Opening a Successful Small Business: Q&A with HEYDAY Owner Jennifer Little

(HEYDAY owner Jennifer Little/303 Magazine)

Any Fort Collins native knows Fort Collins is home to many small businesses. Any tourist or newcomer could figure the same thing from a stroll through Old Town. HEYDAY is one of the boutiques in town, but the uniqueness and willingness of its’ owner to take chances gives it a little something extra. The store highlights women’s clothing and accessories.

The owner of HEYDAY, Jennifer Little, gave me a call while she was driving home from a gift show in Denver to discuss her journey and how she succeeded in opening a thriving small business.

Rose Carter: How did you become interested in fashion?

Jennifer Little: It’s something I’ve been interested in my entire life. I have a background in interior design and photography so it was just something that went along with those industries because they’re so creative. I thought it was a good opportunity to help women learn to express themselves through style and through clothing.

You used to be photographer. Why did you decide to change career paths, and how was the transition?

I actually still am a photographer. I shoot all the product for the store. I do photoshoots of our customers in our products, so I didn’t really change careers. I just added to it, because photography is still so imperative to what we do in our business.

What was your vision for HEYDAY when you first had the idea?

We started as men’s, women's, kids’, and home, and we just wanted to offer a place to shop that was different from anywhere else here in Fort Collins.

How long did it take from having the idea to start your own business to HEYDAY actually opening?

The idea came about in January of 2015. We signed the lease in April of that year, and then we opened in August. The main reason it took that long is because everything was under construction.

Is that when Jessup Farm opened as well?

Yes, everything at Jessup Farm was pretty much finished in August of 2015.

Did you open the sister store, Knapsack, at the same time?

No, Knapsack opened a year later in November of 2016.

Why did you open a separate store instead of putting stationary in HEYDAY?

There was an opportunity to create a second retail offering a Jessup Farm. Before, we were the only retailer at Jessup Farm — everything else was food and beverage. At that point we moved all our home and gift to Knapsack and focused exclusively on women’s clothing at HEYDAY.

Can you explain the technical aspects of starting a business?

If you want to start a business you need to be thinking about location, your brand, what it is you’re going to sell, what kind of business you’re going to go into, funding, what it is the customers want in your community, the demographics of your town, who makes up your audience and what price-point you want to focus on. Then you need to think about if you’re willing to work your tail off and if you truly understand what all goes into it. Maybe talk to other business owners to see what you should expect in terms of how many hours you’ll be working each week. I’d say those are good things to think about.

Was there anyone specific you got your inspiration from or who helped you?

I don’t know of anyone…I’m one who likes to figure things out on their own. I’m not one who typically asks a lot of opinions before I do something, but it probably is a good idea. I’ve always found inspiration through other retail stores I’ve been into over the years, and I knew what type of experience I wanted to create in our store, so that played a big role in what we created at Jessup Farm.

How did you choose the location at Jessup Farm?

We looked in Old Town and there weren’t any opportunities that were available at the time. Jessup Farm was a brand new development. We loved the community atmosphere and opportunity to collaborate with other businesses. The community space at Jessup Farm was also a nice place that allowed for events to spill out into the common area, and we liked that it’s in a neighborhood. It’s a very cozy environment.

I’ve noticed from you website and Instagram that you’re all about empowering women. Why is that important to you?

I want the women that are on our team to leave HEYDAY better than when they came. I want them to be prepared for the opportunities that come their way. I want them to know what it takes to own a business, and that hard work is a must-have. I want them to know that any idea they have can be implemented with hard work, and that they can do anything that they want. We’re always having conversations about that, and it’s good for women to know their value and their power in general.

You choose every piece in the store, right?

Correct

With that in mind, do you have a certain criteria or process from choosing items to sell in your store?

I definitely want to bring items to Fort Collins that I would wear…things I personally love. I also want to bring pieces to HEYDAY that help women step out of their comfort zone a little. That could be something a little bit different blended with basics that are still easy to wear, but give them a little bit of an edge and help them explore their self expression. I’m just always on the hunt for pieces that I love, and pieces that I think customers will love based on what’s available and what brings me inspiration. I find a lot of items at gift shows like the one I was just at.

I love that HEYDAY is all about empowering others. You mentioned that supporting other local businesses is important to you. Why is that that important?

Without local businesses in the community, we have a lot less offerings. It’s important that I support local businesses because the more local businesses in our community, the more our community has at their fingertips and the stronger the community is.

I read a bit about HEYDAY Grows. What is it? Where did you get the idea for it?

HEYDAY Grows is our speaker series that we started about two years ago. It’s also community based. We bring in men and women for our panels who are doing amazing things, and it gives them the opportunity to share what they’re doing, how they’re doing it and why they do it to an audience who many not know about what they do. That also provides inspiration for our customers.

I noticed HEYDAY engages with the community by doing special events. For example, Pure Barre’s (workout classes) pop-up at the Denver location. What benefits do you see from those partnerships?

Pure Barre came and did a class in the store one morning. The event was a sign-up where we moved the furniture and offered a Pure Barre class inside the store. Customers were able to take the class and then shop, so it was a good way to engage with other businesses and do something fun for our customers.

Last year you opened a HEYDAY location in Denver. What are your dreams for expansion?

Right now we’re just working hard to make sure our current stores are as successful as possible.

What do you think customers can find in local businesses (specifically HEYDAY) that large retail chains don’t offer?

Service, experience, relationships, and different offerings. We have the ability to cater specifically to the Fort Collins community and some of the larger retailers don’t have that opportunity because it takes longer to make changes when they’re buying at such an advanced rate for their stores. Overall, more unique experience and more unique offerings for the specific customers in our city.

For more information, follow HEYDAY on Instagram or Facebook to be the first to know about upcoming sales, new outfit ideas, and current merchandise.