From Sports Radio to Wedding Dresses: How One Woman Said “Yes” to the Dress Shop 

Mid-career changes are more common than ever, but it still takes a brave heart and, one might say, a bit of reckless abandon to follow your gut feeling. That kind of gut feeling is what led Lindy Lanford to purchase The Bridal Cottage, a signature bridal boutique that had become a staple in the North Little Rock, Ark., community since 1979. 

Lanford bought her wedding dress at The Bridal Cottage in July 2011. At the time, she was the Promotions and Marketing Director for radio station KABZ FM (“The Buzz”) and had been in media and promotions for almost 15 years. However, Lanford had been open to finding a different direction for a while, but owning and operating a wedding dress shop was not the career shift that automatically came to mind.

But later that year, following her wedding to husband Erin, Lanford discovered that The Bridal Cottage’s previous owner was planning to close this well-loved boutique after a truck had run a red light and careened into the front of the store. She realized that this was the sign she was waiting for. That reckless driver set the wheels in motion for Lanford’s next career path.

From that moment, Lanford had faith in her intuition, and two and a half years since re-opening its doors in February 2012 to usher in the wedding and prom seasons, she has grown The Bridal Cottage business, brought it back to its high standards for servicing brides across the central Arkansas region and neighboring states, and loved every minute.

We sat down with Lanford to find out how she made this transition work – and how it is possible that a transition that she didn’t see coming has given rise to a wildly successful venture.

An Entrepreneur is Born, Breaking Rules about Sales Methods 

What inspired you to take ownership of The Bridal Cottage after building a successful marketing career in the entertainment industry?
I loved working at The Buzz and in media in general. I had been in that scene for all of my professional career. But I knew somewhere inside that I still hadn’t found my calling. I’ve always wanted to own my own business. And this, well, just fell in my lap. My family thought I was crazy, but if it wasn’t for the support of my husband and my gut telling me that this was what I was supposed to do, I wouldn’t be here today. 

Based on your past career experience, what do you think prepared you to be a business owner?
I have always been very independent and driven. My family has always been supportive and has encouraged me throughout my whole life. But I have also worked with, and have been surrounded by, strong women all my life. From my years at Valparaiso University, to the jobs I have had along the way, strong, independent women, I believe, have helped me to become who I am today, and to believe that I can do anything if I put my mind to it — and therefore be as successful as I want to be.

The other piece of this is my experience at The Buzz. The owner, Philip Jonsson, allowed me to grow creatively, and he gave me the room to try new things, even if I did fall on my face once or twice! But it taught me to get back up and try again. If it wasn’t for his guidance and trust in me, I certainly wouldn’t have had the confidence to do this on my own. I felt encouraged and empowered, and I realized I could do something on my own. As for mentors…my parents. They always support me in anything that I do. They might think I’m nuts for a moment, but they are always there! 

What new ideas did you bring to running a bridal store?
The previous owner stayed on with me for two months to teach me the ropes and the traditions of The Bridal Cottage, but other than that, it was all brand new!  Changing my mindset on who to market to was also a challenge: I had gone from marketing to all men (The Buzz is a sports station) to all women!

And I decided to go against all retail sales rules. My ladies don’t work on any type of commission, and none of them have any sales experience. Why? Because I want The Bridal Cottage to be a no-pressure atmosphere. I want brides to come in and have the dress experience they have always dreamed about, without stressing if the consultant is pressuring her into something because of the price. I would rather pay my team more from my pocket in order to ensure a fun and amazing experience here with the brides and their families.

So no matter what budget or what type of dress the bride wants, the team here listens and tries her best to find a bride’s dream dress. We also understand that we may not have every bride’s dream dress! But we hope that when they leave, they had a memorable experience. We work as a team, and that’s important. It creates such an incredible working environment. The team sets the tone, and it is a huge part of our success. Plus, since we have been in the same location for so long, we are considered a staple business, and we take great pride in that fact.

What advice do you have for someone considering a career shift or becoming an entrepreneur?
It’s all about taking risks. There is a plan for you and it is gonna be scary, but the reward is so huge. You have to have that inner drive and know that it will take up 24 hours a day and 7 days a week and be OK with that. You have to be able to roll with the punches, because there are going to be dramatic ups and downs, but know that it won’t consume you. It was so scary, but again, I was confident in myself that I could do this. There was a drive in me, just a gut feeling. 

Since transitioning to being a business owner, have you been able to unlock new talents and passions that you didn’t know you had? If so, did anything come as a surprise?
I know this might sound a little funny, but I’ve learned to relax! I’ve learned to trust in my team that if I’m not there, that everything will be fine. I’ve learned to take time for myself, to enjoy owning a business and to delegate. I have always been a workaholic. I have learned to savor more of life, inside and outside work. 

Was there ever a moment where you thought, “I can’t do this; I’m ready to give up?”
Yes. Many times the first year. But my husband is my biggest fan. Every time I came home and cried on his shoulder, he would let me get it all out, and then tell me that I can do this. And he’s right. I can! 

What were the most significant challenges of your career shift?
I had to start the business basically from scratch! The store had to be almost completely remodeled [because of the damage from the truck accident]. So by the time I took over, my husband and I had to remodel, hire staff and really come up with a new way of running the business. They didn’t even have a computer system, so we had to computerize all of the inventory.

Priceless Rewards from the Personal Side of a Business 

What have been the most rewarding aspects of your career shift?
I have two actually. One is my team of wonderful ladies. This is a “people person” job, and I believe it has nothing to do with sales experience. We are listeners, counselors, encouragers, and they are also strong women. This is something I look for when hiring. These traits are not learned; they are within you. I truly appreciate each one of them. I have good women surrounding me. I’d do anything for these ladies because they make my life easier, and I want to make them happy.

And the other reward is that not many people can say that they are a huge part of someone’s special day, someone’s wonderful memory. But we can. The dress is not just fabric; it’s way more than that. It’s about love, family and a new beginning. Every day I am able to come to work and see and hear the amazing love and happiness in people. The world is filled with so much negative, but in here, it’s all about one thing: the bride…finding her that dream dress that she feels like the most beautiful woman on the planet. And nothing else matters.

Note: As for Lanford’s own special moments, she recalls a day when she answered the phone (a task now delegated to one of her ladies on staff), but on this day, she heard a bride from Dallas on the line, explaining  that she had just found out her mother, who lived in North Little Rock, had stage four cancer. Despite this, her mom still hoped to make it not only to the wedding, but to the store to help choose the gown. Of all the experiences a bride endures in preparation for her wedding, this bride wanted to make sure she could have that “I found my dress” moment with her mother.

“She came to The Bridal Cottage to have that experience with her mom, and she knew this might be one of the last big experiences with her mom,” Lanford said, tearfully recalling that day. “It was a very emotional day, but she found her dress here, and she had that moment with her mother.”

Everyone who walks into The Bridal Cottage knows they are in for a first-class experience to celebrate a day that brides have often dreamt about for years. From the two-hour private dress fitting session to the individual handwritten thank you notes she and her staff write to their brides, Lanford, and her passion for the business, is in every detail.