Small Business Lover

Working for a female-owned small business gave me a new perspective. As a young high school student, I was given the opportunity to work at a boutique gift shop down the street, Covet. Autumn Clayton opened Covet in 2010 as a place to express her creativity and love for fashion, accessories, art, and community. The store is located on the top floor of a renovated farmhouse which contributes to her branding as a local boutique that features local items. She tries to stay away from mass-produced items and instead offers unique gifts with personality that are made in the US. Autumn is a true entrepreneur and wears so many hats while running this business. Seeing a woman be the sole decision-maker was inspiring and something I wish more people had the opportunity to see.

Watching Autumn interact with other small business owners gave me perspective on how business can be done. Seeing small business operations as opposed to large corporations was so valuable for me. I gained a new appreciation for small businesses because of how personal it is to purchase from them. You know exactly who you’re supporting and it’s exciting to see how the business can evolve.

I was brought on as a sales associate but would take on any task that I was given out of curiosity and willingness to learn. Taking on more tasks as they would come allowed me to see all of the business functions and eventually become assistant manager. The time I spent building customer relationships, creating displays, and assisting in the daily functions of Covet was the most memorable job experience I’ve ever had.