Lessons Learned From a Decade in Business

You guys, honestly, I have been so excited to interview today's guest.

I'm so pumped about it.

Because if there's ever been a boutique who I feel like does such a great job really understanding her customer and building a brand that I just can't look away from, it is Becca Pollock, the founder of Hail House. Many of you know Becca. She's been a longtime member of the community at the Boutique Hub. She's got a tremendous following on Instagram and a beautiful store in Fort Worth, Texas. Guys, Becca, today is going to walk you through her journey, celebrating 11 years in business. Going from a brick and mortar to an online store and selling in both places, managing inventory in both places, and also how she juggles it all with launching collections, running a business, growing a team, and being a mom. You guys, she is as sweet and humble and genuine as they come, so I couldn't be more excited. Please meet my friend, Becca Pollock, the founder of Hale House. Let's talk about your business strategy and the juicy details of what actually works. From mainstream fashion to fashion on Main street and the entire ecosystem behind it. How do we scale your company and do it with the balance and the happiness that we all seek? Let's hear from those insiders, experts, and strategists that actually make it happen. I'm your host, Ashley Alderson from the Boutique Hub, and I can't wait to chat.

Hey, guys, welcome back to the podcast this week.

This is gonna be such a good show. Becca, I'm so happy you're here.

Ashley, thank you so much for having me. Oh, my gosh. This is like the biggest blessing. And somebody pinched me like, I can't believe it.

Oh, my gosh. I feel the same way. Because if there was anyone I follow on Instagram that I could just sit and scroll and scroll and scroll because I'm obsessed with everything that you're posting. It's you. So this is such an honor to have you on the show and a huge congratulations. We've got to start out by talking about this. 11 years. You've got a big anniversary you're celebrating. Tell me about that. Yes.

Thank you. Oh, my gosh. I can't believe it myself. Yeah. 11 years. It's been 10 years of brick and mortar and 11 years in total business. I started out actually in an Airstream, a 1955 Airstream bubble. Yes. And so I just load that baby up and my dad and my husband would tow it around town and we'd do pop up shops and. Yeah, that.

I did not know that so you've got to tell me more about that because I feel like that had to be before fashion trucks and mobile boutiques. Like before that was a cool trend. You were doing this. So how did you have that idea from the beginning? That's so neat. Tell me about the origins.

Well, I feel like it's kind of right. Whenever they started doing food trucks. I was living in Chicago and my dad texted me one night and he was like, well, just bought an Airstream on ebay. I'm like, does mom know? Like, what are you doing? Like, But I thought I was like, okay, I'm gonna load this up with vintage like boots and pearl snaps and we're gonna go and set up, you know, at the local bar in Chicago. And I have a lot of crazy ideas. So I'm a dreamer. If there's. If there's any. If there's anything about me, I'm a dreamer. Yeah. And so I was. I ended up moving back to Texas. That's where my family is. That's where my. My heart is. My husband and I, we actually dated in high school, but we dated on and off. But he was a senior when I was a freshman, so I wasn't really allowed to date him. And he was actually remodeling my parents house. And so that's a whole nother story. But so he showed up at my parents door and he was like, oh, this house. And the guy that he works with, he's like, yes, this house. And he goes, oh, I don't think her daddy likes me. But anyway, so since Tyler, my husband, started, you know, working on my parents house and remodeling their bathroom, that turned into a full kitchen, remodel, yada, yada. I just, I started talking with Tyler again. And so then I kind of knew. I was like, okay, it's time to move back to Texas. I wanted to be, you know, with family, with Tyler, of course. And yeah, so I went to market in New York and I actually started out selling only home goods in vintage, like, I did not want to do clothing. I thought that was too risky at the time. So, yeah, I started out with like coasters and hook pillows and candles and jewelry.

So it's really helpful. Did he help you remodel and get the Airstream going then too? Like this is. Is this all around kind of the same time?

Yes, yes, that was all around the same time. So the Airstream was actually. It was already restored and my dad was like, you're not touching the insides. You can load it up. But you'll be setting outside of the Airstream, which is really a great idea because it was in. It was in great condition and still is. It's so funny. My dad actually just towed the Airstream to our store because we're going to have it there tomorrow for our anniversary. So, Bubbles, we're going to serve champagne out of the bubble.

That is awesome. So it's a love story and a business story all wrapped up in one. This is perfect. So how did you transition from the Airstream and home goods? How did you find your first spot in dfw? Right?

Yes. Yeah. So in Fort Worth. Well, really, you know, it's a lot of work. Those women that do pop up shops and tow their things around, I mean, that is. It's a lot of work. And I'm not scared of hard work, but I was like, there's got to be an easier way, you know, And I always worked in boutiques, and I just. I really wanted a brick and mortar. And so this little store, or it was actually an old gas station came up for lease, and it was only 400 square feet. So tiny, tiny, tiny building, but it has a plane on the pole. And that was like, okay, I have to do that there because they might not know who I am, but they know where that plane is, and they're gonna go there to, you know, they're gonna want to see what's going in there.

So that's so smart. Well, tell me how it evolved over the years. So 11 years. Tell me about how the business has changed over that time.

Oh, my gosh. I mean, when I started, I mean, Instagram, I think, had just come out, so that wasn't truly a way to get people, you know, to my. To my store, you know, really. So when I saw the airplane, I was like, okay, that's a great marketing tactic. One of the things that I learned, you know, from working in a boutique is like having an email list. And so I think an email list is so important. Anybody that asks me, like, hey, I'm getting started. What should I do? And I'm like, put a little notebook at your register and just have it there. You don't have to ask them to sign up, but most people will, like, they want to know what's going on. And so I leave the, you know, the email book out. And that's how I would really promote people to come to my events. And then I had an event almost every month.

So.

Yeah. And I thought, I think, like, those events, like when. When you get wine and shopping And. And women together. You know, it's always a really good time. So we actually. We would have parties out by the Airstream all the time. We'd have our little heater. My mom would make food, and all the friends would come and. But yeah, so, I mean, it's really evolved from. From, you know, the airstream to the 400 square feet to home goods and vintage and things like that. And one day I was talking with my friends, and I was like, man, I just. I really love this store, Cotton island. And Cotton Island, I used to work there in high school. It's actually in Dallas. And I'm still friends with the owners, and they're still in business. I think they've been in business now maybe 40 years, 35 or 40 years. I was like, I just love this store so much. And they're like, well, why don't you do that? Like, why don't you carry clothes? I was like, oh, man, that's just so hard. Like, with a candle, like, it has more shelf life. Like, I know. Like, you don't have to be, you know, a size small, medium, or large to buy that candle. So it was risky. You know, it was risky to get into the clothing. But I started small. I went, you know, to cash and carry, and I got, you know, I bought as little as I could, and I just, you know, started small and just kept going for it and going for it, and I just learned. I was like, okay, clothing is like, this is where my gravy is. Like, that was. That was it. And we. We grew. We outgrew our space. So I started looking for a place, and then we moved into our spot on Camp Bowie, and that's about. Well, we started out with 1500 square feet, and then now we have twice that. So it's just. It keeps growing. But I love. I love the store. I love that in person, you know, experience, for sure.

Yeah. Something that you've done as I've watched you grow. And I feel like you do this really better than. Better than most. Better than most boutiques I've ever followed, is you really nail your customer. Like, you know exactly who your person is, and you have built yourself to such, like, a brand. It's not that you're just, this is my boutique, but this is my brand. And when you see your photos online, you instantly know whose they are, because you've built yourself in that way. Tell me more about, like, was that intentional or how did you just really keep. Keep chipping away at. This is exactly how I want everything to look and feel and taste and smell so that it's recognizable for everyone.

Yeah. I mean, was it intentional? No, I, I, I mean, yes and no. I mean, sometimes I feel like stuff happens and I'm like, okay, I didn't know that's what I was doing. But, you know, here we are. So. Yeah. So I would say, you know, it just for my customer part, like you kind of, you know, buying like the candle and all those things, you know, starting to buy that and then going into clothing. I feel like people as boutique owners, we buy and we say, oh, well, we serve, we serve, you know, the teenager and we serve a six year old. Well, so, you know, I do too. I, you know, 80 year olds, it doesn't matter. But when I go to buy, like, I know exactly who my customer is. Like, her name is Millie, she's 30 something, she's got two kids. You know, she's, you know, has a job sometimes she works from home. She's always juggling, you know, and it's very, it's very similar to me, but I, that's, it's just easier to buy because I love it.

Yeah. And it's so true. Most often a customer is a lot like the owner. Like, you've really embodied yourself in your brand. And the bright colors and the pink and just that look and feel of everything. It's amazing how it's all come together like that.

Thank you.

I'm sure. Your brand, as I think back about the last couple of years, right, like going through Covid and being a really strong brick and mortar and then having to transition that online. Tell me about that journey and how your business really went from brick and mortar to online and now how they both have really grown together. What was that process and journey like for you?

Oh, my gosh. Well, I mean, Covid in the pandemic really pushed our brand to go online. We, we knew that we wanted to be online. We had sort of an online, but nothing, you know, too serious, if you will. And so when everything started shutting down, you know, I told my girls, I said, look, I just had a baby four days before, like the mass shutdown. So I had a four day old baby and I'm like. And actually I was on the phone with, with Doug, you know, from Management one. And I'm like, doug, they're, they're gonna, I, I've gotta get more inventory. Like, I have to get more inventory because what am I gonna do? And he's like, Becca, like, I love, you know, your optimism, but people are actually gonna stop buying. And I'm like, wait, what? I'm like, you know, I'm thinking I need all the goods. I need to get them before all the other boutiques, you know, buy it up. But in reality, you know, it was. It was starting to become the opposite. But. So I am a glass half full type of gal. But yeah, I mean, I told the girls, like, this is my livelihood. This is your livelihood. If you want a job. If we want to keep making this, we have to put everything online and find a way to make it. Because, like, I feel like people either made excuses or they made it work for them. And I just really never saw closing as an option. Like, I never, you know, that wasn't going to be an answer for me. I wasn't going to make any excuse to not keep going. So definitely Covid. I mean, there's so many places out there that help, you know, like, like Josh, you know, like, he helps, like with the website management, you know, just like rebuilding it and making it look fabulous and things like that and the training that's involved. But yeah, it's a wild ride. I don't have all the answers and I still don't really know what I'm doing, but we figure it out.

Day.

I am so glad that you're here, that not only are you listening to the podcast, but you know why you're different. Because you actually implement what you learn and that sets you apart from everyone else in this industry every single day of the week. So thank you for that. And because I know you love to take action, I want to make sure, if you're not already a part of our community at the Boutique Hub that you have an opportunity to join us. You see, the membership at the Boutique Hub is the core of everything we do, and it has been for almost 10 years, which is crazy. We gather together from all 50 states in the United States and seven countries, boutique owners, wholesale brands, and our trusted and vetted industry partners on a daily basis to talk about what's really happening, to answer your ongoing questions, to share stories, to learn and grow from, and with one another inside of the membership of the Boutique Hub, not only do you have access to our daily community, but also our ongoing education. You see, we have live experts, coaching and speaking every single week, two days a week, both retail and in our private wholesale groups. We also have monthly training bundles and content calendars that go out to our members on a regular basis on all kinds of topics. Plus our vetted training library. Our training library is full of tools and templates and videos and how to's checklists. Everything from non disclosure agreements that you can learn from. Model agreements, content calendars and engagement library videos on how to run Google Ads and Facebook ads, to optimizing your inventory you're buying and how to pay yourself more with profit first. Besides learning, I want to make sure that you also have an opportunity to buy and stock your store accordingly. So members of the Boutique Hub also have access to so many discounts from vetted and trusted wholesale partners, almost a thousand of them now inside of the hub and also on our platform, hubventory.com the new wholesale marketplace built by the industry, for the industry. And finally, you guys, your membership. I can tell you how to get it for free, and many members do.

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Yeah. How's your business? Now? I'm assuming your online and your in store are both a similar size, right? Like they're growing fast together?

Yes.

Do you find challenges in that? In your energy from one taking away from the other, or how do you maintain focus so that both can grow together at the same time?

Oh my gosh. Well, I mean, I couldn't do it without my team. I mean that is just like I'm only as good as my team members. And I mean, I'm just so grateful for all of my employees and coworkers that just helped me do the day to day. Yeah, it's wild. I mean, what's taken me 10 years to build for the brick and mortar I've built online in two years? Um, but I'm not just some Overnight success story. Like, it just, it was a lot of baby steps that have taught me, you know, to stay focused and to keep going. Um, it's. It's kind of crazy. And we just started small. Like, I don't know, you know, for our in store. When people wanted to buy something in store, when we would put that on our Instagram, they could only buy it in store. Well, then if I posted it, they wanted it, but people were following us from all over. So, you know, that's how it's able to scale is because of Instagram, really, you know?

Yeah. Did I answer your question?

I don't know.

You did. You did.

When you say, how do you focus? I don't know, because I'm not very good at focusing.

We're all struggling with that. So you did talk about your team, right? Like, we can only scale so much on our own and then we have to ask for help. And I know you mentioned Doug, who's a great friend of ours from Management One, who really is. He's the reason Management One in the Boutique Hub work together. He introduced us all. So I just absolutely adore Doug.

Yes, me too.

And you mentioned Josh from Streamline and Josh is such a dear friend of mine. He was just on the podcast as well. He's amazing, especially in helping brick and mortars move online. I feel like that is really his sweet spot. But let's talk about your team, right? And, and the team that you've hired in the business. I know for some people, especially those just getting started, who maybe are solopreneurs, that is a really intimidating thing to hire your first team and to grow and scale. How have you approached just team management and optimizing your team so that you are building a team for the long term? Right. Who wants to grow along with you? What is your management strategy like?

Well, I don't know if I have a strategy, but I would say, I guess my strategy is to start small and, you know, don't bite off more than you can chew. You know, Nuvia, who is like my coo, she's my right hand woman. I mean, she's, she's really the boss at Hale House. Like, I even go to her, I'm like, can I do this? And she's like, really? So I really couldn't do it without, without Nuvia. She started as an intern with me and now, I mean, she's really just like the brains and the manager, you know? But I think it's really important that you do hire and I know that it's scary because that's, you know, it's money and it's, you know, it costs a lot, but you. You know, it's so important because as a boutique owner, you cannot do it all by yourself. You can try, but it's really hard, and you just. You'll burn out, and you have to have a good team, you know, But. And it's not just. It's not just, you know, my employees at Hale House. It's my family. It's, you know, it's my husband, it's my mom and my dad that believed in me from, like, the very beginning. You know, taking me shopping around, you know, around the world.

That's how.

That's what inspired me. But, I mean, surrounding yourself with people, and I feel that you're only as good as the people that you surround yourself with. And that has just been so key into growing Hale House.

For sure.

Yeah.

Where do you go when you feel like you're tired or overwhelmed or you just need inspiration? Because I feel like a lot of times you as a boutique owner, right, you're the cheerleader for your team team, and you're the cheerleader for your customers. Where do you go to find your own cheerleader and be inspired?

Well, other than the nail salon, if I'm real tired, I'll go to the nail salon or the spa. No, but really, I mean, that's, you know, that's one thing I'll say about Doug, you know, and Management One is. I mean, truly, you know, I get on a phone call with Doug, and he's my cheerleader, and I feel like, you know, as a boutique owner and, you know, as a leader of any company, really, like, it's. You know, you're always pepping somebody up. You're always getting them excited and, you know, trying to lead them. And, you know, it just. I mean, in all honesty, like, it's exhausting, you know, I mean, it's fun, but, you know, I mean, I feel like everybody's been there when you're running your family and you have so much on your plate that it's just. It gets. Maybe overwhelming is better than saying exhausting. But. But Doug is like. He's my cheerleader, you know, like, he's like, okay, you got this. Like, you know, he just. Yeah. Very encouraging. So, yeah. Yeah.

I'm sure some of the things, like when you. When you speak to Doug, for those who don't know, Management One and Doug work on inventory management, really, kind of all kinds of business support, really, but inventory is really his Jam, I'm sure this is a question that you get a lot when it comes to just managing both a brick and mortar and online, in those conversations, how do you keep enough inventory for both? How do you know when to restock? How do you manage buying deep enough, Right. To be in both places? Talk to me about some of those conversations you've had with Doug and what you've learned from them.

Yes. Okay. So, I mean, I would say, I feel like that's like the million dollar question, right? Like how. How much do you know to start out, to buy or anything like that. But I will always say start small. You can always reorder, you can always go back for more. But, you know, when I first started, I started out just selling. You know, I buy one pack in the pack, like only one pack for the store, and then we would put that one pack online. Well, then it would sell out within. My in store customer didn't have it. So then that's when I went to two packs. And then I'd say, well, gosh, six isn't really enough to. Because that sold out so fast. And like, you do all this work, you take the picture, you post it, everybody works on a launch. You put the reel together, everything else, and you're like, well, gosh, we could have sold 12 or, you know, but there really. There really is no true rhyme or reason. I'm a like, follow your gut type of gal. But Doug reigns me in and he's like, okay, no, you need to spend X amount of money on dresses. You need to. This is really selling for you.

You need to sell.

You need to go out and buy, you know, casual dresses, you know, sweatshirts, yada yada. And he's like, stop buying shoes. I'm like, I love shoes.

Duh.

He's like, it's not working for you, Becca. I'm like, I know, but. But he's funny because, like, the one thing I love about, you know, using somebody like that, you know, having a consultant is like, okay, my business doesn't come from ornaments or candles anymore. But that's what. That's what I love and that's what inspires me. And I love going to those markets to find it. So I'm not getting rid of that yet or not ever, I guess.

I don't know. I love it too much. It's such an interesting trend, right, to watch. There used to be just the boutique world, which was apparel, and there was the gift shop world, which was non apparel, and it was very much like this. And I Found especially in my conversations over the last year between jumping from apparel markets to gift markets and with showroom owners in between. Now it's really in your store. Such a good example of this. They're coming together like this. Gifts can sell apparel, apparel can sell gifts. They work together. Because you're building a lifestyle brand. Yes. And that's what people want. Right. They want to dabble in all those things, but it's knowing your customer and merchandising for your customer and speaking to your customer. And then she'll buy anything you're selling her.

Yes, absolutely. Absolutely. Yes. Totally.

Yes. One more thing. When it comes to inventory, you do this so well in terms of building your collections and launching your collections. Right. So you've got a plan. Yes. I need this in dresses, casual tops, these sizes, these brands. Like, that's the science behind it. But the real juice is it feels this way and it looks this way. So tell me about your collection launch strategy and how you kind of put the pieces together. Like, okay, I'm going to do this photo shoot. This is what I want it to feel like. And then you go on a hunt by those items. What's that look like?

So, okay, so I would say definitely have a process. Like, you have to have a process for the launches. And I would say, like, to that, like, for sure, sure. If you want to grow, like, online, I would say do your lunches because it keeps you on track and everybody knows what's expected of them. But, okay, so, like, I'll just kind of walk you through, like, a week at Hale House. Will that work for the lunches? That'd be awesome. Okay, so on. I know every Monday, I have to be like, hair and makeup ready. And on Monday, I go in after I drop off the kids. And I usually don't pick my collection until, like, that day. Everything that I have that's not shot is on, like, three giant racks. So I put all that together. My husband and I. My husband's my photographer. He's my photographer. Yeah. So, like, he's the one taking all of our booms, all of our pictures, all of that. So he has the. He has the patience of job, for sure. He puts up with a lot of.

Yeah.

So that's our Monday. And then, so usually right now that's about anywhere from, like, 20 to 40 items, just kind of depending on what's going on. And we try to. We really do think about, like, okay, what's going on in the world? Like, or what's going, you know, is it Easter Is it Christmas? Is it? You know, we think about our customer and we think about the events in her life. Like, you know, NFR is coming up. A lot of our customers will, you know, go to NFR or they'll go to the rodeo. That's in January, you know, so we think about those things when I'm putting that collection together, but it's just so fun. Like what I. I love just like pulling and sourcing different things that I have. And I mean, sometimes stuff will sit on a rack that I haven't shot for. I hate to say it, but like, sometimes, like even six weeks, like, it's. It's a lot, but. And that's where I'm trying to, like, manage it a little bit better. So I'm not perfect at this. And then, you know, we put everything that we shoot into a shared album. Like all of the pictures, all of the booms that we take. Yeah. And so, like Tuesday, we're finalizing the list where the girls are measuring, they're writing the product description. Wednesdays, we do like a hype reel. Like, we get them excited about that. What's going to launch. And then Thursday is launch day. And then Friday, it's like, whoo, okay, let's have a glass of wine. We did it, you know, but yeah, so that's kind of. Did that answer your question? I don't know.

That did. And I want to ask you even a little bit more technical question. So when you launch on Friday, you're on Shopify, or on Thursday, there's Friday's wine day. When you launch on Thursday, you're on Shopify. Right. So tell me kind of a checklist of, okay, I launch it on Shopify. I send out a text, I send out an email. Like, what does the marketing push look like behind it?

Okay, so we go to Stories first and Instagram. So my marketing team. So she has an email that's ready to go out. So we've picked like. So from our launch, like, of those 20 to 40 items, we pick about 10 or so items that are like, those are like our marketing pieces. Like, and that's what, like, and that's either something that's like real eye catchy or maybe I had like a really, like. Oh, like a goofy boomerang in it or something. I don't know. Like, you never know with these things. And so those are like our marketing pieces. And that's what Madison makes the email about. And then so that email goes out right at 8 o' clock and then we go to the stories. And we put every single thing that we are launching in that collection on a story with a link to shop and. Yeah. And then we just say a little prayer.

I love it. Very Instagram focused because it's so visual. Like, you've just built your brand so visual. Something I want to call out for everyone who's listening. That you just said that I think is really important. And it sticks in my mind because I recently heard another boutique owner who I think was speaking to our mastermind group or something, and she had the same strategy, and she said building a successful collection is not just about the collection itself and what's in it, but it's those few marketing pieces that you pull out that hype the collection collection. So, for example, I know on your Instagram recently, you had this, like, rhinestone cowboy hat that has HH for Hale house in the back. So I'm thinking to myself, I'm like, you know, she didn't buy that because she's gonna blow through, like, a hundred cowboy hats with HH on the back. It's a marketing piece, but you have to think, like, when you're a retailer, you're in marketing, and part of what you do is clickbait. And that cowboy hat was clickbait for your collection. Right?

Clickbait. I love that. I love that. That's why I tell my cpa, I'm like, I want to write off all of my shoes and my earrings and my everything. And she's like, I don't think that counts. I'm like, b. Chanel, she sold this dress. And she's like, but did it? I'm like, yeah, it did.

Now you can tell her it's clickbait. It is. You know, you can't argue with clickbait. It's marketing.

It's marketing material.

Yeah, right. So something else that you've done really well that I want to call out is you built this great brand on Instagram, but you've also built a personal brand alongside of your business brand. Was there any, like, as you go along and you're sharing just behind the scenes in your personal life and you're a mom with two busy kids. Was the thought behind that to be able to, like, leverage and push one to the other, or how have you viewed Instagram and using it for both business and personal in this really unique and intertwined way?

Gosh. You know, the. On the personal side that just. That just kind of happened, that I. I still don't even have, like, a real vision or goal for that I just. I. I just. I love to share. Probably over share, but no, you know, but another thing, my best friend, Katie McFarland, she's a blogger. And I have to say, I mean, she's the one that I feel like gave Hale House the credibility on Instagram. I mean, she is such a major influence, you know, on my life, like, in business, but also personally.

So.

But the way that they go together, I don't know, that just kind of happens. But I am my brand, you know, because I am Hale House. Like, Hale is my maiden name. I mean, you know, like that too. That's who we are. And so, like, I. I like the personal side because I get to show you, like, how I wear it, how I style it. What's, you know, what's my life, you know?

Yeah. And it works. It works. And there's so many. It really does. Right? You're giving me a face if you're living. If you're listening in audio. But it does because it's authentic. And I think at the end of the day, like, that's the real thread here, is you've built something that's really authentic. Authentic to you, and your customers have latched onto it for that reason. Thank you.

Thank you. Yeah, I just want to be relatable, you know, And I feel like being, you know, being vulnerable, you know, is just so people. You don't really want to be vulnerable, but I think that, you know, because, like, you don't. I don't want anybody to talk bad about me. I don't want any, you know, I don't want any. I don't know. I just, you know, any conflict or anything. But I think that the women and moms, like, there's so much out there that we can relate to, you know, like. And kids are hilarious. Like, kids are so funny. And I don't know, life is just. Is crazy.

It is crazy. I'm sure you could ask this question about just behind the scenes at your own life. So you gave us a behind the scenes of a week at Hale House. Tell me about your life as a wife and a mom and a business owner and. And how you're able to juggle the things or try to juggle the things right. That are happening on a daily basis. What does it look like behind the scenes in your life?

Controlled chaos is what. Is what we do in our family. You know, Tyler and I, we just. We set. We set boundaries for ourselves. Like, we know, like, okay, Mondays are shoot days, and we don't have it figured out. We Absolutely do not have it figured out, but we have, like, we're so blessed. Our family's. His parents are here and my parents are here. And so they really help us out, you know, with the kids and even, like, in the business. And we're actually like, Tyler, he's also, like, in the remodeling business. And so, like, we're remodeling a home, and I'm like, when our heads at that pillow at night, like, it takes everything to do just to stay awake, you know, But I don't know if I juggle it that well. I think, you know, fake it till you make it, I guess. I don't know. But I certainly don't have it figured out. I wish I could. I have a hard time saying no to things. I feel like. And Tyler does, too. Like, he gets fomo, you know, like, if there's, like, an event going on, like, we both want to go. And I really feel like that's where I struggle is, like, I. I live to fill my calendar, and it's not a great trait. Like, I wish, you know, I guess it might be my New Year's resolution, but, like, I'm looking at my calendar and I'm like, okay, I'm empty next week. Like, I have to go to LA because I don't have enough on order for December. Like, am I going to go to la? But I'm like, but. But, you know, and that's the thing, like, juggling the family and juggling the business and juggling your friends and your marriage. I mean, it's something always has to give. Like, there's always sacrifices to every decision that you make. You know, whether it's, you know, go to la. I'm gonna miss out on my kids for three days. You know, you know, markets and everything else. It's all a juggling act. And I. I don't have it figured out, but. But I'm doing my best. And, you know, I hope that Tyler and I are showing our kids, like, what hard work looks like, you know, that we. We show up and we do the work and, you know, we're doing this for them. And, you know, that's what. That's how I was raised myself. Like, my dad was in the Marine Corps. My mom, she worked nine to five, you know, for 30 years. I mean, they're both retired now. And I'm like, oh, man, I can't wait to be retired. Like you.

I call them.

I'm like, mom, are you still in your PJs? It's 11 o'.

Clock.

She's like, oh, yes, sweetie. I'm just needle pointing and watching the Price is Right.

That day will come. That day will come. It will.

One day. Yeah.

Do you feel like there's been in your business journey so far, like a hardest lesson that you've had to learn?

Oh, man. Lots of them. Gosh, I can't think of anything. I mean, I think all of it's hard. I think lessons I really don't believe in, like, a failure, if you will. Like, I think, like, those are just their opportunities to learn and don't be afraid to fail, I think is such a thing, you know, because they are. They are little lessons, you know, in life and like, oh, okay, this will be better than this. Or, you know, but just trusting your gut and taking a risk. I think I, you know, kind of like going back to that glass half full. Like, I've always. I've always been a risk taker. Like, I moved, you know, when I went to. I went to the University of Arkansas and, like, none of my friends went there, so I'm just kind of like a. I don't know, I'll just go. I'll just jump off, like. And I really don't know if there's water at the end, but I'm hoping there is. And I'm like, you sure?

There might. Might be.

I hope this pool is deep enough for me, but. But it's funny because my. My husband is totally opposite. And so I feel like that's how we really balance each other, you know, because I'm just, you know, jump and go and pray for the best.

Nothing wrong with that. It's working. Right? Do you think there's also. Do you think there's also, like, a best piece of advice you've gotten along your journey? That always sticks with you.

Oh, best piece of advice. I would just say follow your heart.

That's.

I mean, that's my biggest thing I know. Follow your heart, take the risk and trust God. I think those are, like, that's my biggest advice. I just always like it.

Yeah.

Follow your heart. I had an opportunity whenever, so I did an internship out of high school or out of college at Nordstrom. And I knew that I loved the internship and I'm so glad that I did it. But I found out really quickly that I wasn't into corporate retail. It wasn't for me. I didn't like the work life balance. And so I started looking for other jobs and I had an offer from, like, healthcare insurance company, and my mom was so excited. She's like, oh, honey, you're gonna get a company car, and you're gonna do this, and you'll have health insurance, and you'll have all of the securities. And I'm like, ugh. Like, that just sounds like misery to me. But, you know, and I'll never forget my dad said, well, I had a. The other part of that story is that I had an offer also from Nancy Elodie at Vintage Charm in Chicago. And so it was kind like, okay being a buyer and doing marketing, which seems so obvious, but, you know, or the healthcare insurance. And I don't know why I was so conflicted, but, you know, like, I was young, and I was talking to my parents, and the company car was really, you know, tempting. But my dad, he was like. He's like, b. He's like, just follow your heart. He's like, what does your heart tell you to do? I'm like, well, I mean, no brainer, dad. Like, going to go work at the boutique. And he's like, well, then do it. You know? Hello. You know, you're young enough to fail. I think that's, you know, and then that's kind of my advice. It's like, you're always young enough to fail.

That's really good advice, actually. That's a really good piece of advice. You're always young enough to fail. Like, always. Truly. There's always an opportunity. That's so good. Yeah. So I have a big question for you, and you've probably heard me ask this question before, but I think it comes down to the root of why we're here. I know that you're not here just to sell pretty things. Right? Like, there's such a bigger purpose to life and. And your business and why you're in this business. So fast forward with me, you know, 30 years from now, and you're on the front porch with your kids and your grandkids, and you're reflecting on the life that you lived and the business that you built. Businesses that you've built. What's the thing that you want them to remember the most about you and your journey?

Don't make me cry, Ashley. I told you, I'm a crier. I can't wait for that moment. I want to be in Round Top, sipping, I don't know, sweet tea on the porch with my husband, watching our grandkids run around in the fields. You know, I really. I want to be remembered, you know, for being kind, for including everybody, for being a hard worker, for showing up and Making a difference. You know, I think, I think boutiques, we, we do more for the community than people realize sometimes. And the give backs and the, you know, we're, you know, we're given the opportunity to do that, you know, and so, and we employ others. And I just, yeah, I don't know, I just, I want to be remembered just for, for being kind of the.

World needs more of that. I am here to tell you, I think that's a perfect thing to be remembered for. Well, Becca, you have been such an inspiration on the show today. Thank you for joining me and having this conversation, sharing your story.

Thank you so much. Thank you. I'm kind of a crazy lady. I feel like I have all these thoughts, but my brain is like scrambled eggs sometimes, so.

Well, I think we got scrambled eggs out on the platter for everybody today to see and to learn from and inspired by. So thanks for being a part of the Hub for so long, too. You've been a longtime member of the Hub. I, I, that means so much to me, honestly, to have you as a part of our community. So thank you for that.

Oh, my gosh, thank you. Thank you. You just, you continue to inspire me. So please don't stop what you're doing because you are a rock star.

Thank you. All right. Thanks so much for today.

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