In Conversation With... Sally

Have you ever wanted to find out more about the lady behind Eleven? Want to know who inspires her and if she can share any exciting news regarding Eleven’s future? We thought so! For this week’s blog post, we sat down with Sally and got to know her as well as her inspirations, her guilty pleasure and what the future holds for her beloved boutique.

Starting your own business can be challenging, so what made you want to open your own boutique?
Owning my own boutique was a childhood dream however, fashion wasn’t the career path I originally followed. After leaving school, I spent a summer working as a travel rep in Spain and on my return, I took an admin job in a bank with the intention of returning to Spain the following summer. My career in banking developed at speed and I ended up staying for 18 years and graduating with a post grad management qualification in the middle of it all! I left banking following the birth of my daughter and spent seven years at home, welcoming my son into the world three years after my daughter. Once both children were in full time school, I wanted to return to work but with hours that fitted around the family and in 2014 after identifying a gap in the market and finding our beautiful old church building - Eleven was born!

Of course, running your own business comes with its many ups and down but can you tell us what has been your personal highlight of running Eleven so far?
There have been so many highlights in the past six and a half years but one that particularly stands out is when we featured on CH4 in a makeover show hosted by Dr Esho.

As so many of your customers are local, loyal and continue to shop with you again and again, can you share any exciting news of upcoming projects?
Yes! I am in the process of developing two of my own brands which will be available at Eleven. Watch out for my womenswear & lifestyle brand, ‘SO11’ and because I am always being asked for menswear, ‘eleven.men’ will be coming very soon as well. I am very excited about both projects and can’t wait to see them come to life.

With all that growing a small business entails, from running the boutique, to buying trips and to packing orders, where can we find you after a working day?
In the car doing the school run! Once the kids are done with their after-school sports clubs and we’re all home, you’ll find me enjoying dinner cooked by my husband along with a glass (or two!) of wine and whatever we can agree to watch together on the tv!

We all have our own, but what is your guilty pleasure?
Going to the gym. I always feel as though the hour I allow myself every day should be spent either working or organising home life.

Who inspires you in life?
My husband who runs his own successful businesses but somehow always finds time for our family. Along with my Mum, he’s both my biggest supporter and my worst critic!


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