January 22, 2020
Boutique Owner Charis Jones Shares How She Uses Facebook to Sell Millions in Goods
Boutique owner Charis Jones has the big sales to back up her big personality … or maybe it’s the other way around. In Episode 2 of the SistersInc. podcast, “Selling Smarter, Not Harder,” Jones tells how she started Sassy Jones Boutique in Richmond, Virginia, how she gets 30,000 customers around the globe to tune in to her live Sparkle Party on Facebook every week—and how her innovative social media and e-commerce strategies led to millions in sales.
Jones didn’t set out to be an entrepreneur, but after being fired about “three good times” from good jobs, she realized corporate life wasn’t for her. To this day, she’s thankful because “if I had not got pushed out of the nest, I would still be there,” she says.
Her passion for jewelry and accessories started when she was 5, with the model set by her grandmother. So it was a natural transition, but also a smart strategy.
“When it was time for me to exit my corporate job and figure out what I wanted to do for entrepreneurship, it was the right next step for me,” Jones says. “Fashion has always been in the forefront, but I wanted to do things that had a low cost to entry. Accessories are one size fits all. It was the best, cheapest way for me to start my business small scale.”
It wasn’t exactly smooth sailing at the start, though. “In the beginning … tons of fear,” Jones admits. “I was around all of these well-known jewelry brands. So I was like ‘Who am I to come and show up in this way?’ But I did. I gave it my all.”
Jones started with trade shows and ran herself ragged for an entire year driving to shows up and down the East Coast—even as a new mom to twin boys.
And then the real story begins: Jones came up with a modern solution that got her off the road, deepened her relationship with her customers, and sent her sales soaring. To hear how she did it, check out Episode 2 of the SistersInc. podcast.
SistersInc. is Black Enterprise’s podcast for and about women business owners, hosted by Executive Managing Editor Alisa Gumbs. Black women are the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs in America and on every episode, we’ll sit down with one successful CEO to share how she slays the challenges of being a black woman in business.