Meet Stephanie Marroquin | Owner & Founder

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

Hi Stephanie, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Risk has played a huge role in the formation of the The Dreamhouse. I always envisioned starting a business but I kept letting “real life” get in the way. I was someone who worked full time while in college. After college, the “adult responsibilities” of life kept pushing my dream to the back burner.

A few years ago, I decided I would no longer allow life to keep me from fulfilling a dream of mine. I borrowed some money from my 401k plan and purchased a limited amount of inventory. Since this was a new business endeavor, my plan was to start off with a smaller selection and gradually expand my inventory. In addition to being a small business owner, I also work a full time job and am a mother to two young children. It can be a struggle to balance the role of mother, employee and entrepreneur but I somehow do. My life is in a constant motion but I am happy with the risk that I have chosen to take to create a passion project I hope to bring full time in the future.

What should our readers know about your business?
The current success of The Dreamhouse has been built upon the mindset of “how can I improve.” As a person and as a business owner I love the opportunity to continuously grow and evolve. I originally started strictly online but made the decision to offer customers a place to shop in store. I currently rent a spot inside of a larger boutique. I am also in the middle of rebranding my company.

It has been a lot of trial and error. As I continue to expand The Dreamhouse I am always experimenting with what works for me and my business. It is a constant learning process. A major struggle I experienced was the pandemic. At one point, I was afraid I would have to shut down. I am thankful I was able to come back with more drive for success.

Lessons I have learned are to keep true to the brand you want to represent. You cannot sell your vision if you do not truly stand behind it. Do not compare yourself to others. Lastly, be open to learning from other business owners. I have had the opportunity to participate in numerous events and pop up markets. I try to befriend business owners around me. I love learning from others and sharing tips. I have found that most business owners (including myself) are more than willing to offer advice. If you are not sure how to start the conversation, a simple compliment or question such as “great setup” or “is this your first year being a vendor at this event” is a great conversation starter.

What sets me apart from others is that the Dreamhouse represents more than just fashion. The Dreamhouse represents the cliche saying of “you can achieve anything you set your mind to.” I manage to raise young children, work full time and own a small business. It also represents strong women who support one another. I can happily confirm I have had customers become friends because of this mindset. Something that I am excited about is a project that is in the beginning stages that will involve The Dreamhouse and local non profit organizations. I look forward to using my business platform for a good cause. Stay tuned!

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 would start with an amazing breakfast at Bread Winners. It is the cutest little spot. Then we would stop by the Dallas Arboretum to wander and admire all of the beautiful gardens. I love their fall setup! Maybe a nice lunch date at Cheesecake Factory before we held to the Dallas Museum of Art. They have awesome exhibitions that I love to view. For an afternoon pick me up, we can swing by Sweet Daze!! Worth the calories! I love a good book so before we end the day, I would find the nearest bookshop to wander inside of. As we approach evening, we could have dinner at Ferris Wheelers. It has a huge ferris wheel in the back patio area where people can eat and enjoy music.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Without being too specific, I had a conversation with someone a few years ago whom I have always valued their opinion. It was a great conversation regarding life and helped me to gain a better perspective on what it was that I wanted out of life. I knew I wanted to start The Dreamhouse and I was ready to execute my plan. I’m extremely thankful for that conversation and where it has taken me.

I have also gained support from family and friends. Their support has been received in different forms ranging from words of encouragement to purchases of my products. If you have family and friends who are small business owners, even the simple act of encouraging words makes all the difference and we truly appreciate it.

Website: www.shopthedreamhouse.com

Instagram: shop_dream_house

Facebook: Shopthedreamhouse

Other: Email – shopdreamhousetx@gmail.com