Today we’d like to introduce you to Chelsea Kidder.
Chelsea, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I grew up in a very entrepreneurial family. My father ran independent grocery stores and later owned a chain of high-end specialty toy, book and clothing stores in the Washington, DC area. It was there I worked all aspects of retail and developed a passion for specialty retail and customer service. I went to James Madison University to pursue studies in my love for art, design, and travel.
After receiving a degree in design, I found my way into the emerging technology industry where I found I was also super passionate about managing website development, marketing, and e-commerce. After relocating to Texas with our very young family I realized there was an opportunity to combine the convenience of online shopping with specialty boutique customer service. Sea Marie Designs is now operating as an online independent boutique utilizing all the skills I honed from my previous ventures. It is so much fun to satisfy my clients and provide the ease of online shopping with local delivery, specialty wrapping, and even custom orders for all our clientele.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The hardest part was getting started. I spent a lot of time researching and educating myself and taking small steps forward so that operational errors wouldn’t be on a grand scale. When you have a young family, time management is essential. I am currently wearing all the hats of the company so It’s important to be able to switch off the lights at times.
My advice to women starting their journey is to discover what you are passionate about and you’ll want to put your heart and soul into your work which will inevitably shine through. I also found it important to start somewhere and don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty. I’ve swept floors, worked the register, managed operations and found it’s all equally important.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into Sea Marie Designs story. Tell us more about the business.
Sea Marie Designs is an online collection of unique coastal inspired finds. I offer a select curation of products that one might find in a dreamy vacation boutique. We offer products with lots of blue and white, lightweight natural materials, hints of golds and classic pearls. The pieces we sell allow you to change up your existing wardrobe with fresh affordable styles.
What makes Sea Marie Designs unique is I dedicate the time to personalize the online shopping experience. We like to think the thrill of shopping is about creating interpersonal connections and finding inspiration as you shop. I am often found dropping same-day purchases at my client’s home wrapped and ready for gifting after they purchased an hour ago on Instagram in the carline. Providing excellence in service is beyond what big-box retailers can provide and interacting with my clients as they purchase is unique to online shopping experiences.
Who do you look up to? How have they inspired you?
I have honestly been blown away by the amount of support and generosity that the online community within social media has provided. There is a wonderful camaraderie of women who have been pivotal to the success of Sea Marie Designs. Influencers who have tens of thousands of followers happily share the passion for our products which immediately helps expose our brand to new clients. Our marketing is word of mouth, mostly online, and to an open-ended network of women of all ages. What we all have in common is we genuinely love to support each other’s businesses to keep the circle of generosity going.
Pricing:
- Cape Cod Cane Crossbody (as shown) – $38
- Woven Cinque Terra Straw Backpack (as shown) – $70
- Topknot Headbands ranging from $16 – $22
- Accessories (Earrings, Bracelets) ranging from $5-$38
Contact Info:
- Website: www.seamariedesigns.com
- Email: seamariedesigns@gmail.com
- Instagram: @seamariedesigns
- Facebook: /seamariedesigns
Image Credit:
1. “Chelsea Kidder Owner Picture” – please credit my photographer- Unearthed Photography by Tera Stanley (local photographer). 2. “Anastasia | @capecodmomma | Cape Cod Crossbody” please credit as: Model: Anastasia of @capecodmomma. 3. “Sarah Rose | @sarah_rose_stuart | Rattan Topknot Headband” please credit as: Model: Sarah Rose Stuart of @sarah_rose_stuart. 4. “Sarah Tucker | @sarahgtucker | Cinque Terra Backpack” please credit as: Model: Sarah Tucker of @sarahgtucker
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