Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in clothing but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Kelsey Purcell, owner of Aster + Luna, located in Red Deer, AB, Canada.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

We are a local online boutique. We carry a wide variety of preloved children's clothing (sizes newborn - 14 years), women's clothing (maternity and daily wear), accessories, books, and toys. We also have a small curated collection on our site that is filled with Canadian items and companies that we love: Tree Fort Toys, Parade Organics, Blume, Heartprint Threads, Plantish, and Eco Freax (who supply us with rattan toys and decor, and minimal waste home items.)

Our customers are spread far and wide across Canada and the United States. The majority of our clients are busy mamas who love finding cute and affordable items for both themselves and their babes.

Tell us about yourself

My journey with selling secondhand clothing began a few months after we had our first son (who is now two and a half.) At the time, our community only had one secondhand shop for children's wear, and I found I was sourcing nearly all of our items from an online preloved shop in Ontario. I've always loved to shop secondhand, and I figured other mamas in this area would love the opportunity for more options to shop for their kiddos (and from the comfort of their own home - as we opened at the beginning of the pandemic.)

What's my WHY? I really, deeply care about the earth. I hate garbage and creating waste. I truly dislike the 'single use' or 'throw away' culture that our society often gravitates towards. In other words - I'm a total eco freak. I love doing everything we can in our household to minimize our waste (ex: we try to avoid single-use items like parchment paper). This passion for the environment carries forward into our clothing.

Fast fashion is so dang rough on the environment. With that, there is more clothing being produced than we, as a whole, could ever possibly wear. Our dedication to shopping secondhand (and buying/selling items within our community) is one of the most sustainable ways we can shop. We reduce the environmental impact, support locals, and give clothing the ability to be worn over and over again. I would love to see my boys grow up living a minimal waste lifestyle, and thinking thrifting or shopping secondhand is cool (let's be honest, it's the best way to get a wardrobe that's completely one of a kind!)

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

If you asked me two years ago where I thought this little preloved dream would take me, I honestly never would have imagined I'd be where I am today. It has been so incredible to witness our preloved community come together and to meet so many like-minded individuals with a passion for secondhand shopping. I think my biggest accomplishment at this point is being able to grow this business solely while our kiddos sleep at night. It's been a tough hustle, but it's been really incredible to see what I've created out of all the hours and love I've poured into Aster + Luna.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

In the first year - everything was 'learn as you go.' Of course, I had ideas of how I wanted things to work, but it all came down to just jumping in and evolving or reworking things as needed. We've almost been open for two years now, and I'd say the hardest thing overall is balance. Growing a business takes an abundance of time and resources, so you're kind of always 'on' in a sense (especially with a home-based business.) Trying to carve out time OFF is so important but also one of the hardest things to do.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Start with something you're passionate about. That passion will pour out, and it will make it easier to spend countless hours, funds, whatever it may be, on because it's something you truly love and enjoy. You know the quote - "Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life (Mark Twain)" It's like that, only you'll work hard, but you'll love every minute of it.
  2. Don't be afraid to be you. Yes, people will support you because they believe in your product or service. However, they'll also support you because they believe in YOU. Not everyone is going to like you, and that's okay. You need to find a way to focus on attracting the ones who do. They're the ones you want in your circle anyway. (Side note: follower counts DO NOT MATTER. As long as you have people who are involved, engaged, and actually appreciate you doing your thing - that's the sweet spot.)
  3. Be patient and do your research. Good things take time growing a sustainable business and building a strong and solid business foundation take time and research. Try not to get in your own way by wanting to be at a certain level by a certain point. Also, PLEASE do your own research. Of course, it's great to collaborate with other business owners and see how they do things, but that also takes a lot of precious time away from them (and, more than likely, you're not the only one asking them those questions.) Choose one or two things you'd REALLY love to learn about from them, but don't expect them to share everything they've learned with you. If you want to build your OWN business, you need to do the work to find out the answers and the values that fit with YOU.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://asterandluna.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/asterandluna
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asterandluna/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.