Life and Work with Rachel Calvelli

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Calvelli.

Rachel, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Owning a business is something that I have wanted to do since I was a child. I have always been a visionary, the type of person that has so many ideas and just needs to create all the time. And as I got older, I knew that working a 9-5 and working for someone else while they accomplish their dream wasn’t going to work for me. While I was in college, I worked in a small local women’s boutique and being in that atmosphere made me want to open my own shop one day. I moved to Florida in 2013 and launched my brand Simplicity in Mind in June 2016. The road to get there was long and full of struggles – A tragic car accident, 3 surgeries, a huge move from New Jersey to South Florida, a bunch of bad jobs with little pay, breakups, etc., just to name a few things!

In 2016, I was so unhappy with my career – at the time, I was a visual display artist and visual merchandiser, I made displays and set up shops in department stores. The call for this in South Florida was definitely not the same as it was in New York/New Jersey. Not to mention the pay was significantly less and the work hours were very long. Opening my shop was still in my mind so one day, completely fed up, I went to look at spaces in downtown West Palm Beach. Not expecting to find anything, I just wanted to get an idea – I ended up finding the space for my first location. It was a 600 sq. foot hole in the wall, but had these amazing ceilings! I knew right then that I needed to have that space and if I didn’t take the opportunity I probably never would.

So, I signed the lease! Now, I am currently in the process of moving my brand into the Wellington Green Mall in Wellington, FL and launching a new business with 3 partners SMPL CO Studio- a photo studio + creative co-working space for creatives and entrepreneurs!

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Oh, it’s never a smooth road! You’d never learn anything if it was. My main struggle was working so hard on my business and not seeing any results – basically working for free 247! Where my first shop was located was a downtown area, but there weren’t any other retail shops around me. So, business was so sporadic. There would be some days I wouldn’t have any income. So, forget paying myself or being able to hire someone that could help me out with daily tasks. I was literally doing it all on my own, and burning myself out in the process. At one point, I completely lost all passion for what I was doing because it all just seemed like a chore to me. Things I used to enjoy owning a boutique, I wasn’t enjoying anymore. I had completely burned myself out.

I could talk for hours about my experienced and advice for women just starting out. Be prepared to fail over and over again. Don’t get discouraged by your failures, instead use it as a learning experience and keep pushing forward. If you’re passionate about something you will find a way to make it work. Also, do not listen to what other people have to say about what you’re doing. Stay focused on yourself, work towards your goals and dreams. Starting a business so many people are going to have opinions on what you’re doing and why you shouldn’t do it! Usually, it’s the people closet to you that are the ones who have doubts and strangers that support you. If you can, find a supportive group of women that are on the same path as you or a mentor. You’ll be able to discuss things with them regarding business that you wouldn’t be able to discuss with friends or family.

Please tell us about Simplicity in Mind and SMPL CO Studio.
I do everything! Part of my responsibilities at Simplicity in Mind – I hand-pick all the merchandise being sold in the stores, I do most of the photography and social media (I finally hired someone to help me with the photography and web page – at one point, I was doing all of that on my own too) I do all the operational work like accounting and budgeting – email marketing – graphic design for social media and email newsletters – I create visual displays in the shops, and now, I am co-owner of a photo studio!

I’d say my clients most know me for the visual displays in the store – a lot of my work is either sold to clients or they use my ideas to recreate pieces in their homes.

I think my determination sets me apart from others. I have been through so much in my life, a lot of things I know most people would not be able to handle, but I never stop. I always get back up and keep working towards creating my brand and everything else in my life.

Who have you been inspired by?
Every woman in my life has inspired me in some way. I can’t honestly say a specific person really stands out. I have always been the type of person on my own path, not really influenced by what others are doing or saying.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.simplicityinmind.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: @simplicityinmind @rachelcalvelli @smplco.studio

Image Credit:
Rachel Calvelli, Kayla Mendez

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