Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashton Link.
Hi Ashton, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I am the owner of 613 Boutique LLC in Greenville, SC established in 2019. 613 Boutique is a clothing & accessories store that highlights affordable items while specializing in local artisans from Upstate South Carolina. Many moons ago, I graduated from UofSC where I majored in Fashion Merchandising + Retail Management. I took an internship at a Fashion Wholesale Showroom in Los Angeles and moved there after my graduation to start anew in an industry that I had loved since I was a little girl. It was a cutthroat industry and the work left me miserable at the end of each day, not the dream I had once envisioned living out! I decided to head back to the South. I knew all along I would be a “Boss Lady” of my own venture but I had no idea what that looked like. 3 years ago, I threw my hands up and surrendered into making my dream into a reality. 613 stands for the biblical scripture, Isaiah 61:3, “He will bestow upon them a crown of beauty for ashes”. It evokes a sense of “comeback”, a phoenix rising from the destruction, it’s a story of finding the good. I wanted this business to be more than a “retail” space and more of a message. A place where all feel welcomed and loved. It provokes joy through conversation, praise, love, compassion & so much more when you enter the doors.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart. There are lessons to learn in every single step of business. The key is to persevere through your hard work, never losing sight of the vision you have and that you have created! I started right before a global pandemic and that alone was tough. The “not knowing” of what was to come was certainly scary but I knew it would be an adventure. I buckled myself in a little tighter on my mental journey to prepare me for what was to physically come. The list of struggles could be infinite but I will only name a few to save all of our time! Financial, Marketing, Online/Foot Traffic, Inflation.
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?
As an owner, operator, saleswoman, IT analyst, buyer, janitor, marketing guru and website developer of 613. Nothing has come easy or without a learning curve. I knew working in the Fashion industry was my calling as early as grade school. I began modeling as a small girl and I LOVED every bit of the clothing- the styles, the patterns, the details consumed me and I knew it would be my life’s work to continue in the industry. Growing up, I had received “Best Dressed” at my middle school, high school and in my college sorority. I still like to brag about that! After opening in 2019, I was awarded “A woman to watch in 2020″ by the Greenville, Columbia, Charleston business journals, 2022 ” Young Entrepreneur of the Year” by the Greenville Chamber of Commerce & Community Works and TALK Magazines “Top 25 Most Beautiful Women”. I think one thing that will always set me apart from others is my innate ability to remain confident in anything I do. If I have a dream, it becomes a reality. I will put in the work no matter the obstacles to make anything happen in terms of my personal and business lives!
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success. What a fickle thing it can be! Success to me is achieving what goal you have set outreached and surpassed. Maybe you barely make it there or maybe you fly past with splashes of color. It doesn’t matter because I don’t think anyone else can “define” success for you. Only you can.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.613boutique.com
- Instagram: @613boutiquellc
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/613boutiquellc
