Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jenna Reece, owner of Maggie M Boutique, located in Colorado Springs, CO, USA.

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

Maggie M Boutique offers a wide variety of goods sourced from Colorado-owned, women-owned and small-batch businesses. Everything in our store comes from at least one of those categories, but many represent two or all three! We have a rotating selection of clothing, baby items, candles, bath & body products, and other unique gifts.

With our new location, we have many customers that are visiting from out of state, so we get the opportunity to show them a bit of what Colorado has to offer. Coloradans have a very distinct sense of pride when it comes to supporting small businesses and local makers, so it is exciting for us to get to showcase them and tell people from other states and countries about the amazing people that make up our community.

Tell us about yourself

I started my store as an online-only boutique but quickly progressed to a brick-and-mortar location after that. At first, I thought this would be a good business opportunity to have while also being a stay-at-home mom, but I fell in love with what I do and decided to make it a full-on store within two years of opening.

Everything I do is to inspire my children to be strong, independent, confident women in the future. This store is named after my oldest daughter, and it really inspires me to make it something great and something that we can all be proud of!

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Transitioning into a permanent location is my biggest accomplishment so far! After being selected to be a Holiday Pop Up shop in Colorado Springs, it was a natural progression to find my own permanent space to call home. I could not be happier with the location that we have in the Old Colorado City neighborhood. I cannot wait to see what my next big accomplishment is!

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

For me, figuring out all of the really fun government requirements was challenging. I was able to get some great guidance from the local SBA (and the occasional YouTube video) to figure out the correct way to become a legitimate business.

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

  1. If I can do it, SO CAN YOU! I had no idea what I was doing, but I reached out to other business owners in my community, and they were all very willing and eager to help me figure it all out.
  2. Take advantage of events and collaborations with other businesses. You will meet some of the most amazing people by collaborating with other businesses, and your audience will grow exponentially!
  3. Make it your own! Inject a bit of your personality into everything you do. It helps people see why you are different and makes you and your business memorable.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

It's not always easy, but seeing the smile on a customer's face when they find something unexpected makes it all worth the work.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://shopmaggiem.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShopMaggieM/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shopmaggiem/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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