Conversations with Kara Beveridge

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kara Beveridge.

Hi Kara, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I knew at a young age that I wanted to be in the fashion and beauty business. In my teenage years I worked in retail and hair salons and loved every minute of it. The confidence that the “perfect outfit” gave a customer or the excitement of a fresh haircut and color gave me so much joy.
But after 20 years of being a hairstylist, I found myself in a rut and wondering what would be the next chapter in my career journey. For years I wanted to open a women’s clothing store but my conscience would always get in the way until one day a friend of mine gave me the boost of confidence I needed and said “If you don’t do it now you never will, you’re almost 40 and besides, what’s the worst thing that could happen?” That conversation was in January of 2021 and Minty Boutique opened our doors on December 4, 2021.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I actually opened the year of Covid so that was a bit of a struggle. It was an uneasy feeling investing in my dream when people were losing their jobs and their businesses. It felt like everything took 3 months longer than it should’ve. While I was looking at retail spots for the store, many small businesses were closing, which definitely made me second guess the decision to open a store of my own. In the end, I decided to open online first with the hopes of opening a brick and mortar store once things returned to normal.
Add to that the pressure of “…what if people don’t like the clothes I pick, what if I don’t sell enough merchandise to make this worth it, will this be taking time away from my family etc…”
But with the fear also comes excitement.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I have been a hairstylist for 25 years specializing in color and am also the owner of Minty Boutique which has now been open for 4 years and located inside The Arts Marketplace at Studio Park in downtown Grand Rapids.

We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
I love taking risks. I am a true believer in living life to the fullest and achieving whatever it is that makes you happy. I definitely wouldn’t be the person I am today if I didn’t take risks. Some small and some big but I know that if I don’t try I’ll always wonder what could’ve happened. Opening up my shop during Covid was a big risk for me but if I hadn’t done it I would have regretted not trying. Same applies to an earlier decision to leave the hair salon that I had worked at for 10 years, to go on my own and be an independent stylist.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Mintyboutique.com
• Instagram: Shopmintyboutique
• Facebook: Minty Boutique