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Abode Box - An Idea Turned Reality
Flashback to almost five years ago, sitting on my couch cuddling a Pomeranian in Delray Beach, FL. The idea of a home décor subscription box came to mind. A service where I would curate collections of classic, yet trendy, décor items for anyone wanting to refresh their space or who just needed a little help piecing items together.
Jake and I discussed this in length – the décor items, shipment frequency, and several other topics. I started researching subscription box companies, how to start one, how much it would cost, etc. All this in the night the idea came to me. Then NOTHNG. I did nothing, besides dream of Abode Box, for the next five years.
But why, you might be asking? Well, being totally honest, I was afraid; afraid what my friends would say, afraid no one would buy it, afraid of being vulnerable, afraid of investing money and it being a total flop.
Before I get into what happens next, a quick background on where my passion from décor came from. My mom (who sadly is no longer with us) went to design school and had an amazing eye for interior design.
She started her career in a large design firm in Miami until our lives went another direction and moved us to a smaller town. After this change, she never quite found her way back into a design career. But, let me tell you, my life growing up was watching her re-design our house every six months – no joke.
I would come home from a weekend away and the entire house would be repainted and rearranged with new décor on the walls. Our home was where she lived out her passion for design. What I didn’t know at the time, was she was fueling me with a passion for interior décor. It wasn’t until I purchased and renovated my first home that my passion really came to light.
This first home was a trophy for me. I had creative freedom and a handy (and VERY patient) boyfriend turned husband who was game for whatever renovations and pieces I selected.
Once the renovation was finished, friends would ask if I could come decorate their houses. This turned into me sourcing pieces or helping select items for their home. All the while, my subscription décor idea was in the back of my mind. Like a scratch that couldn’t be fully scratched.
Sushi night at our renovated Delray Beach house. Unfortunately, I don't have many photos of this home. But it was the kitchen of my dreams: grey shaker cabinets, white quartz countertops, oversized white subway tile backsplash with a Kohler white apron sink.
January 31, 2020, celebrating NYE with our neighbors in San Francisco. After a few glasses of champagne, my friend Christine and I entered an existential “what if” conversation.
You know those deep conversations around if you could do anything, be anything, go anywhere, what would you do? I LOVE these types of conversations. Well, my “do anything” was creating a décor subscription box. My friend immediately responded with, “You have to do it!” I spoke of my fears and angst, but she really pushed and pumped me up for it. So much so that I woke up New Years Day 2021 and wrote my first rough draft business plan.
That day I researched how to start a business in CA, permits required, and got the legal piece underway. After which came the fun part, sourcing décor, and the not so fun part, creating a website. The website took the absolute longest and, at the time, was the most frustrating part. Where to host, which hosting site had the best functionality for e-commerce that wouldn’t require a Java degree to code, etc. The list goes on, but eventually, I put on Taylor Swift and found my groove. It took me a couple of months, but www.myabodebox.com became a reality.
So, why I am sharing this? My hope in creating this business is so much more than selling home décor. I hope to inspire those who might be afraid to take the leap on something in their life. And this leap doesn’t need to be business related. Maybe it’s a wellness journey, lifestyle change, going back to school, or you do have a business idea you want to pursue. I’m here to tell you, yes, it’s scary, but it is worth it.
Abode Box officially launched our first collection in August 2021, our second collection in December 2021, with our third collection shipping next week. We are still very much a start-up. We will likely be for quite some time. And I’m still scared and have worries at night that no one will like it. I don’t think that will ever go away. But I wake up every day, with that scratch that needs scratching and off I go.
If you take one thing away from this story, it’s to take a risk. Do the thing that’s scary, do the thing that makes you vulnerable, do the thing you’ve been putting off for weeks, months, maybe years. Take it one day at a time, and I promise, it will be worth it.
Cheers to a Happy New Year and making it happen in 2022!
xo, Nikki
