Each week, our Friday Feature celebrates powerful women from our sisterhood who share their magic with the world in unique and inspiring ways. A few weeks ago, we started a series celebrating women in our community whose passion and creativity have made them fierce entrepreneurs. These go-getters share their journeys, hurdles they've had to overcome, and wisdom they've picked up along the way, which we are so excited to be able to share.
We are excited to introduce you to Christen, who owns and operates a women's fine apparel boutique in Massachusetts with her mother, Heidi, and sister, Heather. We are honored to have partnered up with these inspirational women.
Meet Christen Eulian, CEO of Kissy's Fine Apparel
When you were a child, what made you the happiest?
Heather: Vacationing with family especially to our grandmothers house in NH where they owned land in the woods and we’d get to stay in their cabin without TV or phone.
What do you do today and what inspired you to do what you are doing today? (day job or side hustle or both!)?
Christen: Working at the shop started as a side hustle for me but Heather and Mom ran it while I was at my full time job. I really was unhappy at my full time job so I took the leap and couldn’t be happier.
Heather: The inspiration came from trying to bring something different to the community and give people more of a choice in their clothing
What were you doing before you opened your boutique and at what point did you decide to make the switch? Was it a hard decision and, if so, why?
Christen: I worked for a defense contractor and when I had the Sunday scaries so bad I gave myself insomnia I knew it was time. It was scary more than it was hard I just wanted to make sure it was feasible but I’m glad I did it.
Is there a roadblock you had to overcome to get where you are today? How did you do it?
Heidi: I lost my spouse in January of 2016 and it was really difficult to come to terms with his loss. I needed a lot of family support and I got it when it really counted.
Christen: David’s death sent me into a really tough depression. Moving back home from the Midwest and having a support system was the only thing that got me out of it.
How do you pick what you stock in your boutique?
Christen: We work on a majority vote system, if two of us like it we order it. We get a variety that way because we all have different styles. Mom thinks her style is the best. Heather and I disagree.
How did you find Fred and Far and why did you choose to stock it in your store?
Christen: My friends mother and her daughter introduced me to them after they started buying them for each other. I loved them and loved the message that the rings represent and was honored to have the ability to spread that message
What do you love about your community in the city that you live in?
Heather: We love the local support we get. It seems like everyone has someone that they can tell about the shop and we really appreciate them doing that.
Christen: small community and familiarity with people. Everyone is connected somehow through someone that you know
Heidi: Seeing familiar faces in the store because you get to see people you haven’t connected with in a long time so it’s kind of like a mini reunion.
When is the last time you had to be super brave?
Christen: I quit my corporate job to help run the store. I’m not sure at this point if it was brave or silly. I’ll keep you posted!
What are you most proud of accomplishing as an entrepreneur?
All: It’s really rewarding to be out at the grocery store or at a bar or around town and know that what people are wearing came from your store and they look damn good in it.
What does choosing yourself mean to you?
All: It means just being the best version of yourself you can be, but to us that can mean really anything. If you get up and go to the gym or you accomplish something at work or home, you're doing something for yourself to make yourself happy. Yay, eat that cupcake.
Was there a turning point you reached where you decided you had to choose yourself? What was it?
Christen: It was definitely when I was waking up for work and realizing how miserable I was and it was affecting my mental health. I was over it. It’s not worth being sick over.
How do you practice self love and care on a daily/weekly basis?
All: We are OK when things don’t go our way and we celebrate the small victories everyday.
Christen: If I go to the gym and hang out with my dogs those are my self love moments of the day.
Heather: Iced coffee is my self love moment of the day (haha!)
Heidi: Being around my daughters is how I practice self love.
What is your biggest challenge when it comes to making time for self care? And how do you balance being a female entrepreneur with finding time for self care?
All: We all make it a point to do the things that make us happy. Sometimes it’s just working around the shop hours but we all seem to still do the stuff that make us happy
What is your advice to your 10, 18, and 25-year-old self?
Heidi:
10-year-old me: Don’t be a quitter even if you’re not the best at winning
18-year-old me : Partying is not everything
25-year-old me: You can’t party like a rockstar and live forever
Heather:
10-year-old me: Tell mom not to throw out the Frye boots I wore for Halloween
18-year-old me : You can’t party like a rockstar and live forever
25-year-old me: You can’t party like a rockstar and live forever
Christen:
10-year-old me: KEEP YOUR STARTER JACKET they’re going to come back in style
18-year-old me : You’re going to get braces in a year. Don’t panic, laugh about it. No one is going to care but you so SMILE in pictures
25-year-old me: Just because other people are doing it, it’s ok that you’re not. (getting married, having kids etc…)
What do you love most about yourself?
Heidi: I’m artistic and I’m a loving mother and the people I made are pretty awesome.
Heather: I’m creative, intelligent and I help my family when they need me. I love that I’m able to do that after overcoming some hard challenges in my life.
Christen: I’m tough, we’ve been through a lot in my 31 years of life and I didn’t let it get me down. David, my late step dad, used to say “Drive fast and take chances” I tattooed it on my wrist and I love that I’ve never stopped doing it.
What is your message for our tribe?
All: Keep kicking ass and taking names ladies. You’ve all inspired us so much and we are honored to be among such an awesome group of people.
Finish these sentences:
Women should: Take over the world
Women can: Conquer anything they set their mind to
Women will: Never stop fighting
I am: Part of an unbelievably strong community of women and I couldn’t be more proud to be a woman today and everyday.
How can we follow your brand?
@kissysfineapparel