When Brain Fog Takes Over: The Reality of Running a Boutique While Managing Life
Let's be real for a second. Anymore, the biggest challenge in running a boutique, or any business, isn’t the inventory or the sales, it’s coming up with what to post on social media (and don’t even get me started on the rabbit hole of trends). I’ve caught myself doom scrolling more times than I can count, trying to find the next bit of inspiration. Be authentic, show your real self. Friends, I am just not ready to share that "B-roll" footage, like the experts say I should. I'm still in the fake-it-till-you-make-it phase!
If you're like me and juggling a small business, family life, and everything in between, I’m here to share my journey and maybe help you realize you’re not alone in the chaos. I hope by me sharing you learn something, are inspired, or at least a little entertained.
Social Media: The Full-Time Gig I Didn’t Know I Signed Up For
Yea... Apparently, running a boutique is a lot more than selling clothes. Social media has become my virtual storefront, and I swear it could be a job all by itself. Have you ever tried to keep up with Instagram trends, post consistently, and grow your reach, while also running a business, and parenting? Well, I'm trying, but it feels like failing so often! The constant-ness of it is hard. I can tell a difference when I scale it back and am not posting every day, but the creative energy it takes to make posts and videos for you all is exhausting. It is very easy to understand how these social media managers make the big bucks. You can bet I'll be investing in that assistance if I can ever afford it! But in the meantime, here is one thing I've figured out. Rather than let my wheels spin, overthinking the details, I have way more success finding my own head-space as a consumer. What do I find interesting, what drew me in? Figure that out and mold it into your own. Do NOT feel like every post has to be 100% your own brain child - trending content is literally the current hot idea being repeated over and over again. Jump on that bandwagon!
Boutiques vs. Restaurants: Our Customer Needs are Not the Same
I am a regular at our local drink shops. I am treating myself to a coffee or tea 2 to 3 times per week! Restaurants generally have a loyal customer base like that. For clothing boutiques, though, our customers probably aren't shopping multiple times per week, right? I mean, I wish! But that just isn't reality. So, that means I need a much larger audience, which is why building my social media following and stretching my customer base far outside of my local geographic area is so important. And also why I'm letting silly social media take up so much of my time! I need to cast a wide net to get people into Little Bluestem, and that requires more marketing, more networking, and a lot more effort. Social media is free, but takes lots of work. My strategy going into this holiday season is to be looking for sponsorship opportunities, charitable donations and hosting my own social media contests. These are lower cost than traditional marketing, but still provides impact if I put the right strategic flare into them.
Getting a Grasp on the Numbers (Or Trying To)
I've already messed this up. If you listen to any successful boutique owner talk about their business, they are OBSESSED with their numbers. Obsessed. Initially, I found this odd, as if being able to quickly spout off your inventory numbers, and year-to-date gross profits was somehow rude of them. Like, how dare you put profits over your vision for your business! But obviously I'm the dope, without a profit, there is no business and therefore no vision. We have to know where our business stands. We have to know what we can budget on marketing, what we can budget for the next season's inventory, and what our margins need to look like to be able to grow. Basically, don't be like me. Have a handle on this from day one. Trying to come in and figure it out 2 years in is hard and also scary. There is no room for blissful oblivions if you want to be successful in the boutique world.
Balancing Family Life & Business: Welcome to the Circus
Now, let’s talk about the real balancing act. Running a boutique while being a mom and wife, and holding regular full-time employment is a constant juggling act. And we didn't even mention my volunteer obligations or the kids' extracurriculars. This right here still has me leaning into my biggest learning curve. Trying to climb down that mountain of giving each and everyone 100% of myself and somehow not realizing I only ever had 100% to give.
Instead, identify one thing in your life that feels the heaviest. For me, that was dinner time. It's kind of crazy how much anger burns through me when I hear the question, "What do you want to do for dinner?" Then, the overwhelm that comes with trying to get 3 kids 7 and under to choose healthy options and to fill their bellies. Dinner time has just never been a great time for me since having kids. So I made up my mind to do something about it. But in the alternative, it is also hard to make a menu for the week ahead, and daunting to make a grocery list based on meals you have chosen. Regardless, taking a couple of hours on Sunday to knock that out has truly moved my weeknights from bearable to enjoyable. And taking that time has freed up some energy and headspace for more creative work. Now... I know I should also apply that strategy to taking a look at my inventory and sales numbers once each week, but let's be real - knowing what to do and actually doing are two very different things. On this one, do as I say, not as I do!
At the end of the day, balancing a small business, a full-time job, and family life is no small feat. But if there’s one thing I’m learning, it’s that there’s no perfect way to do it all. We’re all just figuring it out as we go. And if my journey can help inspire someone else to follow their dreams, despite the challenges, then it’s worth it. So, if you’re feeling overwhelmed by your own dream, hang in there! I’m right there with you, figuring it out one day at a time.
And if you are the first person to make it this far, I have a surprise code for $5 off of a $25 purchase!
Use code BlogSurprise002
This code is only valid for one purchase!
Thank you for being here!