One Year {the end}

A lot can change in one year.  And one year can feel like a lifetime.  One year ago I was at a crossroads.  I had to come to the harsh realization that my business was not profitable.  I’ve been through so many ups and downs with this business, including surviving the Covid era.  Even though I wasn’t making money, I kept the optimistic hope that things would turn around and improve.  My vision was so clear and I just knew if I kept going that I would eventually reach that summit I was striving for.

Alas, after 5+ years of not being able to make it past that profitable tipping point, I started to re-think my decisions.  I began to realize that my situation was not sustainable.  But all those years of incredibly hard work and perseverance!!….ugh.  I did NOT want to give up.  I kept telling myself that if I just tried harder, if I put in more time, if I worked myself to the bone, I could do it.  I was mentally battling my rational side (that knew it was a lost cause) with my emotional, optimistic side that never wants to give up.  It’s hard to even explain the toll that this internal battle took on me.

As I looked at the reality of the situation through the lens of my loved ones, I knew that I was going further and further into debt by keeping my store alive.  My original goal was to create a legacy for my children.  But instead I was driving myself and my girls into a deep hole.  I felt like an absolute worthless human.  I was so disappointed in myself.  I reached a level of depression that I didn’t even know existed.  I was a wreck.

Luckily, I met the most amazing man who entered my life 3 years ago.  He has been the level-headed voice of reason that I so desperately needed.  He helped me to see the big picture and helped me focus on a way out of the muck. But the most important thing that he tried drilling into me time and time again was….”This business does not define you.”

Yes, owning DART Boutique has been a significant part of my life. I built this brand from scratch. It’s my baby.  Every little detail was dreamed up and executed by me (with the help of my amazing staff).  But if I step outside the walls of the business and look at who I am without it, I see a kind, compassionate, dedicated, hard-working person who has a lot of love and joy to share with others.  THAT is who I am.  I am not my business.  My business does not define me.

More than anything I never want to disappoint my daughters.  I was trying to show them the meaning of hard work and that they could do anything they put their minds to.  But even they have been supportive of me this past year.  They tell me things like, “if you had opened this store in a different economy, it would be doing really well.”  Over this past year I have taken a new job in the school district to be able to provide a steady income and benefits for myself.  I minimized purchasing new inventory for the store and became ultra frugal at home.  I am teaching my girls about the value of money and about making smart choices.  I may not have left them a monetary legacy in my business.  But they certainly learned a cautionary tale.  They both say they will never become entrepreneurs.  Ha!

That brings me to the present.  After working in the school district this year, I’ve come to love working with high school students.  It is challenging, but so rewarding and fulfilling.  And I’m good at it.  My personality and characteristics are well suited for this.  So, I have made a decision to start a new career path for myself and my family.  I am going back to school to get my masters degree in special education.  Going back to school at 43 years old is scary, but I feel confident that teaching is the path I’m supposed to be on right now.  It won’t be easy.  It will be stressful.  But after being a small business owner, I believe that I’m equipped to handle what life throws at me.

So, after many months of tears and heartbreak, I finally came to peace with the idea that I am not DART Boutique.  I am definitely proud of what I’ve built and accomplished over the last 6.5 years, but the business is only a reflection of me and my ideas. I am so much more.  Being a business owner is just a chapter in my book of life.

All this to say, I have decided to close our retail store.  If you had asked me how I felt about this one year ago, I would have immediately started sobbing.  But today, I have the confidence to say that I’m proud of what I accomplished and that I’m at peace with my decision.  I’m ready to move on and begin a new adventure in my life.

Starting right now, our entire store is 40% off.  All fixtures need to go as well.  If you want a piece of DART Boutique history, come see what we’ve got left and make me an offer on what you want to take home.  We are kicking off the store closing sale with a big event tomorrow (Wednesday, May 28th) from 2-8 pm.  Stop in to get first dibs on your favorite items, chat with me, and maybe grab a slice of pizza…if I remember to order it.

It’s a bittersweet goodbye, but it’s time.  I’ve learned a lot about myself over this past year.  I’ve grown in ways I never imagined.  Stop by and say goodbye to our retail store.  I’d love to see your smiling faces one more time.  The schedule of our remaining open hours is posted here.  I’ll be working almost all of these days and will take all the hugs you want to give me.  See you soon!

Sincerely,

Leslie Dolby

Founder and Owner of DART Boutique