We recently connected with April Pollock and have shared our conversation below.
Hi April, we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?
There’s really only one way I have truly found to be confident in business (or in life), and that is to know who you are. When I have had duplicity in my life in the past, it seemed that I would consistently struggle with imposter syndrome because I was trying to be different people in different settings, or with different groups of people. Now that I am a mom of two little girls as well as a wife and small business owner, I simply do not have the time to live two different lives. Since 2020, I have spent a lot of time discovering, developing, and cultivating my values, faith, and self-worth. When I really discovered who I was, and what unique strengths and talents I am able to share with the world, my confidence increased drastically.
With business, I am not sure if anyone is confident or has high self-esteem 100% of the time, nor do I think that is the goal. When I find myself discouraged in business, I try to remind myself that at least I am “doing the thing!” I would rather fail trying, then live my life with what-ifs. How can you know what works with your business if you don’t try? A lot of my business is public-facing online, so you can really feel like you are putting yourself out there, and when you don’t get many sales, likes, comments, shares, or follows – of course your self-esteem is going to take a dip. That is when your mental stamina and how you talk to yourself matters the most. Reminding yourself how far you’ve come, that you have the privilege of chasing after your dreams, and that if it was easy – everyone would be doing it.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
Ever since I was about five years old, all I wanted when I “grew up” was to get married, have two kids, and own my own business. Now, at 37 years old, I am living that dream. I married my best friend and seasoned tech executive Troy a little over 6 years ago. We have two beautiful daughters who fill our home with joy and a lot of sticky fingerprints on our windows. About 3 years ago, during COVID I found myself struggling with online shopping for clothing or quality products for my family. It seemed all the photos were photoshopped or had really unclear descriptions. So I decided to launch an online boutique to carry hand-picked, quality items for the whole family with REAL photos taken by me!
RAËLIV Boutique was born, and over the last 3 years it has change and evolved, but stayed true to solve the problem we set out to fix. We are proud to have over 11,000 customers who have trusted our brand to shop with their hard earned money. We still operate in the Sammamish, WA area with a small team and pack every order with care and love.
I know I am biased, but I think we carry the best gifts for any occasion supporting USA brands that partner with really special non-profits. It means a lot to be able to make a difference in the world by carrying other small business brands at our boutique. I would like to shout out The Beauty Of Hope and Freedom Studios – they are doing some great work ending human-trafficking.
We also specialize in reworking and up-cycling used designer charms. For example, we will curate a worn designer wallet, confirm it’s authenticity, then recycle the charm into a beautiful necklace to be loved all over again. This has been a joy for me specifically, because I get to create the designs and bring one of a kind pieces to life for men and women to enjoy. It also creates a sustainability loop while also making designer jewelry more accessible and affordable for everyone.
Lastly, in 2024 I designed a tarnish-free and waterproof jewelry collection. Since we have cut out almost all the middle-men, we are one of the most affordable brands selling waterproof jewelry. Each piece is priced between $20-$40. This collection became so high-demand, we launched our Retail Partner Program where we provide this collection to retail stores for free and split sales monthly. If you are or know any business owners who would be interested in this program, please reach out to us! It’s been a joy to increase revenue for other small business owners all across the USA.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
The first thing that helps me a ton in business is my “activator” strength. I took the strength finder quiz and it really helped me understand what aspects of the business I can add the most value. Being an activator – I will simply start stuff. That is not hard for me at all! I have found that a lot of people get paralysis by analysis and never get started. So I suggest if this is you, to really challenge yourself to do something every day – something tangible – to move closer to your goals. The book Atomic Habits helped me with this as well.
Secondly, I can thank my parents for this…a really strong work ethic. Growing up lower to middle class, we did not have much and I started working around 12 years old and to this day I enjoy hard work. I don’t expect anything to come easy and I know that the most amazing and beautiful things in life take hard work (can I get an amen from all the moms giving birth?). My pastor says “Pressure is where diamonds are formed, and babies are born.” That is so true. When you have a strong vision for where you want to go, and couple that with a no-quit mentality – you will find that inner drive will sustain you.
Lastly, drawing inspiration from literally everything. I watch commercials to learn about marketing. I read spam emails to see their catchy subject lines. When I met any business owner, I start asking questions and listen listen listen. Whenever I get in a creative slump – I know I need to turn my phone off and get out in nature. So bottom line, no matter what industry, business, or vertical, you can find transferrable principles that you can apply in your areas of expertise. How you take these ideas and principles and apply them with your unique expression is the hard part.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
We love collaborating with like-minded people. Here are a few areas we have openings for, and please reach out to us if any resonate with you!
1) Social Media Influencers. Do you have an engaged audience? Do you love creating content and sharing brands with your following? If so, we have an influencer program with paid campaigns all throughout the year as well as modeling opportunities.
2) Retail Space Owner or General Manager. If you own or have a say in merchandising in a retail space, we would love to explore you being a Retail Partner with us. We ship you our 30+ piece waterproof jewelry collection along with displays for the jewelry free of charge, and split sales with you monthly. Let us add an additional revenue stream to your business!
3) Small Businesses creating products in the USA. If this is you, do you sell wholesale? If so, please reach out to us with your catalog or line sheet.
4) Remote Interns. Are you a high-school or college student wanting to gain some experience in the retail, graphic design, or e-commerce industry? We have 3-5 hour a week projects and free training for you.
Please email us at hi@raeliv.boutique – we can’t wait to hear from you!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.raeliv.boutique
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raeliv.boutique
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