Con Couture: More Than Just Wearables for the Geeky

I already have had the privilege of getting to know Laura, just one half of the dynamic duo power couple behind Con Couture – the online store (and awesome convention booth) for geeks and gamers. Con Couture has been a sponsor around these parts for a while now and I’ve been really enjoying the array of products they offer on their website so naturally, I wanted to know more! Laura and Jon (that aforementioned dynamic duo) took some time out to help me get to know them better and I’m passing along the incredible interview they gave, onto you!

 

So tell me a bit about you – How did you meet, how long have you been married, etc?

Jon and I met through one of his best friends who just happened to also be my cousin. I think that we were probably in the same family/friend circle for 20+ years but we just never crossed paths. Life is funny like that. In our own way, I think we met at the perfect time for us to actually become what we are. We had officially met a few weeks prior and also been out with the same group of friends, cousins, etc. but I was dating someone else.

My cousin’s girlfriend had told me that he had a crush on me and then things didn’t work out with that other guy. So when he came to my Aunt’s house for a family party a few weeks later, we sat down and started talking. I mean, really talking… like for hours. I remember probably 3 or 4 different people coming up to the door at different points in the night to tell one of us something and then were like, ok never mind. Hahaha. I guess you could say we hit it off and we started dating. It was perfect! I can’t speak for him, but Jon was the BEST boyfriend that I ever had and we had so much fun while we were dating.

We dated for about 2 years and then purchased a home together. The night before move-in, we went out to dinner and Jon proposed! We spent over a year planning our wedding and of course got married on 7-11-15. We have been married for 10ish months and I love it!

Personal Interjection: I am like… ridiculous jealous. I mean, I think Jeremy and I are ridiculous cute… but these two make me absolutely SQUEE. They are so cute, it hurts. OMG.

 

What inspired you to start Con Couture?

In 2012 Jon took me to my first comic-con ever: MegaCon in Orlando, Florida. Going to cons was very important to him since he has always been a huge gamer, comic book reader, lover of all things nerd, etc. We also attended each year after and in 2015 as we were walking through MegaCon and talking, something just hit me and I said, “We could do this and do a really great job of it.” And it instantly changed how we viewed the booths, vendors, and product.

Later that night, we went back to the hotel room and started brainstorming a logo, product, how to get a business license, website options, etc. I have a Marketing/Sales background and Jon has a Business/Finance background so we both tapped into our own skillsets to start making this happen. And that weekend is basically how Con Couture was born.

 

Is this your first business venture?

This is our 1st business venture together. We both had tried our hands at moderately successful Ebay businesses in the past, but this is the 1st venture of this type and as a couple. I’ve always wanted to have my own business with flexibility, the ability to work remotely, etc. When we first started, I felt like Jon would be the serious, business minded person and I would be the passionate creative, but as the business has unfolded, we are frequently on opposite sides of that equation. Jon is so passionate about our products and themes, and I am learning more about the business side everyday. I think we’ve managed to create a great balance between us, and we are definitely starting to acknowledge what our 2-person team lacks and hire out for projects when necessary.

 

What’s an average day look like for you as owners of a geeky business?

Hmmmm. Unpredictable. Fun. Stressful. And about 50 other adjectives. Haha. Jon still works full time for a Cyber Solutions company so while he is gone, I manage the day-to-day operations of our business. My day usually starts with emails, catching up on social media comments, and posting our company updates. I spend a lot of time working on product, either updating descriptions, researching new product, checking stock of said product, or most importantly packing orders! On some days, I write blog posts, our company newsletter, etc.

More recently, my days consist of pitching our company to bloggers and other entities so that we can get showcased as much as possible. When it’s time for conventions, the mode changes a bit and we have to pack everything and palletize the items for pickup which is something that Jon and I always do together. Many times, after he gets home, we have mini meetings where I show him market research, new opportunities we’ve landed, do inventory, or order new product which we like to discuss and do together also. I think people assume that because we sell something fun, that it’s a disorganized party and that is so far from the truth. We are constantly working on the business side of everything and it is the same work as if we sold a non-novelty item. I don’t even know how many hours a week we put into Con Couture, but this is no 9-5, especially when you’re the owners and every decision starts and stops with you.

Personal Interjection: Knowing how exhausting it is just running a blog, I totally have mad respect for Laura and Jon. This all sounds exhausting, but amazing!

 

How many conventions have you attended and what’s the best part?

Since we started in May 2015, we have attended 14 conventions and we’ve learned so much at every single one. Although they are a lot of work, attending the conventions as vendors is very fun and rewarding. I look forward to a weekend of meeting excited customers, seeing fans cosplay as their favorite characters, and of course the opportunity to represent our company and products.

 

If you could give only one piece of advice to first time Vendor Con-attendees, what would it be?

Find out exactly what your booth does/doesn’t include and map out your set up ahead of time. I would also say to bring as much product as you can because you don’t want to run out of stuff when you have customers just waiting to spend money at your booth.

 

How do you choose what products to sell on your website?

We are actually very proud of the products we sell on our website. When we started Con Couture, we felt that women and more girly items were still very underrepresented at the conventions, even though the attendance landscape has changed so much over the last few years to include a great deal of women and entire families with young children, etc. So our goal is to not be exactly like our competitors.

We don’t want to be just another geek t-shirt store. Nothing against that, we just have a different vision and so the search for quality product that meets our expectations as well as the themes of the store is very time consuming. It’s something that we put a lot of effort into and we get so many compliments on what we bring to the conventions because it’s not the same old geek stuff. We look for girly, unique, striking items. And sometimes we even go with unconventional suppliers that aren’t even geek because we find something at a good price or that we just have to carry!

Personal Interjection: They cover a great array of fandoms and they have excellent prices. I feel like they supply the better items out there of higher quality. That’s what I love about their company.

 

Thank you Con Couture!

I had a wonderful time getting to know Jon and Laura better – especially reading about the behind the scenes of working in the convention world. I hope you all have a new found sense of respect for the vendors behind booths at conventions now… because I sure do!

You can check out Con Couture online and follow them across social media at the following links:

Shop Con Couture | Follow on Twitter | Like on Facebook