At Women Take Wing! we celebrate each and every member's successes. Each woman has a unique story to tell and via our Member Features we enjoy sharing their inspiring stories with you!
Kim Sharifi of Soul of the Rose Gifts has been a member of our community for many years. This busy woman juggles family life with a full time day job, family business needs, and still manages to find time to nurture and grow her own on-line boutique!
Q. What gave you the courage to take the leap into your own business?
A. It was not so much courage but rather a feeling of passion that lead me to start my business. I studied retail buying in college and I have many years of varied retail management experience working for large name corporations, but I needed a place to channel my creative side. I originally began my business in a rented booth space in the local antique mall selling all sorts of vintage pretties about 5 years ago. I then transitioned to a small boutique in the downtown village and now I am the proprietor of an on-line boutique. In the beginning I remember feeling that if I did not get this business started that I would simply bust! I was very determined but remained open to the evolving pathway that my business took. I have always known that I had a eye for creatively bringing about a distinctive assortment of goods from many different artists/designers that present as indulgent gifts and contribute to what I call a "soulful experience."
Q. Name one person who has inspired you, and how.
A. I would have to say it was the queen of inspiration herself, Miss Amy Powers, who inspired me to go after the on-line boutique. I had already been in business for a few years when I stumbled upon her website. I remember one afternoon in my shop e-mailing six quick business questions about e-commerce to her through her website, I thought she looked friendly and might answer my message someday. She got back to me in ten minutes! Over the course of a few years Amy has served as a wonderful support for me. I could not have done what I have with my online boutique with out Amy’s help. She is a very giving person that consistently thinks of others. It is the mark of a fine person when you see them mentioned often by others as a source of inspiration. I owe her a lot of praise and heartfelt thanks.
Q. What is the most rewarding part of your business
A. Every aspect of Soul of the Rose is rewarding for me but what makes Soul of the Rose really meaningful to me is the ability to dedicate a percentage of the business to charity. For me personally I was looking for a way to make a difference and add some dimension to retail that I felt was missing. It was not enough to just find nice things, mark them up, sell them and hopefully make a profit. With the Soulful Giving program I am able to make a contribution to organizations that make an impact in our world, country and my community. That is rewarding to me and I think it is meaningful to my customers as well.
Q. What is the most ‘bothersome” part of your business? How do you get through it?
A. Like most entrepreneurs I wear many hats and I have diversified business interests. I have a busy day job with a large construction firm as a construction coordinator/administrator that I love and I am not ready to leave yet. My husband and I also own flooring and home improvements stores. It is fair to say that I am busy but organized. The only thing that could be thought of as perhaps bothersome would be the fact that Soul of the Rose is a part time business. Life is a journey and while it seems like the destination is where it is at – in reality it is the journey itself. As I try to nurture that idea in my business I know that the time will come when Soul of the Rose will be the full time career that I transition to from my present career when the time is right.
Q. If you could start another business what would it be?
A. Soul of the Rose Gifts is the perfect business for me and I cannot really envision another that fits so perfectly with my life and family at this time. I have the opportunity to conduct the on-line boutique in addition to my present day career simultaneously as the e-commerce activity continues to build. I judge it this way - if money were no object and I could do what ever I wanted I would probably be doing just what I am doing. I think that is a good sign that I am on the right track!
Soul of the Rose Gifts offers a unique mix of treasures for women, children and the home that is truly soulful and indulgent. In addition to Kim's unique gift selection, we are proud to say she is also a dedicated giving boutique, donating a full 10% of sales to charitable organizations that support families at risk facing poverty, abuse or medical crisis.
