FOR 29-year-old Marsha Page, starting her own clothing store was borne out of her need to have trendy outfits, but not being able to find the right styles at the right cost in Jamaica. Being a fashionista and having an eye for business, Page knew she could turn her love for fashion into a profitable business, and she did this by saving her fortnightly salary to start her online store — She Slays Fashion.

The mother of two told Career & Education that most of all, the outfits she stocks for She Slays Fashion, which stocks female clothes and accessories, had to be affordable with the highest quality possible.

“It was either good cost but low quality, or high quality with very high cost before I started She Slays Fashion. I thought there could have been a middle ground where women could get good quality with affordable prices and so I started sourcing suppliers,” Page explained.

Adding that it was difficult to establish the business because of the lengthy time it took to sample products from different suppliers around the world to determine the quality of the products, Page said, “being new to business and trying to figure out the paperwork is part of business that you don’t hear about a lot of the time.”

Additionally, Page noted that she didn’t take a loan, but she was able to thrive because of her family and the support system they created for her.

“My support system is extremely strong. I am very grateful to have family and friends who are right by my side every step of the way, whether it be motivational speeches, sharing my business page, liking posts and even some purchases,” Page stated.

Working toward having a lasting legacy for her children, Page said, “I care a lot for the people around me and that is something I am working on doing on a bigger scale. I would like to be known for helping other young girls to get to the next level. I would like my children to go about their lives and every now and then see or hear something and think, ‘Wow! My mom did that!’ with a sense of pride in their heritage. My ultimate goal is for my children to understand that being caring, kind and God-fearing is far more valuable than any riches they may come to inherit.”

However, having a nine-to-five job and taking care of two children, while operating a business, is no small feat.

“It is hard; most days I wonder how I get it all done, but the more I do it all the better I become at time management. This has helped me dramatically to manage the stress level of it all. Also, my mom really helps a lot with my sons which gives me more time to focus on growing my business and also my nine-to-five job,” she said.

“On difficult days I pray a lot and remind myself why I am doing it all. I would hope to one day provide my sons with a life that surpasses what my mom gave me; she set the bar high I must say, but really my sons’ smiles and laughter is enough to keep me going on hard days.”

Advising those who may want to start an online business and not sure how to, Page said, “Do your research. I can’t stress the research part enough. Don’t jump blindly into selling items with no plan or goal. Honestly, most people don’t like writing business plans and doing marketing plans and so on but it is very necessary.”