Today we’d like to introduce you to Amber Brennan. Them and their team share their story with us below:
The story of Rose & Lee begins with Amber Rose and Prisca Lee. Amber is an entrepreneur at heart. In addition to her market savvy, Amber has always had a heart for leadership and service of others, feeling most alive when she’s connecting people and helping others realize their potential and dreams. When she’s not caught up thinking of her next entrepreneurial move, Amber loves exploring new places around the Triangle and being outdoors hiking, biking or on the water.
Prisca is someone who loves to take risks and jump in with both feet. She and her husband are empty-nesters, parents to two awesome boys. More and more, she thinks of the world we live in and making a difference, however small, through being environmentally conscious and making choices that bring people together.
These two women from different backgrounds at different stages of their lives had one thing in common: a desire to amplify the stories of others. Having met through their work helping at-risk girls in the area, they knew they wanted to make a difference in the world, not by flying to the ends of the earth but by building a community of change right here in North Carolina. In November of 2019, they set up shop in an old house in Downtown Apex and began curating ethically crafted goods that, like Amber and Prisca, each had their own unique story to tell. Since then, we at Rose & Lee have been dedicated to spotlighting incredible brands, each with their own mission of change and empowerment, from sustainability to human rights.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
As with any small business, we’ve had our share of ups and downs. From the very beginning, we felt so welcomed by our Downtown Apex community in both our neighboring business and our customers. The store had become a space where people could laugh together and leave feeling good about their purchases; one of the best parts about the job is when someone wanders in not knowing quite what they’re looking for until we style them and find the perfect outfit that makes them feel beautiful when they leave!
Of course, the space has gone through some changes, the biggest being that in 2020, just a few months after opening, we closed our doors in response to the Covid pandemic. At the time, we had no idea what to expect, and to say that we were nervous would be an understatement. What ended up helping us through that uncertainty was the overwhelming support of the community that we had managed to build in the previous months. As we shifted our focus to online orders, we found that our support network was just as generous in the digital space as they were in person. Staying connected with everyone via social media became less of a marketing endeavor and more of a way to lift our spirits, and by the time we were able to open our doors again, our circle had become wider and stronger than ever. Being put in a situation where we had to solely focus on virtual communication gave us the amazing opportunity to expand our reach and meet more people than we could have dreamed of in a pre-pandemic world.
As you know, we’re big fans of Rose & Lee Co. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Rose & Lee Co. is bridging the gap between you and other incredible people around the world who want to do good. We believe that doing good can be a part of everyday life, even when you shop! Everything we carry is ethically sourced, and we specifically seek out brands that give back to their communities, from employing women overcoming extraordinary circumstances to practicing sustainable manufacturing methods. We’re committed to making ethical shopping accessible and to find you your next favorite outfit while we’re at it. So whether you’re local and like the personal experience of shopping at a boutique or online and prefer to shop from the comfort of your home, we’re making it easy to use your purchasing power for good.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
My advice is not to put all your eggs in one brand’s basket! When roughly a quarter of your costs are invested in one brand, you really don’t want to be put in a position where that brand falls through for whatever reason. Speaking from experience. Losing that brand was a bundle of headaches that could have been softened had they not comprised such a huge chunk of our inventory.
Another one of our biggest clothing brands was shut down altogether during the pandemic. There are just situations that are beyond your control, and each brand comes with its own set of circumstances and variables. Generally speaking, diversifying is a helpful buffer to keep those variables somewhat separate from your own business.
Contact Info:
- Email: hello@roseandleeco.com
- Website: roseandleeco.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roseandleeco/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/roseandleeco
