Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole Mason.
Hi Nicole, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Before Ivory & Beau came Simply Savannah Events LLC. I moved to Savannah, Georgia, after graduating college at the University of Puget Sound, and I dreamt of getting into wedding planning. I had the opportunity to purchase Simply Savannah Events, a small wedding planning company, a year after working for the company. At the time, I also worked at David’s Bridal. As a bridal stylist at this chain bridal shop, I fell madly in love with helping women find the dress for their wedding day. And from there, Ivory & Beau was born, and Simply Savannah Events was transformed into a small business that helped couples plan their wedding and sold wedding dresses. Designing florals for weddings came shortly after we opened our doors in 2014. Ivory & Beau has continued to grow from 2 employees to 15. Ivory & Beau truly started from the ground up and survived business struggles by getting creative. Two of the biggest struggles we faced as a small business were, first, starting out with not enough inventory and, second, the effects of COVID on the wedding industry as a whole. However, with determination and hard work, we have made it to where we are today. In 2023, Ivory & Beau moved to 1010 E Victory Dr, at the corner of Waters and Victory Dr, diagonal from Daffin Park. This giant feat was a dream that owner, Nicole, had been working towards for 7 years, and it has finally come true. The small business is still working on renovations and hope to be completed with the renovations by early fall 2024. The move to the area is also very exciting as Waters Ave has seen a huge redevelopment with the new small businesses that have opened along this road. Nicole hopes to have a huge block party to celebrate the grand opening while also celebrating the other small businesses in the community along Waters Ave.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
COVID was a very scary time as a small business owner and even more so to a company that caters to events with lots of people attending. During 2020, we had to get very creative to overcome the shutdown that was necessary for the boutique. We held virtual appointments and were able to virtually sell brides their wedding dresses without having any face-to-face contact.
Another struggle that I faced as a small business owner was the desire to purchase the building we operated out of. I was under contract 3 times before it finally stuck. The first location was a small building in Starland; the second was a tennis court on Skidaway Road. There were a lot of hurdles, and with each location, there were their own challenges. In the end, 1010 E Victory Dr was the perfect location for Ivory & Beau. Obtaining a loan as a small business required a lot of hoops to be jumped through. The process of closing on the building took 9 months. The building used to be a funeral home so there were multiple environmental surveys that were required. Additionally, the loan process requires a lot of information to be gathered, and the process was not simple. However, in the end, it was all worth it, and I am so grateful to say today that I am sitting in my new office that I “rent” from myself! It has been a dream come true working on this property and putting in the hard work too alongside general contractors and professionals to bring the vision to life if you ever drive down Victory and cross over Waters and see the azaleas planted out front of the building just know that myself, my maintenance guy, Chris, and my incredible employee, Ella, all dug those azaleas up ourselves and moved them into where they are now and then planted new ones!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I am most proud about growing Ivory & Beau to a place where the business can be more involved in the community as well as in non-profit organizations that are important to me. My dad passed away in 2022, a little less than a month before my second baby was born after suffering Dementia. The disease is absolutely horrible, and it truly makes me so happy that my business is able to be a sponsor and supporter of raising money for the Alzheimer’s Association. In 2019, I first got involved in this non-profit by participating in the Dancing Stars of Coastal Georgia, their largest fundraising event, where I was able to raise $18k and also donate all the flowers and decorations for the tables for the event. In 2023, an employee, Megan Hollis, participated in the event, and again, we were able to help raise money and donate flowers and decorations. Being involved in this non-profit that is for a cause that is close to home is so important to me, and I am looking forward to continuing to be involved in the community and in charity fundraising such as this.
One thing that is so important to me about being a small business owner and that I am always trying to be intentional in branding and messages is that we value inclusivity of all. Ivory & Beau is a business that is here to celebrate love, and we do not discriminate against anyone for any reason, whether it be their race, skin color, ethnicity, religion, sexual preference, etc. I am in the process of planning an inclusive event for 2024 to highlight love for all and that we are a brand that is here for anybody who is getting married.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
Stephen George of the SBAC was one of the first cheerleaders and supporters of Ivory & Beau. He helped me with getting a loan as a young woman fresh out of college with no collateral. My dad was a successful business owner who ran a print shop while I was growing up. I always looked up to him and wanted to own my own business one day. He was great at providing little tidbits of valuable life lessons that I hold near and dear to my heart. One of my favorite things he always told me was, “Keep your knees bent over the moguls.” If you aren’t a skier, this may be a bit confusing; however, what he meant by this was just as a skier must keep their knees bent over the ups and downs to not lose their balance, so must we keep an even steady pace in life. Rather than celebrate the big wins and get cocky, we must keep a humble heart and a level head. On the other spectrum, during the hard times in life we must not get lost in the disappointments and failures but rather keep moving forward. My brother, Rocky Schwalge, also has been influential in business decisions and so wise helping me navigate the challenges of being a business owner. He always seems to have the best advice for tackling whatever life throws my way.
Contact Info:
- Website: ivoryandbeau.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/ivoryandbeau
- Facebook: facebook.com/ivoryandbeau
- Twitter: twitter.com/ivoryandbeau
- Youtube: youtube.com/ivoryandbeau
- Yelp: yelp.com/ivoryandbeau
Image Credits
Love Anneliese
Alex Converse Photography
