We had the good fortune of connecting with Latika Williams and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Latika, what habits do you feel play an important role in your life?
Just doing IT! Literally. That’s it. The thing is, we can get so wrapped up in ideas, taking classes, reading books, and talking about what we are going to do but the truth is, if you don’t implement those things then they’re pointless. Go from an idea to strategy and how you’re going to implement that idea to doing it. Nothing more, nothing less. As soon as I started doing the right things consistently, my business soared.
What should our readers know about your business?
Haute Boutik is an emerging boutique demanding its respect. We, my wildest dreams and I, offer versatile pieces that you can easily dress up or down and mix and match with your current wardrobe. A lot of boutiques claim to do this but here’s the kicker, we aren’t just selling basic clothes. All of our pieces are unique. We stay away from what everyone else is offering. Our brand is for those that want to stand out and be the trendsetter. We absolutely LOVE color. You can think of us as your personal stylist. When we buy for the brand, we buy for our customers and the items that would be most beneficial in a cohesive wardrobe.
I didn’t always have as much clarity on my brand as I do now. Clarity, consistency and execution is what’s gotten my brand thus far. More and more people are getting exposed to the brand and LOVE it. I think it’s because they realize I’m just a regular girl living out my dreams. No rich boyfriend, no rich parents, just me. A girl on the grind.
I graduated from NC State in 2012 with a business degree and all I knew was to go get a good paying job and work for the rest of my life. I HATED it. I hated feeling like a robot. I hated having to spend all day at a cubacle. I hated having to ask permission to go on vacation. I started thinking about things I could do to make money and I came up with 2 things — real estate and owning a boutique. I took and passed the real estate class and started my online boutique simultaneously in 2014. Getting to where I am today was a process. When I had my daughter in 2016, I paused everything to be a stay-at-home Mom. I decided to get back into real estate and the boutique in 2019 with a little success here and there but nothing was consistent. At the end of 2020, I sat down and reviewed my year and wrote down a list of goals that I wanted to achieve in 2021. This was an extensive meeting that I had with myself. I wasn’t happy. I was always extremely busy but really not seeing different areas of my life improve. I decided to cut ties with real estate but I didn’t enjoy it. It consumed the majority of my time and I rarely was able to spend quality time with my daughter. I realized that my true passion was my boutique. I decided to go all-in with my boutique and I haven’t taken my foot off of the gas since.
My life correlates with my brand because I am relatable more than anything else. I don’t have a team. It’s just me. A girl on the grind trying to make things happen while dressing fly no matter what. A lot of my customers are entrepreneurs and they see and respect the grind. A lot of my customers are ladies that are going through the transitions of adulting just like me and that’s why they feel it. That’s why they like it They like that no matter what, they can count on my brand to keep the haute clothes coming.
Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I am SUCH a foodie so we are literally going to eat out 50-leven times a day. If you’re a fan of sushi, I’m going to take you to the best sushi in town — Sushi9. The best part is their food and drinks are super affordable. We would have to go to Kanki! It’s the best hibachi food EVER and this is not a debate — their sweet tea is the best in the world. Level 7 is one of our newer spots. It’s a rooftop lounge in North Hills and it’s exactly what we needed as 30+ year olds. I don’t really do much clubbing these days BUT if I do, I love a little hood function in my life but not too hood! I would probably take you to Star Bar which is an after-hour spot. It’s always a good time with trap music, which is my personal favorite, and their food is insanely good too! 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?
My 4 year old daughter Nova Elle. She is literally my biggest fan. She gets so excited and proud when she here’s my Shopify ding for new order and is constantly like “Mom, you should sell this on your boutique!” Just her mere being keeps my foot on the gas. I’m the first entrepreneur in my immediate family and I’ve been more successful, financially, as an entrepreneur than I I’ve ever been in corporate America. I’m laying the groundwork for her to be whatever her little heart desires. Her future is my inspiration.
Website: hauteboutik.com
Instagram: instagram.com/hauteboutik or instagram.com/lifewithlatika
Linkedin: Latika Williams
Facebook: facebook.com/hauteboutik
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNRo4PUje7ArTNCUlG0Kh7g