Years ago, when Debra Gauthier’s daughter went off to college, she began to make earrings to fill her newfound spare time when not at work as a full-time hairdresser. When she and her husband, Mark, decided to see if they might be able to sell her products, they didn’t know a successful boutique business would grow from just a folding table and a chair set up in the Gallery of Shops in Adrian.
Debra’s stunning earring creations were an immediate hit with the community and her business expanded from their folding table to their own storefront in the Gallery filled with purses, scarves, and other jewelry. The Gauthiers found they never had to do traditional advertising, as they saw incredible, organic growth through word-of-mouth marketing and heavy foot traffic. And then, the COVID-19 pandemic halted their growth after nine impressive years.
“We were growing really well- about 20% every year- and then the pandemic hit,” says Debra Gauthier. “Trying to get people back is challenging and frustrating. That’s why I reached out to Lenawee Now.”
While the Gauthiers had found great success before the pandemic through manual bookkeeping and inventory, Debra knew integrating technology to Hang Loose Boutique was the answer to saving her business time and money so she could focus on growth once again. She didn’t have experience with technology, so she reached out to Randy Yagiela, the Development Director at Lenawee Now, who set up a consultation to see how they could best help her business. “I can’t say enough about how dedicated they are to help,” Debra says.
Lenawee Now was able to offer assistance through a USDA Rural Business Development Grant, which was awarded to Lenawee Now to provide technical assistance and training for small rural businesses. This grant can be used for leadership training, long-term business strategic planning, or training and assistance with technology-based development, which allowed Sheila Blair, the Director of Align Lenawee Talent Consortium, to help Debra implement a point-of-sale computer system into her business.
Now, Hang Loose Boutique is able to label and scan every item they sell, which has made inventory, checkout, and accounting much easier and more efficient. “This will probably be the greatest improvement for our business,” says Debra.
Hang Loose Boutique is once again seeing growth as they, like countless other businesses, continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Lenawee Now is dedicated to helping small businesses find the same success as Hang Loose Boutique, whether they are just starting out, require assistance after hard times, or are looking to scale to the next level.
“Lenawee Now is helping us grow. Our goals are their goals, and we are working towards our goals together,” says Debra. “Sometimes you think you’re alone out there, but there are organizations like Lenawee Now who are here to help.”
To learn more about the financial and educational tools and opportunities Lenawee Now offers local small businesses, visit our website or contact us at (517) 265-5141 or info@lenaweenow.org.