Evolution
The other day someone asked me what I thought about companies pivoting. Pivoting is one thing and if you have to do it then by all means go for it. Evolution is another.
I have been privy to more than a handful of companies where I have literally been the first dollar in and then part of the evolution into something bigger than the original concept. It is exciting to be part of.
Corie Hardee, the entrepreneur at Little Borrowed Dress, now Union Station, is leading the charge on an exciting evolution. Corie is one of the most data driven human beings I have ever met. She has analyzed her business like no other. She engages with her customers. She runs a tight ship. She has built something quite large on very little money. She understands her business inside and out. She is exactly what you want to invest in.
This past week Little Borrowed Dress changed its name to Union Station. All the components of the business are still there but it is now bigger and broader. We rent bridesmade dresses. Seems like a simple business but trust me it is not. Building a brand, building a following, understanding the analytics and the importance of making sure each customer thrilled is not something to be taken for granted. It takes time. We are now on a small rocket ship but getting there is never easy.
Now we are not only about renting a dress but we are about the groom as well and making it super simple for a couple to plan and execute on their wedding. Watching Corie go through this process was a learning experience for me too. Corie dug into the reasons for the name change and evolution of the company like nothing else I have ever seen. She also shared this with her customers (see below).
I am super excited about Union Station and even more excited about the place the company is in now. There is nothing else like seeing something grow. I first met Corie for coffee where she pitched me on her business. She brought along three dresses to show product. It took a few meetings until I said yes. I look back and am insanely happy that I took that leap into her unknown. No longer unknown.
Dear brides and grooms:
Then something interesting happened along the way. After working on thousands of weddings, we started to really see what it was like to be a bride. That, beyond the stress you’d expect when putting on a big, very personal event, there was actually just a lot of extra pressure. Pressure to spend a ton of money. To perfectly mimic the magazines. To know how to arrange everything. Basically, to turn your real life into a fairytale. And so many times, the fun — and the reason behind it all! — would get lost.
We think it’s time for a change.
So we’re excited to introduce Union Station. (The name “Little Borrowed Dress” has served us well, but now it’s a bit too small for our big ambitions.)
It’s our mission to make it easy, fun, and affordable for you and your partner to have the best day ever. Whether you’re going all out or having it in your backyard, hanging onto traditions or throwing them out the window, we’ll help you plan a wedding that reflects your style and personality—without all the pressure and stress. Because, to us, there’s no right or wrong way to get married.
We’re ready to change what it means to plan a wedding, just like we did with bridesmaid dresses. And we’re so excited to share the beginnings of our vision.
Comments (Archived):
.As the FOB for an Oct wedding that has been in the launch stage for over a year, I applaud the business. The website is slicker than snot on a glass door knob.First, bridesmaid dresses are incredibly ugly and don’t need to be.Second, this is all about the wedding and not the dress.I can’t go further contemplating the cost of a wedding that is twice what I paid for my first house.Well played.JLMwww.themusingsofthebigredca…
A genius pivot for a genius pivot. https://www.youtube.com/wat…
Also Union Station is a GREAT name
Any synergies with Loverly?
Totally different businesses