Meet Sylwia Thornton | Owner, The Hat Box FM

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

Hi Sylwia, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
I’m an immigrant and come from generations of entrepreneurs that endured true hardships and managed to create successful and prosperous businesses post WW2 and before. I came to the US at 14 barely speaking English. Straight into high school after my parents won a visa lottery. Toughest four years of my life but they taught me major resilience and persistence. At 27 I decided to leave Denver, CO and head to Wall Street to pursue a career I never truly imagined I’d be able to have. I worked back-office operations for a major bank and then moved to a leading rating agency where I thrived and met incredible people with tremendous drives and capabilities. I started The Hat Box FM kind of on a whim. I saw a hat bar idea and then decided that Fort Mill and Charlotte area needed something like that. My great-grandma was a hat stylist in the 1920’s, I love hats and accessories and putting it together was and still remains a fabulous dream of mine. Helping women feel stylish and fabulous is my biggest goal and I always try to bring in a little edge whenever I can. Taking risks in not a fear of mine.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
We are a pop up Hat Bar. We love bopping around and meeting people all over greater Charlotte area. It is our mission to make sure women feel confident and beautiful when they leave our booth. So many times we are told either by ourselves or others that we shouldn’t wear this or that. Or that we don’t look good in this color or a certain accessory. It is our mission here at The Hat Box FM to break that stigma. Our favorite customers are ones that say “oh I don’t look good in hats”.

When I started THBFM I wanted to bring something new to Fort Mill. An immersive experience where you get to make something that’s going to fit in with your wardrobe and style but also add a little flare. It’s been such a fun and exciting ride but not without it’s own challenges. Starting a business from the ground up is exhilarating but it comes with the constant question of “am I doing this right”. I try to learn from every opportunity and always try to improve moving forward.

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.
Let’s plan a quick summer break. You would find us exploring Black Mountain and Asheville for some Biltmore action or off the the beaten path fly fishing. You would find us floating down Catawba River or at the White Water Center or by the pool. We are based out of Fort Mill so we would spend some time learning it’s history, popping by the Anne Springs Close Greenway, Fort Mill History Museum. We would then eat either at The Speckled Pear or Ilios and then get a drink at the Print Shop or Illumination Wines followed by shopping at Crossings on Main. Then in the evening we’d be on the YoCo LoCo enjoying time with friends.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I have to give two major shout-outs. First one is my family. Starting a business is a radical change in the family dynamics. I’ve been a stay at home mom for quite sometime so shifting from being home to being gone many weekends, missing sporting events, school functions and family time has been a major adjustment. My husband and my three kids have done so incredibly well throughout it all and with the help of my parents we have managed to make it all work. They are my biggest cheerleaders and now major vendor event hoppers/connoisseurs .

My second shout-out would have to be to my BFF and (CSO) Chief Styling Officer, Abby and her family. Abby has been a huge encouragement and an instrumental part of this business. Since day she has has been at all of our major events and even much more so behind the scenes. Her family, just like mine has been incredibly supportive and I am forever grateful for their patience and endurance.

Website: https://www.thehatboxfm.com

Instagram: @thehatbox_fm

Facebook: The Hat Box FM

Image Credits
Family Photo by Gwen Rosowski