Meet Elizabeth Ward Creel | Co-Founder & Head of Merchandising

We had the good fortune of connecting with Elizabeth Ward Creel and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Elizabeth, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I have always had a passion for fashion and it was always a dream of mine to open my own boutique. When I graduated from college I ended up going into a different industry and over the course of 10 years learned so much about retail, analyzing a business, growing a business, strategy, analytics, and finance. I was very happy in my career but saw a real opportunity in the market for someone to come in with a unique point of view on fashion and a high level of customer service. My husband has over 20 years of experience in high end fashion and we decided to combine our experience to launch a business together. We spent almost a year working on our business plan and trying to define what the opportunity really looked like and how to execute it in the marketplace. My thought process was and still is how can we be different and offer something compelling, and how can we deliver the best customer service possible. We have executed this by carrying unique and exclusive brands, limited quantities, and by offering a multitude of concierge services to make it really easy to shop.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
It is so interesting how everything can come together for you in your path when you least expect it, and when an opportunity presents itself you should go for it! I think what sets me apart from others in this industry is that I have a strong track record of success in a very large retail environment working on businesses upwards of $2B. I am able to take all of that experience and apply it in a very small business format that is engrained in the local community. I also think what sets me apart is my passion for what I am doing and my drive to excel. It wasn’t easy to launch this business, especially in the retail world we live in, and I think that is where passion and drive comes in. I overcome challenges by leveraging my support network, seeking feedback from others, listening, working hard, and pivoting where needed. The things I am most proud about are the relationships we have built with our amazing clients and our ability to navigate through the pandemic and the challenges it has presented over the last year. What I would like the world to know about Elizabeth W is that it is our passion, it is an honor to be a local business in this community and build genuine relationships, and that we will continue to listen to our clients and grow with them.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I love exploring Dallas and showing my friends from out of town a great time! There are so many amazing places in this city to hang out, shop, and dine! On Friday night we would go to drinks at Bistro followed by dinner at Shinsei (or vice versa)! Saturday am would be a run or bike ride around White Rock Lake followed by queso and margaritas at Mi Cocina, shopping at Elizabeth W (of course!), and dinner at an amazing new restaurant (we always have so many great restaurants popping up!). Sunday would be meditation at Breathe and brunch at Honor Bar. This sounds like the best weekend – who wants to come visit me?!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
It is definitely true that it takes a village. I never could have launched this business on my own and we would not be here today without the outpouring of love and support by so many people! My husband deserves the first shoutout because he is there for me every day, all day. He has been on this journey with me from the beginning and provides unending support through all the good times as well as any road blocks we have come across. Outside of that we have received so much support from friends, family, other business owners, local influencers, and this amazing community in Dallas that we are part of. Lastly, I am so thankful every day for our clients and employees for trusting Elizabeth W and for the special relationships we have built!

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