EMERGING ENTREPRENEURS: 22-year-old entrepreneur takes leap into retail ownership

Heather Graves

Staff

August 10, 2023

WINNECONNE – Where do you see yourself in five years?

That question is what 22-year-old Cortny Leopold said got her to where she is today – the owner of Red’s Boutique and Market in the small community of Winneconne.

“My boyfriend and I talk about five-year plans a lot – that is how we make decisions in our lives,” she said.

Leopold graduated from Fox Valley Technical College with an associate’s degree in accounting in December 2022 and quickly got a job in the field.

“When I got out of school and got my job, I looked at it and said, ‘Is this what I want to do?’” she said. “It just wasn’t it.”

Taking a moment to evaluate the career path she was on, Leopold said she quickly realized following her dream of owning her own boutique was the path she was meant to take.

“I did some soul searching and realized working in a store was where I felt accomplished,” she said. “I enjoyed working in retail, and I loved small towns. So when the opportunity arose to open my own store in Winneconne, I decided to take a chance on myself and Red’s Boutique and Market was born.”

Taking the leap
Working in a handful of small shops in her late teens, including serving as a store manager for one before finishing college, Leopold said she already knew quite a bit about how to run a small boutique.

Though, she admits there were many things she didn’t know – which is why she looked to others for support.

“I talked to so many people,” she said. “I have an amazing mentor who has guided me through this entire process. I’ve worked with people at SCORE (a nonprofit organization and resource partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration). And I ask other small business owners how I should go about this.”

Leopold said much of the advice she received was the same – “write a business plan.”

“So, I sat down with my mentor, wrote a business plan and projected sales budgets,” she said.

Up next was finding the right location.

Leopold said she looked in a couple of different areas for a building but eventually settled on Winneconne – a community where she once managed a former boutique.

“I remember how welcoming the community was,” she said. “We eventually found the spot I’m in now and things started taking off from there.”

Small town pride
Growing up in the small Village of Shiocton, Leopold said she knows the importance small businesses have on a community.

“Small communities thrive off of small businesses,” she said. “There are many around. If small businesses aren’t in small towns, then small towns won’t be there.”

Leopold said she encourages others – especially the younger generation – to take note of that.

“I think it’s important the younger generation is looking at that and saying, ‘That’s an option. That can be an option for you.’ The corporate world may not be for everyone – it wasn’t for me. I am very confident and proud to be a small business owner and will hopefully be one for a very long time.”

Cortny Leopold said the space on Main Street in Winneconne was a perfect fit for the boutique. Submitted Photo

Though only 22 years old, Leopold said she has received mostly positive feedback from friends, family and community members about her entrepreneurial journey.

“I would say 97% of the time it’s a lot of encouragement,” she said. “My mom is a small business owner, and my boyfriend’s mom is a small business owner. I have worked for so many small businesses and have created friendships that are encouraging. I have received a lot of, ‘how can we help you get this dream done?’”

Though rare, Leopold said she has gotten the “are you sure you want to do this” comments.

“Those comments only happen a small percentage of the time,” she said. “I feel supported with my team around me.”

What’s available?
Red’s – which opened recently at 100 W. Main St. in Winneconne – offers a variety of items, including women’s clothing and accessories, home decor and gourmet food items, which Leopold said includes some local options.

“You can shop online, not everything in the store is going to be online – it’s a snippet of what we have to offer,” she said.

Currently, Red’s is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

The store is closed on Sunday and Monday.

Much of Red’s marketing, Leopold said, at least at this point, has been social media and word of mouth.

“I am making sure I have consistent Facebook and Instagram posts because social media is important for small businesses like mine,” she said.

Based on a nickname
Leopold said the store’s name – Red’s Boutique and Market – was inspired by her childhood.

“The store’s name comes from a nickname a family friend gave me when I was younger (hint, the red hair),” she said. “He gave me my first job at his small business in Appleton. I used to clean his store every Saturday.”

Leopold said Red’s seemed like the perfect fit for the boutique.

A future of success
So, where does Leopold see Red’s Boutique and Market in five years?

“I hope it’s a great success, and I hope it brings destination shopping to Winneconne,” she said. “I hope those running businesses around me continue to grow as well. I value community over competition – that’s a big thing in the boutique world, help everyone to help yourself. If everyone else is thriving, you’re going to thrive as well.”

Leopold said she hopes Red’s will become a place of retail therapy for folks in and around Winneconne and they “feel confident and comfortable while shopping.”

For more information, check out Red’s Boutique and Market on Facebook.