Check Out Ashley Grove’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Grove.

Ashley, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Well, in the beginning, my MOTHER was the creative force, not me – I’m more of a problem-solver, strategic-thinker, systems-builder type! And if you’d asked me several years ago, I’d say that none of her creative genes had been passed onto me! So initially, I set up the Etsy Shop for her creations, while I focused on learning the platform, researching the market, working on SEO… all the business aspects that I love! But being a true Creative, right about the time her designs gained a consistent following, she’d move on to something else.

By this time, however, I’d begun to assist her in the designing and making of her items, and in the process discovered something that surprised me – I actually LOVED it! I was still strategically solving problems, and creating systems and processes to do it really well, but for the first time, I was using my HANDS to create what my head was dreaming up. And when Mom passed unexpectedly in early 2018, taking over the creative design – working with color and materials and producing product lines that people loved – was a really beautiful and healing part of the grieving process for me. ChicBohoCreations really began to take shape during that year, and Etsy ended up being an incredibly useful platform, a way for me to get real-time feedback from my customers about what THEY loved – or didn’t! – about their accessories.

Fast forward a couple of years spent perfecting the KardiKlips line, getting copywrites and trademarks, growing our customer base, and cultivating relationships, (and all those fun things), and here we are! Etsy is still a busy and very profitable marketplace for us, along with our website, and KardiKlips have now carried in over 40 independent boutiques in the US and Canada.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Oh my word, is there such a thing as a “smooth road” in business?! I’ll say this – I learned a lot from mistakes and missteps made in earlier ventures, so I DID enter into this one with more wisdom, and a better awareness of myself, and the process of launching a new business. So I guess, in a sense, it was “smoother” than the roads before it, but there have still been plenty of struggles along the way! Building a well-rounded team on the ground level, and finding reliable help has proved challenging, definitely. Learning how to daily balance and manage inventory across multiple platforms took some strategy.

Earlier this year, Etsy began using us in their marketing campaign, which was a huge and unexpected blessing, and I’m forever grateful. But it happened during what was, historically for us, the slowest weeks of the year – soooo the time we’d all taken off for vacations, medical, family, etc., and what was supposed to be the “slow” month ended up being our busiest… and we were seriously scrambling to fulfill orders with over half our team out!

And there are always just the small struggles and challenges that come with the normal day-to-day work – difficult customers, delayed shipments, technical difficulties, communication (or miscommunications!), avoiding burnout, etc.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I love what I do! More than anything, I love WHY I do it. I tell people, we have the incredible privilege of getting to encourage, and speak life and value and identity to women and people all over the world – and the accessories we create are the delightful vehicle that enables us to do that!

I believe that business, more than maybe any other industry, allows you to create a culture – in your workplace, with your team, and also with your customers, vendors, clients, etc… And my heart’s desire is to create and cultivate a culture where we honor and care for, value and encourage one another, on the good days and the bad, not because of WHAT someone does, but simply because of  WHO they are.

And everything we do, and the way we do it revolves around that! We take great care in designing and creating beautiful, versatile accessories that make people FEEL good about how they look, and the quality of our pieces show. Our flagship products are our KardiKlips line – simple, lovely, and incredibly versatile, they are a fabulous way to add flattering shape and stability to everything from dresses to shirts, tunics, cardigans, jackets, etc… basically, anything that we want to cinch in, connect, or close – without belts or buttons! We also design and create jewelry, and (occasionally!) artistic headwraps and scarves.

But my favorite part of the whole process (and probably the heart of it all) is the handwritten Thank You cards we send with each order. We print the cards in-house on beautiful, handmade paper, and the goal is to call each customer by name and express (in our own writing) how much we value and appreciate them, and that they themselves are beautiful works of art. I get SO MANY messages and so much feedback about those cards, so many people who tell me that they put them on their wall, in their wallet, on their mirror, etc.

People who, yes, love their KardiKlip, necklace, or headwrap, but really it was the unexpected card that made their day, that encourages and stays with them. And that’s what it’s really about for me. Yes, we make unique, beautiful, wonderful accessories with great care (and genuine delight), but it’s the people we make them FOR that are the real treasures. That’s what I’m most proud of.

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
LOL, well, starting a business from scratch always feels pretty risky to me! But I’ve done that several times now over the years, everything from brick-and-mortar stores, to coaching, and finally design, manufacturing, and online retail.
And through the business successes – and especially the failures! – I’ve learned how to navigate better those risks, to recognize, then manage and minimize them, rather than trying to avoid them altogether (or worse – just closing my eyes and taking the leap with just a hope and prayer that it’ll all work out!)

I tend to be a very cautious and deliberative person, and I used to shy away from risk entirely! Now when I think about starting a new venture – whether that’s a new business, new product line, business partnership, etc. I know better what questions to ask, how to weigh the probable risks vs potential rewards, consider the angles and options and alternative avenues. I plan differently than I used to. I’m a fan of the rapid prototype model. And (at least for now) I stay within my industry, the one I know and understand the best.

Pricing:

• KardiKlips $18-$22
• Jewelry $20-$30
• Headwraps & Scarves $35-$65

Contact Info:

• Website: www.chicbohocreations.com
• Instagram: @chicbohocreations
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/chicbohocreations
• Other: www.kardiklips.com

Image Credits
Robin Cook