From an 800-square-foot store to 12,000 square feet of retail and warehouse space in just five years, Lady Black Tie is the picture of small business success.
Owner and founder Marissa Tilley started Lady Black Tie as a brick-and-mortar store after leaving an unfulfilling corporate job. “It came down to the idea of wanting to have fun every day,” she says. “I thought selling dresses would be super fun.”
Over the years, Marissa and her colleague Chelsea Demby, who runs Lady Black Tie’s media and influencer relations, have had to navigate a rapidly changing marketing landscape.
A few years ago, Marissa says, you could get “a nine-to-one return on your ad spend.” Today, with iOS updates impacting the power of ads and search engines taking a bigger cut of ad sales, they’re seeing returns of three-to-four at best. That’s why Marissa and Chelsea are leaning into email marketing to continue growing Lady Black Tie.
In this episode of Be a Marketer, Marissa and Chelsea talk to host
Dave Charest, Director of Small Business Success at Constant Contact. Tune in for their tips on sustainable marketing, from avoiding the pitfalls of algorithm changes to navigating virality.
Meet Today’s Guests: Marissa Tilley and Chelsea Demby of Lady Black Tie
☕ What Marissa does: Marissa is the owner and founder of
Lady Black Tie, a Massachusetts-based fashion company with three lines of business: retail, ecommerce, and wholesale.
☕ What Chelsea does: Chelsea is Lady Black Tie’s head of media and influencer relations.
💡 Marissa’s key quote: “It really came down to wanting to focus on the lighter side of life every day. Not every day is a joy. However, I do try to sit back and remind myself why I did this… seeing the smile on our customers’ faces when they find that dress.”
💡 Chelsea’s key quote: “My best advice is to really not strive for perfection. Have fun with it.”
