Interview with Rosenberry Rooms
Recently, I had the pleasure of working with Rosenberry
Rooms, known for their lovely on-line store. I found out they have a brick and
mortar boutique which came AFTER the website. That was a twist I wanted to
know more about.
After hearing their story, I thought it was one we could all relate to. Most of
us in this business are from humble and hardworking roots, Susie Fougerousse, the creator of Rosenberry Rooms is
no exception. While having 4 babies & raising them (with 1 more on the way) she and her husband Peter
built a successful on-line store, and then a beautiful and charming brick and
mortar boutique, Whew! I'm tired just writing that. Susie &
Peter are an inspiration to any entrepreneur.
Bridget: Where are your headquarters located?
Susie: Raleigh, NC
Bridget: How did you start your company? did you start small, or find outside investors?
Susie: We started very small (just my husband Peter & I) and to date we have had no investors. It was a classic case of an entrepreneurial surge and a lot of hard work. I realized at the time, in my experience with my two young girls, that there is nothing more rewarding than creating a special and beautiful space for a child and I wanted to share that experience with other parents. Out of that desire, Rosenberry Rooms was born! We are here to help parents to design wonderful children's spaces, while keeping the process creative, fun and stress-free.
Bridget: Which came first? The website or the boutique?
Susie: Rosenberry Rooms was exclusively online from 2004 through 2009. In the late summer of 2009 we launched our brick and mortar boutique and design center.
 The boutique |
 The lovely girls display |
 The fun boys room |
 Playroom at Rosenberry Rooms |
Bridget: How do you
have the
time to run a company and be a mom of 4- that must be so hard!? I'm
launching my brand but I don't have kids and it is ALL work- I am amazed
by
working mothers- how do you do it?
Susie: There were definitely a few CRAZY years, starting when Rosenberry Rooms was launched, during which I barely slept and didn’t have time to catch my breath. I do think back and wonder how we all survived that whirlwind. I know it sounds cliché, but for some reason, the busier I am, the more I seem to accomplish. Since I love Rosenberry Rooms so dearly, and it provides such creative stimulation for me, I tend to thrive on the work and not realize that I’ve been going non-stop all day. I am happier when I am being pushed and challenged, then when I am idle. I could probably use some tips on how to relax, actually!
Bridget: What are your personal goals? Do the goals of the company intersect with your personal goals? Or are you conflicted as a mom of 4 kids?
Susie: My personal goals are very much integrated with my company goals. Rosenberry Rooms is all about family, inspiration, creativity, design and creating safe and fun environments for children. I love kids and I always wanted to have a big family. I am expecting my fifth baby this April, and am so grateful to be in a line of work that is very family and child focused. That being said, I think there is always a degree of conflict when you are a mom that works. I think I may have finally found my perfect balance in that regard, and feel most settled in both of these important roles at this time. Rosenberry Rooms is a family owned and operated company, and one of my greatest rewards has been exposing my kids to the ups and downs of starting and owning a business. They know it is sometimes really difficult, and often a huge challenge, but at the same time they see the value in committing yourself to something you believe in and love. My older girls have begun to start dreaming about what they want to be when they grow up, and I love the fact that they aspire to own their own business and create their own brands, and aren’t intimidated by that process.
 Rosenberry Family model |
 |
Bridget: Does having such a strong on-line presence interfere with your brick and mortar store sales?
Susie: Not at all. I think that having an established online store draws customers to our brick and mortar store and design center. For local customers, it is a wonderful opportunity to see, touch and feel the products and work with a designer one on one, to put together their room, purchase a gift, etc.
Bridget: Does the brick & mortar store help you select product for the website or vice-versa?
Susie: Yes! Designing the store layout and room vignettes made me fall deeply in love all over again with our amazing designers. It was (and continues to be) a great creative process that spilled over into other areas of our business, such as the launch of our designer rooms on RosenberryRooms.com. Our brick and mortar store also allows our staff working with our online customers, to interact with our products and designers on a more personal level, and to provide a higher level of knowledgeable service.Bridget: What are the different challenges between these 2 channels of retail?
Susie: The challenge of owning an online store is in advertising,
marketing and remaining relevant to your customers. You can have a wonderful selection of adorable products and
a great website design, but unless your customers can easily find your store,
and once there, quickly find what they are looking for, it is almost impossible
to be successful. Brick and mortar
stores have the very tangible challenge of keeping the look and mix of products
fresh and staying on top of trends.
On RosenberryRooms.com, we have the advantage of being able to offer a
seemingly endless selection of fun and unique products because we aren’t limited
by space constraints. Whereas, the product selection process for our store is
so critical, because we just can’t display it all! I also happen to hate clutter in general, whether at home,
in our offices or in our store.
So, I wanted our boutique and design center to have a clean look and
feel, and not overwhelm the customer with too much “stuff”.
Bridget: Has the growing number of on-line stores affected your business? How do you set yourself apart from so many of them?
Susie: More online stores mean more competition, higher advertising costs and all of that good stuff. We set ourselves apart by providing the best customer service experience to our customers, along with the best selection of high end, high quality baby and children’s furniture and décor on the internet. If our customers are able to find that perfect product they are searching for at our store, and we are able to make them happy in the process, then we have succeeded. We want our customers to fall in love with our unique products, as we have … to be inspired, and to have fun. We are here to facilitate the process of designing stylish, creative and nurturing environment for children.
Bridget: What are your best selling items in your store? Are they different on-line?
Susie: Here are some of our favorite products, and best sellers! Our most popular items in store and online are the same.
Cherry Blossom Birdies Canvas Reproduction
Biplane Fighter Pendant In Walnut Finish
Boxy Backpack - Tea On The Thames
Bridget: What are your biggest challenges in your business?
Susie: The biggest challenge we face is to continue to grow and expand, and finding new and exciting ways of doing this. In this very competitive environment, our primary focus is on taking care of our customers, new and existing, by providing exceptional customer service at all times. Designing rooms for babies and kids is just pure fun, and we love participating in this process with our customers.
Bridget: What advise would you give to a new entrepreneur?
Susie: Don’t talk yourself out of a good idea! I tend to be very practical, not at all impulsive, and I will admit, quite risk averse. In order to follow a dream and develop a business, there is risk involved, and you have to keep that practical side in check, that may tell you all of the reasons why your idea won’t work. Also, many small businesses can fail in their first year or two of business due to lack of marketing and promotion. You need to be motivated and willing to spend on advertising. All in all, I do think it is important to be prudent and realistic, but you also have to just “go for it”.
Bridget: Well, I can honestly say, I 'm inspired. After all of my years at Pottery Barn Kids, I know how hard retail can be, but Susie and Peter sure make it look fun. Their store is so beautiful and inspiring.
Thank you Susie, well done!
If you want to share your "Store story" with me, Please write to me at: bridget@thelittleacorn.com.
