The Story.

Our brand story is on the website so you may have already seen a short synopsis of this!

I'm Heidi - Owner + Operator at Halfsies!

Before you ask, everyone always wants to know "Why 'Halfsies'... Well, I have 3 half sisters (who like to say we all came from the same womb) & we are all different sizes, hair colors, skin colors, & style preferences. Even our personal views on a lot of things couldn't be more different. Growing up in a house together (& sometimes sharing rooms) we were always there for one another in whatever way we could be. One of our greatest bridges was clothes & shoes. Helping each other get ready for any occasion kind of brought us together... Always asking "does this look good" or "which shoe?" and getting input from a completely different perspective, but someone you knew would never steer you wrong or let you go out looking bad!

The Problem.

Being of a different ethnicity (Indian - Middle Eastern + Native American) with darker skin & facing the challenges of growing up in a majority white, southern farm town, I wasn't neccesarily the 'it' girl in school & there were a lot of times when I saw a new trend & thought "I wish I could pull that off" or "That would look crazy on me if I tried to wear that." So, I shyed away from a lot of bold fashion choices I would definitely rock & own in my adult life.  I was insecure without ever learning confidence & acceptance. I wanted to fit in, but in my mind that meant conforming & always worrying what other people thought.

The Solution.

I want to empower girls of all kinds to be confident & feel beautiful just as they are. I want to build community where women can come to hang out or shop & always know they are in a safe place - amongst friends with only the best intentions to lift one another up. I want to be somewhere that brings women together around social issues, body image, negative self talk, mental health, & so much more... Where we can share our ideas & opinions instead of keeping them to ourselves or conforming to what others think.

The Product.

Halfsies already offers a variety of styles on our online website for women sizes XS all the way to 3X! We carry dresses for every occasion, comfy & functional pieces for the on the go girl, and gifts we call "happies" that are just meant to brighten someone's day - whether it's from you to you or a gift for someone else! In the retail store, we will be able to display & model the inventory on different body types & offer more "happies" that you can physically see & touch before purchasing! I also have the materials & blueprints for Instagram Destinations (or photo ops) around the store, including plans for outdoor wall murals, stencils for the floor with encouraging messages inside, & a flower wall with a selfie ring light station to take pictures. I have refinished furniture to create a coffee bar & hangout area with wooden jumbo/life size games (Jenga, Connect 4, Scrabble) to encourage community & a safe place to hang out. 

In order to complete this project & get open in a timely manner, we need funding. It's expensive to outsource contract work & even taking the DIY route, material + lumber prices are up so much due to COVID. We know the demand is out there... we are building an online following using influencers with aligning platforms that are absolutely blowing up! We just need to get the physical location up & running so that we can do our part to create this community of empowering women.

Timeline.

• September 5 (my birthday) begin finishing touches on retail space for "soft opening"
• September 17th - Official Grand Opening
• September 30th - Begin ordering holiday inventory if funding allows
• October 15 - begin researching products we can source from the manufacturer & brand to branch out our streams of income.
• October 31 - Launch Etsy digital designs store for additional streams of income
• End of 2021 - be profitable without debt/interest over our heads & continue to build for hopefully years to come!
• BIG BIG PLAN: Nationwide Brand + Community representing INCLUSIVITY & Empowering Women

The Need.

Resources... More inventory to represent a variety of women. More supplies to complete the build of indoor attractions prior to opening. Ads to get the online community buzzing & spreading our message. 

My goal is to achieve this without putting a strain on my family or going into debt. 

The Risk.

Living in a very small rural town, online exposure is our best bet for driving traffic to our site & eventually our retail location. Online exposure requires constant attention day in & day out (that's for real but I'm on it!) & advertising dollars to spread your message. I can handle the delivery once it gets to that point!

Thank you!

If you have read this far, you are our hero just for sharing your time! Every purchase, donation, & interaction reminds me that this CAN be done & I AM able! Thank you for believing in me. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to have a family life & be filled up daily by building other women up. Thank you for believing that in this day & age there is still hope for inclusivity & authenticity. I truly appreciate any support offered, whether it's words of encouragement, money, or partnership!

Go forth & be bold! We love you over here at Halfsies!

Heidi Smith

Owner/Operator/Brand Designer

Halfsies Lifestlye Boutique, LLC