Meet Ebony Hunt | Boutique Owner & Marketing Technology Executive

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

Hi Ebony, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
My thought process consisted of two words when starting my businesses: Legacy and Impact. I wanted my businesses to employ those in my family and the community. I wanted to also employ more people of color in technology. My jewelry business, SPATE Boutique is a legacy to honor my mother who passed away from breast cancer in 2018. My mother loved accessories and the confidence jewelry instilled in women. My second business, The 7 Agency, is a project management consultancy aimed at helping entrepreneurs, agencies, and corporate enterprises get work done, drive a profit, and retain clients by driving high client satisfaction.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I have two businesses today, SPATE Boutique and The 7 Agency. I believe what sets me apart from others is that I understand both sides of my business – I have been the customer and the client so I understand the need to start a business knowing that quality and satisfaction are key to success.

When I started SPATE Boutique, I needed a creative outlet to drive out my sadness after the passing of my mother. I needed to direct my sadness into satisfying others with jewelry. This brought me joy and helped me connect with people. The 7 Agency started because I have worked in project management for over 18 years and knew I had a gift of managing projects and teams – I love completing things and making a profit.

At the start of both businesses it was not easy, mainly because I was not social media savvy and use to doing all the work myself – I know a tech professional not using social media but this was not my jam. Also, I didn’t have a large network of close people I trusted with my vision, so I did everything myself from finances, budgeting, marketing, packaging, shipping, and everything in between. This was completely exhausting while working a full-time job.

My encouragement to all business owners is to outsource as many of the small tasks to someone or another business. For example, I now use Fiverr for most of my design needs like banners, flyers, or social media design. I also use a software called Later to schedule my social media posts so I can use my time to strategize and run the business.

I want the world to know my brand is about impact and passion. This is only the beginning of my legacy and there is so much more I am working on to bring jobs to the community and to help young people find their purpose early.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my friend was coming to visit we would definitely enjoy a spa day at the Hotel Crescent Court with an overnight stay to enjoy dinner and drinks. We would have lunch and dinner at some of my favorite spots – Dee Lincoln’s Steakhouse, Pangea, Cane Rosso, Sixty Vines, Bottled in Bond, and Chuy’s for margaritas. We would go shopping in Legacy West, NorthPark Mall, and small boutiques in Allen. We would also drive to Hidden Hangar Winery for a wine tasting.

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 shoutout goes to my PARENTS! They are the reason I have so much confidence in my skills and talents – the sky was not the limit in their eyes and they knew I could achieve greatness and impact those around me. My parents encouraged entrepreneurship and education at an early age, so it was not foreign to me when my thoughts and passion manifested into the reality I live today.

Website: www.spateboutique.com/ www.the7agency.com

Instagram: @spateboutique

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ebonyh/

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