Shauna Miller, of Penny Chic, Shares Her Entrepreneurial Dream
Shauna Miller was recently named to Forbes’ 2014 30 Under 30 list for Art & Style. She grew up in LA, moved to New York City for college and worked at a fashion house in Paris. Out of those experiences, Shauna founded Penny Chic, embracing "the challenge of looking chic when buying this season’s must-have Little Black Dress just isn’t an option."
This week on Sam’s Dream Blog, Shauna shares about making the most of your present circumstances, what makes her most proud, and how she stays true to her vision.
Sam's Dream Blog: What’s your professional dream? How did your dream originate?
Shauna Miller: My dream is to empower Americans to take style in their own hands and make the best of their budget, to have fun expressing themselves through what they wear. In high school, I remember feeling pressured to wear certain brands and designers that my parents wouldn't buy for me. I made the best out of it and started to think about my budget boundaries as a positive thing rather than a hindrance. When you're forced to work within your means, you end up being more creative and tend to think out of the box to get the end result that you want. It's all about how you look at it. My dream is to shift the way people think about cheap fashion.
SDB: What accomplishment are you most proud of?
Shauna Miller: Wow, that's a hard one! Two things. My clothing line on Walmart.com where I got amazing feedback from customers who said they felt confident and empowered wearing my dresses. Number two would have to be my style book that's coming out in September! I have been working on it with my mom who's also my photographer. For two years, we put our blood, sweat, and tears in it! To think that young girls will read that book and feel inspired to have fun with style gives me chills.
SDB: What have been the biggest obstacles or challenges to realizing your dream? What advice do you have for others in pursuit of their dreams?
Shauna Miller: The biggest obstacle I faced (and continue to face) has been staying true to my authentic vision. There's a lot of bloggers and youtubers out there who are doing things in fashion. I find that when I get caught up in what they're doing, what I'm not doing, how many followers they have, etc., I lose sight of my own voice and what makes me unique! There's room for everyone in the space. It's important to stay true to what makes you different because, ultimately, that's the only thing you can count on to be successful.