Get All Access for $5/mo

Right of Fashion This style trailblazer brought her small-town boutique to the big city.

By Sara Wilson

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Vital Stats: Stacey Pecor, 40, of Olive and Bette'sCo. Inc.
Company: New York City-based women's retail clothing store
2006 Projected Sales: Over $13.5 million

Business Flair: Stacey Pecor is a natural-born entrepreneur. Her father, a serial entrepreneur, taught her to think big while her mother, the owner of a small clothing store in Burlington, Vermont, exposed her to the world of fashion. "I can remember going to my first fashion boutique," recalls Pecor. "The noise and the sounds and the lights and the color and the people... it was very glamorous to experience something like that." In 1991, Pecor introduced her own dazzling creation: Olive and Bette's Co. Inc.

Fashion Focus: Pecor's goal was to bring the latest styles to fashion-starved women in Vermont. After succeeding there, she expanded Olive and Bette's to New York City's Upper West Side in 1995, becoming one of the first to bring trendy clothing to that neighborhood. To stay cutting-edge, she continually shops the market from coast to coast, securing top designers like Theory along the way. She has since opened three more locations in New York City, carefully choosing high-traffic places that attract a variety of consumers ranging from teenagers and stroller moms to Julia Roberts and Sarah Jessica Parker. Pecor, who has received mentions in Life & Style and Newsweek, plans to open more stores in the city and expand her existing website.

Inside Out: Over the years, big-name stores have settled in her territory, but Pecor's focus on quality from the inside out has helped her not only stand her ground, but also benefit from the extra foot traffic. She provides extensive training to her 50 employees on everything from new products to computers. She also keeps careful track of key measurables like sales, and sets high goals. Says Pecor, "Nothing can sit in the warehouse for more than 24 hours."

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Living

70% of Small Business Owners Experience Monthly Burnout. Follow These 3 Rules to Avoid the Same Fate.

Here are three guidelines to help entrepreneurs achieve balance, growth and success in both their professional and personal endeavors.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Franchise

Kick-Start Your Small Business With These Cost Effective Strategies

Starting a small business is an exciting adventure, brimming with both opportunities and challenges. A key to success is effectively managing costs from the outset.

Science & Technology

5 Automation Strategies Every Small Business Should Follow

It's time we make IT automation work for us: streamline processes, boost efficiency and drive growth with the right tools and strategy.

Side Hustle

At Age 15, He Used Facebook Marketplace to Start a Side Hustle — Then It Became Something Much Bigger: 'Raised Over $1.6 Million'

Dylan Zajac, now a 21-year-old senior at Babson College, wanted to bridge the digital divide.