Meet Jossa Henson | Owner at First Look Bridal

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

Hi Jossa, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
Above and beyond all, the most important factor behind the success of First Look Bridal is the abundant grace the Lord has brought to the boutique. First Look Bridal is constantly prayed over by amazing friends, families, and even many of my brides! Thinking about this question from a business sense, the most important thing my husband and I did to set up the boutique for success was plan, plan, and then plan again! We started with a business plan -this business plan was edited no less than twenty times until we landed on a business plan we were happy with. We also created financial projections for three years, modeled 3D blueprints of our space before starting renovations, and reached out to every SBA resource we could find. There are so many free resources available online and in our local community that make planning incredibly easy and attainable!

What should our readers know about your business?
WHAT SETS US APART FROM OTHERS: We are a bridal boutique in Plano that focuses on making the gown shopping experience a memory to last a lifetime!

We offer private appointments, a luxury champagne experience, sizes 00-30, and exclusive designers that can only be found at First Look. We make the experience unlike any other by providing the bride with the needs to make her comfortable. If they want to FaceTime their family overseas, we will pull out laptop chargers and tables to set a laptop on! Don’t drink alcohol? We keep sparkling cider in stock at the boutique. Have children you want to bring? We absolutely love kids, and they are always invited! Something unique to the stage of life the boutique is in now is that it is entirely run by me and my husband.

When brides find their dream gown, they get my cell phone to ask and text me any questions they have. When we post on social media, it is often me playing dress-up in my free time! I want brides to know that I did the gown-shopping process too, and my goal is to make them happy, comfortable, and stress-free.

MOST EXCITED ABOUT: I am most excited about the impact we are making in the community! Word of mouth from current brides has already been incredibly strong, and I view it as such a great honor. I have already had brides find their gowns and get married, and seeing their photos come in gets me teary-eyed every time! Knowing that First Look Bridal has already made permanent changes to Plano and the DFW area is incredibly exciting and motivating.

HOW DID YOU GET TO WHERE YOU ARE TODAY BUSINESS WISE: Above and beyond all, the most important factor behind the success of First Look Bridal is the abundant grace the Lord has brought to the boutique. First Look Bridal is constantly prayed over by amazing friends, families, and even many of my brides!

Thinking about this question from a business sense, the most important thing my husband and I did to set up the boutique for success was plan, plan, and then plan again! We started with a business plan -this business plan was edited no less than twenty times until we landed on a business plan we were happy with. We also created financial projections for three years, modeled 3D blueprints of our space before starting renovations, and reached out to every SBA resource we could find. There are so many free resources available online and in our local community that make planning incredibly easy and attainable!

WAS IT EASY? IF NOT, HOW DID YOU OVERCOME THE CHALLENGES: The greatest challenge we have faced is being the ‘new kid on the block’ of the DFW wedding industry. It can be scary having brides walk in and feel like we don’t have five hundred dresses to choose from or have a location that has been there for decades! But I remind myself every day that those who have been here for twenty-plus years earned their way to be here, and they all started small, too!

We overcome being new by partnering with local businesses who have a great rapport with the community and by showing that we have amazing things to offer. Not only have we gained the support of Plano vendors, but have also found amazing friends and partners! We are thrilled to be new and fresh, and are excited to grow into a gem of Plano.

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 this!! For nature walks, I would take them to Arbor Hills and the Dallas Arboretum. For thrills, we would business-hop over at Grandscape, Downtown Plano, or head to Six Flags for some intense roller coasters! For a foodie tour, we would visit Eddy’s Diner for breakfast, Tender BBQ for some finger-licking sausage, Urban Crust for wood-fired pizza, and SomiSomi for dessert! Personally,

I’m a big snacker in the form of coffee and tea, so other spots would include 151 Coffee, 85 Degree Bakery, 1418 Coffeehouse, Teapioca, and Hoja bubble tea. The most interesting thing we would do is something I have not even done yet, but we would visit the Butterfly House at the Dallas Butterfly Garden! This is a covered landscape that houses hundreds of butterflies and allows patrons to walk around freely with the butterflies!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Nosa Oyegun at Elegant Nuptials / Romans Twelve Two Community has been a God-sent angel! She has provided us with endless resources and a hand to hold navigating opening the boutique. She has a heart for women and disciples women to find their purpose in life, and it is an absolute blessing to know her.

Lastly, my family has been my greatest supporter. My husband and I both own the boutique, and both sides of our families constantly help us behind the scenes, asking nothing in return. We are so blessed!

Website: www.firstlookbridaltx.com

Instagram: @firstlookbridaltx

Facebook: www.facebook.com/firstlookbridaltx

Other: TikTok and Pinterest: @firstlookbridaltx

Image Credits
I have credited each photo on the photo, but here is a list: @juliamarie.creative @monicacassellphotography​​​​​​​​@wildsunflowerphoto​​​​​​​​@katylynnphotography​​​​​​​​@jesusandcoffeecompany