Today we’d like to introduce you to Brandi Hightower.
Brandi, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Normally, when people ask me what made me open the Dollhouse, I tell them that I have always wanted to have a little girl’s wonderland…which in all honesty, is true. But the real truth is that it was loss that inspired my life as I know it today. It was a little girl who will never get the chance to walk through the doors of the Dollhouse or sit on the throne. A little girl who will never get to experience what her mommy has created. It was a little princess who never took a single breath and her name is Alicia.
In my past life, I was an accountant. I did Accounting for over 10 years. That’s what all of my “real world” work experience, as well as my degrees are in. That’s what I specialized in. Statutory Reporting and Reinsurance for insurance companies. A world where everything was black or white. A world where degrees were necessary to succeed and excel. A world with no outlet, nor place for creativity. At the time, I honestly didn’t even realize that I had any.
While spending my time climbing the corporate ladder, I wanted to see exactly how far I could go, so I worked as hard as I could. But I found myself spending less and less time with my family and more and more time in the confines of the office. I’d leave home in the dark, and come home many times in the dark. Then, I’d get home and work some more. My job in financial reporting was deadline driven, extremely stressful and consistently non-stop. I always felt I had the weight of the world on my shoulders. There were days where I would go up in the stairwell, and cry, then go back to my desk and carry on like nothing was wrong. I was extremely unhappy and didn’t even know it.
At some point, my husband and I decided to grow our family. We already had an 8-year-old daughter We got pregnant, but my stress level didn’t decrease. Unfortunately, we lost the pregnancy at 16 weeks. I cried, I mourned, I hurt, but I got back to work. I was afraid to try again. I was afraid of the unknown. I was afraid of the pain, but even more, I yearned for another child to hold in my arms. The next time I got pregnant, deadlines continued, stress levels increased. I tried hard to manage everything. I tried hard to be able to do it all. And maintain it all. And grow a life inside of me, but unfortunately, my water broke when I was just shy of 6 months. I gave birth to a little girl. We named her Alicia.
This time around, it was a lot harder for me to go back to work. It was a lot harder for me to face the world. It was a lot harder for me to deal with the loss. But even more, it was a lot harder for me to go back to work and continue to give my all to something that had taken so much from me. I did go back to work, and eventually switched companies, but I felt in my heart that if I had ever gotten the opportunity to be blessed with life inside of me, that I would do things differently. That, I did.
I finally got pregnant again in 2010. I did everything in the world that I could to take it easy, and it resulted in a beautiful and healthy baby boy. Once he was here, I knew that I wanted to do everything that I could do be the best mommy in the world to him that I could. I also finally completed my Master’s degree that I had been working so hard towards. Yet, I never went back to work after maternity leave and I focused on just being the best mommy that I could to him and his sister. In 2012, we got pregnant again and were blessed with another beautiful baby boy. It was at that point, that I began thinking about me, and what I wanted and my dreams. My dream was to have a little girl’s wonderland. The more and more I missed Alicia, the more and more I wanted a place in her honor. Then, I began going back to business plans that I had begun in college. While updating business plans, I began researching national competitors. One little girl’s birthday party place that I found was Olivia’s Dollhouse Tea Room out in California.
When I began looking at their business model, it intrigued me. Olivia’s Dollhouse was a turn-key business rather than a start up, meaning they would do everything for the build out through grand opening, yet the business would be mine. What was even better was that I wouldn’t have to pay any royalties. The cherry on top is that since I am 100% owner I could revise and revamp party offerings and kids events as I’d like, I can change party packages and offer custom events. I have full creative control, and that makes a huge difference to me.
At times, I still give myself a hard time about the Master’s degree that I technically didn’t get to use. But when I do, I remind myself that I use my degree each and every day. Without that degree, as well as my progressive business experience, there is no way that I could do what I do today. There’s no way that I could have opened Olivia’s Dollhouse Tea Room. And, there would be no way that I could have a place that reminded me of Alicia with each little girl that graces our throne.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It hasn’t been a smooth road. Although there are Olivia’s Dollhouse Tea Room locations in California, we are brand new to the East Coast. In a way, it’s almost the same in terms of marketing and branding, as a brand new business. I had to introduce a new name and new concept to the area, and as a small business, I had to do it on a budget.
Another thing is that although my business in the Atlanta area, we are located in Johns Creek, so the key is making a customer understand why my business is worth the drive from their Buckhead, Marietta or sometimes even Macon home. The key is consistently providing service and an experience that is unparalleled. That is always our goal.
Olivia’s Dollhouse Tea Room – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Olivia’s Dollhouse Tea Room- Atlanta is a full service, boutique kids event venue that specializes in both on-site and off-site kids birthday parties, tea parties, dress-up, princesses, character entertainment and other custom kids events. Let Olivia’s Dollhouse Tea Room- Atlanta handle all of your custom kids birthday parties, Sweet 16’s, Bridal Showers and other special event needs.
We can provide any services from an amazingly perfect all-inclusive princess party, tea party or Dolly & Me Party at our unique girly venue, complete with linens, lace, real china and Victorian dolls- TO- DIY décor rental, custom event styling, custom décor, and event management at your location. Let us know how we can assist. The pleasure is ours.
I am most proud of the fact that I get to employ other young women and give them an opportunity to thrive. My employees are SO amazing. They come to the Dollhouse and they never want to go. They all say that they don’t feel like they are working, which tells me that I am doing something right:-)
What sets Olivia’s Dollhouse Tea Room apart from others is our discreet venue and our full service, 5 Star service. Although we are located in a retail shopping center, our space is extremely discreet. We are in Johns Creek, Ga. We are only open by appointment and we only host one event at a time, and we do so amazingly:-)
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
I believe that success is a journey. Gratefully, it’s a journey that I am still on. I am still trying to make it to success. For me, that would be Olivia’s Dollhouse Tea Room-Atlanta becoming a household name. It amazes me when someone tells me that they’ve heard of us. Gives me a sense of accomplishment.
At the same time, in terms of business, success equates to event bookings for me. The more events I book, the more successful my business is.
Pricing:
- Olivia’s Dollhouse Tea Room-All-Inclusive Birthday Party for 7 Guests (In House) $375 + $25/additional
- Olivia’s Dollhouse Tea Room-All-Inclusive Birthday Party for 8 Guests (In House) $625 + $65/additional
- Tea Party for 3-6 Guests (60 min, Mon-Fri) $45 per person with a minimum of 3 Guests
- Socialite Tea Party- (90 min, Mon-Fri) $45 per child & $35 per adult
- Kids Birthday Party for 10 kids (Your location) Starts at $650
- Custom Themed Birthday Party for 10 kids (Your location) Starts at $900
- Character Visit (60 min) $175
Contact Info:
- Address: Olivia’s Dollhouse Tea Room- Atlanta
5075 Abbotts Bridge Road
Suite #500
Johns Creek, GA 30005 - Website: www.OliviasDollhouseAtl.com
- Phone: 404-908-9073
- Email: brandi@oliviasdollhouseatl.com
- Instagram: OliviasDollhouseAtl
- Facebook: OliviasDollhouseTeaRoomAtlanta
- Twitter: OliviasDollhouseAtl
- Yelp: Olivia’s Dollhouse Tea Room
Image Credit:
Kristen Lee Photography & Zion Images
