Threads Of Distinction
Stay-at-home-mom-turned-entrepreneur [Nancy] Carter entered the home-based boutique clothing business last year, as a consultant for New York-based clothier Etcetera. She sells the upscale designer line from her living room in trunk shows. The University of Texas finance grad used to handle medical malpractice claims but finds direct-sale clothing shows much more fun.
Why are clothing parties so popular?
I think women are really tired of fighting the crowds at the mall and also the lack of personal attention from the salespeople in the stores. I show by appointment only, and that way I can give each customer the undivided attention she deserves. We build her wardrobe by adding pieces that go with others she already has. That way she doesn’t have to buy an entire new outfit. I get to know the customer’s likes and dislikes, what colors look best on her and the right style for her body type. I become her personal shopper.
What are the pros and cons of running a home-based business?
The pros are being able to work out of my home and being flexible in setting my own hours. During the two weeks of my show, if I have a school program or a volleyball game to attend with my children, I don’t book appointments during that time. I can work as hard or as little as I want. The more effort I put into getting clients in the door, the better the business is, but it is entirely up to me how hard I want to work to make it a success. The cons are that I am easily distracted to do normal everyday chores, since I am at home and must continually remind myself that I am “at work” and need to focus on business.
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