Today we’d like to introduce you to Alyssa Amato.
Hi Alyssa, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Hi! My name is Alyssa Amato and I’m currently a full-time fashion blogger, (follow me on IG @itsalyssamayy), turned online store owner. I’ve always dreamed of creating my own store that was full of color, girly dresses, and lots of pinks.
So one day in March 2019, I said to myself, “I’m starting now!” It definitely wasn’t the “perfect” time to start, but then again when’s the perfect time to do anything? I decided I wanted to go for my dreams and I’ll figure everything out along the way. So I took my savings, did my research, and started Sunhoney one Tuesday night in March.
I also have the most supportive boyfriend, David, who helps me take all the photos for Sunhoney and helps me pack all our orders. Our store motto is “Choose to shine.” This is one of our allllll time favorite quotes. It’s so powerful and uplifting because in just three little words it tells you, YOU have the power to choose and everyone has a light inside of them that needs to shine.
I wanted my store name to illuminate inspiration and positivity when anyone hears it. Sunhoney is a place where girls can come to find high-quality clothing and accessories that will highlight their natural beauty. Obviously, beauty comes from within, but what you wear also affects how you feel. When you look good, you feel good and all of our pieces are curated with that in mind. We love items that are on-trend but can also be worn multiple different ways.
A little bit of background on me and the fashion world – I went to college in New York City and graduated with a Business major and minor in Fashion Marketing in 2016. I interned at some of the coolest fashion companies including Harper’s Bazaar, specifically in the ShopBazaar.com department. It taught me so much about online presence, digital marketing, and content creation. Interning there was definitely one of my highlights of living in NYC!
I got my first job out of college at a Wholesale Spandex Manufacturer that supplies to large brands like Show Me Your Mumu, Beach Riot, Onzie, etc. I got to learn what the best quality fabrics are for activewear/swim, fabric design, and garment construction. This experience has 100% helped me in identifying if a clothing item would be a good quality piece for Sunhoney.
Ultimately in 2018, David and I decided to move back to our home base, Jacksonville, FL. We are both major beach lovers and missed being close to our families. I get a lot of my inspiration from the beach and its laid-back lifestyle. There’s something so calming and beautiful when you’re at the beach.
Especially watching the sunrise and sunset. So gorgeous! Here at Sunhoney, we love a pop of color like the beach sunsets along with staple neutrals like the sand and seashells.
There’s no doubt, that starting Sunhoney has been one of the most challenging and fulfilling experiences of my life. I love being able to connect with each and every one of our customers and hearing their feedback on what they’d like us to stock.
We genuinely become friends with our customers and we love the community we have grown. We’re here for our customers and want them to find that perfect outfit! Along with empowering them to remember to choose to shine.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
It’s never always a smooth road when starting and owning a business. When I first started Sunhoney, I just quit my 9-5 job and had no other choice but to grow a successful business.
David and I would invest all our money back into the company to just keep it growing and to be able to provide more clothing options for our customers.
Of course, in 2020 Covid hit, and all our pop-up shops were canceled, but that just pushed us to keep creating more online entertaining content, which actually catapulted our growth!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Something we pride ourselves in is we create all our own original content on our website and social media channels.
We spend hours creating content for the clothing to show our customers where they can actually envision wearing this outfit. We also prioritize connecting with our customers on a more personal level than just a transactional level. We love talking with our customers and we end up becoming friends!
We constantly have customers telling us they love our brand because of the positivity, colorful, encouraging vibes we foster and create.
So maybe we end by discussing what matters most to you and why?
What matters most is when a customer purchases from us, we want them to have the best online experience possible.
We want them to receive their clothing and be absolutely in love with them and so excited to wear their new pieces. The feeling they get when they receive their pink package in the mail, that’s what’s most important to us.
Pricing:
- Everything is under $100
- Tops are $22-$48
- Dresses are $48-$68
- Bottoms are $38-$48
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.shopsunhoney.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/shopsunhoney
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/shopsunhoney
- Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/shopsunhoney
