In 2008 Rose Corrick started a boutique clothing company which she decided to take from her apartment to a 4,000 square facility, signing a three year lease and buying the necessary equipment to manufacture her clothes. And while business was initially brisk, the Great Recession hit and suddenly she was running out of customers, orders and revenues – while her bills kept piling up.
She had to turn to her credit cards to make payments, cancel important events at fashion shows to promote her brand, and lay off people who worked for her.
Still, she didn’t give up.
She had a belief in the uniqueness of her clothes and vision, and instead of throwing her hands up in the air – she went for help.
Rose hired a fashion consultant to give her a fresh opinion on the “hot” new trends emerging, hired sales people on 12% commissions only, and trimmed her manufacturing costs at every corner.
Slowly but surely, sales started to go up, and up, and up. Until she could project $1.2M in sales for the year. Her’s is an inspiring story of not just a successful small business, but of the grit and determination it often takes to be an entrepreneur. For as some know, the ride is not always up, nor even steady. Congrats Rose!