Today we’d like to introduce you to Aarius Jones.
Hi Aarius, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I have had a love for clothing/fashion since I was a little girl. It wasn’t until I decided that I wanted more for my children and myself that I started my business. I have always been very shy and what most would call an introvert. There was no way I was about to model clothing and I couldn’t afford to really pay an influencer, so I decided to launch with a kids brand. Long story short, it did not do well at all. I paid to have a website created, bought a few pieces of inventory and didn’t get one sale!
Even though I didn’t get a sale, there was still a nagging feeling to keep going and trying to make it work. I decided to rebrand and introduce women’s clothing with me as the model and relaunched in 2018. Now here we are three years later and growing by the day! Fate by AJ has successfully made its first six figures in under six months with no outside help. My business was truly built from the ground up on prayer, faith, and the help of my amazing husband. We have moved to a fulfillment center outside of my home and are currently looking for a bigger location just a few months later due to the growth.
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?
Absolutely NOT! Entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart. From not having a big following on social media, not knowing how to market, having very little support from friends and family then on top of all of that I had very limited financial resources….the road was hard!
We’ve been impressed with Fate by AJ, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
We are an online women’s clothing boutique that currently caters to mid-size women. Being 5ft and curvy (not quite plus size) has its challenges when it comes to clothing. I couldn’t necessarily fit the typical small-large, but then I was also not big enough to fit plus size clothing. I realized that there are plenty of women just like me and we needed clothing options that would work for us. I sought out to source inventory that had excellent quality, stretch to contour to our body types, and reasonable prices that the average woman could afford.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
It will not happen overnight! Even though the market is what most would call oversaturated, there are billions of people in this world who will be looking for a boutique just like the one you have or are creating. I get shoppers all the time that tell me that they have never ordered from an online boutique, but wanted to order from me. Do your research, pray if you believe, and simply do the work. Every day, take one action that will make you better than you were yesterday personally and professionally. Whatever you do just don’t give up!
Contact Info:
- Email: customerservice@fatebyaj.com
- Website: https://fatebyaj.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fatebyaj/
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/fatebyaj/
