Starr Craft

Vintage Starr Boutique

Starr Craft says SER MUJER has fired up her drive that thrives on imagining entirely new designs, styles, and uses for vintage furniture pieces. Two of the main ingredients for items that catch her eye include exciting her creativity and igniting her business savvy for what sells. “I can do this for hours,” says Starr, referring to the days she spends in her studio. “I love stripping, sanding, staining, and refurbishing furniture into items that are both useful and conversation pieces. Also, these items may become family heirlooms because of their unique beauty, character, and touch of art you can feel and enjoy. That’s my source of happiness and satisfaction that SER MUJER has enabled me to keep moving forward; the wow moment when people see my work.”

Starr says it is a freeing feeling when she takes in furniture worn and broken down, then brings the pieces back to life, often in a very different way. “To be able to infuse life again into this furniture and bring it back with a whole new look brings me joy, both for my clients and me. Working with my hands allows me to test new ideas and push the limits; I sometimes amaze myself. SER MUJER has affirmed in me to try things I might not initially think I can do. Often in life, things turn out even better than we could have imagined as a finished product. When clients give me something to work on, they trust my judgment and recommendations. That’s exhilarating too.”

An interior design mentor told Starr about SER MUJER and how the program helped women in business. She says that at the time, her business felt ‘stuck,’ and the mentor helped her with the design aspect, but there was still a void Starr needed to be filled. “I was still stuck on the other side trying to expand my business and needed guidance on developing confidence in running my company. SER MUJER was especially helpful, inviting me to attend the annual conference that included classes, training, and presentations. This event provided invaluable help to equip me as a woman entrepreneur better.”

Starr says she was also seeking help deciding how to structure her company and thought that making it an LLC might make it appear more credible than continuing to operate as a DBA (doing-business-as) or sole proprietorship. “I was pleasantly surprised and excited when I mentioned this indecision to the SER MUJER team, and they quickly said, we can help you with that! Their enthusiasm and willingness to roll up their sleeves and assist me were refreshing and reassuring. I knew there was someone there every step of the way. Plus, they were willing to do so at no cost, which was the only way I could do it. The expenses of a start-up can make legal expenses for an LLC an impossible financial barrier to overcome.”

Another critical way SER MUJER assisted Starr was by creating an essential connection with a local chamber of commerce. Networking is a vital part of a fledgling business that can create or add to an initial pool of referral sources. Still, the membership fee can also make joining a business chamber feel like an unbudgeted, expensive luxury. The result is that entrepreneurs stay in their business silos which, over time, can lead to their companies missing significant business opportunities. “I am just so grateful for the goodness they showed me and the networking opportunities because of SER MUJER.”

There was still more that SER MUJER and Starr achieved together, surpassing even her most optimistic initial expectations. She became a vendor at the 2022 SER Annual Conference! Taking that step was happening even while Starr was learning and growing as an entrepreneur. Vintage Star Boutique was now being showcased and sampled by hundreds of event attendees. This showing allowed Starr to elevate her brand and stimulate sales opportunities. Also, Starr was encouraged to keep striving, and not wait until everything is perfect, a common mistake start-up entrepreneurs can commit. “I had never presented at a conference, but when I met the SER MUJER team in person, their spirit was warm and welcoming. I felt confident that I was in good hands and that the items I needed to be successful, the organization could help me attain.”

Starr says SER MUJER is also teaching her about contracting opportunities with government agencies that she never imagined possible. Also, she is now expanding her vision to explore ways to work with other businesses because of the knowledge and confidence she has gained. “Every step has been positive. My customers take me more seriously because they see I’m now a limited liability corporation (LLC). I am a member of a chamber of commerce, and I have a workspace for customers to drop off furniture. These achievements are priceless, and none would have been possible without SER MUJER. In a word, SER MUJER is impactful.”