Meet Karen Quimby: Small Business Owner

My life has always been full of risks. Though I’m an A type personality and typically like a plan and a lot of organization, I have always taken risks with my career. I have a passion for real estate as well and those endeavors have always been risky but almost always rewarding. I never think about failure. It really doesn’t cross my mind. Passion enters the picture and takes over and erases any fear or apprehension. I always had a positive role model in my grandfather, who ran a very successful small business. I know that’s not true for everyone and small business often has many more failures than successes. I’ve owed retail clothing stores since I was 23. I took an 18 year break and literally fell into the cosmetic industry where I climbed the ladder quickly and became a Vice President in Product Development for companies like Urban Decay and Smashbox. The risks I took in that career were big ones as well. Despite the advice of all of my peers, I went to work for a company that had experienced a huge decline in sales, after their initial launch. I didn’t listen, went to work for that company and watched sales go from 1.5 million to 80 million in 6 short years. That company was Smashbox and is now a leader in the beauty world. I am proud to know my products still remain best-sellers in the line. Ultimately, my risks have always been positive in one way or another. Some don’t feel positive at first, but there is always an outcome that felt very “meant to be”. I think that positivity is what makes risk taking easier for me. It may blind me from seeing the reality of certain situations, but I wouldn’t change it for anything.

I don’t think you ever stop learning in business. Right when you think everything’s running well, something flips your world upside down. I think when most people dream about starting a business, they have no idea how challenging it is. It’s the hardest thing you can probably choose as a profession, for the least amount of money (in my opinion!). You do it because you love it, not because you think you will earn a lot. The creativity is only 1/6th of what I do. Most days I’m putting out fires, babysitting suppliers, and managing people and processes. Especially now with Billie gone, I am forced to do a lot of things that don’t bring me joy. But at the end of the day, I’m proud and I’m grateful and blessed. We survived a recession, a pandemic, riots and the everyday challenges that present themselves. It’s never boring! I think the best advise I could ever give to anyone wanting to start a business, is go work for one first. Learn on someone else’s dime and witness every single thing. If you can picture yourself there, then go for it! You’ve got to have a strong work ethic, be extremely diligent and forward thinking, have strong problem solving and relationship skills and most of all, passion! If you don’t have these qualities I’d say, think twice.

I always try to do things that center around the Southern California Lifestyle, when I have guests in town. If I can get them on a paddle board or in a duffy boat, the water and shoreline are one of my favorite things to share. We would walk on Retro Row to shop all the special vintage stores and top it off with lunch or happy hour on the patio at Restauration. For dinner’s, we’d hit up Lola’s, Nicks and Saint & Second. I’d take a bike ride through the canals on Naples Island and stop off at Michael’s roof top for a glass of wine and a lovely charcuterie plate. I also enjoy breakfast at the Starling diner and brunching mornings at The Boat House on their massive, sunny deck. I think one of the things my guests enjoy most is just walking around Belmont Heights and Shore, looking at all the unique homes and neighborhood finds. It’s such a cute and eclectic city that feels like a town.