Meet Stephanie Anderson | Boutique Owner – Andercrew

We had the good fortune of connecting with Stephanie Anderson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Stephanie, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
When I was pregnant with my first child and shopping for all things baby and chiId, I quickly discovered I was not a fan of traditional baby looks. Who says that you need pink for girls and blue for boys? Not me! I started to wonder if I was the only one who felt this way. By the time I was waiting for the birth of my third child, I decided to do something about it. Believe it or not, I started making onesies with stencils, a stamp, and an ink pad. I also actively searched for shops on etsy, and thought outside of the box for clothing. When my fourth child was born, it was abundantly clear that she was a wild one! There was no way I was gong to stifle her creativity. I received an outpouring of support from family and friends who suggested I put a name to our style. It was actually a cousin who coined the name “Andercrew”. So what better name to build my brand from? With my last name Anderson, and my crazy crew of 4 children, husband and a dog, the name certainly fit! My thought process is that I know there are more moms and dads out there like me who are looking for a style that is comfortable and reflective of their child’s personality. It’s ok to fun and expressive with our style, and I am beyond excited to share Andercrew with others!

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Andercrew aims to style your entire crew in comfort and fashion that is representative of their unique style. We don’t do drop shipping. Every item is carefully selected and approved by my children, and is representative of their unique style. I am a nurse by career and enjoy helping people in all aspects of life. With Andercrew I am able to help others on another level, and it is fulfilling and exciting in a different way than my life in healthcare. I grew up with parents who worked very hard at jobs – not because it was their passion, but because they had to in order to survive. My father died when he was 37 years old. That is terribly young. I learned that life is too short to not do things that “fill your cup”, and you should do things you love while you still can. I am most proud that I have been able to involve my children and show them that it is indeed possible to follow your passion. You can have a career that you are passionate about, as well as run a business that you are passionate about. I am truly grateful.

It has certainly been a learning experience with some challenges. My background is nursing, not sales and marketing. In fact, most nurses shy away from the spotlight. We (nurses) have more of a head down and do your job personality. Building Andercrew has forced me to get out of my own head. I have had to reach out to people for mentorship and guidance, and have had to get more comfortable in social settings. It is a constant learning process, but nothing comes without hard work. I am also continually discovering and tweaking things. I have made purchases and spent hard earned money only to receive products that were misrepresented. Money lost and a lesson learned. You can’t let these setbacks get you down. I treat them all as learning experiences and part of the process. It also helps that my husband, with his background in marketing is providing constant support and is an awesome cheerleader.

What I want the world to know is that I am no different from anyone who is managing a full time career, a household, and a small business. Most days it is organized chaos around here! I don’t carry any line or product that I wouldn’t put on my own family member. When I get 1 order, it means something to me. It means that my customer has trusted in my vision, and trust is the biggest thing you can gain from anyone. My brand and my story is a true representation of my life.

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?
When in Houston, you definitely have to head to the Galleria area! We would visit the Post Oak Hotel, and relax with a spa day, brunch at Bloom & Bee and a day of shopping at Highland Village, River Oaks district, as well as the Galleria mall. You also can’t forget boutique shopping in the River Oaks district, Rice Village, and Highland Village. There are always some awesome finds to be had and I am here for it!

Great food is never something in short supply here either! Mastro’s, Doris Metropolitan, Georgia James are some of my dinner favorites. You can literally eat your way through the city.

Let’s not forget the museums, and numerous parks and trails! Rent a bike or scooter and ride downtown, or head over to Buffalo Bayou. There are also great suburbs nearby that give their own unique flavor and a change of pace. The great thing about the Houston area is that there is never a shortage of things to do!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
As always I give thanks to God. I have been so blessed in my life and could not have done it without faith. I cannot forget my mother and my late father who showed me the value of hard work and determination. Last but not least, my husband Murice is my biggest cheerleader and strongest supporter, and my 4 children are all actively involved in building this brand. Their support has allowed me to not only be able to venture out and do what I love, but also maintain my full time career as a nurse while doing it.

Website: www.andercrew.com

Instagram: @shopandercrew

Facebook: www.facebook.com/shopandercrew

Image Credits
Positive Focus Photography, LLC – photos Danielle Jones – Deeva’s Faces Makeup