Daring Doer Tierra Destiny Reid, Stylish Consignments

Stylish Consignments is designed to inspire and assist women in living their best lives by making savvy shopping choices (40-80% off retail) and generating an extra stream of income by cleaning out their closets and consigning with us.

Life before business: I was an entrepreneur before I knew what the word meant. As a child, I sold candy to neighborhood kids and started a babysitting club. In college, I made and sold gift baskets to help pay expenses. But my dream was fashion. I majored in fashion merchandising at the University of Georgia and worked my way up the retail ranks into the buying office at Macy’s.

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“Ah ha” moment: it came when my company’s massive layoff was announced on CNN while I was on maternity leave. I had already decided I did not want to return to work, but now I had no choice. It was either another job or my dream.

Target consumer: Trendy professional women on the Go-typically 30 to 50 years of age who want to look and feel good, while making savvy shopping decisions or women who purse designer items and want to resale them to earn cash!

My first: The day of my soft opening one of my first customers was the manager of another local consignment shop. She found a pair of comfy shoes. I was so nervous and full of emotion that I couldn’t figure out the credit card machine. She gave me cash instead, which I later had her sign and I framed on my wall. It was meant for her to use cash so I could have this as a keepsake.

Measure of success: I measure business success by setting a goal and either hitting it or surpassing it with proper planning or execution. I decided that I did not want to build a one-man show that was directly dependent on me. I am building a company – slowly. My biggest success has been steadily building and revising my internship program to help college students who aspire to have a store one day see, feel, and breathe what it really takes to start up a business. I am proud to not be bound to the store 24/7. I have a strong team and I challenge them to think on their feet.

Struggles: Juggling a million hats while continuously wanting to add more to it. My ideas and drive never slow down. But I am learning to pace myself. I just add things to my list and wait until the right time. I am learning to enjoy my journey along the way so I don’t burn out and resent it. I have cut back my operational hours to allow more time at home with my family.

Any surprises?: WOW! That is a big one. I would say it would have to be living with the feeling and believing this was meant for me and I was meant to be an entrepreneur, but actually knowing it now.  I love it! What others may see as too much work, and not worth it, is so fulfilling for me; a million hats and all. It is a challenge-a fun challenge without limits or asking permission to try something new.

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