Today we’d like to introduce you to Caleb Nelson.
Caleb, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My name is Caleb Nelson and I am 22 years old entrepreneur from Birmingham Alabama. I own an online women’s boutique by the name of So Rare Boutique LLC. I had my first idea to start a boutique in the year of 2019. I remember wanting to do more than just “sell the clothing”. I wanted it to become a brand and I wanted my pieces to make a statement. I was so unsure of how I’d get the people in my city to buy these particular items that I wanted to sell. I would always say “I do this for the girls who like to dress up!”. I just didn’t want to sell things because they were trendy, cheap, or everyone would buy it. My boyfriend at the time played a huge role in motivating me to just go for it and be confident about it. I remember him telling me to never compare myself to the others doing the exact same thing I wanted to do but to always stand out and give the people quality. I saved as much money as I could for a year straight. I was in attendance at The University of Alabama taking classes at the Culverhouse School of Business. I was able to apply all of the knowledge I had retained from my classes to my personal business research. I researched vendors, strategies, excel sheets, successful business owners, economic trends, clothing fabrics, boutique owners, profits, and I even cleaned up my social media accounts. I was looking at nothing but things related to boutiques for awhile before I even purchased my first piece of clothing. Once I thought I had everything I needed, I decided to release my idea to my audience in 2020 during the pandemic. I was surprised to see that everything was going better than I expected. I aim to give quality and comfortable clothing. These items are for the women who like to make a statement with their pieces and aren’t scared to wear the pieces in their own way but still remain timeless and chic.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has been far from a smooth ride with this boutique and entrepreneurship period but I have to say seeing the progress has been worth it. I treat this boutique-like my little baby and even babies aren’t all giggles and smiles. My mishaps and bad decisions have helped me learn and develop a different mindset over time. Before launching I spent so much money on bad products and just simply not knowing what could be the better route to take. It takes a lot of patience and determination and especially when you have no one around you to ask specific questions. At the time I was literally paying for information through e-books and videos. I knew nothing about owning a business, marketing, or how to get the answer to something as simple as “How many items do I purchase?”. I lost a lot of money in the start and I had to be my own mentor. Most of the people who knew my plans were supportive and that motivated me to keep the vision. I became my own everything. I was responsible for posting on every social media, marketing, emails, inventory, shipping, modeling, editing, building a website, speaking with customers, drafting plans, budgeting, investing, and much more. Of course, I had the help of a few close friends and family but everything falls back on me. I was scared to fail at first but eventually, I realized it’s ok to take L’s and fail sometimes if you learn where it went wrong and what could be better next time. I take risks now with a bigger vision in mind but I definitely take the necessary precautions. I’m very thankful for every mishap that ever happened and every dollar that I invested into myself.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I specialize in providing women all around the world with fashionable pieces to wear and style for their everyday wardrobe. My clothing is super comfortable, quality, and allows you to embrace who you are by styling these pieces according to your personality. I am most proud of the progression of my brand overall. I have come such a long way from where I started with everything I put into it and I know I have more to improve but from where I started and to where I am now I could say I’m doing a pretty amazing job of keeping things together as a young girl from Birmingham Alabama that sat down and soaked up every piece of knowledge that I could over the years. I want my audience to know that I am forever grateful for anyone who has purchased, sent a dm, liked, shared, referred, or even just shared kind words of encouragement with me. Without any of that, I don’t know where I’d be as a business owner and I strive every day to come up with new ideas on how to improve in what I do for this business.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I have always been this super quiet and shy person. My brand has really forced me to come out of that shell and open up. I still battle with being social at times but I definitely have learned how to not let it get the best of me. Aside from owning an online boutique, I am also many other things. I am a makeup artist, a painter, and a student studying as an undergrad to become a part of the technical field. I want people to know that being a business owner is challenging and it has its lows but the highs are really rewarding and most definitely worth it. It teaches you things you can apply to everyday life and if you stay committed, the vision will come.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sorareboutique.com
- Instagram: https://Instagram.com/sorareboutique
- Facebook: https://Facebook.com/sorareboutique
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/denitriaa_
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCbc9flb-T_rRSpASgODgBOw
- Other: https://Instagram.com/denitriaa_
Image Credits:
Image Credits: Ava Gardner
