Today we’d like to introduce you to Maisha Webb.
Maisha, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
In 2006, while sitting at a job that I absolutely hated, I decided that I wanted to start my own business. I didn’t have a business or fashion degree, but I’ve always been creative and fashion was always something that I enjoyed. We didn’t have many fashion or shoe boutiques in my area so I decided that was the perfect lane for me to be in.
I didn’t know much about business and I was a little shy, so I reached out to a good friend of mine to see if she’d be interested in partnering up with me to start a women’s shoe store. The upside to having a business partner is that you don’t have to do everything alone. The downside to having a business partner is the exact same thing, you can’t do everything alone.
Having said that, a lot of my initial ideas and concepts were being changed into a completely different vision, and unfortunately, the business quickly dissolved within the first year. I took several years off from entrepreneurship to focus on raising my children, but the void of not pursuing my dreams weighed heavily on me. Ten years later, I changed my business name and decided to get back into the business.
This time, I was more knowledgeable, confident, and intentional about what I wanted. I knew with a solid vision, hard work, and consistency I could grow my business properly. In 2016, I started an online shoe store with just $500, now in 2022, I have an online and in-person boutique where I sell women’s and men’s clothing, shoes, and accessories.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road has not always been smooth.
I’ve faced several challenges and obstacles while growing my business. My business is based on looking and feeling good while having places to go, so in 2020 when Covid hit I thought my small business would be negatively impacted.
If people didn’t have anywhere to go, would they still shop for clothing? I decided to think outside of the box and think of different ways to utilize my space while still making money.
I knew a lot of people were sitting at home bored, not getting dressed, and maybe feeling a little down so I started doing private styling sessions and holding paint, sip, and shops at my boutique with small parties of five guests and under.
My daughter, TwizzArtt, hosted the paint and sips and I was in charge of the fashion piece. Thinking outside of the box and being able to pivot during a pandemic was one of the biggest challenges that I faced and overcame in business.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I have a boutique selling women’s and men’s clothing, shoes, and accessories.
I specialize in creating versatile looks for women and men of all shapes and sizes. I am most proud of being somewhat of the underdog, not knowing much about business, starting my business with just $500 and growing it into a name that’s heavily known in my area.
What sets me apart from others is my unique sense of style and top-notch customer service.
What are your plans for the future?
My future plans are to expand beyond my area. I have a pretty broad local market, but the goal is to reach a global market within the next five years. My plan is to develop my own line of clothing and shoes.
Contact Info:
- Email: meangirlstyle@gmail.com
- Website: www.mgsboutique.com
- Instagram: @meangirlstyle
- Facebook: Mean Girl Style Boutique
