We had the good fortune of connecting with Brooke Howerton and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Brooke, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I’ve always loved fashion and merchandising. I got my degree in business with a minor in marketing. I went the Corporate America route after graduation because it felt “safe” and I wanted to be able to provide for my family. While working in the office environment I would vent to female coworkers about how hard it was to shop! We were busy at work then going home to our families and the LAST thing we wanted to do was bring children to a mall!

There was such a need for online shopping and when The Paisley Heart came to fruition, 10 years ago, there weren’t very many online options and definitely few for women specifically. I wanted to meet women wherever they needed me to and take the guesswork out of online shopping by providing videos and styling for the pieces I was selling. I left my corporate job in September of 2013 and haven’t looked back!

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I feel extremely blessed to have started my boutique when I did! Online shopping for clothing was still a pretty fresh concept 10 years ago. I knew I had to set myself apart and build my brand built on a personal relationship. And, that’s exactly what I did! If you shopped with me, you felt like you were almost a part of my family! My husband helped me with setups and tear downs at pop ups and I had two young boys that were often in my posts and videos! Our family has since grown to 4 boys (ages 7, 8, 12 & 13) and they’re all still a part of my boutique world! I loved going LIVE from Facebook and interacting with customers and I took in real life photos to show how the clothes would wear.

I did pop ups like crazy….I would go anywhere I could set up and sell – from teachers lounges to craft fairs! We really haven’t changed much of HOW we sell 10 years later. I still take fit videos of every single piece we sell and we still hold relationships/customer service as #1!

We want our customers to feel like they are shopping with their best girlfriends without ever having to leave the comfort of the home! When you buy from our boutique, you should feel confident in sizing, quality and fit/style. The only thing you haven’t done is physically touched the item. If a customer needs to get ahold of us, it’s easy! We respond to social comments and emails 24/7!
I take pride in knowing customers that started shopping with us day one are still shopping with us, and sharing their reviews with their friends and family!
We have of course evolved! We started with a website and Facebook and really relied on word of mouth! These days we can be found on all social platforms (TikTok, FB, Insta, Pinterest) and we have a mobile app to cater to an effortless shopping experience that mirrors what we have on our website.

Online boutique selling is an adventure! The only thing that stays constant is change. As technology and shoppers change their habits, we do as well! No day is the same which is challenging but also fun!

I feel like what sets me apart from other brands and boutiques is how REAL I am. I’m a total goofball boymom but I still like to feel pretty and I want to do life with other women. My customers aren’t JUST customers, they’re friends and I want them to be so happy and love their TPH purchase!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my best girlfriend was in town (& not from the area), I would take them to The Stockyards! It’s so nostalgic! Lots of picture opportunities and delicious food! We’d grab a drink at The Drover then mosey to La Paloma for some fajitas! Clearfork is a great area for shopping and dining, too!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My mom has a very entrepreneurial mindset! She owned a brick and mortar store when I was in high school that I worked at. She taught me SO much! I credit her for giving me the courage and confidence to know I could be successful! I also give crazy credit to my husband for his unwavering support and for believing in my vision! He trusted me with our savings, when we didn’t have much! That was the scariest part about the start up!

Website: www.thepaisleyheart.com

Instagram: thepaisleyheart

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThePaisleyHeart

Youtube: SPOTLIGHT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJzdZpPBCTw

Other: Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TPHSelect

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/thepaisleyheart

Image Credits
All photos taken and owned by The Paisley Heart