Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Sanzo.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Hello there! I’m Jenny Sanzo, a multi-passionate entrepreneur with a less than linear career path. How did I end up owning a bookish clothing boutique and leading a team of thousands in the social selling space? Well, it’s been a bit of a journey, and it all started with a blog called Flower City Fashionista.
I’m a big proponent of massive messy action.
I didn’t go to school for fashion, and I don’t have an MBA. I have an English Degree and a Master’s in Elementary Education. One day, when I was overwhelmed with the SAHM grind, my best friend suggested, “Why don’t you start a blog?! You love fashion, you love to write, and you need SOMETHING so you don’t go crazy.”
I listened to her and started a blog. Little did I know, I was laying the groundwork for a whole new life. You see, that blog became my lifeline. It got me writing, thinking, and socializing. It scratched the itch that motherhood couldn’t: entrepreneurship.
Before I knew it, that blog launched my personal styling business—where I’d play dress-up and call it “work,” clean out people’s closets, and help countless women define their personal style and craft their self-image. This journey has allowed me to share beauty tips and fashion advice that empower others.
Within a few years, I transitioned from blogger to creative entrepreneur. While I’ll always love to write and create content, my styling business was booming. I was planning events, traveling to work with national brands, and managing international social media campaigns.
In 2015, I made the decision to diversify revenue with network marketing, and since then, it has been nothing short of a wild ride. I am calling the shots and designing the life of my dreams. I get to be home with my boys, travel with my husband, enjoy the flexibility I crave, and earn the income that makes our dream life possible.
My passion and purpose have collided to create a truly inspired life. I get to help women every day work toward becoming their best selves in style, beauty, and in business. I build up, encourage, and mentor; in doing so, I become the very best version of me. I’m a better mom, a better wife, a better friend. I’m fulfilled, so I can fill up others. I have choices now that I never would have had otherwise.
In 2020, we relocated our family to Florida.
And in May 2023, Get Lit Boutique opened its doors in downtown historic St. Augustine. This month we celebrate 3 years in business and I celebrate 2 years cancer-free. Yes, 6 months after opening my dream boutique I was diagnosed with breast cancer.
In a world where the message to creative entrepreneurs is “niche down,” I’m doing the opposite. I’m doing all the things. I’m following my heart, trusting my intuition, and living out loud. And why shouldn’t I? If I learned anything these past two years it’s that your life can change in the blink of an eye, so appreciate what you have while you have it and don’t take a single second for granted.
At the end of the day, I’m just a mom who decided to go for it. I stopped worrying about what others would think, let go of self-limiting beliefs, and built a life by design. My family will always come first. My peace will always be prioritized. My hope is that in living my truth, chasing my dreams, and defining success on my terms, I’ll inspire others to do the same. We get one life. Let’s live it.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Well, I answered some of this in the novel I wrote in the previous question.
Let’s just say the road hasn’t been smooth and at times the wheels came off completely.
On top of the challenges that face every entrepreneur: setbacks, finances, criticism, shipping delays, global pandemics etc I beat breast cancer 6 months after opening my boutique. I had barely gotten into a rhythm when I was forced to hire, dramatically limit hours, take a break from social media, and rely on my sweet new hire from Flagler College to keep the lights on in between her class schedule.
Even though I am “healthy” now, I am on hormone therapy for 3 more years and that comes with some pretty nasty side effects. I’ve really had to let go of my own expectations for myself and listen to my body. I learned the hard way what happens when you don’t.
We’ve been impressed with Get Lit Boutique, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Outside of being my own personal brand – that I monetize via network marketing, digital products and services, and affiliate relationships, I own Get Lit Boutique. We are a book-themed clothing store located at 51 Cordova Street in downtown St. Augustine, FL.
What sets us apart is the concept for our store. I took two of my favorite things: books + clothes and merged them together to create my dream brand. I had a secret pinterest board for 13 years before things finally fell into place to make this dream a reality. I take alot of pride in carefully curating and merchandising every piece that comes in Get Lit. I try to source as much as I can from smaller makers and brands. I want shopping at our store to be an experience. I want it to feel unique. I try to really pay attention to the details down to the music we play. We have our own Spotify playlist (Get Lit Boutique on Spotify if you want to listen along) and its all soundtracks from tv shows and movies based off of books. We lean heavy into the classics but have modern bookish merchandise as well.
We have a braid bar where you can get your hair styled like your favorite literary heroine. We offer private book club events and shopping dates, and we host local author book signing events.
We don’t want to be just another shop in St. Augustine. We want to be a place you can’t wait to come back to + one you tell your friends about because you’ve never seen a shop quite like it. I love that I built this from the ground up, not based on trends or what I think will sell, but based on what I love. I hope that love comes through to everyone who walks through our doors. I hope our little bookish haven feels like a breath of fresh air in this crazy world. That it feels a little slower. That it makes you want to go home and curl up with your favorite book.
Any big plans?
For the future I’d love to expand our hours and event offerings. I’d love to create more exclusive pieces we can sell both in store and online. I’d love to expand our online market beyond the US. Heck, I’ve even thought about franchising. Right now the focus is still my health, but I’m a dreamer and a doer and I’ve got lots of ideas for the future of Get Lit.
Pricing:
- Complementary in store personal styling by appointment
- We aim to keep most pieces under $100 – which is not easy to do but we are very mindful about our pricing. We want Get Lit to be accessible.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.getlitboutique.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/getlitboutique
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/getlitboutique
- Other: https://tiktok.com/@getlitboutique
