Today we’d like to introduce you to Peggy Holt.
Peggy, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I have to say I started my business on a wing and a prayer. When I opened my doors in the year 2,000 I literally had $20,000 in the bank and had to put my condo up for collateral when signing the lease for the building. I figured I had 3 months and if the business didn’t fly, I would be a bag lady. But there are two qualities I discovered I had. I believed in myself and I never thought of failure. A good friend encouraged me to not take money from anyone if at all possible. He said all the people offering to loan me money, at a very high interest rate, I might add. Believed in me. He said if I could fund it myself to do it. They all believed in me so I needed to believe in myself. Great advice!! So my first store was 7,000 square feet and since then I have expanded to 25,000 square feet and presently need more space!
Has it been a smooth road?
Has this been a smooth road? Absolutely not! Running a business is seldom smooth. One of the biggest challenges was the down turn in the economy and we went into a recession. But I figured out how to keep going. We didn’t make much money but we didn’t go under. Quite a feat. Again, I didn’t think failure. I was always thinking what could we do to keep going. Employees are always a challenge. But I try to help my employees feel good about themselves. I encourage them and reward them when they perform well. We are like a family. I have 4 employees who have been with me over 10 years. I schedule fun events away from work so we can have fun and bond. We recently went bowling and had a blast!!
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Just like the Model – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
When the builders sell their model homes often the furniture does not sell with it. Just like the model will take in the furnishing and sell it to the public. The furnishings are essentially all new and have been picked out by designers. So we have all the latest and greatest designs in accessories and furniture being sold at very affordable prices. A couple came in and spent $53,000 in 3 hours. The tape was 24 feet long. The biggest one sale we have ever had. So we wrapped the tape around us and put it on Facebook. It was so fun. I am most proud of helping my customers find beautiful, affordable furnishings and seeing the joy and happiness it brings them. A customer shared the story about her 95-year-old father who needed to move into a small apartment and had a very limited budget. She was so grateful she started to cry because she was able to find what she needed within her small budget and he loved the apartment. So we both cried!! I am also proud to help, through donations from my company to Orangewood Foundation for Children and the Samueli Academy charter school both of which are so successful in helping so many foster children.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
Chris Burrous, the weekend anchor for KTLA 5, has discovered my store and has been so supportive… He has been at terrific resource for getting our name and concept out to the public. We have a lot of terrific people from LA and the surrounding areas coming to Just like the model. We are very grateful to Chris and the people in LA supporting us.
Contact Info:
- Address: Just like the Model
Open Tuesday -Saturday 10AM-5PM
Sunday 12PM-5PM
Closed Mondays
17391 Murphy Ave.,
Irvine, CA 62614 - Website: www.Justlikethemodel.com
- Phone: 714-968-9888
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/justlikethemodel
- Email: marketing @justlikethemodel.com
- Yelp: www.yelp.com/biz/just-like-the-model-irvine
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justlikethemodel
Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
