Hello all! Iโm Laurie and I make and sell hats for men and women from a 350 s.f. retail workshop in San Anselmo, California. I am a 1 woman maker/seller of everyday and special occasion headwear. Most of the work is bespoke but I try to keep the shop stocked with an array of ready to wear hats that feature my skill and show off the scope of my work. I donโt sell online, only from my shop which means I am a very local focused boutique personal wear item business.
The biggest challenges for my business are:
1. Keeping the hats affordable so as to have a steady stream of new and repeat customers. Most of my suppliers who are all over the world have increased their prices which inevitably means I have to add to mine. On top of that, where my business is located has an 8.5% sales tax and is proposing an increase to 9.5% on the November ballot.
2. Helping customers visualize the hat they want me to make in an era of internet shopping is a challenge. Many of my customers have become too accustomed to internet shopping from looking at pictures and as a result have lost the ability to determine what works best for their face and body from a real world perspective. Of course I donโt have โTheโ hat they are seeking in the shop, I have to make it. So my job is to help the customer visualize their goal with the raw material and trim in my shop. This is always a process of getting to know the customer, without being too nosy. Knowing my materials and how they work, combine with trim, and limiting the choices for the customer to keep the hat designing to within a 1/2 hour takes effort. Being gentle and direct in an inoffensive way is an art form itself! On top of that their is the art of communication; helping the customer articulate what they want and how they want it to fit requires good listening and asking pointed questions.
3. The long term and most daunting challenge is to find someone who I can train and trust to work alongside me and eventually take on the business. I am 60 years old and hope the right person will come my way in the next 10 years. My idea is to keep growing my business and expanding my reach and brand so that interested milliners might seek me out for the learning experience and maybe want to take over my business.
Thatโs all I got!
