment racks together. You don’t want people squeezing through the clothing racks to get to the back where your sale display is. Make the boutique experience one that they’ll enjoy and remember. You want them to talk about you to their friends, so take care with everything that you do and you’ll be fine.
About the Author: John Garvey is on the staff of Only Garment Racks, a leading online source of garment racks including clothing racks. Find a high quality garment rack or clothing rack at http://www.onlygarmentracks.com.