Meet Lauren Moran

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Moran.

Hi Lauren, 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?
In college, I wrote a business plan for my senior project for a brick-and-mortar women’s boutique and named it Rustic Honey. I had always had an interest in fashion and knew I would pursue entrepreneurship at some point in my career, I just didn’t see quite how it would unfold. Several years down the road, after leaving a corporate buying position, I decided to start my business. I pulled out the now dusty business plan from college and reworked it into an e-commerce women’s boutique and that was the beginning of what you see today.

With $5000 of my savings, I bought inventory, set up a website, promoted our opening on Facebook, and said a prayer… okay, I said a lot of prayers! Reflecting on that time in my life I can still feel the excitement around creating something new but also remember the incredible fears I had around all of the unknowns. All of the “what ifs” can really hold us back from pursuing our dreams and I’m so glad I decided to push forward and face those fears!

Over the past eight years, I’ve slowly grown my brand online. We ship to women across the country, growing our customer base each year and we’ve even built a mobile boutique for special events. We love coming to the KC area to visit you all!

Alright, 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?
Is it ever a smooth road? Haha! I think every year brings its own set of struggles but I’ve learned to pay attention to those struggles, track everything, take really good notes and learn from the tension. If you’re not experiencing any struggles, you’re probably not pushing yourself enough!

I’ve wasted money, time, and resources. I’ve had huge launch failures, major website issues, and product defects. I guess I just don’t let the struggles define my journey in the long run. There are days you just want to quit but you know that’s not an option. I love this quote “I never lose. I either win or learn.” ― Nelson Mandela.

Always learn from the struggle!

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Rustic Honey is a country lifestyle brand and we create our own product in addition to our curated boutique styles. We design and screen print our own line of tees and soft home goods. Our designs are inspired by the love of country living and many of these prints begin with a hand sketch.

Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Hmm… that’s a tough one. Maybe that I learned to sew before kindergarten! My grandmother taught me at a young age. She was a professional seamstress and I am forever inspired by her work and her love of fashion!

Contact Info:

• Email: therustichoney@gmail.com
• Website: https://shoprustichoney.com
• Instagram: @rustichoneyboutique and @therustichoney
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shoprustichoney
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtvxwhJUMAeSk3rfESs2M_Q

Image Credits
Kate Carney Photography