Meet Kaycie Marks, Nicole Dunn & Kim Ingram

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kaycie Marks, Nicole Dunn, and Kim Ingram and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kaycie, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
Growing up I was never able to find anything personalized due to the unique spelling of my name, so I started learning how to make things myself as a hobby. My friends started wanting to buy things from me, so I thought why not make a few extra things to sell and try to at least offset what I was spending in supplies. A few extra turned into a lot extra, so I decided to dedicate time to trying my hand at making this a small business. I thought, I am a college student after all and it would be nice to have some tuition and textbook money.

At the time I had decided to take my hobby to the next step, 2 of my closest friends were making shirts and earrings as hobbies as well, so I decided that they were going to go on this adventure with me, and so was born Boots With The Pearls Boutique! Each of us brings a piece to the puzzle that makes it complete and I wouldn’t want to do this with anyone else.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Kaycie: I am a programmer analyst by day and boutique creator and co-founder by night! My primary job is for an insurance company programming for their annuity service system. I have been with the same company for 14 years and have filled multiple different roles, from a data entry clerk, to management, to programming. My primary job has sometimes made it a challenge to get the business up and running, but its just one more thing for me to look in the eye and overcome. As far as my role in the boutique goes, I’m the one behind the pens and tumblers as well as the accountant. I also am the one on the hunt for vendor events and ways to donate and support local communities and charities.

Nicole – My day job is a marketing associate for an insurance company, which I have been at for over 15 years now. When Kaycie asked me if I wanted to join her on this crazy adventure I never thought we would make it what it is today. I get to be the social media director and the woman behind the marketing posts (are we surprised considering my day job?), making sure these girls stay on target and meet deadlines, and plan for holidays and big events!

Kim – My day job is front desk at a physical therapy office. I do anything from billing, making appointments, to checking in patients. When Kaycie brought me on this crazy adventure I was just making earrings, but these girls have pushed me to branch out of my comfort zone and I also make bleach shirts for the boutique now! The biggest challenge for me that I have had to overcome is being confident in my abilities and getting out of my comfort zone.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
There are so many options it would be hard to choose and fit them into a week! We would definitely have to have a beach day down in Galveston! And then another day in Galveston shopping on the strand, visiting La Kings for some fresh pulled taffy, enjoying some of the great restaurants on the island like Sunflower Bakery and The Original Mexican Restaurant – you just can’t go wrong with Mexican food! You can’t skip out on visiting NASA’s Johnson Space Center, it’s fun and educational. Everyone should experience the place where “Houston, we have a problem” was first heard. For a fun evening we’re absolutely going to Three Acres Food Truck Park in Santa Fe, TX and hoping that its a Jeep night so we can see all the Jeeps – who doesn’t love food trucks and Jeeps??

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Kaycie: First and foremost my parents! I would not be who I am or where I am today without them – they support me every day whether they’re buying from the boutique or promoting me with products or social media. I get my drive and determination from my dad, I can remember when I was a child him sitting my down and telling me that he expected big things from me and I remind myself of that all the time. Now, knowing my father he very well could have meant that he expected me to finish high school, but I took it further than that!

I also cannot go without giving a shoutout to my friends, the ones that have supported us from day one and not allowed us to quit. And last but certainly not least, Kim and Nicole, my business partners and co-founders – for putting up with my wild dreams and seeing them through with me, for never turning their backs on me, and for being by my side though thick and thin.

Nicole: The biggest shoutout to my husband, David. He has supported me in this adventure from the beginning, whether it be helping us set up at vendor events, pressing a shirt, or just telling me “you can do this, don’t quit”.

And to Kim and Kaycie, for keeping me motivated and keeping me going. We make a great team and I couldn’t imagine trying to do this without y’all.

Kim: I’ve got to give a shoutout to my husband for putting up with my involvement in the business! He not only helps us set up and take down at events, but he also converted out garage into an office for me! Shoutout to my kids for always being my testers and living mannequins – those girls go to school promoting their mama and aunts.

To Kaycie and Nicole, for convincing me that I can do this with them and getting me out of my comfort zone. You guys are amazing business partners, and probably some of the only people that could remain friends while running a business.

Instagram: @bootswithpearls

Facebook: @BootsWithThePearlsBoutique

Image Credits
Kaycie Marks, Nicole Dunn, Kim Ingram