Today we’d like to introduce you to Renarda Miller.
Renarda, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I am Renarda Miller, CEO of The Flourish Kollection, LLC. I’ve always had a passion for fashion, I know, so cliché. I’ve always considered starting my own lipstick/gloss line, clothing store, or consignment shop, but I never followed through with it. About two years ago, swimwear came into my mind. For some reason, I felt that swimwear would be easier to start with.
I started thinking about becoming a business owner when I lived in Atlanta in 2014. There were so many entrepreneurs who looked like me and were doing well, which gave me confidence, hope, and motivation. That faded because I felt like the time was not right, and I had bigger things to worry about. 2016 came around, and I decided to give it another shot. I created a name and email address. With this, I thought to myself, now you have to do it. Nope! By this time, I was back in Florida, and in my high-demanding career, and deep down inside, I knew that I wasn’t ready to put the work in because I was so consumed with work. Fast forward to 2018; I restarted my research on becoming a business owner. During this time, I also started researching vendors and writing a blueprint. In 2019, I stopped making excuses and started putting more into my business. I began to purchase products, found the perfect graphic designer, my logo, created my website, LLC, and other things. There was no turning back now!
Once the money is in, you have to make a way out of no way. No one wants a loss, but I was prepared. I sometimes like to prove myself wrong, which is why I feel like the only competition is who I see in my mirror.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Business started out GREAT. I had no website, and I had over ten sales within my first two weeks. Selling so many products in my first 14 days of business was shocking! Even though my business started with many sales, I must say that I have faced challenges. My three biggest challenges.
1. My full-time job as a social worker: I currently work as a full-time social worker which is a high-demand career. When duty calls, you must be present. At times I wasn’t even sure when I’d get off work. After work, I set aside time to perfect my craft, but sometimes it’s short-lived because I’m so tired from my day to put the time into The Flourish Kollection.
2. Coronavirus: The current pandemic pushed back my shipment, photoshoot, and the release date of my spring line. I’d become so overwhelmed because things weren’t able to go as planned. I was quickly reminded that everyone is facing challenges during this pandemic, and it was up to me to prevail and remain focused.
3. Picking styles for all shapes and sizes: I know I have an eye for style, but I always have to remember that we all don’t like the same products. My main focus is for the consumer to feel comfortable in our product and to be able to flourish in confidence. I introduced my Kurv’e Kollection shortly after the launch. Kurv’e is for my girls with the “more to love” voluptuous attractive curves. June 24th was my one-year “Businessversary” I launched “Flourish Finds.” Flourish Finds serves you with quality, new, and used items at an unbelievable price.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into The Flourish Kollection story. Tell us more about the business.
The Flourish Kollection, LLC, currently consists of regular and plus-size swimwear and accessories. I plan on expanding my brand. Mental Health is important to me, and I wanted to incorporate it into the brand somehow. I am a social worker, and I’ve seen/see A LOT. I am also the go-to, genuine, and transparent friend whenever someone is going through something and in need of advice or a listening ear. I feel and have observed that you never know what people are going through. So many people give up because they feel alone, or they think it’s impossible to overcome their obstacles when in reality, some have fought harder battles and won. I want people to have something to live for and look forward to. I want them to understand that we all go through intense and silent battles, but it’s about how we react to them. I want to change as many lives as I can and what better way to help, but incorporating it into my brand. I want my customers to leave my site or social media platforms and be able to leave with something. That could be, words of affirmation, a different outlook on your situation, a boost of confidence, or a product.
I feel that what sets my brand aside from others is that all swimwear is named after an encouraging/empowering word. For example, Align, Bold, Blissful, Brilliant, and Commitment. When you put that swimsuit on, I want you to turn into that word and apply it into your life. I decided to name my products after empowering words so that you can feel empowered to flourish while just browsing the site even if you don’t make a purchase. I also include a pen in every purchase. This is called the Flourish/Flo pen, where you will use it to start or continue to channel your inner feelings and plans to flourish in your day to day life.
Lastly, I have a section called “How We’ve Flourished,” where real stories are submitted anonymously for others. I feel that you never know what stories can impact someone. I want my website to be of free service. Someone could see a submission with something similar to their situation. Because they saw that submission, they didn’t give up. They can read how one has flourished in a similar situation. I am most proud of what you can get from visiting my page or social media platforms. I take pride in being about my business and being professional while doing so. I’m not the designer yet, but I’m able to pick the styles and be the creator of everything else. I love shopping and putting things together, so this is super cool to me.
Do you feel like our city is a good place for businesses like yours? If someone was just starting out, would you recommend them starting out here? If not, what can our city do to improve?
The city of Miami is known for its beaches. There are over 15 beaches, including one of the world’s most popular, South Beach Miami. This city has been featured in songs, music videos and movies, just to name a few. Some of the world’s biggest stars love or are a residence of this city. My main products are swimwear, so heck yes, I feel like this is a great place for my business. Miami is also very diverse. They fashion sense is very unique and they have always kept up with the latest trends. I feel like Miami is the market for just about anything. I strongly encourage upcoming entrepreneurs to look into Miami based businesses to expand their product or craft.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.theflourishkollection.com
- Phone: 407-719-1066
- Email: TheFlourishkollection@gmail.com
- Instagram: @TheFlourishkollection
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheFlourishkollection
- Twitter: @Theflourishko
- Other: www.instagram.com/colormebella
Image Credit:
Instagram: Photographer – @kenxkeen, @c.hemenez @dewolf_productions
MUA: @ibrow_n_beauty @allurebycourtois
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