Boss Lady Series - Meet Heather!
"Your vibe attracts your tribe."
This week's final Boss Lady is someone whom I hold near and dear to my heart. I am lucky to call Heather one of my best friends (as in we have been friends since Kindergarten)! Heather is one of those friends that absolutely always has your back and would do anything for you. Being able to share her story and new business endeavor is just one small way I am able to return the MANY gracious favors she has done for me!
I could literally write an entire blog post about all the shenanigans Heather and I have pulled over the years. From making trouble on our morning bus route to school to cruising small town, North Dakota main street in her little, black Honda, to jamming out to our favorite burned CD's, there are too many stories to recount!
But what you should really know about Heather is that she is the most organized, put together, stylish, fun and giggly, compassionate human being ever! I would give anything to have her organizational skills! If you are hanging out with Heather and need a nail clipper, she's got it. You need some lip gloss and tweezers, she's got it! What's that? You need an extra pair of shoes ... she likely has you covered!
"She designed a life she loves."
Those qualities are why I am so so SO excited for her new business endeavor, and you should be too! Heather, along with her 2 close friends, Caryn and Callie, recently decided to turn their passion into their work. It all started with fun conversations by the pool in Mexico…Callie, Heather, and Caryn vacationed together this past spring to Riviera Maya and realized they all had the same dream - start a clothing boutique! For 3 women who love to shop and have a passion for fashion, they decided to turn their dream into a reality. And after much deliberating and dictionary-searching for the perfect name, Trilogy was born!
I cannot give Heather and these women enough praise. They are truly amazing and together make the perfect team. Plus, they inspire me to be more fashionable and get out of my gym clothes every once in awhile! If you are looking for high quality, professional, and stylish pieces that allow you to easily transition from work to a night out, look no further! Trilogy may just be your next go-to shopping experience, and what better people to go through than the 3 fashionistas themselves!
"Empowered women, empower women."
Please read on and be inspired by Heather's journey to entrepreneurship. Her hard work and dedication have led to amazing success, and I cannot wait to see how Trilogy and these 3 boss ladies continue to thrive!
What made you take the leap towards starting a small business?
My two business partners and amazing friends Callie & Caryn! It turns out it’s much less intimidating starting a new business with two amazing ladies than attempting it by yourself! We started out having a lot of dreamy conversations. Caryn and Callie would both have chats with me about owning a clothing boutique. Knowing they both had the same dream and wanted me on board, I suggested the three of us work together and Trilogy was born.
What have been the biggest initial barriers in starting your business and how did you overcome them?
Finding wholesalers offering the type of clothing we are looking for and sorting through them to determine which brands offer quality products and reliable services. Reading reviews, blogs and doing extensive research have been super helpful to finding solutions, but we are still figuring it all out!
What is the mission of your business and what makes you passionate about fulfilling it?
Trilogy’s mission is to offer quality, fashionable business attire that can also be worn outside the workplace. As professional women who love to have fun, we know it’s challenging to find professional/fashionable clothes to wear not only to work but for a night on the town as well. As much as we love shopping, we want a multipurpose wardrobe. Having personally faced these challenges, our passion is so much stronger!
Although your business is brand new, what has been your most successful moment so far?
Coming up with a name! It was difficult finding something that all three of us loved. We wanted it to be bold, catchy and somewhat personal. After pretty much reading the dictionary I suggested Trilogy and it stuck!
How do you strive to empower other females to pursue their dreams?
This past summer I participated in a Women’s Leadership series which really inspired me professionally and intellectually. I learned so much about being a strong leader and empowering others. I think one of the biggest takeaways was learning to be comfortable and confident in myself, which in turn made it easier for me to lead and encourage others. Empowering women isn’t being jealous of their accomplishments; it’s not beating yourself up when you make a mistake; it’s giving kudos to good work, continuous learning and growth.
What have you sacrificed (both personally and professionally) to run a successful business?
The biggest sacrifice is TIME! Starting a new business will take an abundance of time. While it’s super exciting, it has exhausting moments. Working full time in the utility industry, there are days when I get home and just want to relax but I know I need to push through those moments and allocate some time to Trilogy.
What would you say to a female thinking of starting her own business but has reservations and too many fears about actually taking the leap?
Starting a business can be super intimidating and scary! I think just having faith and doing a lot of research before launching are key factors…I will let you know how these work in a few months ;) I have other business dreams, so I am hoping this will give me the tools, courage and experience I need to turn those dreams into a reality. With that being said, starting small can be a good, less risky way to get to where you want to be.
Who is a female hero of yours and why?
I look up to a lot of women for a variety of reasons. When I think about qualities that draw me towards them, I always go back to work ethic, faith, morals, loyalty and personality. I have too many women in my life who fill in those pieces to single any one of them out. They are all mentors and heroes to me!
Here is a bit more about the amazing Boss Ladies behind Trilogy:
Heather is a business professional in the utility industry. She loves shopping, going on vacation with her husband Eric, and baking tasty treats. You can always find her looking like a fashionista with the perfect shade of lipstick.
Callie is a business professional in the banking industry. A few of her favorites include her husband Aaron and her two dogs, Mac and Toby. She also loves a good glass of wine, making her home look like a Pinterest board, and getting ready in her glam room.
Caryn manages a local coffee shop. You can find her and her husband Darick on the lake or links, spoiling their fur baby Sadie, and staying in rockin’ shape! Some of her favorite things include getting her nails done, laying by a pool or beach, and anything cookie dough.
Follow and shop Trilogy HERE!