We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Patti Brock. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Patti below.
Patti, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
I believe I got my work ethic from my parents. Both were very steadfast in making sure we understood money and how to handle it and save it. We were raised in an environment of having nice things. In order to have the extra things that we wanted, we were encouraged to have a job and take care of that job. We were allowed to have a car when we could afford the car and insurance payments. We were never ‘given’ a car, Our parents offered to co-sign on a loan but we had to maintain payments and insurance. In order to do that we needed a job. I took much pride in being able to afford a car and have a job. I also liked that a job afforded the opportunity to buy extras that I wanted and also to travel. I believe we were taught a respect for our job and therefore, money.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I have owned my store for almost 30 years now. The most exciting part is that it touches a part of myself and my clients’ adolescence in addition to how they present themselves to the world. By that I mean, I always say, my job is like playing dress-up, only I’m a big girl now. The same is true with clients. It’s so much fun to try on clothes and accessories. To encourage my ladies to try new things. The best part is seeing the face of a woman looking in the mirror at something different for her and loving how she looks. There’s no mistaking the response. We have always taken much pride in having a very well edited and eclectic selection of goods. Our inventory changes daily because of this.
We added a coffee bar to the store last year which has been a really fun addition. I went to barista school and became a certified barista. We serve “Third Wave” style coffee. A very precisely measured, gourmet style of coffee. The certification was quite an intense process but super fun.
We are always doing some kind of event. We always try to include small businesses and/or organizations to support . I’ve always felt that if you have a platform where you reach many people, it’s important to use that platform to support others.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Before I opened my store, I was a para-legal. Then a ballroom dancer and studio owner. Then worked in retail and became a buyer for someone else. ALL of those careers were definite education in their own ways as it related to owning my own business.
Advice for others? Oh, times have changed! New businesses need to be so involved in social media. I don’t love it. I DO it but I don’t love it. I come from much more of a personal contact background. To me, there’s nothing more important than hands-on experience. Go do what you want to do for someone else. See how things run. You can do social media all day long but if your customers’ experience isn’t a good one when the visit, you won’t be successful. Word of mouth, especially the way people like to comment on social media can make or break you. Customer service, inventory, your store’s energy, it’s all so very important.
Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?
When you are business owner, you MUST remember to take care of yourself. Just like a Mom with children…Most of your outside life can have an impact on your business and believe me, your clients don’t want to hear it or feel it. When you close your doors TRY to close your mind as it relates to the business. It won’t always work, especially in the beginning but remember, just like anything you want to take care of yourself to be the best when you are representing yourself in your business.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: emeraldandpearl_annabelles
- Facebook: annabelle’s couture/emerald & pearl
- Other: emeraldpearl433@gmail.com
