As a popular marketing medium, Instagram is proving to be very successful for growing small businesses, especially for two Tampa residents who run their companies online.
Online stores over the last decade have flourished, especially in the past two years due to the pandemic, and it’s changing how most businesses operate. Social media has made it easier for small-business owners such as Angie Bolanger to succeed. Upcycled Unitee is a thrift and consignment store that Bolanger owns and is entirely online.
“I first made my account in November of 2020 during the pandemic.” Bolanger said. “I was just bored at home because we couldn’t really do anything else. So, I’d seen a lot of other people having thrifting businesses on Instagram and I just decided, ya’ know what? I can do that too.”
By using Instagram, Cash App and Venmo, Bolanger has expanded and promoted her clothing store without having a physical location selling over 1,000 items. She’s been able to achieve all of this at just 20, and social media has made it easier for her to start this business and keep it running.
“I go to local vendor markets and I’m able to show my stuff in person without actually having an in-person store,” Bolanger said. “The fee that I would pay at a pop-shop is much lower than what I would pay rent-wise, utilities-wise at an actual in-person location.”
According to Statista, online purchases are expected to make up 22% of all global retail sales by 2023, compared with 17.9% by 2020.
“So, I really like thrifting, because you’re able to have super unique pieces that you’re not gonna find on literally every single person walking around,” Bolanger said. “I like to be able to give everybody an affordable way to be stylish.”
The next young entrepreneur, Abbigayle Warner, moved to Tampa all the way from England, and she is working remotely and promoting her brand all online. She designs and create apparel along with accessories. Tampa is where she started her professional career as a designer, and are able to show her creative side.
“So I have a lot of love for Tampa, because that’s where I started being a designer, that’s where I made a name for myself as a graphic designer,” said Warner, owner of Abbicreates Studio.
Abbicreates Studio is a boutique and design space that she started during the pandemic. This mother took her passion of illustration and design and turned it into an award-winning online business.
“I started my business literally just via Instagram, by creating illustrations for fun and it ended up becoming a business that I didn’t expect to grow,” Warner said.
Since opening she has had over 600 sales, and a lot of Abbigayle popularity has came from Instagram, the third-most popular social media site, according to a 2021 study from Pew Research Center.
“Online makes sense for me at the moment. I still work full-time, and I still run my business full-time at the same time, so it’s like, ya’ know, battling a battle between the two,” Warner said.
credits
Reporter/Anchor/Producer/Editor: Victoria Crosdale
Web Editor: Arianna McQueen
