Today we’d like to introduce you to Katie Deese.
Katie, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Growing up in a small town in NC, my dad was both a pastor & a small business owner. From the time I could walk I was borrowing ladies’ shoes in church & dressing up in my grandmother’s slips & jewelry. I don’t think a day passed that I didn’t play “dress-up”. I had a closet full of old prom dresses & heels that were entirely too big for my tiny feet. Although we were never in need, there wasn’t much “extra” for all the newest style trends. My favorite day of the week was Saturday when my mom & I would meet my aunt & we would shop all the thrift stores. I would spend hours browsing the racks. Saturdays in the thrift stores magnified my passion for fashion & cultivated my ability to pull together beautiful, affordable looks with ease.
As an adult, I consider myself a fashion junkie with a passion for sassy shoes, clearance racks, affordable and attainable style, scarlet red lipstick, and days where an outfit is nothing more than a swimsuit and toes in the sand. I’ve been married to the man of my dreams, Cody, for 16 years & I’m so lucky to say he has constantly spurred me toward following my passions. I spend my days as a realtor with Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty & serving the church my husband pastors in the suburbs of Atlanta. I absolutely love my job as a realtor but I found myself constantly searching for ways to express this passion for style. I had this secret dream of owning a boutique but I was entirely too scared to make it a reality.
I fully believe that God weaves our lives together to make a beautiful story. In the Spring of 2018, I met Megan, owner of Lucca Lane Boutique, & we became fast friends. Working with her in the daily details of the boutique fulfilled the passion inside me that began long ago as the little girl playing dress-up. When Megan decided to sell her business, I knew I had to jump at the opportunity or I’d regret it for the rest of my life. I made the leap, rebranded & started to create the boutique of my dreams. In choosing a name, I wanted something with meaning, so I chose the name “Sassy + Belle”. 1. “Sassy” because that is the name my nieces & nephew call me. The actual definition of sassy is “lively, bold & full of spirit” which is what I strive to be & what I hope to invoke in the women I encounter. 2. “Belle” meaning “beautiful woman” in French. “Belle” because I take deep pride of my Southern Belle roots & “Belle” because of some very special little girls in my life that have brought me so much joy. I hope the women who shop my store feel lively, bold, beautiful & full of joy.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The short answer? Nope! But seriously, if the road was always smooth, how would we ever truly learn? I think success is most enjoyed when the path to it is paved with highs & lows. I was terrified to start my own thing &, if I’m being really transparent, I’m still pretty scared most days. A few years ago a friend of mine made this huge leap from her corporate job to start her own business & I remember championing her with this cheer of “DO IT SCARED”! Little did I know I would have to champion myself with that same quote over & over again throughout this process. I think a little fear is healthy. I feel like there are always challenges & some days, I think I’ll never reach my goal. Yes, I’ve steamed clothes for days, spent hours tagging items, yelled at my printer for not working correctly &, with sweat & maybe some tears, I packed my little Honda Accord to the brim with almost my entire stock in order to do a pop-up shop where I sold only a few pieces. Yes, there are days when I’ve put in so much work with very little return but I’m loving every second of it. I’ve always been told that when you love your job it won’t feel like work & I’m finding that statement to be so very true. Some days I find myself comparing my boutique to huge boutiques with hundreds of thousands of followers, big warehouses full of stock & full-time staff. Then I remind myself that I’m still getting started & it’s not fair to compare my results with the results of someone who is years ahead of me on the journey. If I could give advice to other women, it would be to stay true to yourself, to your vision, to your goals & DO IT SCARED!
Please tell us about Sassy + Belle Boutique.
At Sassy + Belle, my biggest desire is to inspire women to be both authentic & unique, empowering them to live their most Sassy + Belle life in an affordable, attainable style. We specialize in curating collections that are quality, trendy, comfortable & flattering for women to feel their best & not break their bank! I believe that women don’t have to spend a small fortune in order to dress in style. Our collections are a mix of everything from everyday wear to date night style, lovely basics & trendy pieces. We add new styles every week & carry a limited supply of each piece in order to keep our customers from showing up at their next event in the same outfit as their bestie (every gals worst nightmare)…haha! One of my favorite things is to show women how to style pieces from our collection in several ways so they get the most bang for their buck. I try to be very accessible to our clients, to ship orders immediately & provide great customer service that, I believe, is the reason we have such a loyal customer base. Sassy + Belle is a place for EVERY woman to shop!
Who have you been inspired by?
I had the privilege to be raised by amazing, strong, talented women who were beautiful inside & out. My mother, my aunts & my grandmothers each reflect kindness, love, strength, grace, style, joy, loyalty & great sass! One of my grandmothers always had her nails painted the perfect shade of red & the other never had a manicure in her entire life but they both taught me how to love, & they both were beautiful & stylish in their own way. I’m honored to say my friends are truly inspiring in every way. I’ve chosen to surround myself with women who are the honest, loyal, trustworthy, make you laugh until you almost pee your pants, encouraging, cry on your shoulder, love you in the good & bad kind of friends! They make me want to be a better human & good grief I hope I’m always a good steward of the friendship they give to me. There is no greater inspiration than that of my mom. She taught me to do everything to the very best of my ability; the woman will not stop until a task is complete & I find myself laser-focused on goals now because of her. My mom has sassy style & she takes great pride in always looking her best. When I was little & money was tight, my mom could always find the best sales so we always looked super cute & had the necessities! I’m so thankful she taught me how to be thrifty & stretch a dollar. This is also why I strive for my boutique to be reasonably priced because I know there are tons of moms out there who are putting their kids first & they deserve to get a new outfit that is within their budget. The thing my mom does the best is love her family & friends. She will literally give you anything she has &, at times, she will sacrifice her own wellbeing to ensure the wellbeing of the ones she loves. My mom inspires me to be selfless, to love deeply & to live my life with great style.
Pricing:
- Everything at Sassy + Belle is priced under $100!
Contact Info:
- Website: shopsassybelle.com
- Email: shopsassybelle@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shopsassybelle/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shopsassybelle/
Image Credit:
Photographers: my sweet husband, Cody, & my dear friend Chrissy Brannon!
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