We had the good fortune of connecting with Jordan Dollard and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jordan, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I started Esther and Elsa as a women’s clothing boutique. This business did fine, but it didn’t fill a true need in my community. I pivoted as I saw more need in our community, and let our business model find me.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Esther and Elsa is an intensely niche offering, mixing expertise in events and retail. There are few others doing what we do. Our aim is to partner with our clients from inception to event day, working to understand their audience, goals, and what’s driving them.

This hasn’t been easy. Business isn’t easy, of course. It takes a long time to gain a customer’s trust and I was ready to quit well before I had that. Money will always make things harder, in addition to the unknown surrounding our economy. But I think there is a deep need for well-run markets and festivals that connect our community with small businesses.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Of course, Front Porch Sundays. I wouldn’t be a good business owner if I didn’t mention FPS. I’d take them to Lottie’s for coffee in Uptown Charlotte and Calle Sol in Plaza Midwood for dinner. Massages at Mood House are a must.

Shopping is tough in Charlotte as there aren’t a ton of options. I would make sure to bring them over to Glory Days Apparel in South End to find a souvenir t-shirt for their visit.

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?
I dedicate this to the Esther and Elsa team, who is in it with me everyday.

Website: https://estherandelsaretail.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/estherandelsa

Facebook: https://facebook.com/estherandelsa

Image Credits
Rico Marcelo
Miranda Martin

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutNorthCarolina is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.