An entrepreneur has to plan and save, but not be afraid of failure. Nine out of 10 businesses fail; true, but one business succeeds. You have to have that resilience to carry yourself through the planning and potential of failure, and realize that if an idea or a business didn’t come out right the first time, it might have nothing to do with you or your work. It might be bad luck, poor timing, or something else you had no control over. The one thing you can control is your resilience. Having the resiliency to get back up is key. Too many nos will eventually get you that much closer to a yes!
Niquelle R. Allen, Esq.
Butterfly Consignment
Niquelle R. Allen is an attorney, mediator, and entrepreneur. Ms. Allen owns Butterfly Consignment, an upscale ladies’ boutique in Indianapolis, Indiana, where fashion has evolved. She is also Of Counsel at Fleming Stage, LLC law firm and owns Mediation Works, LLC, a professional mediation, title closing, and notary service. Prior to beginning her entrepreneurial journey, Ms. Allen was an in-house legal counsel at Eli Lilly and Company. A Gary, Indiana native, Ms. Allen has also worked as an attorney at Ice Miller, LLP and served as a judicial law clerk. In 2006, Ms. Allen was awarded the Up & Coming Lawyer—Leadership in Law Award by The Indiana Lawyer. Ms. Allen attended Vanderbilt University Law School and is a proud alumnus of Tennessee State University, where she graduated magna cum laude with a B.S. in political science. She is active in the community and is a member of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and the Marion County Bar Association.
Butterfly Consignment, an upscale ladies’ boutique, is a place where women can save money, make money, recycle, and give back to the community. Butterfly Consignment offers pre-loved (gently-used), “N” love (unsold new inventory from boutiques), and made with love (handmade jewelry, handbags, body care, etc.) merchandise. Butterfly Consignment has a spectacular selection of better to designer apparel, handbags, shoes, jewelry, perfume, and accessories in a variety of styles (casual to formal) and sizes (petite to plus). Select vintage pieces (jewelry/handbags) are also available. It is located at 6697 E. 82nd Street, Indianapolis, IN and is located online at: www.shopBfly.com. The company also has a Facebook page (butterflyconsignment), a Twitter feed (@shopbfly) and has pictures at flickr (www.flickr.com/shopbfly.com).
What advantages do you think you have as a single solo business owner that married people don’t have?
As a single woman, I was able to focus all of my time, resources, and attention to the creation and continued success of the business. I had to crawl as a caterpillar before I could grow wings and begin to fly as a butterfly. In the beginning, I had to do it all by myself: marketing, media relations, event planning, networking, sales, accounting, cleaning, etc. Some women with families may not be able to fully dedicate themselves to a start-up business due to their family responsibilities. Others may not be willing to take the same risk to start a business in this type of economy, due to the financial needs of their families.
So, is the name of your business also a symbol of your own entrepreneurial metamorphosis? How did you come up with this (awesome) symbol?
I have always loved butterflies because they represent evolution and beauty. I am a butterfly in my own rite. I have evolved academically, professionally and creatively, and my wings are in full span. As an attorney, mediator, entrepreneur and self-described ‘closet consultant’, my passions flutter together in harmony. I named the store Butterfly, because I wanted to change the way fashionistas look at consignment—by creating a beautiful boutique where they can save money, make money, recycle and give back to the community. Fashion has evolved, and it’s about more than just looking good.
What about disadvantages to a single woman owning a business?
Being single also meant that I was completely on my own. I did not have a second income to fall back on.
Do you think business ownership has led you to remain single?
I don’t think that business ownership has had any effect on my marital status. I was an extremely busy and active person before owning my business and predict that won’t change regardless of my marital status.
What advice would you give another single woman who is thinking about starting a business?
Pray. Dream Big. Pray. Plan Purposefully. Pray. Take Action. Pray.
What was the best training you received to prepare you as a business owner?
My upbringing, educational and practical work experience prepared me to be successful in any endeavor. Also, talking to other business owners, friends, and family encouraged me to utilize my education and experience. Once my mind was made up, other places like the Business Ownership Initiative of Indiana (BOI)* were also key in providing guidance, information and additional resources.
*[The Business Ownership Initiative, or BOI, is part of the Central Indiana Women’s Business Center, and part of the Small Business Administration at the state level. BOI offers classes on thinking about becoming an entrepreneur, to building a business plan, to networking and other skills for budding and new entrepreneurs. For more information on who they are and the great things they do, logon to www.businessownership.org.]
Did you, or are you running your business as a part-time or full-time venture? Why?
I am running my business full-time, while also working as an attorney.
Why are you doing both? (What is your philosophy behind doing both?)
I have wanted to be an attorney since I was 8 years old. I love solving problems and working with people. I don’t think that I have to choose between using the left side of my brain or the right side. I like to have my analytical and creative juices flowing at the same time.
If you had to start another business, what have you learned that you might do differently—either about yourself, or about how to run a business in general?
The most important thing that I have learned is that no matter how well thought out your plan is, things will come up that cause you to modify or change your plan along the way. You have to be flexible and practical to make it work.
How important were mentors in your entrepreneurial career?
I had several mentors that guided me along the way. The Business Ownership Initiative of Indiana was also important in the process. None of my mentors per se encouraged me to start a business; however, it was something I always had in the back of my mind since the day I walked into my first consignment store in college. I love consignment shopping and wanted to do it because it’s fun to me.
Did you start your business with your own capital?
I used my own capital, as well as a line of credit from Old National Bank.
