JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – When Kerrie Hileman got engaged in 2010, she was excited to go dress shopping and find that perfect wedding dress.
But, as she began her quest to find the dress of her dreams, she encountered an issue: Her hometown, Jacksonville, did not offer the experience she was looking for.
“I really wanted an experience where I could go into a shop, take my time, not feel stressed, have it be a very comfortable environment and shop with my family and have just a very memorable and exciting experience,” Hileman said.
Hileman eventually found “the” dress. However, she lingered on the thought of not being able to find it in her hometown.
That’s when she decided she would leave her accounting job to open a business that would bring that new bridal experience to Jacksonville.
“So, I went to my now husband and I said, ‘I’m leaving my job. I’m starting a bridal boutique here in Jacksonville.' And he kind of looked at me like I was crazy. And I said, ‘I can do this,’” Hileman said.
And she did it.
Hileman is now the owner and founder of The White Magnolia, a bridal boutique born in San Marco in 2010 that has expanded to seven other cities across the Southeast.
Opening and running a business is an exciting and rewarding experience for entrepreneurs, but it is no secret that it also comes with challenges.
Hileman is no stranger to those challenges.
“A lot of it is you’re just trying to figure things out. You just don’t know really what you’re doing or what the outcome is going to be. But you figure out your process and your product, and you put that out there and you kind of see what people think,” Hileman said.
For Hileman, the biggest challenge starting out was building a solid clientele.
“You want it to come right away and it doesn’t always happen that way. So building clientele, having customers that appreciate your experience and go tell other people about it, that obviously gets the name out and gains credibility for your business,” Hileman said.
Hileman said having the right support is crucial to a successful business.
“I think having family and friends that are there to support you and your vision is really helpful, but I do feel like there are so many resources out there now. You can really become an expert on anything just from online resources, YouTube, TikTok, all these things,” Hileman said.
Eight locations and a franchise later, it is fair to say Hileman has not only been able to overcome the challenges of owning a business but has also helped redefine the bridal industry — all while also being a wife and a mom to three boys.
“I’m not afraid to ask for help. And I usually will just try to balance things the best I can. It definitely comes with ups and downs. I feel like there’s periods of time that feel really crazy, and then there’s periods of time that feel not as crazy. So, in terms of finding a balance, I kind of tell myself, ‘Well, maybe there isn’t a balance,’” Hileman said.
At the end of the day, for Hileman, there is no greater reward than seeing the brides-to-be crying tears of joy when they find their dream dress at her store.
“It is such an emotional day, and it’s an emotional purchase. They’re here with their friends and their family. They’re thinking about their wedding day. So it’s very easy for the emotions to rise,” Hileman said. “When you find your wedding dress, that can really set the tone for the rest of the wedding. So when you find the dress that you love, then it’s easy for a bride to then move on to the other parts of the wedding.”
Hileman has helped women find their dream wedding dresses for 15 years, and she said she will continue to do so for years to come — always making sure those bridal dreams come true.
