Today we’d like to introduce you to April Uribe.
Hi April, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Homestead City Dwelling is a modern farmhouse decor (with sprinkles of boho) business that operates as an online & pop-up store. With the help of my husband, we make wood risers, chippy spindles & wood homes. Everything else is specially curated and chosen by me. I focus on decor items that can be used year-round from season to season & decor that can be swapped in and out of existing decor.
I have always wanted to run my own business, but I struggled with what to sell. With the help of my Instagram community and a small local store in Flovilla, GA I finally had that “ah-ha” moment. I had been sharing my home and decor for over a year and picked up a generous following, so when the pandemic hit and I began working from home I took a leap of faith and started my online store. The store in Flovilla reassured me that I could do this. I walked in and I was like, I can totally do this and open my own online store with a business and products that I am truly passionate about. It finally clicked for me in what I wanted to sell and that is what lead me to Homestead City Dwelling. It’s where farmhouse meets city.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
I would say setting up my website has been the easy part due to my current background in eCommerce. The not so easy part has been being a 1 woman show of doing absolutely everything on my own to get an item from a catalog or made to an enriched state of selling online. That means I am the buyer, the creative designer, the photographer & photo editor, the copywriter, the site merchandiser, the fulfillment specialist along with the marketer that has to get people to actually visit the website and purchase. That is a lot of hats! Of course, my husband helps me unpack merchandise, organize it and ship it, so I am truly thankful for the help he provides. Did I mention I also have a full-time job and 2 small boys? It’s been a challenge in itself balancing it all, so there are lots of late nights. Especially when I have new products to launch that need to get ready to be sold on the site.
Time is always a struggle. As a small business owner, you are often spread thin, so finding time to complete everything that needs to be done can feel a bit overwhelming. In addition to selling online, we also sell in person at pop-up events and it’s been a bit of a struggle finding the right events that make sense for my customers, but when we do, we have great success!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Currently, I am a Director of Digital Merchandising for an apparel company where I focus on making sure our brands have the right content and enhanced content that will help customers make an informed purchase decision. When you shop online, your content becomes the “in-person” salesperson that you would expect to find in a store to ask questions, learn more about a product, etc. So, when you shop online content is king and becomes imperative to help a customer understand the product, the brand, why it will bring them value, why they need it and so forth. This has become my focus and I enjoy it and having my own business has truly helped me understand and think from a customer perspective.
I am most proud of my life experiences that have helped shape me into the person, woman, sister, wife, mother, & leader that I am today. My journey has not been an easy road and I have lots of personal and professional challenges along the way, but I am extremely thankful for is family and the support I have had throughout my life that has made me believe I can do anything. There have been moments of doubt and I am continuing to learn, but I’m surrounded by people who motivate & encourage me, which has made me unafraid to open new doors and try new things.
Everyone is different, but I think what sets me apart is my unwillingness to settle. My personal drive to do great work, produce a great product, give 110% in everything that I do is what keeps me going in life. Not everything may work out how it’s meant to be, but I’m going to find a way to find a solution and get back on track to make progress & move forward.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Make sure you have a plan, understand your goals, do your research in advance, utilize free resources, network with other small business owners, and don’t be afraid of a crawl, walk, run approach to running your business. I wish I would have known more regarding business finances & taxes.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.homesteadcitydwelling.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/homestead.city.dwelling/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Homestead.City.Dwelling/
