"Actions speak louder than words" with Samantha Myers
/
Never underestimate a princess…
After over 20 years in the financial services industry, Samantha Myers was looking for a change. She had loved her career, but was burned out, had a young child at home, and was desperately looking for something different. For years the voice in the back of her head said “you should own your own business” if you’re going to make a change, make it big. She stumbled upon a little gem of a business in need of help and a partnership was born. Let’s Dress Up is a princess-themed play and party space in New York City, proud to be women-owned in a business catering to young girls.
What inspired you to start your business?
I was inspired by the entrepreneurial spirit and wanted to be the master of my own destiny after a lifetime of working for other people. I wanted to see the direct results of my hard work and have a vested interest in every aspect of a business. For me, it was very important that I invest, own, and work at something that I would be a customer of. I needed to be tied to it in that way to be able to create the vision, have strong opinions, and believe in it wholeheartedly.
Where is your business located?
On the Upper East Side in New York City.
How did you start your businesses? What were the first steps you took?
I was all over town with my young daughter visiting museums and experiences, trying new classes, and taking her everywhere. I took her to a tea party at Let’s Dress Up and was intrigued. I saw an opportunity. So I called the owner, Judy, and approached her about taking on a partner and expanding. We met a few times, shared ideas (and a glass of Prosecco), and figured out that we had the exact opposite skill sets and would be a perfect match.
What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?
Never underestimate the power of community and personal relationships. Referrals are a primary driver in our business. If a child attends a friend’s birthday party and has fun, they inevitably will beg their parents to have their next party with us. Positive reviews and word of mouth are paramount. Social media is an amazing tool and we use it a lot, but in-person events like school fairs and storytimes go a long way to showcasing our brand and our commitment to families.
What have been your biggest challenges and how do you overcome them?
Coronavirus is the obvious choice. But in the interest of a more productive answer, one of our biggest challenges is that people don’t take us seriously. They think two women running a princess business for kids is “cute”. Yes, we love fairy tales and glitter, but make no mistake that we take the business side of princessing very seriously. We push against the stereotype with professionalism, by knowing our business inside and out and being sure we speak about it at a high level. (Except of course when we are having a freeze dance party with the kids). We are also thinking about the messaging behind the happily ever after. Setting the table and sitting down for tea may seem like innocent fun, but there are many life lessons going on under the surface as well.
How do you stay focused?
I love lists and spreadsheets. I need things written down. I also need to periodically step away and clear my head; I do some of my best brainstormings while working out.
How do you differentiate yourself from the competition?
Customer service is key. I answer emails right away and we are visible in the shop and online. We will not be outworked. Especially during these difficult times, we think we have set ourselves apart in how we have handled refunds, safety and coming up with creative solutions and ways to help our customers.
What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?
Social media is a natural outlet for us to post adorable pictures and offer free content to our parent customers. We also engage and partner with other like-minded businesses on social media and in real life. We believe in collaboration over competition and it has worked well for us.
What is your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?
Take action. As all the sayings go…actions speak louder than words, don’t talk about it, be about it, just do it. Yes, you should be thoughtful and have a strategy and write down your goals. But you must take action, don’t be paralyzed by overthinking. Try things and see what works and what doesn’t. Learn from your mistakes. Approach businesses you want to work with, media outlets you want to pitch and potential customers. Get out there.
What are your favorite app, blog and book? Why?
Instagram is my favorite app. I have learned a lot of the latest tips and tricks and enjoy sharing our content and connecting on there. I will confess, I read Instagram for Business for Dummies when I first started handling our social media and found it very helpful.
Who is your business role model?
Marcus Lemonis. He is tough, but fair and realistic. He likes to help people, but makes no excuse for the fact that he also likes to make money. During the pandemic, he has shown himself to be an outspoken supporter of the small business community in many tangible ways from funding, to educational resources.
How do you balance work and life?
I am a mom and a small business owner so multi tasking is my middle name. My daughter happens to be in our customer demographic, so we will often be found testing craft ideas together, reading stories or trying the latest recipes. It blurs the lines of work and personal for sure, but I find it really rewarding to be able to share these things with her and for our customers to know I am in the trenches alongside them.
What is your favorite way to decompress?
I like to exercise (with music blasting), the physical activity, getting the blood flowing, always helps me. And lately, I have been escaping with some crime fiction novels, nothing like a murder mystery to take your mind off things.
What do you have planned for the next 6 months?
We plan to come back from 2020 better than ever. We have taken the time to streamline and upgrade things that had been lingering on the to-do list. We are ready to have weekends full of birthday parties again delivering a best-in-class product. And then next stop…world princess party domination.
How can our readers connect with you?
Samantha Myers, Let’s Dress Up
@letsdressupnyc Instagram