Meet Tara Brown-Smith | Boutique Boss /Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tara Brown-Smith and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tara, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking

I think of risk as necessary. Risk has played a significant role in my personal and professional life. We are exposed to risk every day, so it didn’t take me long to grasp the basic concept of it. Like with most things, there are advantages and disadvantages to risk-taking. The pros outweigh the cons with risk-taking because every time I take a chance on something new, I grow wiser and see things clearer. It has been my experience that the greater the risk, the higher the reward.

To be brutally honest, the thought of starting my own business brought on feelings of uncertainly. It was the one time I could clearly call feeling vulnerable. However, my daughter and CEO of Glazed By K motivated me to push toward success. Seeing my child manage a business at the young age of 19/20 helped obliterate those feelings of self-doubt.

Though I learned the basic concept of risk early on, it wasn’t until adulthood that I started focusing on risk management. Now don’t get me wrong, I haven’t mastered risk management skills just yet, but I take the time to sharpen the tool with every opportunity that presents itself.

I recently discovered the not so pretty side of risk-taking, which is the uncontrollable risk, particularly physical risk. I am currently experiencing health conditions that caused me to lose my job and primary source of income. Not being able to drive or stare at the computer for extended periods made it challenging to succeed in my previous field. I am grateful that I stepped out on faith and decided to push forward with The Archer Boutique. My business allows me to tend to my health and enables me to contribute to my family’s financial needs.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

The Archer Boutique is a women’s clothing store dedicated to basics; our motto is “We are Basically Dedicated to Basics.” What sets us apart from other Boutiques is we value the power of basics. A basic wardrobe not only frees your mind from wasting time on finding something to wear it also makes it easy to combine items and be diverse. The Archer Boutique will celebrate its 2nd Birthday on July 16th and continues to grow. Just as it is with most things built from the ground up, setting the foundation wasn’t easy. Finding the right vendor and building clientele proved to be the most difficult task; the pandemic didn’t make it any easier either.

Trial and error with various vendors were like being on a rollercoaster ride. Inconsistency was the key element to this bumpy ride. Finding a vendor with quality material and an accessible merchandise was difficult at times, especially during the pandemic. Extensive research, networking, and visiting LA Fashion District enabled me to combat the vendor issues head-on.
Originally, The Archer Boutique’s clientele consisted of family members and friends who were eager to support, but that never sat well with me. Although I appreciate the support, I took immediate action to expand my customer base by participating in local pop-up shops, testing various marketing strategies, and implementing text marketing.

Perseverance, trial and error, a strong support system, and a heavy faith in God helped me overcome the challenging times. I’ve learned many lessons along the way, such as the importance of taking risks, having a Mentor, and pour your heart and soul into the company that will help you push through those tough times.
I would like everyone to know that The Archer Boutique would like for you to free your mind, save money, all while looking good.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

Let’s Just say my Best Friend is flying in on a Saturday morning; as soon as she touches down, we will stop by Happiest Hour for brunch. A great view over-looking downtown Dallas while enjoying fluffy pecan pie pancakes and savory crab cakes will be a great start to her trip.

After a night of catching up and rest we will head to Golden Gate Missionary Baptist Church for praise and worship. Golden Gate Missionary Baptist Church is a unique church with a focus to live the life of Jesus and is located just south of downtown Dallas in an area known as “The Bottom”. After Church we will continue replenishing the soul with some good ol’ soul food from DJ’s Steakhouse. The ambience coupled with delicious mouth-watering southern style dishes will most definitely be a great eat.

We will start the week off right with a relaxing day at the spa. Spa Castle Texas provides modern and traditional services to enhance mental, physical, and social well-being. We will relax in one of their many hydrotherapy pools. My favorite place to shop is NorthPark Mall, so we will head there after the spa. With over 200 retailers, NorthPark Mall offers a unique shopping experience.

Tuesday will be for visiting family and we will take the opportunity to have amazing lunch in my old the neighborhood. Every time I am in the Pleasant Grove area it is a must to stop by Crazy Brothers. My favorite is the lemon peppered fried fish; my friend loves BBQ so I will recommend she orders anything with chopped beef, they serve Brisket Nachos and Quesadillas.

Dinner at Uncle Julio’s will be a great way to spend the evening. The chicken fajitas are amazing and their butter sauce is like no other. We will reminisce memories over their legendary swirl Margaritas.

We will satisfy our appetites also by having dinner at Dodies Cajun Diner at The Harbor Seafood in Rockwall. Situated on the eastern shore of Lake Ray Hubbard, Dodie’s is Rockwall’s rendition of Bourbon Street.

Our final night of fun will consist of live music and laughter, at Venetti’s.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to Shoutout God for making it possible for me to dream it. My customers who support The Archer Boutique. And a BIG Shoutout to my support system, my husband and children for being the sole reason that I strive daily!

Website: thearcherboutique.com

Instagram: thearcherboutique

Facebook: The Archer Boutique