We had the opportunity to interview the lovely owner of Chicky Pop, Yami. Fairly new to the retail game, Yami has already won the hearts of fans with the best collection of new and hip children's apparel and gifts....
Yami, Owner of Chicky Pop
KIRA: How long have you been in business?
YAMI: 8 glorious months but it definitely seems longer.
KIRA: What was your inspiration for opening your store?
YAMI: A mid-life crisis. If you can call it that since at the time I was 29. I guess I got mine out of the way early. I just felt for awhile that I needed to be doing something else. Something I could look forward to doing everyday and truly enjoy. I like my job but it isn't fulfilling. I love shopping, especially for my kids so that's kind of the short version of how I decided to open Chicky Pop.
KIRA: What did you do before opening your store?
YAMI: What I'm still doing now actually! I'm the Army and have been for almost 9 years now. It's still my "9-5" although there is definitely an overlap as I'm typing this during my lunch break and I respond to a lot of emails here. My goal is to leave this behind and focus on the shop solely but I'm not where I want to be yet to make that leap.
KIRA: Can you define your shop's style?
YAMI: Hip and trendy. From larger brands to smaller handmade ones everything I stock is "cool" as my daughter would say.
KIRA: How do you find the products that you carry?
YAMI: Through various means. I have customers who suggest labels to me, some I find at trade shows and most while I'm perusing the Internet or Instagram late at night.
KIRA: Do you have any advice for entrepreneurs that are interested in opening their own online store?
YAMI: Don't be afraid to ask for advice. I have received emails from people who want to open an online shop and they were all worried that I would be tight-lipped or offended at the thought of offering someone else advice. While there may be some shop owners who take a competitive stance on offering advice I am not one of them. I have no trade secrets or insider information that can't be found online so I find no problem in offering what's worked or hasn't worked for me. Also, don't compare yourself to a store that's been open years longer than you have. That's a sure way to make mistakes and overextend yourself.
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