[In 2015], Lisa Bobb left the world of corporate IT and pursued her dream of owning a boutique. She bought Squash Blossom, a 16-year-old store in Decatur from previous owners Ettie and Talia Wurtzel.

Since then, Bobb has expanded Squash Blossom to a second location in Grant Park and added a furry store mascot while working toward her goal of making customers feel confident about how they look. 

What led you to your career? I made the big leap years ago. I’ve always had a passion for retail and always thought I would own a retail store in retirement. I studied engineering and got into an IT career right after graduate school and worked in IT for 20 years. I figured I would retire from that and have a small retail shop more as a hobby as an old lady. As it turned out, I had the opportunity to buy a retail store that I was a customer of. I became aware that the owner was interested in selling it, and I got laid off from my position The Coca-Cola Company with a nice severance package. I figured I could invest the money in someone else's company or invest in myself, buy the business and see what I could do with it. I chose the latter. 

Who was your biggest influence in your career (mentor, teacher, relative)?  One of my first CIOs that I worked for out of grad school in California took an interest in me. He would be working late and would come by and tell me about his experience coming up in IT and give me encouragement. He appreciated how hard I was working, and I appreciated that he was paying attention to someone at my level. He gave me good connections that became future opportunities. He has always been a good sounding board for me and given me opportunities to grow. In retail I have had a couple of different mentors. Another female business owner here in Atlanta owned two stores, and she helped me with a lot of the basic operational type of strategies and information I would need when I made the jump. I also reached out to another local female business owner who has franchised her company from one small boutique to over 30 across the country. She gave me aspirational advice and vision. Especially coming from a very male-dominated industry with IT, most of my mentors and leaders were men. It has been really refreshing to find so many women in this industry that are killing it and willing to impart wisdom and advice. 

What is the biggest challenge in your career or job, and what is the most rewarding part? One of the biggest challenges I find is continuing to motivate and develop my team. In retail, there can be quite a bit of turnover. You want to keep your team engaged, give them an opportunity to grow and learn new skills and make them feel like a part of something bigger. People come and go a lot quicker than in a corporate environment, so it is hard to really build and maintain the culture. Absolutely hands down the most rewarding part is when I can positively impact a customer about the way they feel and look, and when they walk out feeling more confident and beautiful.

What’s the hardest business lesson you’ve learned? I think I am naturally a very trusting person, and I take people at their word and face value, but in business you really have to protect yourself because people don't always do what they say they will, so you have to get things in writing and have contingency plans in place. I have been really hurt in the past. It is business but it is also personal because I am a sole proprietor. I put my heart and soul into this. 

How has your experience in corporate IT impacted your work as a business owner? It has been really helpful surprisingly, because IT runs everything no matter what business you are in. I have always worked in a corporate environment and supported other corporate functions like HR, so you have to learn a bit of the business process for whoever you are doing business for. Now, I am my own HR and finance and marketing team, but I have a little bit of background knowledge to be able to perform those functions, which has been great.

What was it like taking over an established business? In retrospect it was the right thing to do. It was the easiest way to go about it. I was able to come in and observe, and I didn't change anything for the first 30 days. I took note of what was working well and what needed to change, which was helpful. It was also challenging because people don't like change. I came into an existing business where employees were used to working in different ways. It’s been an iterative process. I definitely benefited from being able to jump onboard a moving train instead having to reinvent everything myself. 

Where do you draw artistic inspiration from as a stylist? I love to travel, and I get inspired by different cultures. I recently took a trip to South Africa and a different trip to Mexico. I love going to markets anywhere I travel and bringing different cultures into the mix and drawing off of that. 

What's your favorite place you’ve visited? My most interesting trip was to Egypt and it was fascinating because almost everything about it was different than the United States. The colors. The sounds. The sheer density of the city, and being in a Muslim country.

What do you think the future of boutiques in Atlanta will look like? Women still want to shop if they have the time. They still want a shopping experience with styling and someone to help them, where they can touch and feel the garments. The most important thing is the customer experience. People can buy things anywhere, so it is all about the way the place looks and feels, and the employees there to give them feedback on what they should try on. The competition with the convenience of online shopping is real, but there is still something special that people get walking into a brick-and-mortar store.

What's next for Squash Blossom? I’m not sure. I still have so much to refine. Owning two stores is like juggling that second kid whereas you used to have just one focus. My e-commerce is something I am always trying to improve upon. I just recently started selling kids clothes at the new store and have started a small men’s gift selection, so that is something that continues to grow as my male customers demand more. 

Tell us about your store dog, Squash. One of my customers works at Fulton County Animal Services, and she came in one day with a big dog wearing an "adopt me" sign. I said I would love a small shop dog and she said, "You have to come down and see this dog, but he is a little bit of a hot mess." Squash needed an amputation, had an ear infection, needed to be neutered and had fleas. For some reason, I still got chose him. Squash comes with me to work every day. He's the most gentle dog. He runs around like he has four legs. People put their babies next to him, and people come to the store just looking for Squash. He might get his own Instagram account soon. 

Lisa Bobb

• Born in: Bronx, New York
• Lives in: Atlanta 
• Age: Timeless
• Current job: Owner and general manager of Squash Blossom
• Previous job: IT director at Coca-Cola Company
• Education: Undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering, MIT; master's in mechanical engineering, University of California, Berkeley
• Hobbies: "I love learning, and I have aspirational hobbies like playing the piano and taking cooking lessons."