Boss lady: Sara Stanford
With an increased focus on the female entrepreneur, the boss lady has been busy traversing the path of being the successful and influential business owner.
This week we highlight Sara Stanford of Bliss Bridal Boutique, a boss lady who has been holding her own.
SELECTING her dress is the ultimate decision a woman makes as she prepares to take centre stage on what is arguably the biggest day of her life — her wedding day. She has pictured herself walking up the aisle to her beau, how it will flounce when she dances, and possibly how, years from now, her own daughter may look in it. It has to be the most perfect dress for her most perfect occasion.
Sara Stanford is fully aware of all these dress nuances and, for over a year, has been meeting and exceeding every bride’s expectations through her Bliss Bridal Boutique.
To say Stanford goes ‘ga-ga’ for weddings is an understatement. This boss lady’s passion for the industry actually evolved from her love of designer dresses. Then, after experiencing the wedding dress industry when she got engaged in 2011, Sara said “I do” to the exciting challenge of matching each bride with the dress of her dreams. Driven by what she calls her “passion for excellence”, Stanford’s mission is simple — to provide each bride with a premium experience during the dress hunt process — a process that reality shows like TLC’s Say Yes to the Dress reveals to be an often stressful one.
“When a bride tells me that the dress she got from Bliss Bridal made her feel absolutely stunning on her special day, I know I’ve done good. Sometimes a bride will share photos of herself on her day and I am overcome with joy knowing that I played a part in helping to put a smile on her face,” said the boutique owner.
Even so, she admits that the business of renting and selling dresses has its challenges.
“The major one is ensuring that all obligations are met where taxes and regulations are concerned while pricing dresses at a cost that brides can afford. However, I will continue to give my clients a fair price while meeting such obligations,” she said.
One critical lesson that Stanford has learnt as an entrepreneur which gets her above each obstacle is to take advice from others.
“I will never know everything there is to know and I gladly lean into the wisdom of others. In many situations I’ve had to rely on the emotional support of my parents, my mother who has been in corporate Jamaica for years and my father who has been a business owner for many years.”
Stanford, who holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in human resources from Florida State University, is quick to offer that particular nugget of advice to potential business owners, especially, women.
“Rely on those you love for emotional support,” she said.
“Breathe during the challenges and it will work out.”
Wealth creation tip
Be very clear about what you want to achieve. In order to create wealth effectively you need to know what you want. Write it down. Ideas kept in your head are easily forgotten and will no longer be pursued when the pressures of life overtake you. Writing it down keeps you focused, helps you stay on track, and reminds you of what’s really important to you. Begin by writing down your ideas and goals. Set SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, time bound) goals and categorise them into short, medium and long-term goals so you can have a clear plan as to how each goal will be achieved and in what time frame. Always measure your progress.
— Joan Edwards, manager, client portfolio management services, JMMB
