Thanks to BlogShop Magazine for featuring us in their first exclusive interview!
Just in time for our 1st Anniversary!!
http://www.blogshopmagazine.com/2012/04/25/exclusive-review-changeparade-inspiring-change-from-outside-in/
Exclusive Interview
For our first interview, we are honored to interview Changeparade’s
founders, Zhiling, husband Ewen and their friend-slash-matchmaker
Desmond. With an increasing fan base and steady growth in business,
learn more about their story behind their success.
1. BlogShop Magazine: Is this the first time that you start your own online business?
Ewen: It is our first business together, but it’s not my first
business venture. My friend and I ran a high-end guitar retail shop from
2008-2011 before the economy turned for the worse and high-end retail
suffered.
2. BlogShop Magazine: How long have you been in this industry?
Changeparade: We are approaching our 1-year anniversary this month!
3. BlogShop Magazine: What was the reason for you to start this business?
Zhiling: While this may sound like a textbook answer, it really was
first and foremost because of our love for fashion, specifically
affordable fashion. Secondly, my family has long been in the business of
importing/exporting textiles and apparel manufacturing, hence I
acquired my interest in the fashion and manufacturing industry.
Ewen: One of my creative passions is photography, so to me this was a
platform to express my ideas and to push my own boundaries as a
photographer. Besides, I do love to explore entrepreneurial ideas, and
starting Changeparade with my wife makes it a really exciting venture
for us both.
Desmond: I've always had a penchant for design and beautiful things,
so Changeparade was the perfect excuse for me to meet models. [laughs]
But on a more serious note, my interest in fashion stemmed from my
personal experience in modelling as well as being a stylist’s assistant
while I was in university. Changeparade was the chance to stay connected
to the fashion industry and to further explore my passion in this area.
4. BlogShop Magazine: What future plans do you have for this business?
Zhiling: We are looking at expanding our range of products beyond
clothes and bags, possibly heels. We are also actively looking to grow
our international customer base. We have started to increase the
frequency of our launches due to feedback from customers who said they
wished we released new collections more often; so we are responding to
that by launching at least twice a month now.
Ewen: We are also contemplating a few interesting collaborations, but
that's under wraps for now, because we love to keep surprising our fans
and loyal customers!
5. BlogShop Magazine: What are some of the difficulties faced?
Changeparade: Initially, we had difficulty in conveying to new
customers the high-quality standards of our clothes, due to the inherent
nature of being a strictly online boutique. But over time, and with our
fuss-free, no-questions-asked returns policy, we have won over many
fans who are confident of buying online from us and have in turn helped
to spread our name. Establishing a base of customers who trust in your
product and service is one of the biggest difficulties any online shop
will face.
6. BlogShop Magazine: What other benefits do you have by starting this online business besides the monetary reward?
Ewen: It's an awesome outlet for developing my creative interests!
While photography is fun and interesting on its own as a hobby, having a
platform to showcase my ideas and work to tens of thousands of viewers
every month gives me an unparalleled feeling of satisfaction and pride
whenever we get positive comments on our photoshoots.
Desmond: I'm just happy to know that I’m making some girl out there smile!
Zhiling: Something I didn’t expect to gain from the experience of
starting an online business was the sense of satisfaction of helping
customers find what they are looking for. Even if it means pointing a
customer to another blogshop that had the exact dress that she wanted
for her 'sisters' outifts for her wedding. Far from feeling sore that I
couldn't make the sale, I was surprisingly quite pleased to be able to
help her and hence establish a real relationship with that customer!
7. BlogShop Magazine: What do you have to sacrifice in order to continue with this business?
Zhiling: With Changeparade on our hands Ewen and I have put off having kids for now!
Desmond: I've been so busy I haven’t had time to find a girlfriend.
8. BlogShop Magazine: Where do you seek for customers?
Changeparade: Constant marketing. We strongly believe in
word-of-mouth as our main source of marketing as we realized this is the
stickiest type of marketing.
9. BlogShop Magazine: What exactly makes your online business stand out from the rest?
Changeparade: With customer service that goes beyond expectations.
Cliche as that may sound, it's much harder than it sounds to walk the
talk. We base all our business decisions on the twin pillars of our
operations - product satisfaction and timely service. Because we believe
loyalty is the key to the success of any business, we try to build on
repeat customers by going the extra mile for them as much as we can.
Even if it means we expend more resources in order to do so.
10. BlogShop Magazine: What are the most memorable events or lessons learnt from starting this online business?
Changeparade: We’ve learnt that we need to believe in a greater
purpose behind the business that transcends profit margins and monetary
goals. Without a larger vision for why we do what we do, longevity is
impossible. I suppose that is why many other blogshops give up along the
way.
11. BlogShop Magazine: Do you think starting this online business has impacted your life?
Changeparade: Yup, it’s changed our perspective on our life goals. We
realized starting a business is more than just about looking for a
moneymaking opportunity; it’s a way of building something that you can
be proud of. Looking beyond the monetary incentives is the key to
reaching the next level of greatness. And that attitude is what drives
us to make Changeparade even more successful.
Inspiring Change from Outside In,
Changeparade
