Name: Shelbie Stevens
Year: Alumni, Graduated in May 2016
Hometown: Las Vegas, NV
Major: Music Business and Songwriting
What drew you to Belmont?
“I’ve always written songs and I’ve always been drawn to Nashville, so when I came to visit I was like “I love this town and I love Belmont!” so I ended up going to Belmont for Songwriting and Music Business.“
Were you involved in any clubs while you were at Belmont?
“I did BUSA (Belmont University Songwriting Association), Grammy U, and CMA EDU and that kind of stuff. I also did a couple internships, which really helped me decide what I don’t want to do and what I do want to do. I would really recommend doing internships because I think they’re so good for figuring out what you want to do if you’re kind of unsure.”
How did you get the idea to start your retail business?
“I got the idea when I was at Belmont, around the beginning of my my senior year. I started by buying and reselling designer apparel, so I bought lots of Tory Burch and Rebecca Minkoff and I would resell them. I just really fell in love with that process and I found some really cool avenues to sell on.“
How has your retail business grown since you first started?
“I’ve gotten really involved with Poshmark. I actually ended up going to a Poshmark convention in LA a couple months ago, and it was really cool. I’ve actually started a wholesale portal on there too, so now buying and reselling designer apparel is half of what I do and now the other half is selling wholesale and thats one of the newer things I’m doing now. I also started doing pop-up shops right after I graduated. I did the Nashville flea market, I’ve done a couple pop-ups at boutiques and studios, and now I’m starting to sell to local and even national barre studios and workout studios.”
Would you ever consider opening up a location for your store?
“Yeah, that’s something I’ve thought about, but I feel like the market right is now is just kind of moving away from brick and mortar and I honestly think that it would be more successful being an online thing and it allows me to be more flexible. That’s something that I could see myself doing for sure, it would definitely be a while down the road though.”
Do you have any style icons or stores that you really like?
“I love Free People, like that Bohemian style. I would say that’s most closely related to my style, but I also love a very classic tailored look like Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly. All my life I’ve kind of tried to do both. I love classic pieces, but I also love that trendy, boho kind of style. I wouldn’t say I’m more one way or the other, I’m sort of in the middle. I love mixing and matching different pieces and styles.”
How do you incorporate your hobbies into your life while running your retail business?
“I’ve been in and out of town a lot lately, because I’ve gone to LA on buying trips and Poshmark things, and I have family in Las Vegas so I have been back and forth a lot lately. I love to perform though, that’s my first love, so I try to do that as much as possible and I still write every day. I love both so I don’t want to have to choose.”
Do you have any advice for current Belmont students?
“This might not be by the book advice and I don’t know if Belmont professors would like to hear this, but I would just honestly prioritize what’s important to you. I think in order to make your dreams come true you have to practice and put in work and ultimately studying for a test isn’t always the most important thing. I’m definitely not advising that you flunk out of school, because I always did well in school, but I just think for me its more important to pursue what you love than get straight A’s.”
How did you get the idea to incorporate blogging into your business?
“Actually, one of my best friends started a blog in one of her classes at Belmont, it’s called Nash Fit Foodie, which you should definitely check out! She suggested that I start doing it [blogging] for my business and she helped out with how to get followers that you actually want, so she’s been super helpful to me. I’ve seen direct sales from my Instagram, and it’s really helped get my name out there, so that’s been big for me. It took a couple months to figure out how to do it and how to get my target audience but I’m finally starting to get to a more consistent pace now.”
Do you have any role models?
“I know it’s cheesy but my dad is definitely one of my role models. He has his own business so I’ve always looked up to that. Having a free schedule and being able to work whenever you choose was always really attractive to me. My dad sells safety supplies and I’m not interested in that, but I love clothes and I love fashion and so I turned what I love into a business. Seeing him all these years has really inspired me to sort of pave my own path, and know that I don’t have to work for somebody to be successful and that I can do it on my own, so I really look up to him.”
Do you have anything you want to tell Her Campus readers?
“I would say just do what you love, and do what you feel is right! In the end, it doesn’t matter what other people think of you.”
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