Today we’d like to introduce you to Amber Garcia.
Hi Amber, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My name is Amber and I am a wife to my wonderful husband Daniel and mother to 2 littles, Otto and Maren! I began my career in fashion retail at the end of my college career, and fell even more in love with fashion, but also became so passionate for retail operations, employee development, and team leadership. I worked for Kendra Scott for almost 5 years and it was just truly an amazing company that taught me so much and gave me so many lasting relationships. Kendra Scott is also the reason we ended up in North Carolina. I am Dallas born and raised, and 4 years ago, my husband and I picked up our lives and moved 18 hours away from family and friends so that I could pursue my dreams with Kendra Scott. We got married back in Texas just a few short months later, and then found out we were also expecting our first baby! It was a whirlwind start to our journey that’s for sure- moved, got married, and discovered we were starting a family all while taking on new roles and careers! It felt overwhelming in the moment, but looking back, it was all perfectly set up for the bigger picture. After welcoming our first baby, Otto, I began to realize how hard it would be to return to my full-time job outside of the home, and leave my son in the care of someone who wasn’t me. I began dreaming and researching ways to work from home and create a more balanced life for not only myself but for my family. – which was where the “starting my own boutique” dream was born. I had always loved clothing, and I had also started developing an interest in becoming a buyer. It just seemed like it would be everything I loved in one amazing dream! However, there were various reasons why it had to remain a dream at the time- finances, the daunting investment, timing, and fear. to name a few obvious ones. I also found a different opportunity that kind of fell into my lap honestly- a remote personal styling position. I left Kendra Scott in 2019, found out we were expecting our second baby and started a new chapter which included getting to stay home with my sweet little boy + soon to be little girl. I was so excited and grateful to have found a job working directly with customers in the fashion industry with the flexibility to work remotely, and around my son’s schedule- cue happy tears! It was truly a dream job, and I had to pinch myself sometimes because it felt too good to be true! It was such an amazing chapter in our lives and I am so thankful for all of the tools I learned getting to work in that position! Fast forward to Covid era- a time in which no one was prepared for it came so abruptly and disrupted so many areas of life for all. We welcomed our sweet baby girl, Maren, in a world full of uncertainty and chaos. Thankfully we all remained healthy and happy throughout a very long, stressful, and, lonely time. Shortly after that, I lost my job as a stylist and honestly grieved for a good month that it was goodbye to such a great chapter. I applied to probably 30 jobs and couldn’t land a single opportunity. It was so discouraging, and I could not figure out what was supposed to be next for me. I finally started re-lighting the fire under the boutique dream, and couldn’t think of a single reason not to take the leap of faith on it. After so many sit-down conversations with my husband, countless prayers, and tons of calculating, number crunching, brainstorming, and research, we decided to move forward with making this boutique dream and reality. And just like that, Maren May’s Boutique was born! As a mother of two in my early 30’s, I started having trouble finding clothing that were right for me- age-appropriate, trendy but sophisticated and timeless, but functional and accessible. Which is exactly what I built this boutique around- women who were just like me, most likely struggling to find the same pieces I was. All the local places seemed to have clothing that was much too young, or way to old and all the same- it was very frustrating. I wanted to be that “in-between” that was clearly missing in the market, the boutique that was bringing something different to the table. I want women to feel relieved when they find Maren May’s Boutique and feel like they can shop with us for any and all occasions. I also had a personal vendetta when I was pregnant and nursing to find pieces that were nursing and bump-friendly but still put together. Items I would wear beyond pregnancy and nursing. Another one of our goals is to offer a selection of pieces for just that, and as we grow, I hope to be able to grow that selection even more! I find so much joy in packaging customer orders, hand-selecting the items with much thought and detail, and I hope that I can reach so many women who are on the hunt for pieces that can take you from day to night and everywhere in between. Stay at home moms, working women, date nights, church- you name it! We are on a journey to bring it all! Timeless sophistication, with modest and feminine appeal.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has been a roller coaster- thankfully we took our time building the business plan and strategies for the business. But there are always unforeseen circumstances and hurdles to overcome and those act as a learning opportunity. A big struggle for me is the legal/tax side of things and just making sure everything is accounted for appropriately. Going to market is also so overwhelming and it taught me a lot of what not to do at future market trips. It is also challenging to manage seasonal inventory buys- when do to it when to launch it when to restock items vs. bring new pieces in. All things you learn as you grow and make mistakes but challenging nonetheless. Marketing is also a struggle- there is no magic marketing recipe, you just have to try different things and see what works for your business. Things that work for one business may not work in others, it is a very grey area rather than black and white.
We’ve been impressed with Maren May’s Boutique, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Maren May’s Boutique is an online women’s clothing and accessories boutique based in Fuquay Varina, NC. We focus on timeless, sophisticated women’s clothing that are modest with chic and feminine appeal. We offer pieces in a variety of price points and also for a variety of occasions- casual/lounge items, dressy church or date night pieces, and even pieces that are great for the office! We also have several pieces that are bump and nursing friendly. I think what sets us apart the most is our small curated selection of items- each item is selected with careful thought and consideration. We strive to offer a variety of different items that all have one mutual attribute, and that is a sophisticated feel. We also offer free local porch pick-up and free ground shipping on all orders! I am most proud about following this dream and making it a reality and continuing to bring a selection of pieces that you aren’t seeing at the other local boutiques. There is room for all of us, and let’s all bring something different to the table and utilize each other! #Womensupportingwomen
What does success mean to you?
Success for me is to continue spreading the word and to help women discover our boutique, help them find these pieces that have been missing in the local market, help them look and feel their best wherever their day takes them while offering exceptional customer service and a seamless process from start to finish, and that can hopefully grow into a brick and mortar or warehouse location one day to become even more accessible to women! If I can do the above statement, I will feel that I have been successful in this business.
Contact Info:
- Email: marenmays.boutique@gmail.com
- Website: www.marenmaysboutique.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marenmays.boutique/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marenmays.boutique
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/marenmaysboutique/
