Ivy Cruz of Boo Couture Par Lierre Accessories

Ivy Cruz, the mompreneur behind the online shop Boo Couture Par Lierre, says the idea for her business all started with her daughter, Arwen Grey, who is currently nine years old.

“For so many years, I had been collecting bows, headbands and clips for my girl, and for so many times, she would complain to me, often saying that the headband was too tight, or it was itchy, or the clips were rusty,” Ivy shares. “The thing that I hated the most about some clips and headbands was that they easily broke, i.e. you buy it the day before, then the next day it’s already broken — and it’s also pricey.”

As a mom, Ivy says she always makes sure that her kids (she also has a four-year-old son, Eouri Grey) “look good in and out, and being neat and clean is part of it.”

Inspired by that, Ivy asked her mother, who is a dressmaker, for some fabric and told her that she had an idea for making rosette clips. Thus, Boo Couture Par Lierre (“Love Couture by Ivy” in English) was “born.” “It was also timing that my sister-in-law had just had her first baby, so my first models were my daughter and my niece,” Ivy says.

Although there were already so many online shops that sell the same products that she planned to sell, Ivy was not fazed. “One thing is for sure — we make sure our products are always of good quality,” she explains. “We have a variety of unique designs to choose from, and whenever we receive personalized requests, I make sure that we deliver them just as the client wanted them to be. If we can’t deliver the exact design, we try to make it as close as possible (to the original request).”

“Of course, before I even started, I did a lot of research on what kind of headpieces are ‘hot’ these days,” Ivy says. “I get ideas from all over the Internet and then I add my personal ideas — in the end, I come up with unique designs.”  

According to Ivy, looking for good international suppliers was one of the hardest things she had to do, especially when she was just starting out. “I get my supplies locally and internationally, as there are a lot of materials that are still not available in the local market.”

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Ivy currently has two assistants whom she trained herself. “It’s really hard to hire somebody who doesn’t have the passion for this,” she says. “It will definitely show in the products she will make. For me, quality really is top priority.”

The proof of Ivy’s passion for quality products bearing fruit lies in her shop’s popularity. Since starting the business on April 15, 2011, her online shop has gained quite a following, with a total of 5,312 followers (as of this writing).

On Mompreneurship and Working from Home
Currently, Ivy manages Boo Couture from her home, “because I’m a hands-on mom,” she says. “Maybe in the future (hopefully!) I can open up a store of my own, but right now I’m very much satisfied with how my business is doing.” She actually has a Business Administration degree, and majored in marketing. “I think that helped me a lot with starting and promoting Boo Couture,” she says.

Aside from her mompreneur duties, Ivy also works for New Sky Taiwan Online ESL School . “I’ve been teaching English to Taiwanese kids for almost four years now. I actually enjoy it!” she quips. “My classes start from 7pm until 12 midnight. Then, in the morning and in the afternoon, I’m focused on my family and business.”

According to Ivy, one of the advantages of being home-based is that “you can still be with your family, play with them, cook for them, everything.” Another advantage is that “you never have to leave your house, commuting and rushing to your office every single day — it’s more hassle-free this way.” Aside from that, Ivy also likes the fact that she has never had to leave the house just to ship her orders, as there are many couriers now that pick up packages from one’s home and deliver them.

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On Maintaining a Work-Home Life Balance
“As a mom, I know it’s hard to do everything without God beside you. In everything I do and in every decision I make, I always put God first,” Ivy shares. “I’m not the best mom in the world nor the best wife, but I try my best to be so every single day. Family is my priority; I wouldn’t have started this business if it wasn’t for my little girl anyway.”

Ivy confesses that she’s not the best in time management either, but her husband taught her how to balance her time. “It’s not very hard, I think — I just have to do what I have to do first at home, then after that I can focus on my business,” she says. “Never leave things undone, i.e. if you can do it right now, then do it. Don’t wait for tomorrow — it will just add up to your to-do list the next day. And it will be so much harder.”

The Ups and Downs of Mompreneurship
For Ivy, running Boo Couture Par Lierre has been very rewarding. “All businesses have their ups and downs, but for me it is really worth it. I enjoy doing it, so I guess when times get tough, it’s not very stressful, like a typical job that you don’t like but you still have to do,” she discloses. “It’s not like that at all. Whenever we have rush or bulk orders, I get a little stressed, but I still find myself smiling and laughing with my assistants.”

“I will definitely pursue this (venture), not just because of the financial aspect but because this is something that I enjoy doing. Though there are many days that were a bit stressful, I always take them as a challenge — to look at the brighter side, when things seem to be cloudy,” Ivy says.

Mompreneur Tips from Lierre (i.e. Ivy)
For the aspiring mompreneurs out there, Ivy shares the following tips:

•    If you really want to start a business of your own, look for something that you really, really like. Choosing a business is not like a Facebook status — you “Like” it today, then you “Unlike” it tomorrow.

•    Be hands-on with your business. Some people fail maybe because after starting their business, they would just leave it to other people or whoever they can trust, thinking it would make money without their supervision. That’s a big NO.  

•    Love what you do and always put God in everything you do and in the decisions you make — you will find yourself satisfied, much sooner than you think.

Take a look at Boo Couture Par Lierre’s products — headpieces, bows and clips  for all ages, and photo props like wings and party favors — by clicking 'View Gallery'. Visit their Facebook page here, text  them at 0905-2809458 or send an email to harvygrey@gmail.com.