Megan Fenno of FENNOfashion
How did you start your business?
I was born and raised right here in Cincinnati. At age 12, I moved with my family to Tallahassee, Fla., to enable my dad to pursue a PhD at Florida State University.
While in Tallahassee, I met John, my husband-to-be, during our freshman year in high school. He and I made it our goal to attend the Savannah College of Art and Design after having attended an open house there. And we did it! We earned our bachelor’s degrees in design (industrial for him, fashion and accessories for me) in 2006.
John’s new job after graduating took us to Austin, Texas, where I accepted a position in the Small Business Division at the Dell World Headquarters. I learned a lot about how small businesses operate from that job, which prompted me to start my own.
How did you come up the idea for your business?
I've always loved art and possessed a deep appreciation for astute design, and I loved creating and designing accessories, so merging the two desires seemed like the only avenue to follow. I worked on a business plan, researched web developers and started to look at boutiques that I could partner with.
What resources here did you take advantage of and how did they help?
I checked out a lot of books from the library on creative start-ups and utilized a lot of the resources from the Small Business Administration.
What does a typical day in your business look like?
Every day is different, which is what I enjoy. Basically, in 2010 and 2011, my business was really getting a lot of recognition. I was in the media on several occasions, named one of the Cincinnati Women of the Year in Fashion by Cincy Chic and participated in a multitude of events. I was sought out by Hubbard Interactive and in June 2011, accepted a position as the senior fashion editor. So, my days have changed drastically! I currently juggle running FENNOfashion, being a personality for Q102 and working with
CincySavers.com.
What’s next for you and your company?
It seems as though I've been on an uphill slope for the past five years, so I hope to continue on that path. Opportunities always present themselves, it's just making sure that I take the right ones. So far, I’ve been extremely happy and am very grateful for all that has become of my business and brand.
Interview by Robin Donovan