How did we open?

How did you open greyleigh’s? 

I get this question soo many times a day, so I decided to write a little about it. Unfortunately there is no “start list” or “to do list”, you just kind of learn what you need to do as you go. It took me about a year to get everything I needed together to open greyleigh’s. You need licenses, tax id numbers, insurance for shows, capital (money), I’ve got a little over $20,000 invested in this business so far, time, a lot of time, quality vendors, somewhere to keep all of the inventory and supplies, such as a store, a warehouse or a room or 2 in your house. You need racks, hangers, a pos system, a website, tags, business cards, etc. etc., I could go on forever.

I’ve owned greyleigh’s for almost 2 years and I’m STILL buying stuff all the time and finding out new things that I never knew we needed. It’s a never ending thing. You’ll never have enough inventory, enough supplies, and enough time. It’s a lot of work, way more than I ever could’ve imagined. But it’s so much fun, it’s my dream. 

Owning a boutique is not for everyone. It’s not something you can just “try out”, you have to be all in or all out. Because depending on how big and how fast you grow, it will eventually be a full time job. So, I don’t recommend opening one if you’re still in high school or college, or if you have another full time job. It’s a lot to keep up with on top of other things. You have to be 100% dedicated to your store. 

Also, just because you know fashion and what’s trendy does not mean you know how to run a business, owning a boutique is so much more than just knowing fashion. The "boutique" market is SO saturated right now that literally everyone and their sister owns an online boutique so it's very hard to find clothes that everyone isn't already selling. It's hard to compete with others, but, you have to find your own way to stand out and make it your own.

So, to everyone that asks me how we opened, that’s the best answer/word of advice I can give you. And I wish you the best of luck if you’re considering opening one! Thank you for supporting my dream!

xoxo, Kallie

How many people work for greyleigh’s?

Greyleigh’s is owned and operated by 1 person!