Today we’d like to introduce you to Mindy Worsley.
Hi Mindy, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I’m Mindy Worsley, owner of SoCal Threads Boutique. I started this business when my daughter was a pre-teen. We both have a love for shopping, and I was finding it hard to find cute, trendy (yet modest!) clothing for her. My vision was a boutique where mothers and daughters could shop together, online or in person, to find that perfect outfit! I have always had a love of fashion and dreamed of owning my own business. My husband is my biggest supporter, and at the time, we were living with our three kids just outside of Los Angeles, CA giving us unlimited access to Los Angeles Fashion District. I was able to go and hand pick high-quality trendy brands for our boutique. We first opened in 2017, selling from my home on Facebook only and doing pop-up events. We then started offering personal style sessions. Only a year later, we launched our website socalthreads.com shipping all over the U.S.
In 2020 during the pandemic, we pivoted once again. Los Angeles shut down and we couldn’t do pop-up events or personal-style sessions. We started to be real and vulnerable, sharing more about the brand. We started doing more try-on videos and live sales. Getting creative in how we could interact via social channels with our customers during a time when we were taking it day by day. Our online really took off during this time. I was thankful to be able to stay open when many small businesses were closing around us. The pandemic changed our priorities as a family. In January 2021, our family moved back to our hometown in Midland, Mi to be closer to the family after being in California for 17 years. In June of 2021, we opened our first store in Ashman Plaza. It has been such a blessing having our first store in our hometown!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
When I decided to open SoCal Threads, it was during a season I was having autoimmune health issues. I had stepped down from being a preschool director, of 7 years, in a school I had opened and licensed. It was my baby, my passion, my dream, and what I felt I was called to do. Stepping down was one of the hardest things I ever did. I took a year off to focus on my health and my family while being prayerful about what was next. I knew opening a new business would have many ups and downs. I had to be very intentional with my time and energy. Learning to say no was the most important and hardest lesson in owning a business. Saying no is saying yes to myself and my family. It helped create healthy boundaries. I am a people pleaser, so this is a daily challenge for me.
Entrepreneurship is in my genes. My mom owned an Oak Furniture Store, The Grainery, in Midland, Michigan & Tawas, Michigan. I saw firsthand how my mom had a dream, and with hard work she did it! It was a small family business where my grandparents and family all joined in to help. It was a priority to take the time to make each customer feel special and give back to the community. Growing up in a small town, everyone knows everyone. If we didn’t carry what a customer wanted, we would reach out to another business for the customer. There wasn’t that high competitiveness you have these days or in a bigger city. This truly has been my biggest struggle with starting my own boutique. I firmly believe we are better together in the community. I absolutely love partnering and journeying alongside other small businesses or boss babes. I don’t feel we are competitors; I believe that we each bring different styles and gifts to our boutiques that make each store unique and special in its own way. I get excited when someone shares their dreams with me. I am an open book when it comes to things I have learned along the way. I love helping others pursue their dreams!
As you know, we’re big fans of SoCal Threads Boutique. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about the brand?
We specialize in everyday casual clothing with a Cozy-Chic California Style. We are always looking for new brands and makers to add to our curated collection. We love hearing from customers about how easy it is to mix and match items from our collection to make looking stylish easy & fun!
We are a small family-owned business. If I am not in the shop, you will find my cousins, aunt, and family friends. We each bring different gifts and talents that make SoCal Threads continue to be special! We all love fashion and connecting with women. For us, the best day is being able to have a great conversation with someone online or in the store. It isn’t all about the clothing it is about creating a space online and in-store you can feel empowered, confident, seen, and heard.
We have personal style sessions in person or via social channels where we help you as much as little as you like. From the beginning, our models have always been friends, family, and customers that love supporting our brand. We try on all the clothing that comes in and do try-on videos to help with sizing to make shopping online easy and fun! We share real-life photos from our customers to show how you can style or mix and match with our current collection. We love highlighting each person’s unique style. We love finding that perfect outfit for your event or helping create a capsule closet. We carry many unique gifts and accessories to curate the perfect gift. We ship gift boxes to your family and friends all year long all over the U.S. and it brings us such joy you choose to shop with us!
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
I am always looking for ways we can be doing things better. If we aren’t nervous or excited about trying something new, then we aren’t growing our business. We are constantly pivoting and adjusting to what will better serve our SoCal Threads community. We meet with our team regularly to see how we can reach more people. We are always updating our website to grow our online presence and make it as user-friendly and current as possible. Continuing to learn the newest social channels and platforms, we need to use more. I love listening to podcasts continuing to learn new ways we can do things differently. Researching our analytics to keep refining who are target market is and what the new trends are for each season.
We have many goals and dreams to keep us excited and moving forward. Some are as simple as doing more events and getting more involved in the community. Others are the big scary dreams we whisper to each other! Some long-term goals are possibly opening another store or in different cities or states. I have always been a big dreamer and constantly thinking of ways we can use our gifts and talents to give back to the community. Thankfully, I have a husband that is very creative and has been my biggest supporter of each idea. My prayer every day is to use us, expand our territory and our reach, and stretch us in new ways. I get excited when God puts new ideas in my heart! We have some fun things in the works for future goals in the next year, but you will have to follow along to hear more about that this year.
Since this article we are now one brand in three locations!!!
Midland + Uptown Bay City + Downtown Bay City
Contact Info:
- Website: https://socalthreads.com/
- Instagram: @socalthreadsboutique
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/socalthreadsboutique/
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/socalthreadsboutique/
Please reach out with any questions on sizing, styling or our limited edition gift items. I love hearing from you! I am your personal stylist, so please use this free service. 😘
Thank you, for shopping with us and sharing SoCal Threads with your friends!!
XO Mindy