Retailers Juggle Life and Business
Several local women business owners say it is difficult to strike a perfect balance between professional and personal with the stress of running a successful business, but despite long hours and the neverending daily demands, they are thriving thanks in part to trustworthy employees and a drive to succeed.
Aura Ozburn says she is used to it by now, but the luxurious fragrances of lavender, vanilla, spice and citrus that greet customers upon entering her October Moon Art Gallery & Gift Boutique in Lansing’s Old Town simply soothe the senses.
October Moon is filled with soaps and candles and enough unique gifts to satisfy any selective shopper. The store sells things Ozburn really likes, from leather handbags and baby items to fancy French stoves and wonderful bathrobes.
“This is really a dream come true for me. I always wanted a store of my own even as a little girl. Now I get to fill it with things I love like gorgeous shower curtains and the best dishware from oven to table,” Ozburn says.
October Moon, which Ozburn opened in 2002, offers a unique blend of customer service and quality goods. The nearly 1,600-square-foot store on Grand River Avenue just west of the Brenke Fish Ladder in Old Town, also sells all kinds of art such as ceramics and paintings and wearable art like broaches.
Ozburn, who worked as waitress and bartender before opening her own business, puts in about 60 hours a week, many of which come after she puts her four-year-old son down for bed by 8:30 p.m. every night.
“That’s when I can focus on placing orders and doing all of my paperwork. I’m extremely fortunate to find a balance between the business and my son. I brought my son to work with me every day when he was a baby and now I work in the store about four days a week,” Ozburn says. “I’m lucky to have a great staff. They are so helpful and open-minded about my schedule. I have a beautiful flexibility with the store.”
October Moon has six employees and Ozburn is quick to add that no employee has ever left her gift boutique since it opened in Old Town on Turner Street. The store moved around the corner to its current location on Grand River Avenue in 2008.
Ozburn says she approached opening her own business with passion and preparation, but really no business plan.
