Gina Vericella, 23, is the Owner/Operator of GiGi Bottega - An Affordable Contemporary Womens' Clothing Boutique in Bloomington, IL
She has the COOL JOB as the Owner/Operator and Store Buyer!
Gina has loved fashion since her youth and followed her passion, “I have always dreamed of opening a womens' boutique and it became reality October 16th, 2009.”
A Day in the Life Of:
Gina operates her store Tuesday- Friday 10am- 7pm and Saturdays 10am- 5pm on a weekly basis. “Every day is different and some days it will be really slow and you will start to lose hope but then the next day will be totally opposite,” she says. Other duties she performs vary on a day to day basis. Gina is the primary operator of the store and carries much responsibility with her title. In addition to buying all the merchandise, she is in charge of all marketing, promotion, and design for the unit. On occasion, Gina has participated in local fashion shows outfitting models and performed radio promotions in her store.
How She Got That Gig:
Gina has always loved fashion. She has been interested in clothing and fashion from a young age, staying abreast of new trends and clothing from the time she started picking out her own clothes! As the years progressed, Gina and those who know her best realized her talent for providing women ages 16-34 with affordable clothing that is stylish and trendy. It was her mother and father who took special note, providing her with the monetary support to open GiGi Bottega.
High Five:
Gina is her own boss! “I love that I don't have to be in an office all day with strict rules and I love that I can interact with different people all day. It makes the day go by fast!” In addition to enjoying being her own boss, Gina loves that she is also the buyer for the store. “It is so fun for me to shop all day and pick out fun trendy clothing!” Owning the store has made Gina business savvy and it has been an excellent learning experience.
Down Low:
Long hours with a lot of downtime, and not having benefits. Gina has to provide herself with health insurance and a retirement account.
Goals:
GETTING THE WORD OUT!!! If you ask Gina what is on her mind these days first and foremost you will hear, “Taking my Internet business to the next level.” She also hopes to open another GiGi Bottega in the next year. “GiGi has proven to be successful already and I would love to open another one in a more populated area and see how it goes.”
Education:
Bachelor of Art in Graphic Design with a Minor in Journalism from the University of Mississippi. This comes in handy for her business as she designs all of her fliers and emails!
Advice:
“Do what you love and the money will come. You have to enjoy your work and you will excel. If you want to open a business you have to be driven and ready for ups and downs, but just think positive and know your target market. You have to provide your consumers with what they want. Oh yeah, and you must RESEARCH!!”
