Tropical Envy Boutique: Bringing Vacation Vibes Year-Round
Challenge
Ashley LaBarre and her mother started Tropical Envy Boutique with a vision to offer resort-style wear year-round. One of their biggest challenges was figuring out what to order and how much inventory to order. They didn't want inventory to sit too long and become stagnant, but it was difficult to order new inventory when old inventory wasn't selling. Additionally, as the business grew, they needed efficient payroll and bookkeeping management to keep up with operations.
We love Patriot! It makes it so easy to process tax documents, payroll, keep up with hours, and employee portals. The employees can log in to their portal and receive tax documents and their direct deposits. It really keeps bookkeeping at a minimum and gives me more time to spend building the store and spending time with customers. — Ashley LaBarre, Owner, Tropical Envy Boutique
Solution
Patriot Software's Full Service Payroll provided the solution for streamlining business operations. The platform made it easy to process tax documents, manage payroll, keep up with hours, and provide employee portals. Employees could log in to their portal to receive tax documents and view direct deposits. The system kept bookkeeping at a minimum, giving Ashley more time to spend building the store and spending time with customers.
Results
Tropical Envy Boutique successfully operates from Brandon, Mississippi with a robust online store serving shoppers nationwide. The boutique offers resort-style clothing including coverups, tops, shorts, and dresses. They carry natural stone jewellery and accessories including sunglasses, hats, and bags. The business offers all-natural candles and bath products, plus gift items with beach and tropical themes. They carry sizes small through 2XL to cater to different body styles. The business successfully navigated the challenging 2020 year, which was their second year in operation. Despite the difficult retail environment, they maintained operations through loyal customer support and continued to grow. The business has built strong customer relationships with customers who feel personally known and valued.