Today we’d like to introduce you to Octavia Burney.
Hi Octavia, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
As a young child, I always loved seeing my mother make curtains or outfits from different types of fabric. Because of that, I picked up the craft early. I also picked sewing, designing, and writing.
In 2015, Lilly Moní started after posting a dress I designed on social media. I didn’t post it to get likes or attention, my goal was to show my creation. Lilly Moní took off from there. We had our own office space in a bridal store after a few months in business.
The business expanded and started doing bow ties, making skirts, alterations, redesigning, and more. My name got out there quickly and orders picked up. Then one day, I began doubting myself after an unsatisfied customer. I allowed that one customer to get to me. As time passed, I was in an accident and suffered second and third-degree burns from my neck down to my lower back.
I realized in my healing that one customer should not have had that effect on me. So, I came back with power and desire with more products and recently revamped Lilly Moní. During the pandemic, I had so many orders for masks I had to teach my husband to sew. I became pregnant right before the pandemic but business had to go on and my husband is the best for stepping in to make sure I rested while completing orders for masks.
We offer professional styling, bow ties, custom masks, books, ghostwriting, and we plan on releasing a greeting card line in the future. At Lilly Moní: Books, Bags, Bow Ties, and more, we offer Intelligent Style.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No! I had a customer years ago who really discouraged my craft after a fitting didn’t go so well.
My sales decreased, the office location I had the owner retired from her business no longer had a fitting space for wedding dresses, I passed the business along to others that had a set location. I ended up getting surgery not too long after that and then was in an accident and suffered second and third-degree burns from my neck down to my lower back and other location from an accident.
It’s been tough putting myself back out there after everything I’ve experienced from customers and my health but I know God has a plan for my business.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Lilly Moní believes in an intelligent style we value education while being fashionable. We accomplish/express this with creative writing collections and apparel.
With our creative collections, our focus is education and entertainment. The truth is 63% of children in North Carolina are not reading proficiently by the time they reach fourth grade. I want all children to be successful in every area of life and if Lilly Moní can help them we are all in.
As an author of a poetry book The Storm Saved Me and the upcoming release of MARTY, a children’s book I hope readers can find enjoyment and feel encouraged to express themselves. No matter the age. We also offer ghostwriting services. Soon we will have our own greeting cards and more.
With fashion apparel, we offer personal styling, custom masks, custom designs for businesses to increase brand awareness and culture. We are about community as we do book drives for different schools in our area, read to children, and clothing drives for coats and dresses.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
My advice would be there will always be the competition that does the same thing as you and although that is true the only thing missing from those other businesses is you. Your business is your business. You should constantly strive to get better as a business owner and be the best at what you offer to your customers.
There will be days you want to quit and those are the days you need to work the hardest. Never start a business to just make money because that’s not the ultimate goal; the goal should be to help others, enlighten them in any way, and use the gifts God gave us.
Things I wish I knew when I started:
1. When I started my business I wish I knew the power of “NO” because it is okay to say no.
2. Learn the value of social media
3. Learn how to promote yourself
4. Talk about your business every chance you get
5. Surround yourself with people who support and challenge you to push forward.
6. Lastly but the most important… Always keep God first (that relationship has ALWAYS been important to me) God has to be at the center of everything that I do.
Pricing:
- Personal Styling: Starting at $50 (prices vary)
- Greeting Cards: $8 and up
- Ghostwriting: $75 (prices vary)
- The Storm Saved Me Book: Currently $12
- Bow ties: $12 and up
Contact Info:
- Email: lillymonidesigns@gmail.com
- Website: https://www.beyondhereyes.com/lillymonishop
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_beyondhereyes/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/octavia.burney83/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/octaviaburney
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb7UkE2gCHgpZ2b8bFH9YCA
Image Credits
Tech Heads Photography, Joshua Burney, and Lilly Moní
