WomenVenture client, Shayna Sykes is the owner of Honey Mama Boutique.
Shayna came to WomenVenture because she had a dream, a dream to provide a unique shopping experience for boutique lovers and their children. She had been selling attractive women’s clothing in various local venues before she decided to open Honey Mama Boutique. She envisioned a space that would be clean and light, there would be a designated area for children to play, and she would sell active-wear clothing designed for women of all ages. And, of course, there would be a selfie wall!
Shayna found a location in downtown Buffalo, MN, near where she and her family live. WomenVenture’s consulting team worked with her to refine her business plan, forecast her revenue, beef up her marketing efforts, and strengthen her website. Our loan team provided excellent client service and walked her through every step of the loan process. When Shayna’s son had an accident, members of the loan and consulting teams reached out to offer support. One of the highlights of Shayna’s loan process was taking a virtual tour of her new location while she and her husband were still building it out. Her excitement and happiness were infectious, and the entire loan team celebrated her success when the loan committee approved her application!
On the weekend of Honey Mama Boutique’s grand opening, Shayna and her team sold almost $12,000 worth of clothing.
Shayna hopes to find a community of women entrepreneurs, and we are excited to welcome her to the WomenVenture web!
$150 pays for a woman to complete the Getting Ready course. $600 pays for a woman to complete the Small Business Essentials course with a business plan that prepares her for venture readiness.
65% of women we serve qualify as low-income and receive a scholarship to attend our trainings.
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About the author: Tammy Dahlvang provides support to WomenVenture clients in developing business plans, forecasts, and accounting systems and procedures.